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Advocates praise housing program but warn Cleveland has no seasonal shelter open mid-January
Summary
At the Jan. 13 council meeting, a homelessness advocate praised the Home For Every Neighborhood program but warned that no seasonal shelters were operating during a cold spell and said the city needs sustainable funding for housing stability.
An advocate for people experiencing homelessness told Cleveland City Council on Jan. 13 that while the city’s Home For Every Neighborhood program has delivered important short-term help, it is not a long-term solution and current shelter capacity is insufficient amid recent cold weather.
Josiah Quarles, representing the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, praised the Home For Every Neighborhood program as “absolutely incredible” for leveraging existing capital and community partnerships. But Quarles said the program cannot be the city’s long-term housing solution and cautioned that, as of mid-January, there were no seasonal shelters in operation. "Right now, we have 0, and it is mid January," he said, noting that advocates knew of at least one death in the community associated with exposure.
Quarles also called for the city to expand avenues of funding to create sustainable affordability and for officials to institute more robust housing protections, including options for families whose children are ill. He urged the council to avoid rhetoric that dehumanizes people experiencing instability and to invest in systemic solutions rather than short-term fixes.
No formal council action was taken during the meeting; Quarles concluded his remarks urging changes to public-comment accessibility and a reexamination of shelter availability and funding streams.
