Local nonprofit supported over 1,500 residents in need during 2018-2019 fiscal year
Housing Opportunities, a nonprofit committed to resolving and preventing homelessness in Porter and LaPorte counties, released its Report to the Community on Tuesday.
The report details Housing Opportunities’ capacity to support residents experiencing homelessness or those most at risk of homelessness. In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Housing Opportunities programs assisted 1,504 local residents, and case managers devoted 4,456 hours to client support.
In a joint letter to the community, Housing Opportunities’ Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Stanfill, and Board Chair, Angela Schultis, thanked case managers, outreach staff, and community supporters for giving hope to residents experiencing homelessness. The report also recognized the founding members of the Circle of Hope, a new initiative that celebrates monthly donors who help fund Housing Opportunities’ critical services.
In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Housing Opportunities helped house 526 adults and 306 children in Affordable and Emergency housing, and the agency’s foreclosure prevention programs helped save 104 homes.
Across all of its programs, Housing Opportunities aided 304 more residents than it had in the previous fiscal year.
Stanfill and Schultis attributed that success to supportive donors and volunteers, and they recognized community engagement as critical to increasing Housing Opportunities’ capacity to serve the community.
“We are excited that with the extraordinary support of our community, we were able to serve 25% more clients in this past fiscal year,” they wrote. “And we’re troubled by the long waiting lists we face today. There is a gap between the need and the capacity to serve.”
As of June 2019, there were 205 entries on the waitlist to receive support from housing agencies like Housing Opportunities.
Housing Opportunities’ programs support residents of varied social and economic backgrounds, because homelessness does not discriminate. In fact, many on the waitlist are residents with incomes that haven’t kept pace with rising housing costs.
“50% of the adults on the waitlist have an income,” wrote Stanfill and Schultis. “They simply need to find safe and secure housing that fits their budget.”
Creating more affordable housing options for residents in LaPorte and Porter counties is one of Housing Opportunities’ top priorities. In 2018, Housing Opportunities partnered with the city of Valparaiso and Porter-Starke Services to open the Aurora View Apartments, which offer 23 units of affordable housing.
In 2019, Housing Opportunities acquired the Beverly Building in the College Hill neighborhood of Valparaiso, creating 11 new affordable studio apartments.
In the coming year, Housing Opportunities plans to deepen its community partnerships to ensure that everyone in LaPorte and Porter counties has a safe and secure home.
“Next year, we’ll continue to seek ways to create affordable housing options for residents struggling to make ends meet,” wrote Stanfill and Schultis. “With more affordable housing, we can resolve and prevent homelessness for even more families in LaPorte and Porter counties.”
Read the full Report to the Community at www.hoi.help to learn more about Housing Opportunities’ capacity to serve the community with programs and initiatives that help resolve and prevent homelessness.