Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI) is advocating for a compassionate response to people experiencing homelessness that focuses on long-term solutions and treating people with respect. As the lead agency for our local Continuum of Care, COI is working with community organizations and municipalities to coordinate homeless services.
Diane Hewitt-Johnson, COI’s CEO, stated that, “Our agency is aware of the seriousness of the problem, locally and across the country. The shortage of housing units and limited resources results in major gaps in services. We believe in working collaboratively with all agencies responsible for addressing homelessness in Chautauqua County to devise a plan that is solution based, respectful and allows those experiencing homelessness to maintain their dignity.”
The Declaration of the State of Emergency in Jamestown and the city’s recent practice of forcible closure of encampments, sometimes called “sweeps,” has highlighted the increased number of people experiencing street homelessness. COI would like to make its position clear that the organization does not support homeless sweeps, but rather supports a more measured approach that focuses on addressing the root causes of homelessness.
Homeless sweeps are increasing across the country in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in June (City of Grant’s Pass v. Johnson) that enforcing public camping prohibitions on homelessness encampments is not “cruel and unusual punishment.” But, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.
Research from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, HUD, and the American Public Health Association demonstrates that homeless sweeps are largely ineffective as a solution to addressing homelessness. They scatter people who have been living in encampments to other unstable housing situations. They can be detrimental to the mental health of people experiencing homelessness, cause trauma, and worsen chronic health conditions. They can undermine the ability of service providers to assist people experiencing homelessness and erode trust in our community institutions.
This does not mean that the status quo is acceptable. It is not. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, rental prices have increased significantly throughout the county and the entire country, making it difficult for low-to-moderate income households to find affordable housing. The county has limited homeless shelter beds, relying on area motels to house most of the homeless. Those beds are usually near capacity. Meanwhile, more people have turned to homeless encampments as a last resort.
Our community’s response to homelessness must include housing solutions. The best housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness is permanent housing with supportive services for mental health and substance use. This is a proven strategy that works and we have excellent local organizations in this field. These organizations could use additional resources to expand their impact.
There is also a need to improve access to emergency shelters. Motels are not the best temporary option for people experiencing homelessness as they do not include support services. Several projects are underway, including COI’s Hope Haven Women’s Shelter, a new domestic violence shelter, and a low barrier shelter. These projects will improve the quality of services and the ability of people to move from shelter to housing.
Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI) is a Community Action Agency that was created in 1965 to fight America’s War on Poverty. It is a non-profit organization that provides services to help people help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency. Designated by HUD as the Lead agency of the local Continuum of Care, COI’s role is to coordinate the Chautauqua County Homeless Coalition and promote a uniform response to homelessness.
On August 15th, 2024, volunteers from Chautauqua County will be completing a Point in Time count throughout the entire county. The intention of this count is to determine an accurate number of those who are unhoused, as well as to provide resources and support to those we encounter.
On August 20th, the CoC will be meeting at 10 am at the Northwest Arena in Jamestown to review the data collected, and to continue a community discussion on strategies to address homelessness. Coalition members, community stakeholders, and concerned citizens are invited to attend.