Education & Advocacy

Education and Advocacy

How do we define homelessness?

A person who is homeless does not have a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. This person may be sleeping on the streets, with friends or family, in cars or abandoned buildings, or in shelters. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development definition of homeless includes those persons who have no place to go, no resources to obtain housing, and are either being evicted within a week, discharged within a week from an institution such as a hospital, or fleeing domestic violence.

What Causes Homelessness?

Poverty causes homelessness. Factors which contribute to the length or severity of a person's homelessness include:

Lack of affordable housing and inadequate housing assistance

Inadequate employment income

Mental illness

Lack of affordable health care

Domestic violence

Substance abuse

How Do We End Homelessness?

Access to affordable permanent housing

Efforts to ensure jobs pay a living wage

Adequate support for those who cannot work

Appropriate facilities and services for persons with substance abuse and mental illness

Access to affordable health care

Outreach and crisis assistance

Transitional housing

Facts and Figures on Homelessness in Durham

A Point in Time count done in January 2007 showed 763 homeless persons in Durham and Orange Counties, 701 in temporary shelters, and 62 living on the street, in the woods, in camps, or in cars. Of these, 600 are single persons, 163 are in families, and 100 are children. A total of 169 people, or more than 22 percent of the total, are chronically homeless, meaning they have experienced repeated episodes of homelessness. Despite sustained efforts by caring organizations such as Housing for New Hope, and other Durham agencies, the incidence of homelessness in Durham has risen in the past year from 739 to 763 persons. Yet, the count of the chronically homeless has lessened considerably, from 31 percent to18 percent, illustrating the success of a targeted approach, such as Housing for New Hope's PATH program.

Who Does Housing for New Hope Serve?

Housing for New Hope provides transitional housing for single men and women (Phoenix and Dove Houses), as well as permanent housing for the people with a disabling condition including mental illness, substance abuse and addiction, and physical impairment (Andover Apartments) and for those working entry level jobs or with limited disability income (Sherwood Park Apartments). Programs associated with this housing provide case management and a variety of support services. Homeless prevention services are administered through Presbyterian Urban Ministries. The PATH arm of Housing for New Hope provides street outreach and access to services for homeless mentally ill persons in Durham and Orange Counties. Additionally, PATH provides scattered site permanent housing for some of the chronically homeless clients.

What Other Resources Are Available in the Durham Area?

ACRA, Inc.
Healing with CAARE
The Durham Center
Durham Crisis Response Center
Durham Rescue Mission
Genesis Home
Habakkuk
Inter-Faith Council for Social Service
Interfaith Hospitality Network
Orange Person Chatham Area Program
St. Phillips House
TROSA
Urban Ministries of Durham