After the COVID-19 pandemic, shelters across New Jersey began to see an increase in the need for emergency housing for survivors of domestic violence. Prior to 2020, if shelters were full, then survivors of abuse could find placement in other counties’ shelters. However, this wasn’t an option last year because every other shelter in the state was also at capacity.
Why?
Because a greater number of people are entering shelter and staying for longer periods of time because they’re having difficulty finding reasonably priced housing. The lack of affordable housing and looming cuts to funding for residential services has contributed to a bottleneck in New Jersey domestic violence shelters.
When a survivor leaves an abusive relationship, they often require time to rebuild their lives. As a result of the abuse they endured, they may have no income, savings, educational degrees, or work experience. Without residential services, survivors of violence could be forced to make an impossible choice – enter into homelessness and face unknown danger or remain in their abusive relationship where the danger is familiar.
“Imagine a survivor working up the courage to leave their partner over the course of several months or even years and then being told ‘we don’t have any space for you.’ We couldn’t let that happen,” said Diane Williams, President and CEO of JBWS.
How does JBWS’ Housing Services Help with the Shelter Crisis?
JBWS offers many housing services that are designed to help survivors of domestic violence regain control of their lives. These services give survivors extra time to find safe housing, improve their credit score, secure sustainable employment, earn a degree, or develop other vocational skills.
Arbour House, JBWS’ Emergency Safe House Shelter: When a survivor leaves an abusive relationship and is urgently in need of housing, they come to Arbour House. Both single adults and adults with their children stay in private bedrooms but share the living room and kitchen areas with other families.
The Carol G. Simon House: A Transitional Living Resource Center: When the stay at JBWS’ Arbour House is not long enough to overcome the obstacles of abuse, the Carol G. Simon Transitional Living Resource Center is the next step. Simon House is a 28,000 square foot facility comprised of 11 fully furnished apartments that range in size from one to three bedrooms where people victimized by abuse can live for up to two years. They can also receive counseling, case management, vocational training, life skills development, financial literacy workshops, parental education classes, and more to help move beyond abuse.
Community Housing Assistance Program (CHA): CHA is flexible funding that supports survivors in achieving or maintaining secure housing. Unlike most other funding sources, there is no set list of what will be funded, and survivors are encouraged to ask for whatever will make the most difference to maintaining their housing situation and their lives. This includes moving expenses, car repairs, help with utilities, and more.
Rapid Re-Housing Program (RRH): Founded in 2019, this program has been instrumental in helping survivors secure and sustain permanent housing in the community. RRH helps survivors search for housing, pays a portion of the rental amount for up to 12 months, provides financial assistance for medical, educational, childcare, transportation needs, and more.
