Housing market stabilizing? For whom?...
Posted
on
April 27, 2012
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/content/letter-editor-many-still-struggling-foreclosure
Community Mental Health in Ottawa County is offering Mental Health First Aid training to the public.
The 12-hour certification training is designed to help participants better understand mental illness and how to respond to someone who is facing a mental-health crisis. After taking this course participants will be equipped with a five-step action plan which includes the skills, resources, and knowledge to assist someone in crisis with linking to a professional, peer support or a social support.
Community Mental Health of Ottawa County is currently offering the two-day course for only $20 in an effort to train as many Mental Health First Aiders as possible.
For more information, visit http://www.miottawa.org/HealthComm/CMH/first_aid.htm
Or contact: Anna Bednarek, Consumer Service Coordinator Community Mental Health of Ottawa County 12265 James Street Holland, MI 49424 616.494.5545 cmhcustomerservices@miottawa.org
Quality, affordable housing for area seniors will soon occupy Midtown Village, meeting a critical need in the Holland area. The transformation of the former E. E. Fell building on River Avenue will combine historical integrity with high quality comfort and convenience.
Former classrooms will become cozy one and two bedroom apartments ranging from 850 to 1,000 square feet.
Rental rates will be less $700 a month, including utilities to qualified application with incomes up to $35,000, which is representative of more than 75% of the community’s senior population.
Management and maintenance of the facility will be provided through a partnership with Dwelling Place, a Grand Rapids-based non-profit that provides affordable housing in revitalized neighborhoods. For more information, contact http://www.jubileeministriesinc.com/page/9
Heritage homes expects to have vacancies for 1-bedroom apartments in April in Zeeland for qualified applicants (Household must be homeless and meet low-income requirements. Some apartments are designated for those with permanent disabilities). For more information, visit http://heritagehomesinc.org/available-apartments.html
Site work is underway for the Barnabas House—a proposed 13-bed facility that will provide emergency housing, independent living sites, and licensed foster homes to care for youth within our own community.
Barnabas Ministries is an advocate for homeless youth and believes strongly that every young person in our community deserves a safe place to call “home”.
Site work is scheduled to being this year to prepare the 24.3 acres for all future buildings. The first building to be constructed will be the Barnabas House—the long-awaited licensed emergency shelter for homeless, runaway, and throwaway youth. Currently the Project Coordinators and Design Team are working on the blueprints, making sure all design specifics meet State Of Michigan requirements for facilities caring for youth.
Next will be the Community Building, housing a regulation-size gym for the Lakeshore Honors League and other community events. The gym will be the Fred Kerr Memorial Gymnasium, in honor of a long-time member of our community who advocated strongly for youth before stepping into his eternal home.
The Barnabas Corporate offices will be housed there as well. Independent Living cabins and recreational fields will be constructed as funding allows.
For more information on the project, go to http://barnabasmin.org/new/barnabashouse/
Arbor Circle provides counseling services related to mental health, substance abuse, and family relationships. Their mission is to transform the family cycle, bringing health and hope to individuals and families.
The organization provides counseling services for substance abuse and mental illness and offers programs that teach new behaviors that support healthy mental development for children and families. Arbor Circle serves more than 10,000 people annually through outpatient counseling, in-home counseling, intervention, mentoring programs, a runaway shelter, and school and other community-based services. Many services are provided from the Main Campus in central Kent County. Others are provided in the home setting or in other community locations.
Find out more about Arbor Circle at http://www.arborcircle.org/information.html
HUD recently announced awards of over $200 million in homeless grant for new projects and more than $1.47 billion for renewal projects through its Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition. Ottawa County will receive an additional $32,000 for housing for homeless/disabled persons. And the county has been approved for $900,000 in renewal grants for supporting housing programs for homeless persons in the county. The competitive programs provide funding for transitional and permanent housing and supportive services.
To see the complete list of projects being awarded by HUD under the 2011 CoC, go to www.hud.gov Reports are organized by state and then by continuum or community.
Diners lined up for a bowl of soup donated by one of six area restaurants, with proceeds going to prevent homeless in West Michigan. November’s Soup for All lunch was sponsored by the Ottawa Area Housing Coalition.
A 2010 poll showed one in six Michigan residents knew someone who had been homeless in the past six months. And it showed that 33% of people in Michigan believe homelessness in their community had increased in the past six months, according to the Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness.
The event, combined with a similar event in Grand Haven, raised $12,000 last year, according to Lyn Raymond, coordinator for the Ottawa Area Housing Coalition.
Devon Stuit, a maternal and infant health provider at the Ottawa County Health Department, said she has seen an increase in the past year of people who are either homeless, or on the brink, seeking services.“It’s amazing how many people are living in a hotel or a car or a tent,” she said. “It’s getting worse all the time.”
Zeeland couple Bryan and Kaylin Van Dyke said while they don’t know anyone who is homeless, that doesn’t mean they don’t care about the issue. They attended the Holland lunch with their 16-month-old son, Alden.
“West Michigan is a giving, caring community,” Bryan Van Dyke said. “We want to support (this cause) any way we can.”
Become our friend on facebook and you’ll find links to interesting articles about homeless and preventing homelessness around the state. See our facebook page to find out more at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ottawa-Area-Housing-Coalition/178365112200570
