The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
‘SIGNIFICANT INCREASE’
Madison County addresses growing homeless problem
In 2022 Madison County saw a sizable increase in its homeless population from 2021. The county Department of Social Services helped 284 homeless people in 2022 compared to 208 the previous year and is offering several ways to deal with it.
“Madison County saw a significant increase in the number of people facing homelessness in 2022,” Madison County Financial Assistance Programs Deputy Commissioner Patricia Platt said. “Many of these homeless were women and families. Even with additional federal and state funding, and other emergency grants, housing continues to be a challenge.”
Platt spoke during a recap of 2022 given by various department heads to the county board of supervisors last Tuesday. She said there are various reasons for homelessness in Madison County. Loss of support from friends or family caused 45% of the cases, evictions caused 28% and count-to-county and stateto-state moves 19%.
“Last year there was a significant increase in those homeless due to county moves or state-to-state moves with no viable housing plan,” Platt said.
DSS was able to place 55 individuals of the 284 homeless into temporary housing. “However the majority declined placement, wanting to make their own plans instead,” Platt said.
According to Habitat for Humanity, in 2020 30% of all households had unaffordable rent or mortgage payments. Unaffordable is defined as exceeding 30% of monthly household income. More than one in seven households paid over half of their income on housing. The burdens rose most for those earning between $30,000 and $45,000. Home prices rose 20.6% from March 2021 to March 2022 and rents increased 12%.
Prisoners released from jail accounted for 8% of county homeless in Madison County. According to the Reentry and Housing Coalition, formerly incarcerated individuals experience high rates of homelessness, and between 30 and 50% of parolees are homeless.
The Madison County Opportunities for Re-entry and Employment program was created to increase economic opportunities for those recently released from jail and assist in post-release housing.
MORE Program Coordinator Rachel Copland said that finding housing for formerly incarcerated persons is a priority along with teaching job skills.
“The housing crisis is a big problem,” Copland recently said. “If you have someone who is around people who are trouble, or if you don’t have a place to stay
“Many of these homeless were women and families. Even with additional federal and state funding, and other emergency grants, housing continues to be a challenge.” — Madison County Financial Assistance Programs Deputy Commissioner Patricia Platt
then you will find yourself in trouble.”
County homeless totals last year were men at 39%, women at 48% and families at 13%.
Fatherlessness is an issue regarding homeless families. According to the Baltimore Sun, 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes:
• 85% of children who suffer from behavioral disorders are from fatherless homes; One-third of homeless children have at least one major mental disorder that interferes with daily activity; 47% have problems with anxiety, depression, or withdrawal, compared to 18% of other school-age children.
• 71% of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes; In a survey of youth who had experienced homelessness at some point during middle or high school, 42% indicated having dropped out one or more times from school, according to Voices of Youth.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network also acknowledges the impact of fatherlessness:
• The typical homeless family is headed by a single mother, usually in her late twenties. She has with her two or three young children, typically preschoolers.
• Homelessness affects people of all geographic areas, ages, occupations, and ethnicities but occurs disproportionately among people of color.
• More than 90% of sheltered and low-income mothers have experienced physical and sexual assault over their lifespan.
“The coming year will undoubtedly have many challenges in meeting the needs for emergency and affordable housing,” Platt said. “DSS will continue to pursue available funding and programs to help address homelessness in Madison County.”
Oneida City Police Chief Steven Lowell said his department is helping with local homeless persons.
“All communities, large or small, have concerns with those who cannot afford adequate housing,” he said. “From time to time we encounter people who are temporarily without housing. We are fortunate that in the City of Oneida and Madison County, we have a number of resources with fantastic people to help solve problems and support people in need.”
Addressing the homeless issue involves finding the root causes of the problem, Lowell said.
“The issues surrounding residentially displaced people are unique to each person,” he said. “There is not a blanket reason for homelessness, nor is there a blanket fix or solution within our community. What we find is oftentimes mental health and substance abuse are contributing factors.
We look first to address the immediate concerns and then assist to connect them with long-term service providers.”
Lowell said the type of need will shape where they can go for resources. Resources like Madison County Department of Social Services and Community Action Partnership of Madison County, he said, are excellent.
Madison County DSS may be reached at 315-366-2211 and CAP may be reached at 315-280-0889.
Other resources include Catholic Charities of Madison/oneida Counties at 315363-5274, Liberty Resources at 315-363-0048 and Madison County Mental Health Department at 315-366-2327. The Oneida City Police number is 315-363-9111.
“Additionally, when the outdoor temperatures are dangerously low, Madison County will declare a ‘Code Blue,’ and provide locations called warming sites where people who need to can go to be indoors and warm,” Lowell said.
“They also provide refreshments, the use of a phone, and hygiene supplies at the warming sites,” he continued. “In Madison County, our warming sites are listed by the Madison County Office of Emergency Management as all local libraries, the Madison County Office for the Aging, and The Church on the Rock in Oneida. Our agency often provides resource information via our Facebook page.”