Mississippi Initiatives to Address Homelessness
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, .09% of the population of Mississippi are homeless, giving the state one of the lowest homelessness rates in the country. The fact that Mississippi has a large rural population is certainly one reason for the low rate, but the various homelessness initiatives that operate in the state have also helped in a big way to keep homelessness numbers low. Even though Mississippi has fewer homeless people than many other states, a lot still needs to be done to help solve the problem of homelessness.
Here are some of the key Mississippi initiatives that are helping people in the state who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Mississippi United to End Homelessness
Mississippi United to End Homelessness, more commonly known as MUTEH, began its mission to end homelessness in 1991. Since then, it has accomplished a great deal. It helps Mississippi’s homeless population to gain appropriate housing, connect them to community resources, and stabilize them during the transitional period.
The non-profit organization uses HMIS, the homeless management information system, to collect data on the provision of housing and services to homeless people and people at risk of becoming homeless in Mississippi.
To give you an example of just how much MUTEH has achieved over the years, in 2018, MUTEH was the leading agency in effectively ending homelessness among veterans in the state.
It continues to partner with local and state-level organizations to help homeless people in the cities of Mississippi and in rural areas where homeless populations are difficult to reach, with the aim of putting an end to homelessness in Mississippi once and for all.
Open Doors
The Open Doors Homeless Coalition is dedicated to reducing and preventing homelessness in Mississippi, with the ultimate aim of ending homelessness altogether.
It helps homeless people in various ways, including via its Continuum of Care program, which organizes and delivers housing and services to homeless people to help them move to stable housing and maximize their self-sufficiency. It also aims to prevent people from returning to homelessness situations.
The program can provide emergency shelter, especially for homeless families with children, and provide transitional housing with supportive services.
The Mississippi Housing Partnership
The non-profit housing corporation the Mississippi Housing Partnership helps to prevent homelessness in Jackson by providing safe and affordable housing to local residents on low or moderate incomes.
Eligible Jackson residents can gain low-interest second-mortgage financing with first-mortgage loans that are offered by banks, making the combined loans affordable.
The Mississippi Housing Partnership provides 30% of the financing and the bank contributes 70% of the financing. And in some situations, home purchasers can qualify for up to a $4,000 down payment and assistance with closing costs with the help of federal home loan bank funds.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
If you are in need of homelessness services in Mississippi, a good first port of call is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
You can find further details of each of the above organizations and other homeless service groups. You can also find information about state and local resources, legal assistance, and the SNAP food stamps program.
Furthermore, you can find information about organizations that help homeless people with food and clothing, such as the St. Vincent Depaul Society in Hattiesburg, which assists with food and clothing and sometimes helps with partial rent, and Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty in Canton, which assists with food, clothing, and educational programs.
If you are at risk of losing your home and becoming homeless in Mississippi, you can also find helpful information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to get emergency rent help, utility bills assistance, and assistance in battling foreclosures.
