The Washtenaw Housing Alliancewas awarded special recognition by the Michigan Social Security Disability Outreach, Access, and Recovery, or SOAR, State Planning Group last week for its efforts to fight homelessness.
The SOAR program is a streamlined process aimed at getting eligible adults suffering from homelessness and mental illness or substance abuse access to disability income benefit programs much quicker than they otherwise could.
Julie Steiner is the Executive Director of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance. She says Homelessness in Washtenaw County is a growing problem:
Steiner adds homelessness is a growing problem in Washtenaw County, which has been made even worse in recent years by a bad economy and cuts to government programs.
To date, the WHA has helped file more SOAR applications than any other group in Michigan.
More than 4,300 people reported being homeless in Washtenaw County at some point during 2012.