HousingWorks

Since 1994, the Urban Ministry Center has been committed to meeting the needs of homeless people in Charlotte in all ways except one – we have not been able to offer permanent housing. We have counseled and referred thousands of people into shelters, or into Room in the Inn, or into affordable housing, but we have not had the resources to offer housing itself. That’s changing.

In 2008, UMC began Homeless to Homes (H2H) as a pilot project to test the effectiveness of moving these individuals straight from the streets into housing with supportive services.

After only a few months, the results were compelling: The first four residents showed significant improvement in health and well-being and were thriving in their new homes. This success led us to expand the pilot, and two years later, the program had an 87% housing retention rate. Not only are these individuals housed, but they have moved beyond simply surviving to milestones such as reconnecting with their families, pursuing educational goals, and overcoming substance abuse disorders.

While their personal outcomes improve, so too do our community costs. Let's look at the one-day cost of chronic homelessness:

One night in jail: $110
One ER visit: $1,029
One day in hospital: $2,165
Homeless to Homes apartment: $29.50

Stated another way, the average annual community cost of a chronically homeless person is more than $37,000 per year in shelter, hospital, ER and jail costs – all of which serve only as stop-gap measures. Through H2H, we can provide stable housing and case management to this same individual for $11,000 annually and have positive outcomes in health, sobriety and stabilization. H2H residents have proven them selves to be good neighbors too: The landlord in H2H, for example, called to offer three additional apartments at reduced rate because "H2H tenants are the best I've ever had. There is a real sense of community there now." Through H2H and Moore Place, the Urban Ministry Center seeks to fulfill its mission of ending homelessness by giving this community a vision of what is possible, and by giving the most vulnerable in our community what they so desperately need: a home.

Photo: Friends and residents of Homeless to Homes. For more information on H2H or Moore Place, email Director This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call her at 980-224-9254.