Monday, May 23, 2011

Plan to End Homelessness

The CARES study commissioned by Columbia County is now complete, and an article in today's Register-Star summarizes a discussion about the 35-page document that took place on May 12 at 401 State Street: "Homeless plan done, stakeholders look for next step." 

The plan identifies many ways in which Hudson differs from the rest of Columbia County, and the article mentions three of them: more people living in poverty (21.4 percent as compared with 9.5 percent); fewer households headed by two people (26 percent as compared with 50 percent); more households spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent (55 percent as compared with 47 percent). As with all studies of this nature, one has to wonder if CARES recognized the difference between Hudson and Greenport in their statistics. Unlikely, since Hudson and Greenport share the same zip code, and most people who live in Columbia County don't know the difference.

One quote from the article worthy of note: "There was some discussion of the Lantern Group’s proposal to put 30 units of low-income housing at Fifth and Warren streets, and the opposition that faced. [Columbia Opportunities Executive Director Tina] Sharpe suggested reconnecting with them." Again, one has to wonder. Is Sharpe aware of the bad press the Lantern Group has gotten in New York City? 

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