2 years of decline, but 4,067 still homeless

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 2/19/15

“The best way to spend less money on homelessness is to end it,” Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for Homelessness, said in a press release.

Although Rhode Island …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

2 years of decline, but 4,067 still homeless

Posted

“The best way to spend less money on homelessness is to end it,” Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for Homelessness, said in a press release.

Although Rhode Island still has a long way to go, the state is one step closer to that goal. For the second year in a row, Rhode Island has seen a decline in the number of homeless, according to a report released this morning.

Advocates, as well as former and current homeless individuals, are expected to gather at the Smith Hill Community Development Corporation to release the state’s Homeless Management Information System’s (HMIS) statistics for 2014.

The report shows from 2013 to 2014 the number of homeless dropped from 4,447 to 4,067, an 8.5 percent decrease. 2012 had the highest number in recent history with 4,868 homeless.

“This is the second year we have seen a decline, which is great because previously we saw over 7 years of nothing but rising numbers,” Ryczek said in a statement.

Dr. Eric Hirsch, professor at Providence College and chair of state HMIS Committee, believes part of the decrease comes from parents and children that are staying with relatives or friends.

He called shelters “Band-Aids” and called for more investment into affordable housing, for that sees the best results, reduces stress and more people successfully staying out of the shelter system.

“All the little things we take for granted in having a home turn out to make a big difference in terms of health and fiscal impact on the state,” he said in the press release.

Ryczek said, “When you look deeper into the numbers,” and with a slightly improved economy, Rhode Island is seeing less first-time homeless. They are making “just enough” to stay out of the system in the first place.

The next focus, according to Ryczek, should be on those who have been “stuck in the shelter system,” who are suffering from chronic homelessness.

“These people end up being the easiest to help. With subsidized housing, 90 percent of people succeed,” Ryczek said.

Although there is initial cost in investing in affordable housing, Ryczek said that it is more “economically beneficial” in the long run.

“People think the shelter system is cheaper, but these individuals go on to be incarcerated and using emergency medical services and we pay for them through taxes,” Ryczek said. “We are paying associated costs through other outlets and when they can be stabilized in housing, it shows that they are turning to these outlets less. With a better system, we can see better results.”

The Rhode Island Coalition for Homelessness is also expected to release the second annual Report Card on Opening Doors Rhode Island.

Opening Doors Rhode Island began in 2012 and is a strategic and realistic plan to end homelessness.

Rhode Island was one of the few states chosen nationally to be a part of Zero 2016 that hopes to end chronic homelessness by the end of 2016. This campaign falls in line with Opening Doors Rhode Island and also accelerates the timeline from ending chronic homeless in five years to only two.

The issued report card grades the progress of Opening Doors initiatives and goals throughout the state.

For 2014, the grade was raised to a “B,” where last year Rhode Island had a C+.

The state was awarded a B, according to the press release, due to “successes in creating a dedicated source of funding for housing and homelessness and the successful Medicaid expansion and enrollment that means greater access to health care for many homeless Rhode Islanders.”

Ryczek said, “Yes, we are doing better, but we still have a long way to go. Just ask any parent what they would say to their child. A ‘B’ is good, but you can do even better. We are looking for that A+.”

In working toward the “A” grade, the Coalition offered recommendations. One of those recommendations is to restore $2.17 million in the budget to go to Housing Resources Commission programs, continuing funding to Opening Doors Rhode Island and allocate $12.5 million to Building Home Rhode Island program, which was previously funded from a 2012 bond, as well as publicly promoting the Zero 2016 Campaign and the need to combat chronic homelessness.

For more information on the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, visit their website at www.rihomeless.org.

Comments

1 comment on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • JohnStark

    When I saw the title of this article I immediately concluded two things: 1. There will be no mention of mental illness or addiction, the two leading causes of homelessness, and 2. There will be a push for more government spending. Oops, "investment". Got it? We simply need to spend more money. And wouldn't "current homeless individuals" be best served looking for a job and a home rather than engaging in the rather curious task of "...releasing the state’s Homeless Management Information System’s (HMIS) statistics for 2014."? Don't we have people who are hired for the express purpose of releasing such data, rather than propping up a homeless guy to do it?

    Thursday, February 19, 2015 Report this