OSWEGO, NY – Homelessness. It’s an issue that is affecting more individuals and families in Oswego County then most realize. But what can be done to alleviate the problem?
Area human services organizations are coming together to help find an answer to that question. On Tuesday, October 3 the Housing and Homeless Coalition (HHC) for Central New York, a collaborative, three-county Coalition working to end homelessness in Central New York, along with LIFT (Learn, Identify, Focus, Transform Oswego County), and the County of Oswego Advocates Challenging Homelessness (COACH) will host a forum on Housing and Homelessness in Oswego County.
Sponsored by the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, the forum is an opportunity for community members, government, educators, health & human service professionals, and individuals with lived experiences to come together to raise awareness of homelessness in Oswego County and have strategic conversations about housing and homelessness in Oswego County.
“Our goal for the forum is to create awareness, reduce stigma, and bring local and regional stakeholders and experts together to learn about what they are seeing in these areas and explore solutions and models to assist,” said Director of the Richard S. Shineman Foundation and LIFT Oversight Committee Member Cheena Tucker. “Collaboration is key in affecting community-driven change. We want to create an inclusive environment, allowing community members and organizations to learn and share with one another as we work to enhance and improve the quality of life for all residents.”
“Homelessness is on the rise in Oswego County,” said HHC Director Megan Stuart. “Due to the pandemic, inflation, and rent increases, more households who have never been homeless before are finding themselves in crisis. In order to make real change for families, the community needs to come together to foster solutions and innovative ideas. Homelessness is a complex issue but has a simple solution- a home.”
Working families and individuals making less than the median income for Oswego County are finding it increasingly difficult to find affordable housing without spending 30% of their income for rent. Many have to choose between buying food and other necessities and paying utility bills to try and pay the rent.
“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home,” said Stuart. “Tackling homelessness is a complex, systemic issue that takes all members of the community to solve. At the forum I will be presenting a snapshot of the data surrounding homelessness in Oswego County and the trends that make up that data.”
One of the highlights of the forum will be a presentation from keynote speaker Dr. David Lehmann, MD, PHARMD. Dr. Lehmann is the medical director and co-founder of HouseCalls for the homeless through SUNY Upstate. Its mission is to provide medical, psychiatric and addiction safety-net services for men and women without homes in Onondaga County.
“We are a growing community, which is good, but with growth comes increased needs- adequate, transitional, and stable housing is one of them,” said Tucker. “Today, we are seeing a growing homeless population, and we know that mental health issues have often contributed to their circumstances in some way. There is a stigma about those who are homeless. Still, everyone’s circumstances are unique, and everyone has potential – and transitional and stable housing is the first step to helping people get back on their feet.”
The Housing and Homelessness Forum is part of an ongoing series called “Community Conversations,” launched as part of the LIFT Anti-Poverty Initiative. The series, which began in May with a forum on health equity and access, focuses on key areas identified through the LIFT Anti-Poverty Needs assessment including childcare, transportation, workforce development, economic development, substance use disorder, education, and housing stability. A third forum regarding childcare equity and access is in the planning stages.
“The vision for the Shineman Foundation is to be a “catalyst for change” and to improve the quality of life for Oswego County residents,” added Tucker. “There’s no better place to start than with these collective community-wide issues.”
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