Asheville and Buncombe County are getting $6 million to prevent homelessness as part of a nationwide philanthropic experiment.
At their Oct. 13 meeting, Asheville City Council members voted unanimously to accept the grant
from Destination: Home, a public-private partnership based in San Jose, California. Buncombe County is one of 10 communities to receive funding for Right at Home, the partnership’s trial of targeted homelessness prevention.The core of the program is providing fast, flexible funding for people at risk of losing their home due to an unexpected crisis, said Sarah Dickerson, Asheville’s Right at Home project manager. As many as 5,000 Buncombe households annually have sought that type of help in recent years, she told the Citizen
Times, far in excess of local capacity.
Through Right at Home, local service providers could give residents tailored support — not just paying rent checks, for example, but offering financial planning advice or helping with career development to improve their earning power. Dickerson described the possibilities with a medical metaphor.
“Everyone is coming to us with some sort of wound,” she said, with the current system only able to offer basic bandages. “Some folks might need serious wound care that involves stitches and follow-up. You might need to take care of that over a longer period of time before it’s really able to heal.“
As presented to Council by Emily Ball, the manager of Asheville’s Homeless Strategy Division, a California pilot of the program had proven highly successful, with 90% of participating households still housed after two years. Asheville and other Right at Home communities would test how well the model worked in different parts of the country, she said, thereby informing national discussions on homelessness.
The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, the community-wide planning body that addresses area homelessness, has recommended several nonprofits to administer the grant. The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, Homeward Bound, and Operation Gateway, would serve up to 250 households next year at a cost of about $1.3 million. Pisgah Legal Services would guarantee support for 25 of those households, such as free representation in eviction court or landlord disputes, at a cost of about $102,000.
Representatives with those organizations said Right at Home’s resources will be invaluable as they work to keep residents from becoming homeless.
“Recent studies show that an increasing number of us are at risk of homelessness with just one large, unexpected expense. This program will be available to a much wider group, and covers expenses that are difficult to find funding for but are common barriers to housing: car repairs, utility arrears and more,” Sarah Newberry, grants director for Homeward Bound, told the Citizen Times.
Although Council members supported the program, some expressed concerns about funds reaching recipients in time to make a difference. Both Kim Roney and Sage Turner said similar local efforts, like Buncombe County’s General Assistance Program, had been slow to get money to those in need.
Ball said that Right at Home’s clearly outlined expectations, dedicated staff, and national backing would set it up for success. “We have much more robust support, both in terms of staff capacity but also our national partners for this particular initiative, than honestly anything I have seen in my time in our community,” she said.
The program is slated to run for three years, scaling up to reach 700 households in its final year. Ball said Destination: Home could eventually provide up to $10 million for Asheville and Buncombe County based on the community’s needs and implementation.
Council is scheduled to vote on the nonprofit funding recommendations Tuesday, Oct. 27. Ball said residents will be able access help through Right at Home starting in January.
Daniel Walton is the City Government Watchdog Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at dwalton@citizentimes.com, and connect with him on social media through Facebook, Instagram, or Reddit.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville accepts $6M grant to prevent homelessness
