Woodland looks to Longview agency to help homeless
Monday, February 25, 2008 5:33 AM PST
By Leila Summers
Printable version
E-mail this articleWOODLAND - This town's homeless could find a night of relief thanks to a new agreement between the Woodland City Council and Longview Housing Authority.
The council agreed Tuesday night to allow the housing authority oversight of $10,000 from an account designated by state law to reduce homelessness in Woodland. The housing authority was chosen as overseer because it's a Housing and Urban Development mandated organization, a requirement for use of the monies.
"It's not a lot, but it's something," said Woodland Councilman Darwin Rounds.
The account, which is generated by $10 document-recording fees paid by home buyers, currently totals more than $40,000, all of which is earmarked to reduce homelessness.
Sheri Monge, director of the Woodland Community Service Center, said the nation's "mortgage crunch" is changing the face of homelessness and has brought more people to her door who are worried about losing their homes and making ends meet. The service center also offers food and clothing assistance.
"We're dealing with a new population, actually," she said. "We've dealt with the lower-middle class and lowest classes. Now we're even seeing the moderate middle class needing aid, and we haven't seen that in the past."
The service center first approached the City Council about utilizing the document recording fees in August.
After several discussions, the Council cast a tie vote in December -- which was broken by former Mayor Doug Monge, who voted in favor.
However, the Council later determined the mayor couldn't vote on a "money issue," said Mayor Chuck Blum, and ordered a re-vote after someone filled the Council's empty fifth seat. Tuesday's vote was unanimous.
Under the new agreement, vouchers will be distributed by the Woodland Community Service Center. The money can provide a night in a motel to allow a homeless person to take a warm bath; remove a domestic violence victim from a dangerous environment; or help establish someone in steady housing.
"Heaven knows there are people in the area that require that," Blum said. "It's definitely needed."
Looking back, Sheri Monge said the funding would have been helpful this winter.
"We had several people (approach us), especially in January and February because it was so cold," Sheri Monge said. "We actually helped some people out of our own budget because they were so desperate. The ones we helped were families with children on the verge of being evicted."
She said the center is still establishing guidelines for who will qualify for the assistance.
tearful eyes wrote on Feb 25, 2008 6:31 AM:
Faith or Government wrote on Feb 25, 2008 7:21 AM:
spellingbee wrote on Feb 25, 2008 2:39 PM:
The town just looks stupid ,even though that may not be the case.
just take a second look before you throw it upon the screen.
And no I am not the smartest rock on the planet,so you grammer freaks back off . All ask is try to look at your spelling. Fix your damn one also TDN it makes you repost every time , every time I have ever used that number "
Free ride wrote on Feb 25, 2008 2:41 PM:
Grammer and Grandpa wrote on Feb 25, 2008 3:43 PM:
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