Rising inflation and rental costs, combined with the end of federal assistance programs has created a homelessness crisis in Washtenaw County. There is an effort in the works to help people find homes and to keep people in their current homes.
When the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the eviction moratorium ended late last year it created a 20% increase in family homelessness in Washtenaw County. In addition to homelessness, it also put a strain on funding for human services.
On Wednesday night, the Board of Commissioners will hold a single vote to reallocate $3 million. That money will be shifted over the next two years to address the eviction crisis and fill in some of the gap in human services funding.
Justin Hodge is the chair of the Board of Commissioners.
“We will shelter people on an emergency basis as needed, but we’re also really focused on making sure that we can provide rental assistance so if people are having challenges paying rent we can support them in that and they don’t have to end up homeless. That is much better.”
Funding will also be set aside from move-in assistance. Hodge says keeping people in their homes reduces the strain on the county’s social safety net.
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