BY DAN HILDEBRAN
An official with the Union County Housing Authority attacked some of the stereotypes surrounding public housing and homelessness during the June meeting of the Union County Impact Initiative.
Amanda Ford said that a common image of public housing is that of a filthy, crime-ridden high rise.
“We’re trying to get away from the whole mentality of it’s the projects,” she said. “It’s housing. It’s a home for people.”
Ford said homelessness is misunderstood by the general public.
“If you’ve ever been in places like Atlanta, Jacksonville, Gainesville, or Lake City, you see the general definition of homelessness,” she said. “You see people living under the bridges or they’re living on the streets, but homelessness actually means more than that. Homelessness means that they don’t have a permanent residence.”
Ford said the Union County School District has identified dozens of homeless students.
“In our office, we see 200 people that come through our doors each year and state that they’re homeless or they’re living in their cars.”
Ford said there is a significant unseen homeless population in Union County that needs help.
She also said that pending legislation in Washington could worsen the county’s homeless situation by cutting benefits to people who need them most.
“it could be you,” she told the crowd. “You could lose your job, you could face the sickness or something that is going to just make you lose your job. Where are you going to live?”
Ford asked audience members to jettison the myths surrounding public housing and contact their legislators to stop new laws that would reduce federal housing programs.
