LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Housing pods for the homeless are coming to Lansing and there was numerous dialogue about it at a gathering referred to as by the town’s Human Relations and Neighborhood Companies division (HRCS) on the Foster Neighborhood Middle Tuesday night time.
The town not too long ago bought 50 housing pods to assist with the homeless inhabitants. On Tuesday, dozens gathered, many with expertise working with the unhoused, to have a dialog on the right way to go about integrating the pods into the group.
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HRCS Director Kimberly Coleman mentioned the group’s Advisory Board desires to have all 50 pods in the identical spot. Tuesday’s dialog included the place they need to be positioned, the foundations surrounding the pods, and what that may appear to be financially.
On the assembly, the group shared their hopes and fears, together with what they suppose would make pod housing profitable.
“We want it to be sustainable. We would like to dramatically decrease homelessness, move as many people through this program and process as possible,” mentioned one attendee.
One of many issues the board needed enter on was the place the pods needs to be positioned. Sarah Kenney works with the unhoused by the Ingham County Well being Division and mentioned the pods being near assets needs to be a precedence.
“I think downtown would be great,” Kenney continued. “I think in the city is a good idea, on a bus line, where the food is, accessing health care.”
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Based on metropolis officers, the objective of the pods is to let the unhoused stay within the tiny properties for a set period of time to offer them an opportunity to search out everlasting housing. That is one thing many individuals supported, with a number of attendees saying housing is a human proper, not a privilege.
“We want it to be a soft, safe place for people to land,” one other participant mentioned.
There have been issues introduced up as effectively, together with what occurs when an unhoused individual’s time in a pod is up and so they haven’t got everlasting housing, how to make sure there is no such thing as a stigma across the program, ensuring the pods are secure throughout chilly winters and extra, together with the financials.
“Where are we getting the funding and the staffing to provide these wraparound services?” mentioned one of many attendees.
The blended bag of opinions was precisely what the board needed, although, as they are saying all views will assist in creating the perfect consequence.
Coleman mentioned this group dialogue was only the start.
“This is not something that our department or that I can do alone. It’s going to take all of us to make this happen,” mentioned Coleman.
The director mentioned she may be very happy with how the assembly went, including that it is time to take motion because the variety of unhoused folks in Lansing is rising.
“As of yesterday, there is about 396 individuals outdoors right now. To me, that is significant,” Coleman mentioned. “As long as we can really begin to look at the issue, get their involvement on addressing those issues, bring the community in. I think we can make an impact.”
Coleman mentioned as soon as they resolve on a location for the pods, they should apply for a camp website allow from the state, which may take six to 9 months for approval. She mentioned it is anticipated this may price $750,000 a 12 months to run, including that they will not have a precise quantity till the useful resource has been up and operating for some time.
