Agency Spotlight
YWCA Elyria
Jeanine Donaldson, Executive Director
What does the agency do: Provides programs in youth development, health and fitness programs and comprehensive residential services for homeless women .
Other Fast Facts:
- 2004 United Way allocation was $31,000, or 7% of their budget.
- YWCA Elyria houses a maximum 16 women and a variable number of children in their transitional housing program. There are 12 units for single women without children (or women who do not have custody of their children). The family houses have a total of 7 bedrooms and the mix of women and children vary based on the age and sex of the children.
- 12 women were placed in permanent housing in 2004.
- A new permanent residence with supportive services for single homeless women with disabilities has recently opened at 200 West 9th Street in Lorain. The new residence has space for 14 women. These units are single room occupancy with shared bathroom, kitchen and common areas.
- The projects differ in the way housing is offered and maintained:
- The Elyria Campus is transitional housing for women and children. Women and families can stay up to two years and must comply with a rigorous program of personal development. The program is highly structured and house rules are restrictive in many aspects so as to facilitate the development of self-discipline and sound decision making. Women pay rent by documenting 40 hours of productive activity per week. Productive Activity is defined as any activity that contributes to the individual resident’s stated goal plan and her personal development. These can include but are not limited to (or all inclusive of): work, school, counseling, workshops, drug and alcohol treatment and support groups, community service, and vocational training to name a few of the most common activities. At the conclusion of two years (or a lesser period in some cases) it is expected that the resident will be able to establish and maintain permanent housing for a minimum of six months (but it is our explicit goal and intent that she will have gained the skills to continue to grow and live independently for a lifetime).
- The Lorain Campus is permanent single room units with shared kitchen, bath and common areas. Women at the Lorain Campus will pay 30% of their income and will be bound and protected by a lease. Residents who are eligible will enjoy all the benefits of Fair Housing Laws and the Landlord Tenant Act. The project is designed specifically to address an identified need in our community to establish and provide permanent housing with supportive services for single homeless women with a disability. Typically these women will have found it difficult to obtain and maintain housing at market rates and/or have exhausted assistance from traditional public housing. The supportive services are optional and are offered to help women in a whole host of ways similar to that at our Elyria Campus, but tenancy is not predicated upon a resident’s participation in any offered programming. Residents are encouraged but not required or coerced to participate. What makes this project different from how we typically think about public housing is that if a woman finds herself in jeopardy by a serious lease violation or non-payment of rent (of the nature that typically would result in eviction), she has the opportunity to work with a resident services staff person to establish a plan of action and personal responsibility to address the problem before eviction proceedings would be considered. If the tenant successfully reverses the rent arrears or lease violation she will keep her housing.
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| Save the Date: |
Day of Caring Meeting
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
8:30a.m.
United Way offices
Campaign Kickoff/Day of Caring
Friday, September 9, 2005
7:00a.m. - 8:45a.m.
Westfield Shoppingtown Midway Mall |
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