Last year, around this time, I wrote a blog post that provided a check-in on progress made in year one of our strategic growth plan. As the article suggests, we had some serious momentum going into 2019 and while we definitely ended the year further along than we started, it wasn’t without a few steps in the wrong direction.
Our laser focus continued to be on the three overarching long-term goals established for our five-year plan:
- Be a key player in bringing more affordable housing to the region for extremely low income individuals,
- Play an integral role in moving people from homeless shelters into permanent housing, and
- Provide long-term case management for 40 formerly homeless households.
Most of the fitful growth came with our efforts to bring new units of affordable housing to the area. Through our partnership with nonprofit affordable housing developer, Community Housing of Maine, we explored several different sites for development. A few of them rose to the top as having great potential, only to encounter insurmountable roadblocks that forced them into the discard pile. The many reassurances that, “this is all part of the process” didn’t stop me from wearing out my stress ball. Each setback, however, offered us new nuggets of knowledge and wisdom to help us hone in on other potential properties. We move into 2020 hopeful that we will have a site for a larger-scale project, and a site for a smaller-scale project, solidified before the year closes out.
My work on the Kittery Housing Group goes hand-in-hand with our goal to get more affordable units built. Notable accomplishments in 2019 include passing a revised Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, and drafting zoning language that incentivizes affordable housing development. The former will hopefully increase the supply of smaller, naturally affordable units while the later will both open up opportunities to build more densely and create below-market rentals through inclusionary zoning. As a small town, we have made some great forward progress. So much so in fact, that our efforts were recently recognized in the nationally distributed magazine, Tax Credit Advisor!
Of course, the underlying reason for all our work is to provide stable housing for people experiencing homelessness. Last year, we moved five households, consisting of 10 individuals, into permanent housing. A majority of them were staying in emergency shelters and we were able to help them access rental vouchers and find a place to utilize them. Our progress along this path was halted by a freeze on voucher resources towards the end of last year. Working within the complexities of several different systems can create uncontrollable obstacles. We used this opportunity to advocate at the regional and state level for additional funding to go toward this critical resource.
By some measures, five households moved out of homelessness seems small, but for our thoughtful and strategic growth plan, it’s right on the mark. And, for the households who now have a roof over their heads, there’s nothing small about it. Every one of our clients has a story about what led them to becoming homeless, and we shared one such narrative in our most recent annual report. There’s no question that every individual we house experiences positive change that can be felt for generations. While that change begins with the housing, it endures thanks to the work of Kerry, our case manager. As our client Genevieve so eloquently put it, “Fair Tide has restored a sense of security, safety, and belonging which has allowed me to begin to heal and create a better future for my family.”
To help create a bright future for even more households, we designed an innovative new program aimed at providing incentives to landlords who rent to folks with housing vouchers. The Landlord Engagement Initiative was launched in October and we already have a handful of interested partners! Our hope is that this program will help us reach our growth goals for 2020, and beyond.
All in all, 2019 was a successful year for Fair Tide! Credit for our achievements are shared with our partners, community members & businesses, board of directors, volunteers, and staff who work tirelessly to help achieve our mission. Onto 2020 where we’ve already housed two more individuals….a strong start to a new year!