FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS BRIEFING AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
11:30 A.M., Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Springfield-Greene County Public Safety Center Media Center , 330 W. Scott Street
The Ozarks Alliance to End Homelessness (OAEH), One Door and other service providers have connected with more 230 individuals experiencing some form of homelessness during a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) event this week at the Walmart parking lot near Kearney and Glenstone. At least 90 of those people have been living in the Kearney Street camp area, but the additional 140 have been living in nearby camps, vehicles, and other places not suitable for long-term habitation. Now, those individuals are have participated in the One Door centralized intake process and are currently being sheltered, housed and/or waiting to be housed or have moved on to other communities.
"We are very pleased and cautiously optimistic about the success of the many partners involved in the MARC - not only what it means for remediating the unsafe situation at the East Kearney camp, but also for what it means for continued progress in the ongoing work to end homelessness," said former Springfield Mayor Jim O’Neal. He currently serves on the OAEH Board. "The success of the MARC is only one step in the process of trying to get these folks housed, and only the first step of many to come."
Inspectors from the City’s Building Development Services posted a notification of unfit conditions on the property, roughly located at 2005 E. Kearney on May ___. The official legal notice requiring Lurvey to clean up the property was posted May ____, giving him ____ days to comply. On June 9 (the last day of the nearby MARC), Lurvey requested an “administrative hearing” on the clean-up of his property. Thus, the clean-up process is delayed awaiting that hearing, which is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 23. State law requires that the City give at least 10 days’ notification of the hearing date. Until then, Police will continue to spot check the area daily, attempting to keep campers from repopulating the private property. Once the June 23 hearing occurs, the administrative hearing officer will issue a verdict. If the officer finds for the City, then Mr. Lurvey has the option (by State statute) to appeal the decision to Circuit Court, which can take an additional 30 days.
"We appreciate the remarkable support and outreach of services we have seen from our community’s service providers. We also appreciate the support and cooperation of nearby property owners such as Walmart, Estes Trucking, JQH Properties, O’Reilly Hospitality and Prime," O’Neal said.
The Alliance to End Homelessness has made amazing progress in just five days in the fight to end encampments and homelessness, said Zone 2 Councilman Tom Prater. "We wish them continued success and will continue to be alongside them as this story continues."
By the end of the week of June 12, the Alliance expects to have at least 50% sheltered and/our moving through the pipeline to permanent housing. At least five families have been reconnected with family members or friends located in other communities. For those individuals, Greyhound bus tickets have been purchased.
By the Numbers
Multi-Agency Resource Center Statistics:
GRAND TOTAL: 233 new intakes, 90 from Kearney camp
100 plus total number of housing/shelter assessments by One Door and The Kitchen, Inc.
MARC Day 5 by the numbers:
(NOTE: These are from mid-day, after service providers other than One Door ceased providing services onsite):
- 28 new intakes, 10 from the Kearney camp
- 48 returning guests
- One Door, The Kitchen, Inc., Veterans Administration and Harmony House 21 housing/shelter assessments
- One Door 12 assessments, 46 served
- MSU Care 7
- The Kitchen, Inc. 6 assessments
- NAMI Southwest Missouri 45
- Veterans Administration (VA) 1 assessment, 2 served
- Missouri Job Center – Ozarks Region 8
- Homeless/Mental Health Courts 6
- Burrell Behavioral Health 3
- Public Housing Authority 7 applications
- Harmony House 2 assessments, 3 served
- Family Support 16
MARC Day 4 by the numbers:
- 51 new intakes, 14 from the Kearney camp
- 57 returning guests
- Paws Pet Pantry 18 dogs
- Missouri Job Center – Ozarks Region 6
- MSU Care 13
- Isabel’s House 6
- Public Housing Authority 10 applications
- The Kitchen, Inc. 3 assessments
- Rare Breed (a program of The Kitchen, Inc.) 4 assessments, 9 served
- National Avenue Christian Church 38 breakfasts
- Burrell Behavioral Health 12
- Family Support, which includes Medicaid, food stamps, TANF and child care services 7
- One Door 10 assessments, 41 served
- NAMI Southwest Missouri 12
- VA 6
- Franciscan Villa 4
- Jordan Valley Community Health Center 7
MARC DAY 3 by the numbers:
- 44 new intakes, 10 from the Kearney camp
- 32 returning guests
- NAMI Southwest Missouri 16
- Homeless/Mental Health Courts 5
- Isabel’s House 1
- Paws Pet Pantry 4 dogs, 3 cats
- One Door 21 assessments, 61 served
- The Kitchen, Inc. 3 assessments
- Family Support 23
- MSU Care 16
- Missouri Job Center – Ozarks Region 11
- VA 6 served
- National Avenue Christian Church breakfasts 58
- Public Housing Authority 7 applications
- Aids Project of the Ozarks 19
- Mercy (vaccines) 15
- Jordan Valley Community Health Center 8
MARC Day 2 by the numbers:
- 54 new intakes, 26 from the Kearney camp
- One Door and The Kitchen, Inc. 18 housing/shelter assessments
- MSU Care 9
- Family Support 14
- Homeless/Mental Health Courts 2
- Public Housing Authority 7 applications
- Missouri Job Center-Ozarks Region 15
- Jordan Valley Community Health Center 7
- Burrell Behavioral Health 3
- VA 2
- Paws Pet Pantry 11 animals
- National Avenue Christian Church 46 breakfasts
MARC Day 1 by the numbers:
- 56 total intakes, 30 from the Kearney camp
- One Door and The Kitchen, Inc. 29 housing/shelter assessments
- MSU Care 25
- Family Support 15
- Homeless/Mental Health Courts 15
- NAMI Southwest Missouri 12
- Public Housing Authority 10 applications
- Missouri Job Center-Ozarks Region 10
- Jordan Valley Community Health Center 9
- Burrell Behavioral Health 5
- VA 4
- Paws Pet Pantry 8 dogs, 2 cats, 1 bird
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ABOUT OZARKS ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS
The OAEH serves as Springfield, Greene, Christian and Webster Counties’ Continuum of Care as designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The OAEH is responsible for bringing over $900,000 in HUD funding to local agencies and creates systems change to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. For more information, please visit www.cpozarks.org/endhomelessness.
ABOUT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP OF THE OZARKS
The mission of Community Partnership of the Ozarks is to facilitate and promote the building of resilient children, healthy families, and strong neighborhoods and communities through collaboration, programming and resource development. For more information on the Partnership’s collaborative efforts and programs, visit www.cpozarks.org.
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For more information, contact Community Partnership of the Ozarks Director of Communications Jacqué Harness at 417-350-8783 or [email protected] or City of Springfield Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement Cora Scott at 417-380-3352 or [email protected]