10400 Detrick Avenue
Kensington, MD 20895
(240) 773-9000 (Phone)
(301) 949-4690 (Fax)
(301) 949-5326 (TTY)
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10400 Detrick Avenue |
County prepares to open residence for homelessResidents, neighbors tour 10--unit building that will open in January by Agnes Jasinski Eight men and women trying to break the cycle of homelessness will have a permanent place to live by mid-January in a Silver Spring neighborhood. A three-story building at 527 Dale Drive was purchased by the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County in May 2006 after commissioners agreed in a 6-1 vote earlier that month to renovate the site into a 10-unit facility for those transitioning from homelessness. An open house was held at the building on Thursday. The Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless will manage the facility, and a live-in resident counselor and a services office will occupy two of the units. The plan generated emotional testimony last year from neighbors, some who were concerned about the building’s location near two schools and a beer and wine store, and others who argued that the community should support a plan that would dramatically change people’s lives. The new residents have not yet been chosen. All of the residents must be considered ‘‘chronically homeless” by U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines, which means they must have been homeless for a year or more, or have had four episodes of homelessness in three years. ‘‘It’s not making a dent in the number of homeless. It’s a ping. ... But I have to look at it as eight units, and what that means. Eight more people now have a permanent home,” said Sharan London, executive director of the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. The residents who are able to work will pay 30 percent of their incomes as rent, said Susan Kramer Yancy, a spokeswoman for the HOC. On-site support staff will offer therapy and employment and rehabilitative aid. ‘‘There are studies that claim many Americans are two paychecks away from being homeless themselves. ... The homeless don’t need to be a class of beings from another planet,” said Mary Campbell, a neighbor of the residence who has spent time making quilts for each of the eight new tenants. At the open house, county representatives and those involved in the project spoke to its value and toured the apartments. The cost of purchasing and renovating the site, which was covered by federal, state and county funding, was about $2.75 million. Much of the labor was donated by the Silver Spring-based Home Builders Care Foundation. County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5), who lives down the street from the building, said she was happy to have the new neighbors. Sally Roman, an HOC commissioner, said the facility had special meaning during the holidays. Alan Bowser, president of the Park Hills Civic Association and a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, said while the community is supportive of programs assisting the homeless, the HOC could have been ‘‘much more proactive in reaching out to the community.” At a public hearing in April 2006, some community members raised concerns about the facility’s proximity to Sligo Creek Elementary and Silver Spring International Middle schools. Residents also complained about what they called a last-minute notification process that left many wondering if their apprehensions were really considered by the HOC. ‘‘It’s a beautiful facility, and we look forward to welcoming our new neighbors,” Bowser said. ‘‘But people had a number of questions for the HOC that were never really addressed.” London said she hoped the residents’ uneasiness with living near the formerly homeless would be addressed in time. And the security at the building — cameras, a sign-in process and a buzzer to enter — was as much to make the neighborhood feel safe as to make the residents feel safe. Debbie Spielberg, chairwoman of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, said despite some neighbors’ apprehensions, the building was ‘‘a positive thing.” ‘‘I understand the concerns, but it seems like it’s a well-designed program. ... I’m hopeful,” said Spielberg, who also has a child at Sligo Creek Elementary. At a glance In January, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless conducted a one-day survey of the county’s homeless. On that day: There were 1,139 men, women and children who were homeless. There were 810 homeless adults. Of those, 236 were employed but unable to afford housing. There were 583 homeless adults with at least one disability. There were 329 homeless children. Source: Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless |
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©2007 Housing Opportunities Commission, All Rights Reserved. Information current as of 4/21/2008. |
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