Fetterman rep reviews region’s housing needs

Senator’s staffer to advocate on behalf of area’s homeless

One of U.S. Sen. John Fetterman's regional representatives will suggest he seek funding for three pilot housing initiatives, following her fact-finding visit Friday to the Blair County Community Action Program.

Based on a "wish list" that Rebecca Countess solicited from Blair CAP Executive Director Christine Zernick, Countess will advocate for money to set up a "low-barrier" homeless shelter, a cold-weather warming center and an affordable housing development program.

"This is the stuff he cares about," Countess said of Fetterman, a Democrat. "These are the real needs."

The low-barrier shelter could accommodate homeless people who can't meet the admission requirements at the city's recently constructed family shelter -- requirements designed to protect its residents and staff, according to Zernick.

Those family shelter requirements include submitting to a background check, sobriety, medical stability, the ability to manage tasks of daily living, willingness to live cooperatively with others, the mental and emotional stability to participate in shelter programs and a willingness to comply with other house requirements, according to the Family Services Inc. website.

Because of the kinds of people who would use it, a low-barrier shelter would need a security service to keep order and to ensure the safety of guests and staff, according to Zernick.

It would be open only from evening until morning, which would help reduce the number of operational limitations associated with funding and licensing, she said.

Operating only overnight would also help ensure the facility wouldn't create hassles for the neighborhood, Zernick said.

"We want it to be a positive attribute for the community," she said.

People who stay at the shelter would be expected to take advantage during the day of educational, informational and treatment programs to help deal with the problems that led them to use the shelter, Zernick said.

They could also make use of places like HOPE Drop In Center, she said.

Blair CAP couldn't operate the shelter, because that agency would be a likely provider of social services for the shelter users, which would constitute self-referral, Zernick said.

But the agency could operate in partnership with the shelter, she said.

A warming center would have cots, but wouldn't provide the social services that many users might need to improve their situations, Zernick said.

And affordable housing wouldn't need to be fancy, she said.

"We don't need granite countertops," she stated. "Tenants just want it to be safe, secure and liveable."

That would keep costs down, Countess said.

It would help if such housing were also low-maintenance, Countess said.

There are buildings in the city that can be renovated to create such housing, officials said.

About 270 people are on the homeless "by-name" list, according to Erica Matko, coordinated entry regional manager for Community Action.

Many tenants have been evicted after the end of the COVID-based Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which lulled some into not worrying about paying rent, a complacency that became habit.

Some tenants can't easily take advantage of other housing assistance programs because they've exhausted housing funds available to them, officials said.

Non-payment of rent after ERAP has led some landlords to become more choosy about prospective tenants. In other cases, the souring of relationships with landlords has occurred because tenants lack housekeeping skills, according to officials.

People who grow up in stable homes learn those skills effortlessly, but those who grow up in turbulence, disorder and homelessness may not, officials said.

Others have problems with housing due to mental health or substance use, Zernick said.

There is a shortage of affordable housing, with Section 8 and other subsidized housing programs using wait lists, officials said.

The shortage is likely to be aggravated by the city's recent crackdown on slumlords, officials said.

The city is trying to get rid of the worst situations, according to Zernick, who has participated in the city's recent relocations of tenants through Operation Safe Space.

One house had no electricity or water, Zernick said.

One woman complained about a mouse falling into the bathtub from the ceiling when she was taking a shower, Zernick said.

One woman complained of routinely having to clear rat feces from her tub when she wanted a shower, Councilman Dave Ellis said recently.

One man's bed was a set of lawn chair cushions.

There are also people who have walked away from drug rehabilitation centers, officials have said.

"It's such a big problem," Countess said of housing and homelessness.

Lawmakers like Fetterman can introduce bills that would provide funding with guidelines adapted to community needs -- without problematic restrictions, Countess said.

It makes sense to identify best practices and encourage others to adopt them, she said.

"I'm willing to work with him," Zernick said of the senator.

The three proposed pilot programs could provide a personal improvement ladder: a warming center for people in desperation during winter, a shelter with self-improvement resources, then permanent affordable housing, Countess said.

"A logical progression," she said. "I think you need all three."

"I'm ready," Zernick said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.