My name is Kimeshya Campbell. I am a graduate student at Winthrop University, pursuing a master’s in social work, while working as an intern with the Lancaster Area Coalition for the Homeless.
I am writing this letter in order to convey my concerns about the situation of housing and homelessness not being a priority within the Lancaster City budget. As an intern, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the needs that are consistently increasing for interventions that will aid in the housing crisis in Lancaster.
So many families are house-burdened as a result of rising cost for housing, which is in many cases due to greed. Families and individuals are often spending majority of their incomes in order to pay for rent and utilities. There are some instances where the homes are in areas that may be considered as high risk or poor neighborhoods, where the quality of housing is not good. This leads to individuals and or families spending a great deal of their finances on utilities, because repairs need to be done in order to make the home more energy-efficient. The cost for renting the home may be cheaper, but more of the income is spent on the utilities in these areas than in other parts of town, where the homes are better quality.
This matter speaks to me, because I have had the experience of living in a situation that was not pleasant. My household income was spent on a home that may have been cheaper to rent, but the quality of the home was not acceptable. Addressing the housing crisis is not only for financial reasons, but for both mental and physical health as well. If the condition of a home is poor, then people are more likely to become sick. This could be caused by mold that has not been properly treated, and areas within the home that may be letting cold air in during the winter months.
When a person feels as if they do not have a proper place to call home, this can influence the way that a person feels emotionally. It has been noticed that people may become depressed or have a lost sense of belonging when adequate shelter is not in place.
As a wife, mother and student who is in her 40s, I do greatly understand the importance of addressing housing and homelessness. I have had the opportunity to experience the good feeling of someone who was willing to invest their time and resources to help my family have a better living situation. This gave my family a sense of belonging, while believing in the goodness of some who truly cared about our well-being. Having a home that is energy-efficient and safe allowed for us to not only be in a better financial situation, but our mental and physical health has significantly changed for the better.
In conclusion, my desire is to see that the social issue of affordable housing and homelessness be more of a priority when considering the city budget. This would help organizations such a LACH work collaboratively within the community to reduce homelessness. When implementing funding, along with hard work, so many positive things can take place to give those within the community of Lancaster an equal opportunity to break the cycle of generational poverty. This can happen with funding that would allow more interventions to occur.
Kimeshya Campbell is an intern with the Lancaster Area Coalition for the Homeless.
