Lewis County exploring transitional, long-term housing options for homeless people

Aug. 17—LOWVILLE — Lewis County is working toward developing a plan to address the lack of temporary and long-term housing for homeless people.

Jennifer L. Jones, commissioner of the Department of Social Services, explained the process and options being considered by the committee leading the effort. That committee includes Snow Belt Housing Company, Transitional Living Services and Lewis County Opportunities Inc.

The committee envisions a six-bed transitional living suite with three shared bedrooms, a shared kitchen and living room spaces. The committee also thinks it makes sense to have long-term housing — studios or one bedrooms — in the same building or complex using a separate entrance.

"What we can't really land on — our analytics haven't really got us there yet — is how many apartments. But a lot of that may depend on where we build or renovate," Mrs. Jones said.

The committee, along with county representatives, toured a number of buildings around the county that could be renovated and vacant lots large enough to hold a new structure. They will make a list of about five options.

Some properties that are likely to be on the list include a large lot on Water Street; a county-owned property on Outer Stowe Street next to the social services building; the county-owned former Glenfield Elementary School, which is housing social services until next summer while Lowville offices are being renovated; and the First Presbyterian Church's Andover House on North State Street.

Despite considering properties outside of the county seat, Mrs. Jones said the committee ultimately decided the housing needs to be near the village.

"People that need supportive services really need to be in town. They have transportation issues. Even to get groceries, they have to do that in town," she said. "These people are not going to have their own vehicles. They're going to rely on public transit, absolutely. These are people that have no income or public assistance."

There are many logistics to consider before choosing the site.

"We all are still reeling from the conversation (about sex offenders at the Pleasant Night Inn for emergency housing) of a month ago," Mrs. Jones said. "What do we do with people that are sex offenders? Because they can't live near schools and they can't be in certain locations. And what do you want to see on your main streets? Who do you want living there and being supported and how does it continue to look good?"

The West Carthage motel houses clients placed there for emergency housing by the social services agencies in Jefferson and Lewis counties, and sex offenders, as well as people charged but not convicted of sexual crimes, have been placed at the motel in the past. One resident was charged with exposing himself and masturbating in full view of two children at a nearby park in June, and another resident was accused of sexually assaulting another motel resident earlier this year.

Motel owner Pratesh R. Patel earlier this summer said the motel's policy has been amended to bar registered sex offenders from being placed there. Jefferson County also instructed its social services staff not to place homeless people with sex offender statuses at the Pleasant Night Inn, according to a June 22 memo from Jefferson County Administrator Robert F. Hagemann III to West Carthage and town of Champion officials.

Mrs. Jones explained that people needing emergency housing on the weekends or late at night will likely still be placed in rooms at motels like the Pleasant Night Inn, but by having the transitional housing suite available, people will no longer have to wait for long-term housing so the time at the motel would be cut down.

Homelessness can also involve poverty, addiction, domestic abuse, physical and mental health issues, and she said the services people need can be challenging to navigate. On-site support staff will be an important part of the equation, making the new housing development more than just housing.

"It gives them time to land on their feet (by making) sure they're housed and start their services." Mrs. Jones told the committee. "It gives them that safe spot to land so they can get started again."

People in the transitional housing will move to long-term housing as soon as it is available either in the apartments slated for the same complex as the transitional suite, other subsidized housing or by finding a private landlord participating in the state Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

"Not everybody who is homeless is a bad tenant. Many are, but not all," Mrs. Jones said.

The county's role in the program is to facilitate, according to County Manager Ryan M. Piche.

Although some tax dollars will pay for consultations with attorneys and engineers during the planning and design phases, grant funding is expected to cover the rest.

Mrs. Jones and Mr. Piche said there is significant state and local funding available to construct or renovate the building and other grants specifically targeting the support side of the program.

"The capital cost and even the ongoing cost after that, if we structure it correctly and we target the correct volume, right-sizing the project, it should be self-sustaining based on state programs and we should need no more local dollars than we are already spending to put people in places like the motels," Mr. Piche said.

Snow Belt Housing, as the county's only housing authority, will own the building, apply for the grants and be responsible for the construction or renovations and building management.

Transitional Living Services will organize the grant funding for running the program's case management, providing support for both the transitional and long-term housing residents.

A request for qualifications will be sent out in the coming weeks seeking engineering firms to analyze all of the options and make recommendations about what makes the most sense logistically and financially, determine how many apartments will be needed in addition to the transitional suite and assemble the information that will be used in the design phase.

The Lewis County Legislature made addressing the lack of temporary and other housing for homeless people one of its goals this year.