Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) is the name of a Mid-South Peace and Justice Center sponsored organization who’s members are exclusively people who are currently or have formerly experienced homelessness.
H.O.P.E is currently working very hard to organize around issues of core concern in this year’s Shelby County Commission budget proceedings.
The Road Home is the umbrella name give to three specific funding requests that H.O.P.E. is making before the Shelby County Commission addressing housing and the intersections between homelessness and criminal justice.
1. H.O.P.E. is requesting $250,000 of County funding for the Mayors’ Plan to End Homelessness. These funds will be used to provide early outreach and In home case management and wrap around services for 100 of the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our city. These are individuals who are projected under current conditions to die within the next two years without housing and services. These funds will bridge the gap for these individuals moving into permanent supportive housing until their Medicare benefits are processed. Without such funds the new units of housing available for those grappling with addiction and mental illness and other health related issues will be set up to fail. This will aid the Community Alliance for the Homeless in reaching the goal of housing 100 unsheltered individuals by Christmas of 2012.
2. H.O.P.E. is requesting a one time expenditure of $200,000 of capital improvement funds to convert blighted and MHA properties into permanent supportive housing. For an investment of $200,000 we can provide new units of permanent supportive housing for 25 homeless families with disabilities and 43 units of permanent affordable housing for low income families over the course of the next 36 months.
3. H.O.P.E. is requesting $100,000 in operational funding in support of Judge Bill Anderson’s proposal of a Veteran’s Court within General Sessions Division 7. H.O.P.E. stands in full support of Judge Bill Anderson’s proposal for the creation of a Veterans Court within General Sessions Court. This Court will help veterans who suffer from the trauma or war to be diverted out of the Criminal justice system and into programs suited to address their needs with dignity beginning July 1st of 2012. As 20%-30% of those experiencing homelessness are veterans this is a core issue of concern to H.O.P.E.