Osceola County officials just got back from touring a New Jersey facility lauded as being key in ending chronic homelessness there, and they hope to use the model back at home.
- Osceola County looking at Bergen County, NJ homelessness model
- Bergen County 1st in nation to end chronic homelessness
- Osceola County hopes businesses will partner up
Local leaders went to Bergen County, New Jersey to check out a HUD-certified facility that has proven to be successful in ending homelessness. Commissioner Peggy Choudhry hopes Osceola County can mirror their efforts.
The board recently approved looking into a proper plan to build a crisis care center model in Osceola County.
"I know that when we speak about helping homeless people, think 'shelter.' 'Shelter' has a very bad stigma -- that is not what we're trying to bring to the county,” Choudhry explained. “What we are trying to bring is unified efforts in helping the problem."
Choudhry said she hopes businesses along the corridor can work hand in hand with the county to become part of this plan.
KJ Nana agrees. "The county definitely needs a place where somebody can go to and provide that assistance. And then facilities like us can assist in that… We become an option."
Nana has been running Staymore Extended Studios for seven years. He says most of the people staying at his hotel are homeless.
"Homelessness is definitely an issue here and the problem is there isn't a proper facility for them to go to," Nana said.
Nana converted his hotel to extended stay studios to meet the needs, he said. Every studio has a full-size fridge, a two-burner stovetop and a microwave -- conveniences you don't see in your average hotel.
"We pride ourselves on having a guest come in stay with us, and they may be here a month, two to three months, six months,” Nana said. “And then they come to us and say look, 'I found an apartment' or 'I found a home.' That for us makes us feel good like we're doing the right thing."
Affordable Housing in Osceola County
This new study will cost $50,000 to $79,000 and break down how the county can start a pilot program for a potential one-stop shop to serve the homeless community.
Information put together by county staff this month shows that Osceola County has a lot of low-wage jobs but not enough housing units for workers.
More than 41,000 households in Osceola County pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Some 52 percent of households have one or two people in them, but only 9 percent of the housing in Osceola County is a studio or one bedroom.
The median rent for a one-bedroom in Osceola county is $788 a month. Read the full housing report for Osceola County (.pdf).
Bergen County, NJ's homelessness approach
Bergen County, NJ became the first in the country to end chronic homelessness. A key part of that approach is the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center.
- RELATED: Bergen County's homelessness program (.pdf)
The Center serves as a one-stop location to get help for a variety of services, including homelessness.
The Center has a temporary shelter with 90 beds, plus a seasonal shelter between December and March for 15 people.
While people stay there, The Center works to place people in more permanent facilities, or with other agencies. It also has programs to help people get training as needed, health care, meals and other services.