At Pathways of Hope, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to prevent people from experiencing homelessness at all, so that they never have to enter a system of shelter, bridge housing, rapid re-housing, or Permanent Supportive Housing after spending years of debilitating survival living outdoors. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive strategy that assists families and individuals experiencing tough economic times and challenges who are not yet homeless — but who are on the brink of homelessness. Stability in housing is one of the most important predictors of success in childhood development, and the stability of having and keeping a house can help a struggling person steer clear of the complications and vulnerability that a life lived without a home can inflict on that person and their family. As a community, we need to do more to help with diversion by finding innovative solutions for people facing homelessness by exploring different, creative options, included shared housing, how family can provide appropriate resources, and other practical solutions.
Pathways of Hope is focused on expanding this work for the North Orange County region and through our partnerships within the Family Solutions Collaborative, the City of Fullerton, and the North Orange County Public Service Task Force. We know that stability in our community is a key indicator of a positive safety and community health experience for all residents. We are looking to invest resources and leverage our partnerships in the community to do more to ensure that residents on the precipice of homelessness are able to keep their homes. Orange County is one of the most expensive rental markets in the country, one that according to the most recent Out of Reach report requires residents to make $36.08 to afford a 2-bedroom apartment and live with the capacity to pay all their other bills to stay housed and fed. We also have a remarkably low vacancy rate, meaning that trying to regain housing once you have lost it is that just that much more challenging.
The need to keep our neighbors and community members out of the homeless services system is massive for our economically vulnerable neighbors, and a huge community benefit. You can follow us on social media and check back on our website for updates from us as we unveil more information about how we intend to take this work on.
Your support is critical – we need your help to save families and individuals from homelessness. Together, we can stop homelessness before it starts.
The post Prevention and Diversion – Stopping Homelessness Before It Starts appeared first on Pathways of Hope.