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Residents, service providers urge Hamilton County to fund 'Strategies to End Homelessness' in HOME-ARP awards
Summary
Several residents and nonprofit representatives urged the Hamilton County commissioners to award HOME-ARP funds to Strategies to End Homelessness, citing rising housing instability, the county's Homeless Management Information System and predictive data tools.
At the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners meeting on March 13, 2025, local residents and nonprofit advocates urged commissioners to award HOME-ARP (HOME American Rescue Plan) funds to Strategies to End Homelessness, a group speakers said manages the county's Homeless Management Information System and predictive-data work to prevent homelessness.
Speakers said the work could prevent traumatic housing disruptions for children and families and that now is not the time to reduce funding. Jesse Heizer, who identified himself as lead of the Cincinnati network for Undivided, described family moves, evictions and repeated school changes as consequences of housing instability and said, “The disruption and trauma housing insecurity creates for families and children has an impact that touches every part of society.”
Katina Marotte, a Hamilton County resident and volunteer at the Northern Kentucky Emergency Shelter, told commissioners that, according to the application materials and local panels, “Strategies to End Homelessness is the lead agency that manages that” shared database used by local homeless programs. She and other speakers said the agency’s access to real-time data and predictive analytics helps identify families at risk of eviction before they lose housing.
Linda Sorofano, a teacher and Undivided volunteer, described classroom impacts of student homelessness and said, “Providing stable housing for families is the starting point for making a difference in lives of families.” Sharon Smith, a member of Undivided’s local leadership team, told the board the agency has a track record locally and “responsibly manage[s] those dollars in ways that keep our neighbors in their homes when they are at risk of losing them.”
Commissioner comments during the meeting raised related data: Commissioner Stephanie Summer O'Dumas reported that Strategies to End Homelessness recently shared with Cincinnati City Council a 7.5% increase in people without housing and emphasized nonprofit risk from shrinking government grants.
No formal vote on a specific HOME-ARP award to Strategies to End Homelessness took place at the meeting; the speakers’ remarks were part of the public-comment period. Commissioners did not announce next steps or a date for a decision on the application during the session.
