INTRODUCING OPPORTUNITY PLACE

WE NEED HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY

The Need

  • Working families that were barely making ends meet are now facing higher costs for food, gas, rent, child care causing families to choose between paying for daily staples and paying rent

  • Lack of affordable rental housing in Calloway County causes a higher percentage of housing cost to an already stretched family budget

  • The average rent for a 2- or 3-bedroom apartment in Calloway County is $808 per month

  • The United Way receives an average of 3 calls per week for families that have been displaced from their home; this could mean living in a car, living with a relative or couch surfing with friends

  • There is a shortage of Section 8 housing and to find a qualified apartment is time consuming as there is no easy list of qualified apartments

  • There is a shortage of income-based housing in the County

  • We are experiencing a significant number of applicants for assistance who are living on disability income, In most cases the financial situation is not sustainable

  • The need is serving the “working poor”, they have lower paying jobs and may be a car repair, appliance repair, medical bill or a family emergency away from not paying rent, gas or food

  • There is no space available in Calloway County to house Calloway County families recently displaced from their home

  • There is a 6 month wait for existing transitional housing units in the County

  • A Calloway County family today would be referred to shelters in Paducah or Paris, TN

  • Moving the family out of the area could cause a loss of income if there are jobs involved

  • Moving children out of existing schools can have a negative impact on learning

The Solution

  • The United Way brand (locally and United Way Kentucky) will be the lead for a County-wide fundraising campaign. The campaign will kick off with the Weaver Challenge for Charities on September 1st.

  • This will not be a shelter, it will be value-added temporary/transitional housing where families can receive training for job skills, financial family budgeting, life skill, economic meal planning.

  • 3 to 6 month stay, no cost, but the family would have to make monthly contributions to a “savings account” to help them move into permanent housing

  • The purpose is an environment to help break the cycle of dependence and return them to a home of their own

  • The UWMCC will partner operationally with Hope Calloway, Calloway County Economic Development , KTAP, Housing Coalition of Kentucky, Calloway County 4-H.

  • The UWMCC needs to partner with the State, City and County governments.

  • The cost to build two quadplexes is $1 million plus and will be divided into two phases

  • We could use existing structures but they will require upgrades, repairs and zoning waivers