Homeless face uncertainty with potential closure of 2 shelters

Potts and Krysten Beckett, along with their three young children — aged one, three and eight — have found 12-hour days full of worry and exhaustion as they navigate challenges of high temperatures, rain and finding as many hot meals as they can that their children will eat.

Sheltered Inc. reduced the hours at its men’s shelter from 24 hours to 12 in April and then the same at its women and family shelter in May. If it does not receive additional funding to cover an about $350,000 deficit, it will close both shelters July 1, executive director Elaina Bradley said.

The nonprofit just submitted an official proposal to the county asking for the $350,000 to support the emergency shelters, Bradley said. The county has not yet voted on approval or denial.

In the meantime, Potts said he and his family are pushing a heavy stroller containing supplies around — often eating deli meat sandwiches for three meals a day —and are unable to to stay in one place for long with young, restless children.

“Day after day it gets harder and harder to keep going,” Potts said. “When you came to some place thinking that they were going to help you to gain a little bit of stability and then they change it up on you, (that’s hard).”

What led to this?

Sheltered Inc. lost funding from OIC — which has supported the nonprofit on a per-head and per-family basis since July last year — when American Rescue Plan Act dollars ran out this month. The nonprofit has applied for federal and state funds, but these would not arrive in time for the impending July closure.

In February last year, Clark County terminated a portion of a $700,000 contract — of which about $495,000 was reimbursed — with Sheltered Inc., which officials said was due to “multiple violations” in regards to the reimbursement of funds found following a review.

Prevention, Retention and Contingency, or PRC, is a program through Ohio DJFS that provides work support and other services to low-income families. This program is funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a federally funded program.

Sheltered Inc. disputed the allegations, and the county entered into an agreement with the Ohio Attorney General in November 2023 to collect money it said is owed by Sheltered Inc., requiring the nonprofit to pay back more than $500,000.

The nonprofit previously said the issue was sent back to Clark County by the attorney general last month, but the county has not scheduled any meetings or otherwise made “any attempts to address the purported issues and their resolution.”

Clark County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt said the county cannot comment on the pending case.

Since Sheltered Inc. lost funding, it has reduced hours at its shelters multiple times, but was able to return to full capacity with the aid of OIC. At the time OIC began the agreement, executive director Mike Calabrese said the nonprofit was the best equipped to manage the emergency shelters.

The city purchased the former Villager Inn site in December 2022 to be used as a shelter for people experiencing homelessness, but demolished the site in September last year. A water main broke three days after the purchase and caused damage to at least 30 of the former hotel rooms, according to a city document.

The city months later did not receive qualified proposals for the project after conditions of the structure were worse than originally detailed in the appraisal process. People also broke into and damaged the property in the summer, and, finally, fire damage sealed the fate of the building. An August fire caused smoke and additional water damage to the former motel.

A new fire station will be built on part of the site while the remaining portion of the property will likely be marketed for another development, Heck said.

The city and county both have contracts with Dayton-based nonprofit Homefull to operate the site of the former Executive Inn as a non-congregate family shelter with 35 units.

Heck said the city is reviewing a proposal from Homefull to continue services at the Executive Inn. According to Clark County public information officer Mike Cooper, the county’s contract with the nonprofit expires June 12, and a new agreement has not been formally reached as of now.

Rental assistance ended after ARPA dollars ran out, with more than $6 million having been expended to help tenants and landlords with rent since 2020. Calabrese said previously there does not appear to be any funding to continue the program.

Flax Wilt said there are numerous factors contributing to a shortage of housing and people being unhoused.

“Rental assistance going away, thousands of Haitians migrating to our community; it’s a perfect storm that can create people living in unstable and unsafe housing conditions,” Flax Wilt said.

What is the scope of the crisis?

As of Thursday, Sheltered Inc. is housing 55 people, with 36 people and 10 families on the call-back or waiting list. Homefull’s family shelter was full.

From 2020 to 2022, Bradley said the area saw more than 3,000 people requiring emergency shelter services. In 2023 there were 558, with 95 being children. So far in 2024, she said there have been more than 269 people.

From June to September last year, her group provided shelter for 234 individuals, Bradley said.

The number of people needing assistance significantly increased throughout the pandemic. By late May 2020, the nonprofit saw numbers that were beginning to impact staff capacity, and by July, there were no more non-congregate shelter rooms available from the private market. An emergency shelter waiting list was initiated for the first time in modern homeless service history within Clark County.

During this time, a homeless encampment, deemed “Tent City,” was erected outside the Springfield Soup Kitchen, housing up to 30 people in tents.

Bradley said hours at both shelters are 8 p.m. to 8 a.m until July when they either close or the nonprofit receives more funds. She said if there are no changes, 10 employees will be laid off effective July 1. This number could increase.

The cost to fund the emergency shelters in a year is around $1.3 million, Bradley said previously.

Bradley said while the shelters are closed during the day, the city is seeing a “crisis” with an increase in panhandling and people sleeping either in or between empty buildings.

“We have the story of the family with children that comes and says, ‘Dad is working and mom has four kids’ and being able to get the two school-aged children into a summer camp, but then still have two younger children that aren’t school age and don’t have anywhere [to go] or the ability to be placed in childcare,” Bradley said.

Effects on family

Potts said his family became homeless after he lost he job at Navistar and has been at Sheltered Inc.’s family shelter since late April. He said the family hopes to eventually get into Homefull’s shelter.

The family has had to prioritize what they bring with them as they leave the shelter each day, and they go through supplies like sunblock, diapers and baby wipes rapidly, Potts said. The heavy stroller makes it difficult to ride the bus, so the family walks and stays near the shelter.

Potts is applying for jobs, but he said working while experiencing homelessness with a family is nerve-wracking.

“You’re wondering the whole time, ‘Is my family OK? Did a wheel fall off the stoller again? Did I leave them with enough water, enough food?’” Potts said. “So you go to work and you’re still stressed, you’re still wondering about out here. You can’t take any time for yourself.”

Michael Matthews said he both lives at and volunteers in the men’s shelter, and during the day when the shelter is closed, he has struggled getting around. He has degenerative disc disease but does not qualify for 55-and-up housing — which would be an option if the men’s shelter closes — and has not been able to find an apartment.

Matthews said the time he has been at the men’s shelter has been “a grace in my life of the most turbulent times I’m going through.”

Matthews said those experiencing homelessness are more than a stereotype, with many having health issues and other struggles, along with lacking a support system.

Potts said many people in the family shelter require medication or other types of support, and there are several families and elderly people housed there.

“A lot of people just think homeless people are drug addicts or having drinking problems. I mean I just tried my best and it didn’t work out,” Potts said.