MONROE - The number of people homeless in Green County is "skyrocketing," according to reports from the Homelessness Prevention Coalition.
In fact, homelessness has become "an epidemic," said Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor at the Green County Human Service Department. About 115 unduplicated households had been served by the end of April, compared to 175 for all of 2101, according to Blumer.
Included in those households are 134 children. The department served a total of 183 children in 2010.
By May 11, the county had spent more than 80 percent of its housing assistance budget. That line item has now been maxed out, said Greg Holcomb, director of Green County Human Services.
Holcomb said the county allowed him to budget $140,000 for housing assistance for 2011, a significant increase from the 2010 budget of about $80,000.
"That $80,000 was probably based on expenditures from previous years," he said.
The county spent more than its budget allowed for housing assistance in 2010, he added, but he balanced the Human Services budget by using unspent funds from other departments to cover the extra costs.
"The county continued to run its programs, even though it was way over budget, because of costs in other areas," Blumer said.
Blumer said homelessness often creates needs for other county services, such as child protective services, if not resolved.
Holcomb said the Human Services Board will be looking at ways to continue to provide housing assistance again this year, during at a meeting scheduled for June 21.
"The board would like to find a way to partner with Family Promise, the (Homelessness Prevention) Coalition and Southwest CAP," he added.
Blumer is hopeful that the new Family Promise staff will be able to spend time mentoring homeless persons - time that the county staff does not have - to help people one-on-one to develop life skills.
Family Promise is a new interfaith hospitality network involving about 16 local area churches.
The Homelessness Prevention Coalition plans for the service to be operational by October, but Blumer would like to see that group up and running by August.
Through Family Promise, Blumer wants to get homeless families out of costly motels and set up in temporary housing. But setting up a household can cost between $750 to $1,200, she said.
In fact, homelessness has become "an epidemic," said Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor at the Green County Human Service Department. About 115 unduplicated households had been served by the end of April, compared to 175 for all of 2101, according to Blumer.
Included in those households are 134 children. The department served a total of 183 children in 2010.
By May 11, the county had spent more than 80 percent of its housing assistance budget. That line item has now been maxed out, said Greg Holcomb, director of Green County Human Services.
Holcomb said the county allowed him to budget $140,000 for housing assistance for 2011, a significant increase from the 2010 budget of about $80,000.
"That $80,000 was probably based on expenditures from previous years," he said.
The county spent more than its budget allowed for housing assistance in 2010, he added, but he balanced the Human Services budget by using unspent funds from other departments to cover the extra costs.
"The county continued to run its programs, even though it was way over budget, because of costs in other areas," Blumer said.
Blumer said homelessness often creates needs for other county services, such as child protective services, if not resolved.
Holcomb said the Human Services Board will be looking at ways to continue to provide housing assistance again this year, during at a meeting scheduled for June 21.
"The board would like to find a way to partner with Family Promise, the (Homelessness Prevention) Coalition and Southwest CAP," he added.
Blumer is hopeful that the new Family Promise staff will be able to spend time mentoring homeless persons - time that the county staff does not have - to help people one-on-one to develop life skills.
Family Promise is a new interfaith hospitality network involving about 16 local area churches.
The Homelessness Prevention Coalition plans for the service to be operational by October, but Blumer would like to see that group up and running by August.
Through Family Promise, Blumer wants to get homeless families out of costly motels and set up in temporary housing. But setting up a household can cost between $750 to $1,200, she said.