402 Tacoma Avenue S., Suite 200 TACOMA, WA 98402 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012
Vol. CXXIII, No. 220
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Since 1890
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Tacoma reports progress in homeless prevention program
32-month program taps $1.18M HUD funding to help 1K individuals
The City of Tacoma's Human Rights and Human Services Department has helped more than a thousand Tacoma residents escape homelessness through a Recovery Act Rental Assistance Program, according to a report recently presented to Tacoma City Council. Between Oct. 1, 2009 and June 30, 2012, the program aimed to stabilize families and individuals in crisis by offering the right balance of financial assistance coupled with services such as case management and financial counseling. It was established with an infusion of approximately $1.18 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The City of Tacoma worked in collaboration with six partner organizations – Associated Ministries, Catholic Community Services' Phoenix Housing Network, Pierce County Housing Authority, South Sound Outreach Services, The Salvation Army, Tacoma Corps, and Washington Women's Employment and Education. "We were ambitious. We wanted to help low-income families and individuals who were at risk of becoming homeless, or who were already experiencing homelessness, reach housing stability within 90 to 180 days," said Human Rights and Human Services Director Linda Villegas Bremer. The program achieved 123 percent of its service target in the area of homelessness prevention, according to the report. Of the 446 individuals helped in this category, 70 percent achieved housing stability. In the area of rapid re-housing, the program achieved 198 percent of its service target, according to the report. Of the 557 individuals helped in this category, 88 percent achieved housing stability.
"Our primary area of focus was in the area defined as 'unsubsidized' housing stability," said Villegas Bremer. "This means that when families and individuals left the program, they had reached a point where they could pay their own rent and utilities." Some families and individuals needed longerterm support to reach housing stability, however, and they were connected to longer-term community assistance to maintain housing while they continued to work on reaching an "unsubsidized" level of housing stability. Elements of this completed program will now be included in the City's Emergency Solutions Grant Program, which provides emergency shelter, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing to low income families and individuals, and is funded with $267,188 allocated from an Emergency Solutions grant issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The complete report is available online at cms. cityoftacoma.org/CRO/NHCommitteeFinalHPRPProgressReport102412.pdf.
Learn how to prepare for retirement at workshop
Retirement is everyone's goal. But a successful retirement takes proper planning. How people plan during the last 2-5 years of work before retirement can make a world of difference. "Retiring Soon? Prepare!" provides the tools and resources that everyone will need to use as they approach that retirement date. "We have all heard stories of people who retire and then fall apart," said Aaron Van Valkenburg, Manager of Pierce County Aging & Disability Resources. "A good, healthy retirement means that people give thought to a wide variety of issues -- everything from how you will spend each day to how you are going to stay mentally and physically sharp." Retiring Soon? Prepare! is a two-hour workshop. It emphasizes that an effective, healthy
NOTE TO READERS
In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the Tacoma Daily Index will not be published on Thurs., Nov. 22 and Fri., Nov. 23. Publication will resume on Mon., Nov. 26. Have a safe holiday.
and enjoyable retirement demands a "big picture" approach that includes a broad range of issues. Among the issues that will be covered are retirement resources (Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits), health issues, housing, finances, legal concerns, re-careering and volunteering. The free workshop will be held at numerous locations throughout Pierce County. The schedule includes the following: -- Mon., Nov. 19; Narrows Glen, 8201 Sixth Ave, Tacoma; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -- Tues., Nov. 20; Patriots Landing, 1600 Marshall Cir # 100, DuPont; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -- Weds., Nov. 28; Harbor Place at Cottesmore, 1016 29th St., NW, Gig Harbor; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -- Thurs., Nov. 29; Resurrection Lutheran Church, 4301 Browns Point Blvd. NE, Tacoma; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Retiring Soon? Prepare! is sponsored by Pierce County Aging & Disability Resources. No RSVP is required. For details call (253) 798-4600 or (800) 562-0332.