by Judy Frank
posted November 20, 2007
A majority of City Council members voted Tuesday night to approve the Interfaith Homeless Network's move into a new 5,000-square-foot building, after the chairman of the city's Blueprint Committee said IHN's action does not conflict with the overall plan for dealing with homelessness that his group is preparing.
Council members Leamon Pierce and Linda Bennett wanted to delay action on IHN's proposal until after the Blueprint Committee's plan had been completed and formally approved.
But a majority of members agreed with Councilman Jack Benson, who argued that such a delay would be pointless.
"If it were my family or me out there (homeless), I wouldn't want this to be delayed and delayed," he said. "This is a chance for us to take care of some of the needs out there right now."
Council members also reviewed an ambitious proposal to replace the city's existing Taxi Board with a comprehensive Transportation Board that would regulate all types of vehicles for hire inside the city.
They also approved a request shrouded in mystery that ownership of a 1.7-acre piece of property on the riverfront, currently owned jointly by the city and the county, be transferred to the county.
The county will then turn over the property "to a company that's going to bring jobs," council members were told.
The company was not identified, but officials said they expect details of the economic development-related deal will be released early next month.
Proceeds from a roasting of Mayor Ron Littlefield earlier went towards the new 5,000 square foot IHN facility and family day center.
“We are thankful and overwhelmed at the support in donations and interest in this project,” said Mary Ellen Galloway, IHN executive director, said at the time of the roasting. “This is a dream come true for us and the many families that come through our program.”
The new facility will replace their current location at 711 East 11th St.
The Homebuilders Association of Southern Tennessee was the initial donor to the IHN project with a commitment of $25,000. They will also be responsible for the coordination of project construction and solicitation of donated building materials and labor.
Interfaith Homeless Network is an affiliate of Family Promise, a 21-year-old "nationwide model of success and efficiency in helping homeless families." Family Promise has 135 networks in 39 states.
“This will be a place where our families will have access to supportive services that meet their special needs, where they can develop an individualized self-sufficiency plan,” said Ms. Galloway.
She said IHN "has a history of support in Chattanooga including the special and regular support of 42 congregations along with the Chrysalis Foundation, the Benwood Foundation, the Community Foundation, the City of Chattanooga, the Episcopal Opportunity Fund, and the Homeless Coalition.
"In the past nine years IHN has served over 1,339 homeless individuals (832 being children in 420 families). Sixty-five percent were housed, 40% employed, and 95% exited the IHN program with income supports. IHN operates 365 days and nights per year. On average IHN serves 45 families (150 homeless individuals) each year.
Facts about Interfaith Homeless Network (IHN)
of Greater Chattanooga
Mission Statement: To end homelessness one family at a time.
Homelessness among families is growing in Chattanooga.
- Homeless families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population nationally and in Chattanooga, comprising 40% of the total homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2004).
- One in four homeless persons in Chattanooga is a child with an average of six years old (Blueprint to End Chronic Homelessness, 2003).
- In the first quarter of 2005 in Chattanooga there were 1,899 homeless children that received services and in the first quarter of 2006 the number was 2,467 homeless children that received services (Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition, 2007).
- The mission of IHN is to help homeless families with children quickly and successfully transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency by offering shelter, meals, supportive services, follow-up and links to community resources.
- The National Alliance to End Homelessness recommends a HOUSING FIRST approach to assist most homeless families. IHN follows this best practice by quickly transitioning homeless families with children from shelter to permanent housing with supportive services and follow up.
- In nine years IHN has served: 1,339 homeless individuals with 832 being children in 420 families. Sixty-five percent were housed, 40% employed and 95% exited the IHN program with income supports.
- The IHN program operates 365 days and nights per year. The average stay for a family is six weeks.
- On average IHN serves 45 families each year with approximately 150 homeless individuals.
- IHN does not institutionalize shelter as a solution to homelessness. Families are quickly assessed, housed and linked to supportive services and community resources.
- Forty-two congregations and their supporters help IHN address the growing issue of families without homes. One hundred volunteers assist IHN each week bringing the cost per individual served at IHN to 1/3 the cost of public programs.
- IHN collaborates with area service providers such as the Community Kitchen, the Homeless Healthcare Center, Fortwood Center, Memorial Hospital, the Chattanooga Housing Authority, and the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
- Through its network of congregations, volunteers and partners IHN leverages its resources three times. Volunteers provide $487,344 in volunteer time per year.
- There are hundreds of homeless families in Chattanooga living in cars, tents, motels, under bridges, in abandoned buildings, and doubled and tripled up in homes and on sofas that do not belong to them. They wander around during the day with no safe place “to be”
- Homeless families lose almost everything when they lose housing. They leave behind furniture, house wares, clothing and other belongings that will need to be replaced when families are re-housed.
- Life becomes difficult. Getting to work is hard as is accessing transportation from changing locations.
- Many homeless mothers need counseling to work on trauma issues associated with domestic violence and their experiences of severe physical, emotional and sexual assault during their lifetimes.
Homelessness interferes with the successful education of children.
- Studies report homeless children demonstrate emotional and or behavioral problems that interfere with learning at almost three times the rate of housed children.
- At least one fifth of children who are homeless do not attend school.
- Homeless children have more developmental delays and learning disabilities than housed children.
IHN keeps families together and serves underserved homeless families.
- IHN serves the whole family and keeps them together. Currently in Chattanooga, two parent families, families with adolescent boys and homeless fathers with children are underserved as many shelters with restricted age and gender requirements deny shelter access to these families, causing them to break up to attend separate shelters. IHN serves these families as well as homeless women with children, pregnant women and family members with custody of children.
- IHN offers families without homes the opportunity to stay together by providing shelter and safe homelike overnight lodging in area congregations, meals, transportation, counseling, assistance finding employment, training, education and housing through supportive services and links to community resources.
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