Landlords play a vital role in a person’s journey from homelessness to home.
That’s the rewarding revelation the team at United Housing Connections hopes more landlords can experience first-hand, especially those who have available rental properties. The obstacle? Many may not yet be aware of the need for — and benefits of working with — subsidized programs. Affordable housing is already a challenge for low-income families and programs that assist the chronically homeless, and that challenge becomes even greater in a tight, low-supply rental market like the one we’re currently experiencing.
Every month, UHC receives an average of 1,500 calls from people seeking housing options, and while they work nonstop to provide affordable housing resources to those callers, demand far outweighs supply.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition helps put the challenge into perspective. In South Carolina, people working at the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour would have to work 86 hours per week to afford a modest one-bedroom rental home at the fair market rate.
Landlords can help — and can make an immeasurably positive impact along the way. By working with subsidized programs such as those offered by UHC, willing landlords help make a difference by giving the gift of an address. In turn, UHC can provide benefits to the landlord such as: full rental payment sent directly to the landlord from UHC (preventing tenant collection issues); qualified case managers who provide home visits regularly to assist tenants in maintaining the home; and best of all, the potential for gaining a long-term renter.
UHC has partnerships with several property management companies, but the need for additional partnerships has never been greater.
Ready to be a part of changing the outcome for people struggling to gain an address? Call (864) 241-0462 and ask to speak to Tonya Crawley, chief program officer, or reach her via email at tcrawley@uhcsc.org. For more information about UHC visit unitedhousingconnections.org.
