A movement to provide decent housing in Delaware County is growing.
Three coalitions, 83 people, are now fighting barriers that prevent housing access.
One is working on for-sale housing issues. One is looking at rental housing, and one is working for people who have no home, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.
They’re meeting meet monthly to ID failures in the system and compile an action list for the county government and state legislators.
“The goal is to have a big table and bring those voices to the table so that we can try to find a solution that’s going to help everyone,” said Dr. Monica Taylor, chair of Delaware County Council.
For the unhoused, limited shelter access, residency proof and the low wages paid to homeless outreach workers are all barriers to decent housing.
“We are now doing an audit of what those barriers are and working collectively to lower them,” said Stephanie Sena, chief executive officer of Breaking Bread Community and an anti-poverty fellow at Villanova University Law School.
The county is taking positive steps It no longer buses unhoused people outside its jurisdiction.
It no longer screens for citation violations (often related to homelessness) that block shelter access–parking tickets, public urination, jaywalking, and loitering.
Read more about housing coalitions fighting housing barriers at WHYY.
