“It’s time that elected officials come up with a plan that we can apply to the entire county, that each community carves out their own solutions for their own areas so we’re not telling anybody how to run their railroad and what services they need,” Dixon said later adding, “It’s not an issue that’s going to go away anytime soon, we know we have to deal with it.”
Officials met about a year ago to discuss the issue with state legislators, but at that time the main focus turned to the effort to open an Emergency Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Center. That project is on an indefinite hold now. There was grave concern, particularly from Hamilton officials, that the center — slated for the old county nursing home — would be a magnet for the homeless, many from outside the county.
This time around the officials have the beginnings of a game plan and it will likely include the formation of a standing committee that will meet regularly to work on the problem. A small independent homeless work group lead by Commissioner Cindy Carpenter and others, has been meeting for years on the issue. They recently issued a report that recommends forming a Butler County Housing Solutions Board.
They suggested representatives from the commissioners, Fairfield, Hamilton, Oxford and Middletown, the municipal courts and a host of non-profits and other groups and boards that deal with the homeless population be on the governing board. West Chester Twp. Trustee Ann Becker said she favors formation of the board but encouraged including representatives from all the governing jurisdictions and schools countywide.
“I strongly recommend that we establish the Butler County Housing Solutions Board, I think that’s a great first step to take to make sure that we’re doing all that we can in terms of government function and securing funding,” Becker said. “That is something we can do as a community, as a county to see if we’re doing the best we can do because customer service for our taxpayers, for our residents is what we should be doing.”
Dixon told the Journal-News a new board must include elected officials from across the county who have the power of the purse, because that is what solutions will take, and they won’t be cheap. He said including the non-profits and providers is fine but “sometimes they forget about the taxpayers that have to foot the bill and make all this happen.”
“The core group of investors in it, they have a more of a global look,” Dixon said. “Where does the money come from, who is paying for it, how is it going to budget out in the next five, ten years. What kind of services will be provided, is it more proactive and trying to get to the problem before it becomes a real problem with these folks. And the state of Ohio has to step up here. We can’t let them sit up there and pretend they’re in la la land and everything is good and wonderful.”
Last summer Middletown Councilman Zack Ferrell estimated the city has spent $3.5 million dealing with the homeless issue over the last few years, and that means taxpayers have paid roughly $17,000 per homeless person.
“It is a drain on EMS and police funds, even hospitals as well,” Middletown Mayor Elizabeth Slamka told the group this week. She said her city’s police force is also lacking a place to take homeless people they encounter. Their staff recommended a “one-stop-shop.”
“One of the officers I did a ride along with said we need something that’s not just banker’s hours, we need something that is there 24-hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “So you can take people to get that help and the services they need in this moment of crisis that they’re having.”
New Miami Mayor Jewel Hensley said her village has a large homeless population living in pockets by the river and elsewhere. She said residents often ask her what she’s going to do about the issue.
“Honestly I have no idea, we can ticket them for trespassing, they’re probably not going to pay it cause they’re homeless,” she said. “We could probably have them arrested, but by the time they’re at jail and the ink dries they’re going to come right back to where they were. The only way I see solving this is if they have a place to go.”
She said the shelters are always full so there is nowhere for them to go. She said they have 11 acres in Cherokee Park that could be used for a shelter or some other facility, “but again it’s funding, how are we going to get the funding to do that, it’s a real big issue in our town, our town is very small but yet the issue is very, very big.”
In order to get federal funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) the county needs to do a “point in time (PIT) count annually. According to the 2019 PIT count — which was the last available — there were 166 people in emergency shelters, 86 unsheltered people and 46 in transitional housing for a total 298. The point in time count is when the homeless living on the streets are counted on a given night in January, as mandated by HUD.
The homeless work group report shows 146 unsheltered individuals and 227 in emergency and transitional housing for a total PIT count of 373 this year, but the numbers likely don’t tell the true story. For example, the largest homeless populations are in Hamilton and Middletown, but Jessica Green assistant Oxford city manager, said the Oxford Area Solutions for Homelessness — a private citizens group — did their own count and they identified 100 homeless individuals within the Talawanda School District.
Carpenter noted their expert said 47 additional emergency shelter beds are needed and 250 more permanent supportive housing units are required. The Permanent Supportive Housing program — known locally as Shelter Plus Care — provides rental assistance and treatment for the homeless who also suffer from mental illness, the county currently has 113 units at a cost $1.16 million.
“With this year’s point in time count we counted even more homeless individuals because we did it in a more robust way and we know that gap is really big,” she said. “All the police departments know that that gap is really bigger so it looks more like 100, 100-plus emergency beds are needed.”
Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller said there are many facets of the homeless population, there are “couch surfers” staying with friends or relatives; many are victims of “economic homelessness” due to the dearth of affordable housing in the county, some who are homeless by choice and many who suffer mental health and substance abuse issues. He said the most crucial first target should be those in the final category.
“How do we address the mentally ill and substance abuse homeless. I don’t have answers but I do believe a gathering of a panel that’s accurate, exploring resources that are available to us from federal, state, funds that are available now through county agencies,” he said. “That’s what we need to look at first.”
Other issues discussed included better transportation options to the hubs where all the jobs are in the big cities, better drug addiction treatment options — especially for methamphetamines — and additional data on the county’s homeless situation.
County Administrator Judi Boyko said she will compile and distribute a report on all that was discussed to the group. Dixon told the Journal-News they will likely meet again in two months and decide next steps. Commissioner T.C. Rogers said they will find the answers, although the physical housing component might be tough because there is a critical shortage everywhere.
“As you bring up these problems, one thing about Butler County is I think there’s resources, if you want help we can help you,” he said. “If you want a job, we can get you a job, if you want transportation to that job, we can get you there. Unfortunately on the component of if you want home we do not have that answer yet.”
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