- Texas funding cut leaves local agencies scrambling to continue services for homeless, By Alex Branch, March 3, 2012, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “The impact of state budget cuts on homeless programs is evident on the calendar pages inside Larry Beasely’s personal planner. Last year, full hours were blocked off and highlighted for one-on-one assessments that Beasely, a case manager, conducted with people staying at the Salvation Army’s emergency shelter in Fort Worth. This year, each line is crammed with the names of people he assessed in hurried 15-minute meetings. The shelter reduced its case managers from four to one after the state eliminated funding for a $20 million state homeless housing and services program last year. Other programs affected by the cuts include an employment program, street outreach and rental assistance…”
- Montgomery County grapples with chronic homelessness, By Victor Zapana, March 5, 2012, Washington Post: “On the streets of Bethesda, the hard-core homeless live mostly in the shadows. Many of them steer clear of the main thoroughfares. Few venture into shelters. But amid a downturn that has cut social-services spending and forced officials to make the most of government funds, Montgomery County says it is focusing more of its homelessness efforts on the people with some of the most complicated needs. The chronically homeless are often on the streets for at least a year and face not only economic hardships but also problems such as mental illness and addiction that can make housing them a significant challenge. County officials began targeting such people last year, setting aside housing vouchers to get them a roof over their heads before grappling with underlying issues…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty