Salisbury overhauls Housing First Program

SALISBURY, Md. — Salisbury officials plan to overhaul the city’s Housing First program, aiming to create a more direct path to self-sufficiency for those who rely on it.

The city first established the program in 2017 with the goal of providing struggling residents with affordable, permanent housing. Residents who use the program were recently sent a letter stating that the initiative would be shutting down in 2027.

“We’re trying to change the name, from permanent supportive housing to a gateway to supportive housing. That’s what we’re trying to do—we’re trying to help more people with the same amount of dollars,” Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor said.

Mayor Taylor claims the program was never meant to provide permanent housing, but former Mayor Jacob Day says the initiative was always intended to be a permanent supportive housing program. Anthony Dickerson, executive director of Salisbury’s Christian Shelter, says major adjustments must be made to the program for it to be successful.

“I think realistically they should cap it at a three-year period, and they should have some criteria because these are taxpayer dollars. This is taxpayer money. I’d like to see a program geared toward homelessness that is successful,” Dickerson said.

Under Mayor Taylor’s proposed changes, the program would act more as a gateway to independent living for homeless individuals.

“Instead of being 7, 8, or 9 years, it turns out to be maybe a year or a year and a half. Then we’re able to help them with permanent resources to get them where they need to be,” Mayor Taylor said.