‘Homelessness can happen to anyone’

September 23, 2008

Holly Wagner

Rents have risen faster than wages for the low-income residents in Adams County and the waiting lists for those who need help continue to grow.

The mortgage crisis has rippled down to local banks that are requiring larger down payments for housing programs and proof of savings to cover the first few months of payments.

“That’s quite a bit people have to come up with,” said Elaine Davis, who works with housing programs for the city and Two Rivers Regional Office of Public Officials.

There is more competition for the federal dollars available for housing programs, said Cathy Schluckebier, Community Development Planner for Quincy’s Office of Planning and Development.

Since 1995, the city has acquired more than $4 million in grants, and added about $2 million in private contributions, to improve Quincy’s housing stock — an amount that chips slowly away at the problem.

“Too many people are just one bout of flu away from financial ruin,” said Melissa Holden, YWCA executive director. While she sees some hope on the horizon, it’s “not real soon.”

“Homelessness can happen to anyone,” she said. “We should all count ourselves lucky that we are not in that situation.”

The Problem

Adams County renters earn a median wage of $9.50 an hour. In order not to spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities, they must earn at least $10.15 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rates. That leaves out about 41 percent of renters at the estimated median wage.

When families are unable to afford a home, or find a rental they can afford, they spill over into homeless shelters.

The Quincy YWCA provides housing for single mothers. Its 16 units are occupied and 21 families are on its waiting list.

Madonna House, which also provides a shelter for single moms, has a five-family capacity home that is full. Its waiting list averages 12 to 16 families a month.

“It’s so long that we’re losing a lot of people who find other placements or just give up,” Executive/Business Director Barb Hicks said.

Kathy Citro, as director of the Quincy Public Schools’ Teen Parent Program, often tries to help young parents who are struggling to find affordable housing.

“One of the drawbacks to students being successful at school is the constant instability of their housing situation ... As soon as their housing falls apart, everything else in their life falls apart,” Citro said.

Heating and cooling poor quality housing creates “a much greater cost on the back end,” Holden said. “People get in a bind because the utilities are so high that they face a choice of paying rent or having their electric shut off. That’s where we find so many people hovering on the brink of homelessness.”

Housing is just one element of the challenges that face those of low to moderate income.

“Food stamps have not kept up with the actual cost of food ... and if you only have a parttime job but have to pay to keep a spot open at the daycare provider, oftentimes its costing more to leave home than (the income),” Holden said. Too many people in low-paying jobs also lack paid time off and health insurance.

When that is compounded by poor quality housing that may foster illnesses, “all of these competing challenges come together for a perfect storm of negative financial consequences,” Holden said.

Working toward a solution

The Area Planning Committee, chaired by Citro, chose housing as its topic this year.

Participants spoke with representatives of the city, Two Rivers and the Quincy Housing Authority about several initiatives that are under way to address the housing problem, but these efforts are limited by how much federal and state money is available.

This past week, Davis culminated a year’s effort by acquiring a rental assistance grant. It will subsidize rents similar to a Section 8. However, these grants will stay with the approved apartments, as opposed to moving with the renter. The agency got enough for 18 units in Adams County and 24 for Pike and Schuyler counties.

Davis expects the vouchers to go quickly. That will prove that the “need is out there so that when we apply again we will get more units,” she said. Habitat for Humanity selects its home owners based on their need, ability to pay an average monthly fee of $400; and willingness to donate sweat-equity. The local group has built 16 homes.

Gary Sparks, who was named director of the Quincy Housing Authority in June, says the agency is “aggressively looking at various avenues of funding.” Among its goals is to upgrade its housing stock, since the 1940-era units are not energy efficient.

“HUD is taking more notice that warehousing the poor in blighted neighborhoods hasn’t created a model of achievement or success,” Holden said.

About 95 to 98 percent of QHA’s budget is currently committed to housing subsidies. It has about 75 vouchers for the elderly and handicapped and 145 tenant-based vouchers, but is only able to fund about 125.

“Hopefully we’ll get all 145 of then leased up at some point but with the budget the way it is we can only afford to put about 125 of those out this year,” Sparks said.

Since 1995, the city has received about $4 million in competitive grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Another $2 million has been added by developers.

Most of it has been used to improve Quincy’s riverfront neighborhoods where the greatest density of low-income residents and substandard homes are concentrated.

About $1 million of that is given out in grants to make repairs and improve the energy efficiency of homes owned and occupied by the elderly.

The city can acquire properties under its fix-or-flatten program and provides developers with funds to create apartments to rent to low- to moderate- income residents for five years at Housing and Urban Development rates.

The city will provide up to $14,999 per unit in complexes of up to four units, but that can represent only 75 percent of the cost to bring the property up to code. Usually, the owners put in half or more of their own money, said Chuck Bevelheimer, director of the city’s Planning and Development Office.

“We can only do four or five a year,” Bevelheimer said, and there is a waiting list of at least a year for the funds. “It’s been a good way to turn a corner on property values in these older neighborhoods. You start seeing investment numbers the people are putting into these properties.”

“The nice thing is the list is growing. ... We tackle the problem a piece at a time. ... But It is making a difference in the neighborhoods.”

Ernie Bolen is using the city’s program to rehab apartments at 1005 and 1007 N. Fifth. Bolen, a Beardstown resident, grew up on Quincy’s north side. He started out carrying tools on his bike, and now owns 50 rental units in Quincy, Beardstown and Rushville.

He is enjoying seeing the change in the north end.

“There’s a lot of new homes going up.”

Renting to low-income tenants is important to Bolen.

“People gave me a chance and I kind of like sharing that. ... I feel that for the most part if you treat a tenant like they count, they’ll treat you like you count.”