Lafayette Transitional Housing Center expecting increase in homelessness
Credit: WLFI
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Now leaders of lafayette transitional housing center are starting to worry.
They're expecting an increase in clients come these next few months.
News 18's micah upshaw joins us live outside the facility to tell us more.
Micah?
Lthc leaders tell me the eviction moratorium has been a big help these past few months.
They went from serving 130 people per day before the pandemic to now serving about 100 people a day.
They're expecting an increase this fall or early january.
M: governor eric holcomb's eviction moratorium went into effect in march.
And after months of moving it back, august 14th marked the final extension.
J: so that's done.
M: jennifer layton, the executive director of lafayette transitional housing center is worried about an increase in clients.
J: we're anxiously holding onto our hats because right now we don't have enough funding and resources to help people that are already experiencing homelessness.
M: layton is particularly worried about people who have suffered a decrease in pay due to covid-19 related cutback on their jobs.
The state's rental assistant program was designed to help with this issue -- unfortunately, program leaders weren't expecting the number of people needing it.
J: there's so much need, they were inundated with 30,000 people that applied to a program that they kind of forecasted would be about 12,000 people.
M: layton says to fix this forecasted eviction crisis, there's only one solution.
J: the solution really has to be rental subsidy, i mean, that's really the bottom line.
M: layton says if the state can require landlords to charge tenants based on income, that could help keep people from experiencing homelessness.
J: the clocks ticking and landlords need their rent and people need to pay for housing and so i just -- we're all keeping our fingers crossed.
Jennifer layton says community donations have been a big help during this pandemic.
You can find information on how to continue helping keep lthc afloat on our website wlfi.com.
Reporting live in lafayette, micah upshaw.
News 18.
The state department