The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation was in Springfield yesterday to spread the word about Dennis Culhane’s recent white paper: Ending Family Homelessness in Massachusetts. The event was held at HAP’s emergency family shelter, Prospect House, where families talked about the importance for them of housing to move toward achieving self-sufficiency.
The Republican / Dave Roback Jada McKenzie Gamlin, 5, shares a story with her mom, Nichole Gamlin in the living room of the Prospect House in Springfield.
The Republican reports:
An in-depth study of how Massachusetts handles homeless families concludes there are better ways to keep the families from long stays in hotels, which are harmful to the people and costly to the state.
“No one in the state, no one in the Legislature and no one in this city likes motels. Everybody believes these dollars could be used differently. The dilemma is, first we have to get out of the hotel business,” said Susanne Beaton, director of special initiatives for the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, which sponsored the study.
Here are links to coverage of the event:
The Republican: Massachusetts homeless families study concludes long hotel stays harmful to people, costly to state
WFCR: Rethinking Family Homelessness (2010-05-20)
WGGB 40: Senate Budgets for Homeless
