Homeless prevention in Butler county Ohio.
Several non-profits in the Butler County Ohio region offer one form or another of a homeless prevention program. The assistance that is available at a participating agency may be all inclusive, meaning that that the resources range in scope all the way from shelter to rapid rehousing up through case management. Or some organizations only offer one service, such as applications to Emergency Solution Grants.
All of these homeless prevention programs are coordinated throughout the community. This is done to not only limit duplication of services, but it also is used for stopping any abuse or fraud in the Butler County system. The coordination will ensure that one non-profit does not provide money to pay for rent arrears at the same time that some other local charity did the same thing.
Most of the resources in Butler County, such as those run by Mercy Health St. Rafael, are focused on stopping evictions. One reason for this is that that are often more solutions for renters, as it can be difficult to stop foreclosures do to the costs and time-frames involved. When it is possible to reduce (or eliminate) the amount of time that a family is homeless, this will also be the ideal solution. Therefore the homeless prevention programs in Butler County Ohio for tenants include the following.
If the apartment management company, or landlord, has sent a pay or quit notice that is questionable in its legality, then an attorney can help with that. There are free legal aid providers in Butler County and Ohio that work on housing issues, with their focus being on homeless prevention. The lawyer will review the notice for its terms and conditions, and assess everything from disputes over security deposits to housing repair and maintenance issues. They will also represent the tenant in court if the case seems strong enough.
The most common, and often effective, form of homeless prevention for struggling families is financial aid. The major barrier with this is that the funding is very limited and of course there will be many criteria in place. The Butler County agencies receive most of the money from Emergency Solution Grants (ESG) which is an annual federal government benefit program.
Local Butler County agencies can use these ESG funds in any way they see fit to stop homelessness. However they need to define the use of the grant prior to issuing them to a client. Some agencies may offer funds to pay a small portion of back rent. Other uses of ESG can be for job training, credit counseling, or even an attorney. So the program is not only limited in the number of people that can be assisted, but the money is targeted for a specific housing need.
Homeless prevention programs in Butler County may be able to help a struggling homeowner as well. This is where the foreclosure prevention comes in. There is rarely (if ever) monetary aid for this, but rather an organization in Butler County will offer other support such as counseling, information on loan modification programs, and even assist the tenant as they apply for government aid.
Butler County Rapid Rehousing is another component to homeless prevention. This will not differentiate as to whether someone was evicted or lost their home due to a foreclosure. Instead anyone that is homeless can apply, providing they are able and willing to take the steps to reverse their housing situation. One local agency that is involved in this process is Serve City.
Most of the applicants to rehousing in Butler County may be sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation, such as local parks, their car, an abandoned building, or on the streets/sidewalks. Anyone living in a motel that is being paid for using a government voucher may apply as well as individuals from Butler County that are sleeping in an emergency shelter. There is generally a focus on veterans, senior citizens, and others who are more at risk.
Butler County based organizations will help the applicant throughout the rehousing process. They tackle employment issues, offer financial aid to pay for security deposits, help them review a lease, and rebuild their credit. These are only a few of the topics covered, and much more may also be arranged based on the client's needs.
If short term housing is needed, then rapid rehousing and homeless prevention may arrange this as well. When the shelter are full, free motel or hotel vouchers are given for a short period of time. Or they can also be used during extreme weather events, such as summer heat or winter cold. Other resources available range from transitional housing to referrals to shared accommodations at churches or hostels in Butler County.
As noted, there is not one agency to try for eviction or foreclosure help in Butler County Ohio. The main referral line to learn about homeless prevention programs is 513-721-7900.
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