BD Newsletter

“I want to thank all of you all for your help,” James Albert.

By Brad Durham

A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME

James Albert is no longer homeless, and he is finally in his own home. He moved into his apartment in McMinnville on Friday, August 30, 2024.

There is a long list of people to thank for helping James Albert. Sheila Fann and Connie Fox with HOME helped keep James Albert off the street by placing him in a motel for several days, and then they placed him in a tiny home at Prosperity Point for approximately four months.

Everyone who donated to the campaign to help James Albert secure permanent housing helped keep James Albert safe. Everyone’s donations provided Albert with necessities such as a phone and furniture for his apartment. All of the individual donations have given James Albert a fresh start. Everyone’s donation made a vital difference.

Leland Northcutt and John Phillips helped move James into his apartment. Leland Northcutt has been a major supporter and motivator to help James Albert secure a permanent home.

Ryan Heatherly and everyone at First United Methodist Church helped administer the Fund (from donations) to help James Albert stay off the streets and find a safe, secure home. Tena Basham and Jimmy Haley helped consistently with their compassion and time. The Mission Committee at First United Methodist also helped. St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church also contributed to the James Albert Fund.

H.A.R.T., the Continuum of Care for HUD funding for the homeless in the Upper Cumberland region was a major help. The Crossville Housing Authority is supplying the rental assistance with HUD funding that makes James Albert’s apartment affordable. James Albert only pays 30% of his adjusted income toward rent. Vivian Walker with H.A.R.T., and Cindy Turner, Jamie Young and Kathy Vanlandingham with the Crossville Housing Authority worked diligently to make the rental assistance possible for James Albert.

James Albert’s Apartment

HOLES IN THE SAFETY NET

Placing a homeless person into permanent housing is not an easy process, and the safety net for the homeless in McMinnville has severe holes, which causes many people to live on the streets indefinitely. Affordable housing is extremely limited. The Fair Market Rent (FMR) that HUD allows for rental assistance in McMinnville is too low — it is not “fair”. Supportive services for the homeless population are severely lacking at best, and are virtually non-existent at worst, especially after a homeless person or family are placed into permanent housing.

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS

These are four considerations for strategic planning that would strengthen the safety net for the homeless in McMinnville:

1. Build more affordable housing with low-income tax credits and project-based rental subsidies.
2. Secure more rental subsidies for the homeless and low-income families in McMinnville.
3. Create a Housing Search position to help the homeless and low-income families find and secure permanent housing.
4. Develop full-time supportive services that includes a Master of Social Work (MSW) position and peer-to-peer counselors. A Multi-Service Center in the city would be optimal.

The full-time staff to assist the homeless would be cost-effective. McMinnville has several homeless individuals in the county jail at a minimal cost of $41 dollars a day. River Park hospital absorbs emergency health care costs for the vast majority of the homeless population. Our police and government resources are being used to service the homeless in a multitude of ways, which redirects our limited resources to take care of the homeless. Unfortunately, emergency services without supportive services do not produce permanent housing solutions.

Our limited resources could be put to better use providing long-term permanent solutions for the homeless. We all need the benefit of government assistance in some shape or form. McMinnville has to decide if it wants to redirect some of its limited resources to better serving the homeless and low-income families.

One question we must continue to ask ourselves is how long can we drive by people who are sleeping in our church parking lots, under our bridges, and in unsafe environments such as our woods.