By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Owning or renting a decent home is a distant dream for many Americans who have watched that goal slipping more out of reach in recent years.
An organization called the Wood County Housing and Homelessness Coalition is trying to determine how many local residents are living in difficult situations, and how many are one crisis away from losing the place they call home.
A short, anonymous survey has been created to gauge the extent of the problem here in Wood County. It was launched at the Wood County Fair, and is available for any county residents to fill out.
The survey is short, and asks questions about current housing situations – whether owning, renting, staying in temporary housing like a hotel or shelter, couch-surfing, living with family or friends, or being homeless.
It asks about the amount spent on rent or utilities each month. The survey asks if within the past year, the person taking the survey has been behind on their rent or mortgage, has been late with utility payments, has received an eviction or foreclosure notice, had to move due to costs, or skipped basic needs to pay for housing.
The responses will help the coalition better understand needs across the community, raise awareness of gaps, and shape practical solutions and resources going forward.
“We especially hope to hear from people who are currently having trouble affording their rent or mortgage, or who feel they’re one emergency away from facing that challenge,” coalition community volunteer Jordan Wilfong said, stressing that there is no stigma attached to the survey. “A significant number of people in America are living paycheck to paycheck with debt and limited to no savings.”
The coalition consists of non-profit and social service leaders, as well as concerned citizens, who are interested in addressing housing challenges for people in Wood County, particularly those experiencing significant social and economic challenges.
Members of the organization understand that addressing homelessness is a complex and multifaceted issue.
A major goal is to reach more people in the rural areas of Wood County. The group is asking that anyone with information on community events where the survey could be distributed, to reach out to Wilfong, a social work faculty member at Bowling Green State University, at jwilfon@bgsu.edu.
When launched at the Wood County Fair last month, the survey was filled out by 21 local residents who told of housing hardships. “People are having a hard time making ends meet,” Wilfong said.
In some cases, their situations are having detrimental effects on their physical or mental health.
“That’s disappointing, but not surprising,” he said. “We know there are a lot of people suffering out there. People are living from paycheck to paycheck.”
Making situations more dire for some are the rising costs of food and gas, the cuts to SNAP, and the looming Medicaid cuts.
“This is not just the poor and the working class,” Wilfong said. “These are challenging times for a lot of people.”
By gathering information on housing challenges in Wood County, the coalition hopes its data may have an impact on federal or state policy. “We want to bring it to the attention of people in power,” he said.
The Wood County Housing and Homeless Coalition (formally the Continuum of Care Wood County) works to alleviate homelessness in Wood County by fostering coordination of services and resources and creating a housing solution for every need through education, communication, outreach, research, data collection and advocacy.
