MERCER ALLIANCE to End Homelessness
The Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness was created in 2004 to tackle the root causes of homelessness, to prevent homelessness and ultimately end it within ten years. It is a unique collaboration of 150 Mercer organizations. Many of these agencies have all they can do to meet the emergency shelter and hunger needs of working poor, disabled and unemployed.
So the Mercer Alliance is needed to push for changes in the system, to develop prevention programs, and create the awareness needed to support the construction of housing affordable to those who so desperately need it. It will cost us as taxpayers far less - perhaps one-third less- to prevent homelessness than it does to continue to treat its symptoms and pay for its long-term consequences.
Changes need to be made across the entire community, focusing not just on services to the homeless, but also on the factors that contribute to the problem. We must transition from managing homelessness to developing and implementing strategies that will end it. Unless everyone takes a new approach to homelessness the costs will continue to increase, the numbers of individuals homeless will increase - this is unacceptable.
- Prevention
- Pilot Eviction Court Prevention
- Monitor and implement Discharge Planning Standards
- Advocate and appeal for more prevention and subsidy funding
- Income
- Earned Income Tax Credit Outreach & Training Program
- Seek amendment to NJ minimum wage and NJ EITC for cost of living
- Seek increase in welfare grant level to 40% standard of need ($5088 to $9220)
- Monitor and seek increase training, in self-sufficiency and more living wage jobs
- Workforce Housing
- Public awareness of rents vs. income, and who can't afford "affordable" housing
- Research the costs of homelessness and the cost benefits of creating housing
- Develop a Housing Trust Fund with county tax, corporate match, and private gifts
- Create a land bank to preserve land for housing as is done for environment
- Seek donations of land and housing from private donors
- Fight budget cuts to existing housing programs.
- Housing First
- Create/assist Municipal Action Committees to support/advocate for housing
- Transition from managing homelessness to permanent housing first
- Develop Clearing House to facilitate both prevention and re-housing
- Provide advanced training for caseworkers both provider and government
Who can't afford housing in Mercer? $39,000 for average two-bedroom rental?
Or minimums of $31,4000 for family of three or $24,400 for a single for "affordables"
Medical technician, and EMTs at $28-29,000, retail clerk, cashier at $17,500, food service workers, childcare workers. Home health aide, teacher's aide, gardeners, cleaning service personnel, general construction labor, painters, etc. all earning at or below $25,000 a year.