A growing concern in the community

SALISBURY, Md. — At its most recent meeting, the Salisbury City Council discussed supportive housing and its connection to homelessness in the community. Officials explained how the two issues are intertwined.

Danielle Meister, assistant secretary of the Division of Homeless Solutions at Maryland, said, “Homelessness feels like an intractable problem, where we don’t feel like we know how to solve it, but we actually do. We have tons of experience at this point, knowing that the best way out of homelessness is housing.”

Meister said supportive housing is crucial for disabled and elderly individuals, as most of them are not re-entering the workforce. “It’s important to meet people where they are,” she added. “They don’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get housing or stay in housing.”

Meister commended the City of Salisbury for investing in permanent supportive housing. She noted that affordability and jobs with livable wages are a nationwide issue. “Every $100 increase in rent brings the homelessness rate up by 9%,” Meister said. “There’s a direct correlation between the housing built in your community, how affordable it is, and your rates of homelessness.”

Kevin Lindamood, CEO of Healthcare for the Homeless, applauded Salisbury’s efforts but said more needs to be done. “In no jurisdiction in the country, including right here in Wicomico County, can a family earn the prevailing minimum wage,” Lindamood said. “In Maryland, that’s $15 an hour, and in no jurisdiction can someone afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.”

Local Salisbury resident Cristi Richardson, who helps unhoused people apply for apartments, said there are numerous barriers to securing housing. “To afford the median rent here on minimum wage, they would have to work at least 73 hours a week — just to afford housing for one person,” Richardson said. “That’s not feasible if they have children.”

The City Council invited both officials to speak just over a month after Mayor Randy Taylor discussed implementing a “gateway to independent living.”