Combatting Homelessness in Baltimore

Homelessness is on the rise in Baltimore city. In Baltimore, these numbers continue to

rise due to a poor economy and unemployment rate that fuel the increase. On any given night
over 2,500 citizens experience homelessness, a report to the federal Department of Housing
and Urban Development states. The root cause of homelessness in the city include lack of
affordable housing and lack of support services for individuals experiencing it.1
Homelessness in 2017
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Developments Homeless
Assistance Programs, defines a homeless person as an unaccompanied homeless individual
with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, or an
unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four episodes of
homelessness in the past three years.2 At this time, 92 percent of Baltimores homeless
population are unaccompanied individuals.
A survey taken in January 2017 by the Mayors Office of Human Services in Baltimore shows
the breakdown on homelessness:
2,700 people report as homeless
72 percent are male
26 percent report being chronically homeless
10 percent are veterans
43 percent report living in shelters
37 percent of people report living in transitional housing
20 percent of people report being completely unsheltered
After seeing the results of the above survey, Mayor Catherine Pugh noticed something
needed to be done. Her first step for the city was the debut of a multi-step plan created by
Pugh and city hall. Local businesses and philanthropies assisted her in raising her goal of $350
million to impede homelessness. Her goal is to build homes for the homeless, 3 which aims to
get people in homes before the winter months come.
Efforts also included a Tent City encampment arranged by the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference in front of War Memorial Plaza to show Mayor Pugh more work on this

1
Health Care for the Homeless, Homelessness in Baltimore http://www.hchmd.org/homelessness-baltimore (accessed 11/5/2017)
2
Defining Chronic Homelessness: A Technical Guide for HUD Programs, US Department of Housing and Urban Development (Sept. 2007)
3
Milligan, Carley, Pugh Asks Businesses, Philanthropies to Combat Homelessness by Raising $350 Million (11 Oct. 2017)
issue is necessary. It was this protest that caught the eye of local government officials and the
public, showing everyone they play a role in preventing homelessness too.
Homelessness and Opioids
Unfortunately, Baltimores homeless population are also affected by Baltimores opioid
problem. Over the past decades, Baltimores opioid problem has worsened. In 2015, the city of
Baltimore approved a city-wide prescription for antidotes to stop people from using and
overdosing. In Maryland, 70 percent of the states heroin overdoses occurred in or around
Baltimore.4 With Baltimore in the middle of this large opioid crisis, it is important that resources
are accessible to decrease the impact of this issue on the citys homeless population.
In one year, over 18,000 people will use heroin and other opioids in Baltimore,
according to a survey from the Behavioral Health System. Moreover, 44 percent of homeless
people in Baltimore report suffering with substance abuse.5 With both homelessness and opioid
addiction on the rise, the city should allocate its resources efficiently to keep these issues from
deteriorating.
Today, local Baltimoreans are acting against Baltimores homelessness problem.
Christina Flowers, a Baltimore landlord, allows homeless citizens to live in her building and pay
rent at the start of the year.6 Flowers goal is to keep people off the streets until they can find
regular housing and employment. Once they overcome this, new residents move in. This
housing allows affected citizens to find a career to support themselves. Until real action is
taken, public assistance like Flowers housing plan is indispensable.
In Flowers case, she was able to help a family cope with their brothers homelessness.
Peter Lowman was a schizophrenic heroin addict living under Interstate 83. Flowers program
accepted him and he was given a private room, a television, a bicycle and other things to help
improve his quality of life. His brother, Chuck Gross was happy Lowman could live in a real
apartment to become better adjusted to a solid routine. Generous citizens like Flowers play a
role in defeating homelessness, but still, something on a larger scale should be employed to
best assist these people.

Resource Availability
The resources available in Baltimore need improvement. Though shelters are located
throughout the city, no shelter is in immaculate condition due to a lack of funding. That said,
the city of Baltimore offers a free and confidential helpline for homelessness assistance.
However, this information is only available to citizens who seek it out.

4
Santhanam, Laura, In the War on Heroin, Baltimore Drug Programs Face an Uncertain Future (28 Feb. 2017)
5
Behavioral Health System Baltimore, Estimating Baltimores Heroin Problem (Dec. 2014)
6
Ericson Jr., Edward, A New Program for the City's Homeless Leaves Them Struggling Amid a Chaotic System of Care (23 Feb. 2016)
 Baltimore also has a service called The Journey Home. The Journey Home is part of
Baltimores 10-year-plan to make homelessness brief for people struggling with it.7 The Journey
Home focuses on Baltimores homeless veteran community. According to the organizations
Facebook page, their plan is to increase the supply of housing, increase access to healthcare,
ensure the client can support themselves, and bring attention to the citys emergency
resources. Similar resources should be made available to all citizens in need.
What We Can Do
Today, most shelters sole focus is getting people off the streets. While this is a
respectable effort to ensure safety, more should be done. To a person struggling with
homelessness, finding a job and getting back into a conventional routine is the most difficult
task. A shelter that can provide this resource would be of great use to the city.
Citizen awareness of how to help must also be increased. This issue is city-wide and
there is always a way a citizen can pitch in. The city of Baltimore utilizes their 311-system for
concerned residents to notify the city of a person who needs assistance. Any resident can dial
311 to ensure that help has been provided. This is a simple step anyone can take to work to
contest this issue.
As citizen awareness is crucial, a focus should be placed on awareness within the
homeless community as well. There are shelters throughout the city, and a hotline that
provides an anonymous way to get help. What the city does not have is a place where homeless
members of our community can learn a skill and gain a network of supporting people, all while
providing food, water and shelter. More funding should be allocated toward a shelter that can
teach clients valuable skills while allowing them a safe space to live.
While it is clear Baltimore has much to do on the issue of homelessness, current efforts
are good and show both the public and city officials reaching out. However, a look at the local
shelters and the services they provide is necessary. At this point, no shelter offers all the
resources needed to put the members of our homeless community back on track. The most
important thing is that we provide them a quick and easy way to get them to a more stable
lifestyle through a career and network of connections.
Starting in December, CommunicAID will be doing just that. A program will be
introduced allowing the homeless community to work towards learning to cook. The program
lasts 10 weeks and at the conclusion the student will earn their official Sous Chef Certification
allowing them to work alongside any chef. Chef Kurt Falls is leading the program and aims to
get each chef in the city an apprentice through this program. Any interested business or
organization that is interested can be a part of this great program. CommunicAID is more than
just a shelter, but a school, a support system, and a safe haven as well. We are the only shelter
in Baltimore providing such great opportunities for our community and those in need.

7
WMAR, The Journey Home Focuses on Making Homelessness "rare and brief" for Baltimore residents (2015)