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Nutter update on homelessness: Might have gotten better, might now get worse
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Nutter introduced the initiative as a partnership with the PHA, in which the city would provide 200 housing opportunities to the “chronically homeless†while providing them with mental health services, addiction treatment, and other social services, with 500 additional housing opportunities administered through the PHA.
Over the past year, Nutter said, the city’s overall homeless population has decreased 4.4 percent. That’s not necessarily the end of the story, though. The Inquirer reported yesterday that, though fewer Philadelphians are living in shelters (1,095 this spring compared to 1,163 last year) more are living on the streets (456 this year compared to 394 last year).
Although Nutter said the city’s budget troubles could negatively affect services for the homeless — if the current plan to reform the pension system and increase the sales tax doesn’t get approved by the state, every service area could face drastic cuts — the city is still set to receive $21.4 million in homeless prevention and rapid re-housing funding from the Recovery Act. The funds will be used to:
1. Help people delinquent in their rent or utilities payments
2. Divert people delinquent in their housing bills from shelters back to their homes
3. Place people in shelters or transitional homes into permanent homes
The PHA is also planning to provide 500 new housing opportunities this year.
Paul Wilkins was at the press conference. Wilkins was homeless for over four years before getting into the year-long rehabilitation program New Start. “A year ago,†he said, “I couldn’t dream of having a year and 23 days clean without any, any substance, uninterrupted.†He did, though. And he had something else, too. “I have my key.â€
