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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2016)
community 2016 Community Action Team: Houselessness continued from front page She came to CAT last month to get some guidance because she did not know what to do to prepare for her anticipated life change. The good news is that the housing case man- ager had some ideas and resources to provide. The bad news is that the most significant re- sources, a subsidized Section 8 voucher and low-income housing units, have very long waiting lists. In some cases the wait may be two or three years. At least now Muthersbaugh knows she needs to get her name on all the waiting lists. She also learned about the re- cords she needs to gather in order to get the maximum deposit refund from her current landlord. There were a few more concrete re- sources CAT could present. When Muthers- baugh does need to move, she will probably qualify to receive financial assistance with the deposit expense for her new home. At her level of income she will also qualify to receive occa- sional financial assistance with her utility bills. Most importantly, CAT will meet with her again to help her create a plan. CAT’s goal for all clients is to help them create and follow a plan that provides stability within their means. They assist with creating budgets and identify- ing other avenues to either increase income or decrease expenses. The inflated housing market in North- west Oregon is making it even harder to find a home. Housing of all types is in such high demand that affordable and market-rate rental units are nearly impossible to find. In a small housing market like Columbia County, it’s even tougher. If a rental unit does become available, it is far more expensive than it was as little as six months ago. Now, previously stable households with two incomes are find- ing themselves unable to make ends meet. As august18 a result, the number of extended families liv- ing together has drastically increased in recent years. In addition, the benchmarks for who qualifies for benefits have been raised to better cover the most vulnerable populations. For ex- ample, unless someone is over 62 years old, a veteran, an adult with a disability, or a survivor of domestic violence, they cannot even apply for Section 8. Given the nature of the current rental market, CAT’s first priority is to prevent houselessness. As with all their services, CAT’s ap- proach is holistic. Housing is one of the many puzzle pieces needed to create an accurate pic- ture of a client’s situation. CAT has many wrap- around services to help people. Other puzzle pieces include transportation, food, mental health, and social supports. Across the county and beyond, CAT partners with many govern- mental, community, and faith-based agencies that mutually strive to implement a “No Wrong Door” policy. So even if a family’s needs are outside the scope of support that agency can provide, their case manager can point clients in the right direction and help them navigate an often confusing landscape. CAT is always a good place to start. 9 Where Do You Read the Voice? Vernonia friends Veronica McGrane, Randal Harvey and Roxana Sherman- Heath, reading the Voice at Wallowa Lake, Oregon. * Name and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individual featured. To find out more about how Community Action Team might be able to help, please call 503- 397-3511 or visit www.cat-team.org. Office hours at 125 N. 17 th Street in St. Helens are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Barney Hayes reading the Voice during a recent vacation in Alaska with wife Lynn. Leanne Murray is the Program Operations Coordinator in the Human Investment Depart- ment for Community Action Team. V ernonia C hristian C hurch Everyone is welcome in our vibrant & active community! A Professional Power Line Clearance Company Sunday Worship Service Dale Olson (503) 867-9770 11:00 am Mike Grant (503) 429-1157 (971) 201-1533 Pastor Sam Hough Arborist on staff Tree Trimming and Removal Land Development Residential or Commercial Mulching/Mowing Licensed • Bonded • Insured OR CCD #204414 WA North LC CCB #857BZ Marie Krahn Massage Therapy lic#5495 mariekrahn@frontier.com • Home Study Groups • Outdoor Ministry Christian Bow Hunters of America Annual Sportsman’s Banquet office@VernoniaChristianChurch.org 503-429-6522 PO Box 676, Wilsonville, OR 97070 Dale@NorthwestLineClearance.com Bighorn Logging since 1981 • Accepting: Medical Benefits Cards 503-429-5180 4th-6th Grade Junior & Senior High 410 North St. Vernonia Auto injury recovery/medical billing • Medical Massage Cupping • Swedish Massage • Reiki • Deep Tissue • Reflexology • doTerra Aroma Touch • Trigger Point Therapy • Myofacial Release • Youth and Adult Sunday School • Evening Youth Groups Contract Logging 503-324-2422 Free Estimates Timber Purchases Timber Management Oregon Professional Logger certified since 1996 Owned and Operated by Don & Kim Wallace DON WALLACE, PLS Professional Land Surveying 1224 E. Alder St. Vernonia, OR 97064 Phone: 503-429-6115 FAX: 1-866-297-1402 Email: DWallace_KLS@msn.com CORPORATE MEMBER
