Save the date!

Join us October 13 at 6 p.m. at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham.

Attendees will enjoy a fun evening featuring networking, an open bar, a delicious sit-down dinner, the opportunity to bid on silent auction items, and more.

A portion of the proceeds from Bring it Home will go directly to our Critical Needs Fund and help conquer barriers not solved by traditional housing programs.

Sponsorship packets have been mailed! If you are still interested in sponsoring our signature annual fundraising event, please visit here.

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This month I'd like to introduce you to Cindy Lampson, a Housing Resource Center (HRC) specialist in our Troy office. As an HRC specialist, Cindy assists people who are in similar situations she lived through.

Our HRC, which receives more than 1,500 calls a month; is our first point of contact for people in a housing crisis. Cindy, and the other HRC staff, provide that lasting, and all-important, first impression of what we do and how we can help those in need. Cindy's supervisor, Chuck Bratton explains, "Cindy is CHN's living inclusion value. She has had hundreds of successes working with people who, due to their disability or feelings of being disenfranchised, are less than willing to work with or trust systems. Cindy talks to each individual, breaks very complicated systems down and makes that bridge from the street to available resources."

After the initial conversation, Cindy works on developing a housing plan that will work toward getting the person

or family out of their crisis. She does this by assessing their individual situation, which includes their housing status, monthly income and vulnerability to make specific referrals to housing programs. Her experience, knowledge, good planning skills, and access to housing grants and programs are used to assess and assist an individual or household in obtaining housing.

Another part of Cindy's work involves working with the Housing Choice Voucher which offers a preference for those who are homeless. This voucher is designated for those who can verify they are homeless, providing priority to those with the most barriers to housing based on their individual circumstance. Cindy excels at connecting people experiencing homelessness to these complicated programs.

Let's turn to Cindy now and give her a chance to answer a few questions.

How did you become involved with CHN?

I was receiving services from Easter Seals and was directed to CHN for housing. Since I lived through many of our program participants' various situations, when an opening in the HRC became available, it was a perfect fit for me. I was previously homeless, and now here I am, helping people out of the same situations I faced.

Is there any special training you had to complete for your job?

Our group participates in various webinars specific to our job functions. We also go through training using the Homeless Management Information System (used to obtain a more accurate count of individuals who are homeless and at risk for homelessness and to identify the need for, and use of, services by those individuals and families. This information is required by the Oakland County Continuum of Care for all projects receiving Department of Housing and Urban Development and Emergency Solutions Grant dollars). However, my real-life personal experiences, and the experiences of people I know, helps me to break down the process in a way that is not overwhelming.

What is a typical day in the life of Housing Resource Center specialist?

I ask a lot of questions to figure out the direction I need to point the caller in. Through intake, I learn whether the person is experiencing chronic homelessness or displacement. I may take calls from someone facing eviction, and how to prevent the eviction from going through. Anytime we can connect with someone, we are one step closer to providing guidance and much needed information.

Is there a particular case that sticks out in your memory?

I'd have to say that when I was able to get a person who was chronically homeless into housing through the Permanent Supportive Housing program, it felt great to have them meet their initial goal of getting housed. All the cases I work on are amazing; it makes me happy to be able to provide information to those in need.

Any parting words of wisdom?

Knowledge is power. What you do with that knowledge can make a huge impact on someone's life.

I am grateful for Cindy's work, as well as the work of all CHN team members.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Marc Craig
President

With support from: Fair Housing Logo

Community Housing Network | 248-928-0111 | jgiglio@chninc.net | http://www.communityhousingnetwork.org
570 Kirts Boulevard, Suite 231
Troy, MI 48084