George 1 SOC 235 201 June 10, 2013 Remembering the Forgotten 40 to 60% of the homeless population is part

of the working homeless (homelesstaskforce.org). When many think of the homeless, they generally think of pill poppers, alcoholics, or the mentally ill. They may not realize that the security guard at their work place has nowhere to sleep at night and must come to work early so he/she can shower and look presentable after a night on the streets. It is also shocking to believe that those returning from Iraq and fighting for our country return from war and have no where to go except the streets. In general we have many misconceptions of the homeless really are, we must take the time to realize that they may not have chosen this lifestyle. The current economy of our country has played in to an increase in the homeless. With companies having to lay off workers and people working jobs they are overqualified for, many cannot afford housing. The average income of the working poor is $9,400 a year (cflhomeless.wordpress.org). Making this little makes it almost impossible to pay rent considering a one bedroom can be anywhere from $400 to thousands a month. This is where S.R.O s or Single Room Occupancy facilities can come in handy. What is an S.R.O? According to HUD also known as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the SRO Program provides rental assistance for homeless persons in connection with the moderate rehabilitation of SRO dwellings. SRO housing contains units for occupancy by one person. These units may contain food preparation or sanitary facilities, or both (portal.hud.gov). Lexington, Kentucky has St James Place I and II, which has a combined total of 138 units of low rent housing facilities that qualify are SROs. Opened in August 1995, St. James Place

George 2 became one of the first facilities in the country to offer affordable housing to the working homeless. It was the first facility of its kind in Kentucky, using HUD funds to provide affordable, safe housing in downtown Lexington. The project was the vision of William R. Embry, II, and thanks to his vision it has been a wonderful experience of growth and support for the over 600 individuals who have called St. James place home (William R. Embry, II). After the success of St. James Place, St. James Place II was developed. St. James Place II is very much like St James Place I, except it provides for individuals with little or low incomes as well as Veterans. It is a little known fact that 40% of men that are homeless are Veterans (homelesstaskforce.gov). Each unit at the St. James place facilities offers a single bed with storage, a table and two chairs, a refrigerator, microwave, and a private toilet. Each floor provides a community kitchen, laundry room, and showers. St, James Place offers support services for residents in the form of finical education and referrals, referrals for food an clothing, a computer room, monthly meals, and 24 hour security. Embry says that the mission of St James is to provide affordable housing to the working homeless. On their website, St James Place slogan is A Safe, Clean, Comfortable, Home to Help You Grow. St. James Place is not meant to be a forever home. It is a place for the homeless to live while they get back on their feet. To live at St. James the residents pay $350 a month, much less than the normal apartment. During this time they can save their money to save for a better place, go back to school, or whatever else they feel will help provide them with a better lifestyle. Once the resident feels they can provide for themselves without the assistance of St. James Place they move on with great success. Those that leave St. James Place have a 95% chance at success, this number is unheard of (William R. Embry, II). Generally 50% success is considered successful and the closest number to St. James place 95% success rate is 95%.

George 3 1.) As earlier stated, William R. Embry, II is the founder of St. James Place. I interviewed him about his work with St. James Place. I personally know Mr. Embry and was honored to hear his story of success from him. He was the manager of Embrys, an upscale store for women. After success with his company, he decided to give back to the community. He has been on numerous boards including St. James Place and FAH, or the Foundation for Affordable Housing. We discussed the following in our interview: Founder, now on the board 2.) Doctor story, then HUD says we do not deal with SRO, check mail for housing conference in Wash D.C., did not learn anything, stood up and asked, his friend told her to talk to HUD at luncheon, like an outcast to a citizen transition from homeless to SRO, his development was 100, everything HUD lady needed+he had already done, pencil drawing+no actual plan until , call lady was HUD will participate in SROs, you all have finally won, then opportunity to tell Veterans, approved 38 units for Veterans, up to 95% successs now, take homeless veteran, teach them how to live act, etc. how to get job, resume, then help get job, portion of salary goes into fund for St. James, only 6 months 50,000. Can buy food, pay rent closest was 65% 3.) Population must be homeless, close to 100%, always 100%, Vetrans have drug and alcohol program, then can come to St. James, drug tests, men and Trust funf drom earier and Housing first women 70-30 4.) Mission: affordable housing for homeless population, we win awards, number 1 project in the state of Kentucky, He himself was the #1 developer, HUD apologized to him. 5.) Primry challenges=motivation; phase 1 they could not afford case workers problem because need them, manager is a case worker who they need to go to and a volunteer

George 4 chaplin, best they can do, veterans have 3 social workers luckily, financial training, only 3 of them showed up, free dinner 6 people came, events like baseball games only about 20 go 6.) Solution: the city has inadequate ways of helping, need city to pass affordable house fund, over 12,000families incone goes to rent it is a crisis we have, the way to fix it is to have a tax, 5% of insurance premium would produce 2 million a year we can match that 6 to 1, city had consultant money coming into Lexington, employ people to build abandon houses, mini recovery act like obama, pays for itself only 7 votes need 8, Housing first gives homeless person apartment for night, casewroker determines what problem is usually drug, alcohol, or mental, 7.) 1 meeting every 3 months now initially 8.) how much is rent, 350 a month non profit because they have rent, otherwise would need grant, cash flow 9.) staff, head girl makes 48,000,CPA loves working with people Veterans is the guy from rent they pay half and medical half, lot of people on SSi 10.) 11.) very difficult in Lexington Like living in a dormitory, fridge microwave, showers down the hall, new

showers because of constrution problem, never ives up, st james took 7 years, love to name things, st james came o mind looked in the book of james and thought after reading it it fit perfectly, dont just think about foing good, do it The proposed plan is to get an Affordable Housing Trust Fund like Lousiville already has. I will then go on to explain what this is and why it is the solution. This is my number one solution. My number two solution would be to raise money to provide more SROs since St. James place is the

George 5 only one In Lexington. I am also going to explain the benefits of SROs and why we need them. These are where my scholarly article research will come into place. Sorry I do not have more but more research needs to be done. I appreciate whatever feedback can be given.