FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COTS ‘Deeply Concerned’ For Social Safety Net

May 17, 2011 (Petaluma, CA) Recently released data from the 2011 Homeless Count and Survey in Sonoma County, coupled with looming deep cuts to state funded safety net programs are causing great concern for senior management at the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) and other homeless service providers in the county. “We fear that the safety net in Sonoma County is being shredded just when it is needed most,” commented John Records, Executive Director at COTS.

Key findings from the 2011 count show a 40% increase in the number of homeless people counted in Sonoma County since 2009. In Sonoma County, the annualized estimate of people expected to experience homelessness is 12,565 which represents approximately 2.6% of Sonoma County’s population. By region, South County, including Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Cotati, and the Central Santa Rosa area saw the largest increases in homeless individuals and families. “Think of this as 34 new homeless individuals and families in the county every day!” said Mike Johnson, COTS Associate Executive Director.

Demographic data from surveys conducted throughout the county by Applied Survey Research (ASR) suggests that the majority of the 1,292 new homeless counted were forced into homelessness by the recession since 2009. All but 34 of these individuals were not considered “chronically homeless”. The data also shows that these “new homeless” had fewer disabling conditions, such as physical disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse and 33% of them cited job loss as the reason they became homeless.

COTS’ internal statistics confirm this alarming trend. Currently, 39% of the participants in COTS’ shelter and housing programs report that they are homeless for the first time and there are 53 individuals and over 20 families waiting to get into COTS’ shelter and housing programs right now. Last year at this time there were less than 20 individuals and 8-10 families waiting to get help from COTS.

“Clearly, the recession has impacted a huge number of vulnerable families and individuals in Sonoma County – pushing many of them over the edge into homelessness,” said Johnson. According to ASR, Sonoma County has experienced a greater increase in homelessness than have the other areas in which they have been hired to do homeless counts. “And deep cuts to state safety net programs like CalWORKs and MediCal will turn an already bad situation for vulnerable families in Sonoma County into a catastrophe in 2011-2012,” said Johnson.

In Sonoma County, there are 3,780 families and 6,430 children receiving CalWORKs cash assistance, struggling to maintain housing and make ends meet on a maximum assistance grant of $694 a month. That help will be reduced by $90 a month beginning June 1, 2011. Added to this will be co-pays for MediCal, reduced childcare and employment services – all leaving families to subsist well below the poverty line, unable to get affordable childcare or employment services through the state and pushing many more of them over the edge into homelessness.

“Over 60% of the families living in COTS Family Transitional Housing programs receive CalWORKs and Medical benefits. All of them are struggling to pay a modest amount for rent, while taking care of their children, looking for work and saving money for housing when they graduate the program. These state cuts in 2011-2012 will place a burden on COTS to provide for unmet needs that families are barely able to provide for themselves and their children today,” said Johnson.

COTS is responding by increasing its efforts to prevent homelessness by operating two innovative programs: Keeping Our Heads Above Water, which provides educational materials and direct assistance to community members who are struggling to keep their housing. COTS Home Sharing Program helps struggling home owners with space to rent and home seekers who need housing to find each other to share housing, related expenses and keep a roof over both of their heads.

Additionally, COTS will be restarting its Congregation-Based Shelter Program, which partners with local congregations to provide emergency shelter to homeless families while they wait to enter COTS Family Transitional Housing programs or other housing in the county.

Since its inception in 1988, COTS has helped thousands of individuals and families, each with their own story of challenges, to get back on their feet. COTS programs are nationally recognized as a model for homeless services, grounded in scientific research, compassion and practicality.

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