Fight against homelessness gets organized

Region develops a plan to eradicate homelessness in 10 years.

ISANTI COUNTY – If they can, they're going to try to end rural homelessness in 10 years.
That's a big goal, but Mary Everett of Lakes and Pines has a plan for how to do it – at least in the central Minnesota area.
The multi-faceted approach was developed as part of a statewide effort.
The goal is to not only prevent homelessness, but to improve services and to build the capacity of people to avoid homelessness again, said Everett.
Serving as part of the central continuum of care are those with Lutheran Social Services, Rural Development, Catholic Charities, Wilder Foundation Research, Central Minnesota Council on Aging, and the Salvation Army. There are also representatives from homeless shelters, county human services agencies, chemical dependency programs, ex-offender programs, and mental health providers.
The group began by examining the needs and issues of the rural homeless.
Factoring into rural homelessness are the basics of income and employment. But there are other issues, such as mental health, domestic violence, chemical dependency, foreclosure, and medical care, that play a role.
Who the homeless are
There are distinct differences between people who are homeless in an urban area and those in the rural area, said Everett.
The rural homeless tend to be less educated, but more likely to be employed.
They are less likely to receive government assistance and more likely to receive cash from friends.
Rural homeless experience shorter episodes of homelessness, and are two to four times more likely to live with family or friends.
They are less likely to have health insurance or access to medical care.
According to a 2006 Wilder Foundation Study, 63% of the rural homeless are white, compared to 32% in the metro area. Thirty-four percent have children, and 35% are women who are fleeing abuse.
Military veterans are affected, and make up 28% of the rural homeless.
Seventy-six percent earned no more than a high school education.
And 61% have a chronic health condition.
A higher percentage of people living in central Minnesota are living below the poverty level. The worst are in Morrison and Cass Counties where the amount is 10%. Isanti County is at 5.7% compared to the state average of 6.5%.
However, Isanti County's unemployment rates are higher than the state's at 5% compared to 4.3%.
A big problem is that the cost of housing can be out of reach for many people.
The fair market rent in Isanti County is $858. The annual income needed to afford that rent is $34,320. A person making minimum wage would need to work 107 hours a week to afford that.
Rising home costs have contributed to the homeless problem.
Between 1990 and 2000, home prices rose 48% while incomes went up only 19%.
Because of that, 22% of homeowners were paying more than 30% of their household incomes on housing, and 6% paying more than half of their income on housing.
The foreclosure crisis is likely to increase the problem. The number of foreclosures from 2005 to 2006 increased 48%, according to the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. The number is expected to rise.
Adding to the problem is that if a person has lost his/her home in foreclosure, his credit is affected. An individual with bad credit is not eligible for Section 8 housing.
Everett pointed out that, like Lutheran Social Services, Lakes and Pines offers free foreclosure prevention counseling.
To view the entire homelessness prevention plan, go to www.cmhp.net

RURAL HOMELESSNESS
389 homeless in Central Minnesota on Jan. 21, 2007
69 chronically ill
131 severely ill
85 substance abusers
77 veterans
5 HIV/AIDS positive
54 victims of domestic violence
16 unaccompanied youth