More federal stimulus money is making its way to Savannah.
Some has gone to road repairs but this time it's to be used to help those on the brink of being homeless or already homeless.
News Three’s Community Reporter Alice Massimi has more on who will qualify and when you can expect the help to be available.
This is what it looked like roughly a month ago in Detroit.
Fifty thousand people showed up at the city's convention hall after it was announced they would be distributing federal stimulus money as part of a homelessness prevention program; which is one of the reasons why Chatham County and the City of Savannah have some very different ideas on how to use this money.
“In Detroit they just had lines of 6000 lined up and the vernacular is they are going wide rather than deep,” explains Mark Baggett the Director of the Chatham Savannah Homeless Authority. Baggett’s agency will lead, what he hopes is, a smarter effort.
“The folks that have just lost their job, looking at eviction, last year there were 5000 dispossessory warrants from the Magistrate Court. Those are the folks we really want to prevent from getting on the street.”
Baggett says the key is working with the families to develop long term economic plans.... before they end up in one the city's shelters.
“The idea is these families are going to have long term structural problems and a band aid is not going to do. Paying the rent this month is not going to keep them homeless 3 months from now.”
Learning from other cities' mistakes, Baggett hopes that, rather than just putting a couple of bucks in people's pockets, this will actually keep roofs over families’ heads.
Baggett expects the money to be available at the end of this month.
You can apply for the assistance at the Homeless Authority’s Office on Bull Street or at any area shelter. Priority will be given to families.
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NewsNews
Money to Help Those on Brink of Eviction
By:
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WSAV-TV
Published: November 03, 2009
Published: November 03, 2009
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Alice Massimi,
Chatham County,
Chatham Savannah Homeless Authority,
Community Reporter,
Court,
Detroit,
Director,
Homeless Authority,
Magistrate Court,
Mark Baggett,
Office On Bull Street,
Savannah
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