I’ve been enjoying a few days of cooler temperatures this week and spending more time outdoors. The summer is flying by. We have started a new fiscal year at Bridges and are evaluating the previous year. Bridges served many more households than last year, in large part by expanding our Housing Connections Program and launching the Family Home Start Program.
Although the number of people experiencing homelessness has declined in our County, housing instability is on the rise as costs for essentials (especially housing) continue to increase. The Community Action Council (CAC) recently published a Community Needs Assessment, which showed that the median monthly rent in Howard County ($1,916) is nearly $400 higher than for Maryland overall. Howard County families also have the highest rent debt per household in the Central Maryland region ($4,955). Rental assistance
has declined significantly in the last year, as COVID-related assistance funds have been depleted. CAC was able to serve only 439 households in FY2024 compared to 2,114 households in FY 2023.
As we look ahead to the new fiscal year, an understanding of the realities and needs in our community is helping us focus our work and services. And as always, we are so thankful for all of the donors and funding partners that will help us make an impact on hundreds of lives over the coming year.
Client Story
New Home, New Hope: Melissa's Story
Melissa and her three young children were not home on that January day when human waste started bubbling up into the bathtub on the first floor of her Columbia apartment. When she got home, she tried to find help, she said, but raw sewage was quickly all over the floors, coming out of the toilet as well as the tub, and soaking everything on her bedroom floors and closet. Learn more about Bridges’ work to rehouse Melissa and her family.
Staff Highlight
Welcome, Nzuri!
Bridges welcomes Nzuri Neteru to the team as a Housing Advocate! As a graduate of Coppin State University with a B.S. in Social Work, Nzuri is dedicated to driving transformative change for individuals and families facing poverty, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Nzuri focuses on advocating for clients’ rights, fostering empowerment, and striving to create lasting, positive impacts in their lives. Welcome to the Bridges team, Nzuri!
Funder Highlight
Thank You, State Farm and the Francis and Yolanda Bruno Charitable Fund
State Farm recently awarded Bridges $5,000 for the Bridges Alliance and Help End Homelessness Howard County programs. These funds will be used for maintenance on our units to ensure they are safe and up-to-date for our clients.
The Francis and Yolanda Bruno Charitable Fund also recently donated $5,000 to Bridges to support our work to end homelessness in Howard County. Bridges is endlessly grateful for the support we receive from our community partners.
Support a Summer of Stability
Meet Mary, a single mother of 5 residing in an affordable housing unit through our Help End Homelessness Howard County (HEHHC) program. Mary grew up in war-torn Liberia, survived in a refugee camp in Ghana, and came the U.S. seeking asylum as a war refugee with her family at age 17.
When Mary came to Maryland in 2018, she and her children first stayed with her sister, sleeping on the floor. One year later, Mary found a three-bedroom
apartment through the HEHHC program that gave her family much-needed stability.
The HEHHC program relies on community members like you to help us keep very low-income stably housed and continue to receive the services and affordable rent long-term. You can make a difference for families like Mary’s by donating to our Summer of Stability campaign.
Achieving our County's Affordable Housing Goals
The County Executive recently formed the Affordable Housing Working Group, an advisory group that was recommended in the county’s recently adopted General Plan (“HoCo by Design”). The group will identify ways to meet the General Plan’s goal for production of 340 affordable homes each year.
In a June 24 letter, the Housing Affordability Coalition offered suggestions for making the Housing Opportunities Trust Fund a perennially reliable source of funding for pre-development, acquisition, and gap financing of affordable housing. The Coalition also suggested other opportunities to reach the annual housing target, including facilitating faith-based housing development and accessible housing for people with disabilities; and exploring expansion of Maryland’s newly enacted Transit Oriented Development (TOD) law from a range of .75 to 1.5 miles, to incentivize redevelopment of some aging properties in the county.
We encourage you to join the Housing Affordability Coalition (free) so that you receive news and alerts about affordable housing in Howard County.
Birdies for Bridges is Coming Soon!
The Sheehy Toyota Birdies for Bridges Golf Tournament returns on September 20, 2024 at The Timbers at Troy Golf Course. Join us for a great day of golf, food, beverages, and fun – all to benefit a great cause. Your golf registration includes: greens fees, range balls, light breakfast, on course lunch, a post-golf luncheon, awards, raffles, and unlimited on-course domestic beverages.
Register and check out sponsorship opportunities at birdease.com/bridges2hs.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Reid Spearman, PhD
