Many states are having to shift their COVID-19 responses as they begin to reopen their economies. In Madison, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness has been urging the state to take decisive action to address the imminent surge in homelessness. The coalition has offered a three-pronged strategy to fund more services, create low-income housing, and move the homeless into family-supporting jobs with an annual cost of $70 million.
They recommend that the state Department of Health Services quickly submit a Medicaid plan amendment to the federal government, that would make all eligible homeless services reimbursable through Medicaid. The state can then fund a match for those services. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority wants support for housing through low-income housing tax credits, as well as the opportunity to create other bonding for housing. They have also asked that the state deliver $50 million annually for rental assistance subsidies specifically targeted got those with mental health challenges and the homeless. The coalition is also asking that the governor direct DWS to create a new program to reach the state's homeless population and move them into jobs, with funding from the upcoming budget process in the state legislature.
They are unsure if their proposal will be heard on Capitol hill. The director of the Wisconsin Interagency Council on Homelessness said, "I always welcome input from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness as we continue to work toward ending homelessness as we know it in Wisconsin." The Wisconsin State Legislature says they are unlikely to accept a proposal with that much funding needed, even if they like the content. They did announce that the state would use $25 million in federal emergency funds for a rental assistance program starting this month. The coalition said, "The problem is, while the housing may be permanent the rental assistance is not. Most of the rent subsidies run between one and two years duration. We are now sitting on a ticking homeless bomb." This new plan would replace seven bills that failed to pass in the legislature.
In Texas, they are focusing very specifically right now on preventing the spread of COVID-19. One volunteer in Houston said," We are now testing people in our homeless shelter, and what we are finding is there are people who are infected with this virus. We are engaging in social distancing and spreading them out." In downtown Austin, the Salvation Army homeless shelter has been closed since mid-April after 12 people tested positive. After that, 187 residents were moved to a hotel leased by the city of Austin.
Houston, Austin, and Dallas, over the last two months have opened additional space for homeless people in hotels and convention centers. Many of the other services that homeless individuals rely on have shut down or limited access. This may account for the increase of homeless encampments in Texas. Austin Mayor Steve Adler explained that the city plants to vote on acquiring another motel to house homeless people and get them out of camps. Austin so far has created two spaces for homeless people this includes protected facilities, which are exclusively for those who are high-risk for COVID-19. Homeless people also have the option to stay at county-owned isolation facilities, if they test positive for COVID-19, or need somewhere to stay while awaiting test results. The CDC recommends that people living in encampments stay where they are if there are no housing alternatives. Austin's unsheltered homeless population has increased by 45%--- 488 additional people--- from 2019 until now.
Sources:
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/24/texas-homeless-shelters-coronavirus-houston-austin-dallas/