Coalition to End Homelessness urges Traverse City to back permanent supportive housing; Jubilee House warns of staff loss without immediate funds

The Coalition to End Homelessness presented data to the Traverse City Commission on Monday showing that, in the past two years, the local homeless response system has seen more people enter homelessness than exit each month and that targeted investments in permanent supportive housing produce measurable exits from chronic homelessness.

“Ending chronic homelessness is within our reach, but only if we scale up what is proven to work, which is housing with supports,” Coalition director Ashley Halliday Schman told commissioners. The presentation highlighted inflow/outflow measures, a local shortage of deeply affordable units and a coalition request for sustainable funding to accelerate permanent supportive housing and related services.

Key data and findings presented by the Coalition included: - Average monthly inflow vs. outflow: staff showed roughly 35 people entering homelessness and about 31 leaving per month over a two‑year average; the chronic subset also showed more entering than leaving in 2024 (eight entering vs. seven leaving, on average). - Housed counts: coalition partners have housed more than 100 chronically homeless people over two years and the system housed 218 people in 2024 alone. - System spending and capacity: the coalition reported roughly $6.5 million annually is spent across the region on homeless‑response activities (call center, outreach, shelter, transitional programs and housing), and said the region is short about 2,300 units affordable to households at 0–50% of area median income (AMI); Traverse City’s specific estimated shortfall was described as above 650 units. - Outcomes from targeted investments: when communities created dedicated permanent supportive housing units for chronically homeless single adults, exits from chronic homelessness increased; the coalition cited examples such as Annika Place 2 and other publicly supported developments.

The coalition asked the commission to consider backing a sustainable permanent supportive housing response fund to enable urgent action while a regional Housing and Homelessness Task Force completes a comprehensive plan. The coalition framed an illustrative target of $1 million annually to support gap financing, landlord incentives, conversions of underutilized properties and funding support services that make permanent supportive housing effective.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about demographics, regional coordination and funding mechanics. Ashley Halliday Schman said the task force is building a regional plan and that the coalition’s estimate of needed permanent supportive housing units (presented as a working estimate of roughly 178 units to meet current chronic needs, accounting for turnover and attrition) is preliminary and depends on many variables in the local housing market.

Speakers flagged additional constraints: the local Housing Choice Voucher program was on a two‑year pause and only recently reopened and voucher supply limits the ability to move tenants from permanent supportive housing into other housing, which in turn constrains turnover. The coalition also noted that many existing units set aside as “permanent supportive housing” do not match local need because they are configured as larger family units rather than the single‑occupancy one‑bedrooms required by the majority of chronically homeless adults.

Public comment during the agenda item included an urgent funding plea from Jubilee House leaders. Rector Jim Pera and other representatives of Grace Episcopal Church, which operates Jubilee House day services, said Jubilee House increased hours and services in 2022 at the city’s request and hired staff under a two‑year pilot funded partially by the city and grants. Pera said the shelter’s operating staffing cost estimate is $161,000 a year, that the church and Jubilee House secured some city and grant funding but currently face a $61,000 gap to cover staffing through October. He asked the commission to provide $40,000 a year for two years as part of short‑term stabilization, and warned that Jubilee House would have to give notice to staff on Aug. 5 and cease operations on Aug. 22 without funding.

Why it matters: The coalition argued that housing with supports is a proven means to reduce chronic homelessness and that the community’s supply of deeply affordable units and targeted single‑adult units is the central bottleneck. Commissioners pressed for clear funding plans and asked the coalition and task force to return with specific proposals and budget options; several commissioners emphasized regional cooperation and shared funding responsibilities across county and nonprofit partners.

Next steps: Coalition representatives said the Housing and Homelessness Task Force will develop a comprehensive plan and that the coalition will continue to present data and funding proposals; commissioners asked for regular updates and indicated the city would consider funding requests in future budget discussions. Jubilee House leaders said they will press for short‑term funding to maintain current day‑service operations while the broader planning and funding work continues.