Emergency Residency Project (ERP) 2013 Liaison Report
Doug Ragaller – United Way Volunteer
Need for Program:
ERP Provides three basic needs services. A shelter which is located on Kellog Avenue, homeless
prevention programs, and transitional housing are the services that utilize ASSET dollars. The
need for these services continues to grow and ERP is simply unable to meet all needs.
Emergency Shelter:
The shelter opened in 1985 and has a current capacity of 11 male and 2 female/families. Local
low cost hotels are used for overflow when availability of rooms and funds exist. ERP routinely
helps over 100 people per month. The maximum stay is 2 weeks. Much of the food and clothing
is donated from church groups, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target and the Salvation Army. The front
half and upstairs of the shelter is utilized by men, with the back half and downstairs apartments
utilized by women and families. The shelter has continuously been at capacity for several years.
This program assisted 714 people during the fiscal year ended 6/30/2013 by providing 9649
nights of shelter for an average stay of 13.5 nights per person. These figures are up from the
6/30/12 fiscal year. 294 people utilized the shelter itself, while 512 utilized hotels. 22 utilized a
mix of both. Due to the demolition of lower cost hotels, it is now much more difficult to find
affordable accommodations for those in need.
Homeless Prevention:
This program focuses on helping families with utility and/or rent bills in order to avoid the loss of
their home. A family is eligible for support once in a 12 month period for a maximum of $350.
1473 people in 571 households were helped during the last fiscal year. 70% of that help went to
directly prevent an impending eviction or to assist with the cost of securing new housing
immediately after an eviction. The program works in conjunction with Good Neighbor, St.
Thomas Aquinas, and the E Free Church. Local law enforcement, a myriad of agencies, and the
schools also act as referral sources. Homeless prevention continues to be challenged due to the
fact the availability of affordable housing continues to shrink. For example, several mobile home
parks in Ames and surrounding communities are no longer available because they simply no
longer exist due to redevelopment of the areas. The current strain on housing availability and
extremely low vacancy rates in Ames also has driven up the cost of housing, making it even less
affordable for some.
Transitional Housing:
The transitional housing is not funded by asset. Its clients include referrals from the legal system
which utilizes a sliding fee scale. Vic continues to see an increase in calls from outside the area
looking for a place to put families in transitional housing. 9814 nights of shelter for 59
individuals in 12 families were provided during the last fiscal year. Families living in the
apartments stay on average 14 months with a maximum allowable of 24 months. ERP is working
with the Homeless Coordinating Board on ways to come up with additional transitional housing
options.
Program Strengths:
The program continues to provide a crucial service to Story County and those residents most in
need. The Homeless Prevention program in the Liaison’s estimation is critical as it is much more
economical from a monetary and societal standpoint to keep someone in their residence as
opposed to having a family or individual evicted. Unfortunately, demand for all of ERP’s services
continues to be greater than the ability to meet them. Vic advised he turns on average 2 to 3
families a day away that need emergency shelter due to a lack of resources. He estimated over ½
of these were Story County residents.
Program Weaknesses:
Needs outpace the ability for ERP to meet them. The abilities are limited by facilities, funding,
and the size of the staff itself as Vic and one other individual carry out the day to day operations
of the organization. Challenges will continue as housing costs as a percentage of many lower
income families and individuals continue to increase. Housing can now eat up over ½ of a low
income family’s income.
Financial Outlook:
The agency has operated at a deficit for several years as it worked through a surplus created by a
large gift. The donor required that funds be used to help those that needed it. Now that those
funds have been exhausted, he agency at the point which may have to reduce the number of
people it can help through its homeless prevention program. The number of people helped by
ERP will be directly correlated to the amount of funds it is able to raise and receive.