Stimulus money will help local families stay in their homes

Published 10:58 am Wednesday, May 13, 2009

EVERETT — It’s been a rocky couple of years for Stephanie Stumpf and her family.

The Marysville woman and her husband lost their house-painting business to a slowing economy and their home to foreclosure, and both were laid off from new jobs.

Now, they’re raising three kids on $2,000 in monthly unemployment income. Like millions of people who are used to being self-sufficient, the Stumpfs are struggling. No cable, not even garbage service. Just the basics.

“We could use help with anything right now,” said Stephanie Stumpf, 32.

That could soon happen. More than $1.5 million in federal stimulus money is heading to Snohomish County to help families who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.

The money is part of $25 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assistance coming to the state for that purpose over the next three years.

With rising unemployment and money woes, more people are asking for help to pay for basic needs, such as food, shelter and heating bills, report charities and government social service agencies.

“There’s a whole new type of homelessness our there,” said Kathy Giglio with the Washington state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, a state agency distributing some of the grant money to cities and counties.

The Everett City Council today is scheduled to vote on a proposal to give its share of federal stimulus dollars aimed at keeping people in their homes — nearly $400,000 — to the nonprofit group Volunteers of America.

Snohomish County is receiving about $1.2 million.

It’s more cost-effective to keep people in their homes than it is helping them after they are homeless, said Bill Brackin, program director for the county’s social service hotline, which is run by Volunteers of America.

“All of the evidence that we’ve seen is that it costs at least six times as much to restore people to housing,” he said.

The nonprofit organization, with regional headquarters in Everett, reports record volumes of people seeking help paying their heating bills this winter.

The stimulus money can help pay for a range of things, including rent, utility bills, moving expenses and storage costs. It can also be used to help people already on the streets by providing temporary housing.

Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.