Sorry...No Listing

I have a complaint. As a person with decent computer and research skills, it is downright difficult to find information on emergency, transitional, temporary, or low-cost permanent affordable housing in my city and county. Where are they hiding this information? Is it under a couch surrounded by dust bunnies? In the closet with other ‘out of sight/mind’ issues? Do they pass out brochures at county offices? Is it online on city or county websites? If so, what key words do I search under? Would I need terms like “Health and Human Services” or “Community Services” at the tip of my tongue? Or would I find it listed under simple, easy-to-find labels like “ “Homeless Services?” “Emergency Housing?”

Luckily, I have time and resources (computer and phone) to ponder these issues today. But if I found myself homeless tomorrow…how easy would it be?

Here’s what I found:
1. A computer and phone are necessary
2. Counties, not cities, are responsible for housing (who would know!) so city webpages are generally fruitless
3. County webpages bury the information (more in my next post)
4. There are no banners for “transitional housing” or welcome mats for “low-cost affordable housing”
5. A “211” call directory refers people to emergency shelters…who has ever heard of 211? (no me, apparently)

Wrong Turn: I unwittingly wasted time checking city web pages, starting with Fountain Valley (where I live), then neighboring Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Westminster. Some web pages were more generous with information than others.

Thought cities are not required to provide information on emergency, temporary or low-cost housing, it is nice when they do, or at minimum, re-direct one to that elusive ‘right place’for referrals.

Of the five city websites above, here's how many...
Had a formal “Housing” department: 3 of 5 (One listed under "Community Services")
Had referrals for emergency shelter & temporary housing: 1 of 5
Had referrals for rental assistance: 2 of 5
Had referrals to the county: 1 of 5

The ‘Helpful to the Homeless’ award goes to Huntington Beach, whose website lists Project Self Sufficiency, a homeless prevention program, affordable rentals and affordable properties among other related information.

More on my county search soon...