Step-by-step, the Augusta Commission’s Homeless Task Force Subcommittee is creating a definition for homelessness in the city and how to solve it.
Thursday’s meeting, the first held face-to-face, brought together the members of the action plan committee created at the previous meeting. This is the group charged with creating a plan to present to the full task force and then to the commission.
MORE: The Next Steps in Tackling Homelessness in Augusta
Commissioner Jordan Johnson, co-chairman of the subcommittee, split them into three working groups.
He said, “We want to have a group focused on defining homelessness in Augusta, a group creating the mission statement and purpose of the task force and a group identifying the key priorities of the task force.”
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After about 20 minutes, members of the working groups presented their recommendations.
The suggestion is to define homelessness in Augusta as people who lack fixed, sustainably-affordable, predictable, suitable residence over which they have some measure of control. The wording is designed to cover people living on the street as well as individuals forced to stay with family or friends on a temporary basis.
Daniel Evans, community development manager for the Augusta Housing and Community Development Department, was part of that working group. He said Augusta needs what he calls “intentional, affordable housing”.
“What I mean by it is housing that’s intended to help people close the gap that exists on access and affordability issues,” he said. “Currently, people have to demonstrate income, a credit score of a certain rating and no eviction history. If we want to address people who have barriers to having a home, we have to have a resource in the form of housing that intentionally eliminates or remediates those things.”
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The recommendation for the mission statement is to give homeless individuals the tools, resources and training to find a home.
Finally, the key issues identified include so-called “wrap around” services such as parenting classes, education, teaching financial literacy and recovery programs for people struggling with addictions.
Commissioner Johnson was pleased with the progress on the action plan.
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“I was very satisfied with the recommendations our action plan committee came up with as far as defining homelessness, defining issues and strategies and defining our mission,” he said. “I think we’re in a very good place, we’re on the right track to reducing the amount of homelessness in Richmond County.”
The next meeting will be August 19. The group also plans a trip to Columbus to meet with the mayor, commissioners and coordinators of that city’s homelessness programs.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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