An Ogden domestic violence emergency shelter is pushing to open transitional housing for abuse survivors.
Transitional housing is supportive yet temporary housing where people in need can stay for up to two years. Weber and Morgan counties currently have no housing of this kind. That’s why the area’s only domestic violence emergency shelter, the YCC Family Crisis Center, wants to implement transitional housing.
YCC executive director Margaret Rose said domestic abuse survivors face unique barriers when it comes to regaining their independence.
“People oftentimes are not allowed to make life skill type decisions,” Rose said.
She said these people need case management help so they can regain their independence, which is where transitional housing comes in. The service can help people restore credit, build a tenant rental history and gain job and life skills.
The YCC plans to have the housing on their campus, near their emergency shelter, close to all the center’s support.
“All of our staff is here, our case management’s here, we have all-day child care services,” Rose said. “It’s a really great site in terms of just proximity.”
So far, the YCC has raised $2.55 million of the $5.5 million the project is estimated to cost. Funding has come from the YCC Foundation and from the Utah state legislature.
Rose said the YCC submitted an American Rescue Plan Act request to their county but was denied. She said they hope to get more government support from the Utah Office of Homeless Services when applications open again in the Spring of 2023.
However, this process can be competitive.
Tricia Davis, an assistant director for the Utah Office of Homeless Services, said there are a lot of needs across the state.
“There’s never enough funding for everything that needs to be funded. There’s just not,” Davis said. “In 2019, we received $47 million of requests and had $19 million to distribute.”
The local homeless councils decide what their needs are and where the money goes. Davis said that means very difficult decisions have to be made at the local level.
In the meantime, the YCC is continuing to raise money. It hopes to make progress on its transitional housing by January 2023.