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Homelessness and housing groups ask county to sustain supportive housing, repairs and emergency services
Summary
Providers serving people experiencing homelessness, veterans and older homeowners asked Jackson County for continued operating support and funds for critical home repairs. Requests included $225,000 for transitional housing operations and $260,000 for home repair and energy efficiency work.
Multiple homelessness and housing providers described increasing need and asked the Jackson County Budget Committee for operating support and repair funding.
Amethyst Place (presenter: Lauren Clifton Thompson, S16) asked for $61,000 annually to support clinical staff who deliver therapeutic services to women and children in recovery and said the organization now provides furnished apartments for 69 families and serves about 300 women and children annually. Hillcrest Ministries (S55) requested $225,000 to support operations of nearly 60 transitional housing units and said first‑time homeless family intakes have risen 33% so far this year.
Bridging the Gap (Scott Wagner, S24) requested $260,000 to continue a Water & Energy Savers program, citing prior ARPA funding and naming targeted ZIP codes with the county's highest health disparities. Habitat for Humanity (Lindsey Hicks, S56) sought $150,000 for critical home repairs affecting about 150 individuals or households, focusing on life‑safety needs such as roofs and HVAC.
Several presenters highlighted links between housing quality and health. Legislators asked for clearer documentation of where county funds would be targeted and for counts of Jackson County residents served. The committee paused to request staff send application spreadsheets to legislators who said they did not receive materials in advance.
Speakers (attributions in this article): Lauren Clifton Thompson (Amethyst Place); Scott Wagner (Bridging the Gap); Lindsey Hicks (Habitat for Humanity); Hillcrest Ministries representative (transcript label 55).
