Funding the fight against homelessness in the Ohio Valley

Badia, executive director of the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, and her staff continue working to help the disenfranchised regain stability in their lives. She said the $413,181 the agency is receiving from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is funding the coalition receives annually to support its existing programs. Although the amount remains the same as last year, she said that total fell by $37,000 from the previous year.

“That is a competitive application that we apply for every year. It supports the programs we already have in place,” Badia said of the funding that Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., announced this week.

Badia said problems with homelessness in the Northern Panhandle peaked at the time of the Marcellus and Utica shale rush from 2011-2014. This is because landlords spiked their rental rates by as much 300 percent because of the presence of out-of-state workers who could afford to pay the higher prices.

This practice left many Upper Ohio Valley natives homeless.

Even as the levels of drilling and fracking have fallen, however, Badia said rental rates have not necessarily followed suit.

“We worked hard when we saw the rents escalating to build good relationships with the landlords to try to keep local residents in their homes,” Badia said. “Unfortunately, we’ve not seen the rents come down all that much from the levels they were at a few years ago.”

Badia said it can be as long as a 24-month wait to get into public housing, even for those who meet all HUD qualifications.

“It’s a very difficult transition period when someone gets kicked out of their home. They aren’t going to be able to get into public housing right away,” she said.

However, Badia said all is not lost. Of the 193 clients her agency served in November, 71 of them exited the program, with the vast majority of those finding solutions to their housing difficulties.

“It’s a constant struggle, but we just have to do our part to deal with this major problem,” she said.

Both Manchin and Capito said the HUD funding, which totaled about $7 million for the whole state, is needed in West Virginia.

“This funding ensures those who are struggling to get by, including children, seniors and veterans, have a roof over their heads and have access to the resources and support they need to get back on their feet. In West Virginia, we have a strong tradition of neighbors helping neighbors, so I’m glad our state is receiving this funding to continue to help those who have fallen on hard times,” Manchin said.

“Whether you are a veteran or a child, every West Virginian deserves to have a roof over their head and a place they can call home. This funding will go a long way to provide the necessary resources to help those struggling get back on track,” Capito added.