Homelessness is a critical local issue. In 2023, 6,142 people in Hamilton County experienced homelessness, residing in an emergency shelter, staying on the streets, or fleeing domestic violence.
This includes 1,167 children under age 18. Homelessness is damaging to both physical and mental health and can be fatal.
A household’s descent into homelessness often follows this progression
Crisis: family experiences setback that jeopardizes their housing (job loss, illness etc.)
Housing Loss: unable to pay rent, the family is either evicted or abandons the unit to avoid eviction
Doubled-up: the family moves in with family or friends, moving frequently
Literal homelessness: the family runs out of options and enters an emergency shelter or sleeps unsheltered
Reduce Homelessness
To effectively reduce homelessness in the City of Cincinnati, the homeless services system needs to implement initiatives and programs simultaneously:
Prevent people from losing their housing
The Impact Award project that our organization will be implementing in 2024 assists with this goal. As well as Emergency Rental Assistance and Right to Counsel programs.
Prevent people who have already lost their housing and are relying on others for a place to stay from becoming literally homeless
The Shelter Diversion program is the only program in the city of Cincinnati that targets this group of high-risk households.
Provide comprehensive services and housing to people who are in emergency shelter, on the streets or fleeing domestic violence so they can exit homelessness
The Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) provides Cincinnati/Hamilton County with over $27 million per year of funding for these services. Services provided by a network of more than 20 non-profit organizations.
Shelter Diversion is Unique
The Shelter Diversion Program is unique in two ways.
- Shelter Diversion services targets those households that local and national data show are the most likely to next experience literal homelessness. Those households that have already lost their own housing and are living doubled-up.
- Shelter Diversion does not receive significant government funding from HUD, the largest funder of homeless services, or from the City of Cincinnati.
The Shelter Diversion program serves families that are “doubled up” before experiencing literal homelessness. The further a family descends into homelessness the more trauma they experience. Additionally, the interventions become more expensive.
What It Takes
Reducing and ending homelessness in Greater Cincinnati hinges on implementing multiple approaches at the same time. Preventing people from losing their housing through the Impact Award and other programs. As well as preventing people who have already lost their housing and are doubled up from becoming homeless through the Shelter Diversion program. And providing services and housing to people who are experiencing literal homelessness.
