CNY Homeless Rates Shift

REPORTER – Krizia Williams:
EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS A STORY AS TO WHY THEY ARE HOMELESS.
FRED HINTZ IS A CENTRAL NEW YORK HOUSING AND HOMELESS COALITION DATA AND SYSTEM ANALYST.
HE KNOWS THE HOMELESSNESS TRENDS AND WHY THEY ARE HAPPENING.

Fred Hintz:
“The top three reasons are the conflict in the household, the second most common reason is release from institution and then the third reason people give are lack of affordable housing.”

Williams:
HINTZ SAYS TO COMBAT THE TOP CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS, ORGANIZATIONS NEED MORE RESOURCES AND HIGH-QUALITY ASSISTANCE.

Hintz:
“We are excited about some of the federal assistance that’s been coming out, things like the Federal Homelessness Assistance funds that came out with the CARES Act and the American Rescue Act.”

Williams:
HE SAYS LOOKING FORWARD OUR COMMUNITY IS EXPECTING TO GET MORE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS.
HINTZ SAYS HE’S HOPFUL AND BELIEVES WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

KRIZIA WILLIAMS, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Homelessness is increasing in Onondaga County, but the availability of federal funds may decrease the number of individuals and families that are homeless.

Fred Hintz is a Central New York Housing and Homeless Coalition Data and System Analyst. He specializes in homelessness trends and why they are happening.

Hintz said there are three top reasons as to why people and families are or become homeless. First reason being verbal or physical conflict in the household, second being recent release from a mental or detention institution or jail and lastly he said there is a lack of affordable housing within the area.

Hintz said to combat the top causes of homelessness, organizations need more resources and high-quality assistance.

“We are excited about some of the federal assistance that’s been coming out, things like the Federal Homelessness Assistance funds that came out with the CARES Act and the American Rescue Act,” Hintz said.

The CARES Act assistance allows the local government to have more flexibility in areas like rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention, and the bettering of homeless shelter facilities.

Similarly the American Rescue Act helps community members with job lose, shortages of food, needing help paying bills, and more.

Hintz said looking forward our community is expecting to get more housing choice vouchers to help low-income families and individuals. He said he’s hopeful and believe we are moving in the right direction.

According to the Rescue Mission Alliance website, they value and hold a high standard towards their community, integrity, and responsibilities they take on each day.
© Krizia Williams
Housing assistance is a big part of the Rescue Mission Alliance. Helping the community get housing and even jobs is important to helping someone out of homelessness.
© Krizia Williams
The Rescue Mission Alliance has multiple buildings on their campus to give a multitude of resources to the community. For example, the lunch room, Crossroads Housing, the main building, a church and more.
© Krizia Williams
Faith Wallace - (left) blue jacket Crystal Kimbrough - (right) black jacket A sense of community and not abandonment is important to ones mental health. Right outside of the Rescue Mission Alliance there are friends spending the day with one another.
© Krizia Williams