Affordable housing and homelessness have been consistently identified as an issue of great concern that affects thousands in our community. 

While our community has made progress, the recent economic crisis has meant a significant increase in the demand for shelter and transitional housing.  In 2008 - the last available count - local agencies reported serving 4,212 people that were homeless or at-risk of homelessness in Washtenaw County.  Nearly 2,000 were children connected to families. 

In 2000, The Washtenaw Housing Alliance (WHA) was established to provide a coordinated response to homelessness in our region.
WHA coordinates funding from AAACF and other local funders to support a coalition of 27 community-based agencies that serve those experiencing or are at-risk for homelessness.  For a list of the WHA agencies.

WHA developed a three-part strategic response to address homelessness:

• Part one expanded emergency shelter for families by building Alpha House. 
• Part two expanded emergency shelter for individuals by building the Delonis Center.
• Part three developed The Blueprint to End Homelessness – a ten-year plan to build 500 supportive housing units and to develop a permanent coordinated funding stream to finance support services, which average $5,000/unit - or $2 milllion per year.

Supportive housing is key to helping end homelessness.
Years of research and best practices have shown that the most cost effective way to help end homelessness is to provide safe affordable housing coupled with supportive services - to help people address the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness.  WHA member agencies currently provide a menu of personalized support:  mental health services, substance abuse treatment, educational support, job skills training, employment counseling, social support, and training in essential life skills like budgeting and nutrition.

The Community Foundation has partnered with City and County government, local nonprofits and local funders to leverage resources - not just money, but talent, energy and ideas - to take a community-wide approach to addressing homelessness. 

• AAACF started the conversation - sponsoring the first community-wide forum on affordable housing and homelessness in 1990.
• AAACF collaborated with City and County governments and the local nonprofit sector to develop the Blueprint to End Homelessness.  We have provided $300,000 toward  WHA's supportive housing model - in both operating support and funding for support services. 
• AAACF took the lead to develop a plan for a coordinated funding stream  to finance support services for 500 affordable housing units.
• AAACF has also provided more than $700,000 in additional grant support to fund prevention services, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive housing.

With AAACF's Support, the Washtenaw Housing Alliance to-date has provided support for 196 housing units. Nearly $1 million in coordinated funding has ensured hundreds of local residents receive the support they need to lead healthy and independent lives.

The Washtenaw Housing Alliance is continually evaluating its programs and objectives and its role within the community - to ensure an effective and coordinated response to ending homelessness in our community.