Local Homeless News Briefs

Triumph House Closes

Every year the County sends a team around to the various federally funded transitional shelters, permanent housing programs and a couple of support services. The team attempts to interview current clients to get a sense of the treatment they are receiving. This year, clients at Triumph House, a transitional housing program serving families with young children, was viewed. They found significant problems at the facility with both the administration and the programs. Clients were told if they say anything negative about the program, they would be expelled from the program. When clients did tell about the problems with staff and grievance procedures, one family was dismissed from the program. On June 14, Triumph House announced that they were closing the program. The program is in former  public housing units and the grant is awarded to the local Public  Authority. The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority is seeking another provider to continue this program. The Grapevine will feature a longer story in the next issue about Triumph House.

More on 2100 Lakeside:

Larry Goodman who was the day to day administrator at the troubled Salvation Army men’s shelter resigned his position. The facility has come under a great deal of criticism from homeless people, and is currently in negotiations with the City of Cleveland to reform its operation. Phil Mason, current senior public affairs officer for the Salvation Army, will be the day to day operations director of the facility until a replacement can be found. 

Billions in Debt:

The State of Ohio is facing an expected $4billion dollar debt by the end of the next fiscal year (July 2003). The only way to balance the budget this year was to tap one-time sources of funding like the rainy day reserve and the tobacco settlement. These funds will not be available next year. There is talk in Columbus of eliminating entire departments to balance the budget. There are no longer debates concerning 6% or 10% cuts, but huge slashing of the state budget in many areas. Tom Hayes, the director of Ohio jobs and Family Services, was quoted that there is debate within the welfare offices of cutting dental, prescriptions and other benefits for children through Medicaid in an attempt to lower the double-digit growth in Medicaid over the last few years.

Published in the Homeless Grapevine, Cleveland Ohio July 2002 Issue 55