On Feb. 26, the Midcoast Interagency Services Collaborative (MISC) held its first landlord forum. Hosted by The Gathering Place, the meet and greet event brought together case managers and navigators from Tedford Housing, housing staff from Sweetser, community volunteers, personnel from Preservation Management and C&C Realty, private landlords, as well as the Brunswick Topsham Housing and Bath Housing Authorities. The goal for the event was to offer an informal setting for service providers and landlords to discuss the overall status of the rental market in the southern Midcoast region and explore ways that might open more doors to housing people experiencing homelessness.
According to the Apartment Guide 2020 Annual Rent Report, Maine had the third-highest increase rent increase in the nation from 2018 to 2019. The average one-bedroom apartment costs $1,469.83, an almost 24% increase from 2018. Although the actual number of people experiencing homelessness in Maine decreased slightly, from 6,454 in 2018 to 5,886 in 2019 (according to Homeless Management Information Systems), people are experiencing homelessness for longer periods of time.
Case managers and navigators whose primary job is to assist people in shelters or in unsheltered situations secure housing are having a much harder time due to this tight housing market. Some people who have experienced homelessness have gaps in their rental histories, poor credit or past legal issues that pose greater risks to landlords. In the current very competitive market, it is easy for persons with those barriers to literally be priced out of the market. The property managers at the forum were quick to point out that, as compared to ten years ago, virtually all landlords are now doing background checks.
The second half of the forum included a presentation on the Rent Smart tenant education series. Rent Smart is a tenant skill-building curriculum developed by the University of Wisconsin and adopted by MaineHousing for use in Maine. The classes are divided by sections, or modules – each one with a specific focus. The first module covers, in basic terms, how much an apartment will cost and if it will be affordable to the tenant. The second covers how to search for apartments and finding the right apartment at the right price.
Paperwork, including applications to specific properties, voucher applications and other related documents can be quite overwhelming to the prospective tenant. The third module covers the application process – including why landlords do tenant screening and how to handle and explain negative information on the application, along with obtaining, reading and improving a credit report. The final three segments cover who is responsible for maintenance and repairs, effective and appropriate ways to communicate concerns with landlords (as well as roommates or fellow tenants) and reading and understanding the lease or rental agreements.
Tedford Housing has been conducting these seminars in its shelters for over four years. Feedback from shelter guests who have completed the classes has been positive and many have indicated that it helped them secure and maintain their housing and avoid a return to homelessness. A number of landlords have indicated they would rent to an applicant who earned a Rent Smart certificate of completion that they otherwise might pass on because of an unfavorable rental history. The landlords attending the forum affirmed this position. Tedford is preparing to offer another round of classes at its adult shelter and is working with MISC on ways of bringing Rent Smart to the broader community.
The Rent Smart series is one tool to help create greater access to housing opportunities that exist within the community today. Those attending the forum agreed that it was useful to share perspectives, concerns and ideas with other case managers, property managers and community members. MISC may undertake another forum in the future and report back on the progress of the Rent Smart series.
As has been emphasized in past articles, a comprehensive approach to reducing and ultimately ending homelessness must include emergency housing (shelters) with case managers and navigators to aid in locating and securing housing using the Housing First strategy, supportive housing with on-site case management to house persons more vulnerable to homelessness, and a robust array of affordable, scattered site housing in the community. None of these components can solve the problem alone.
Giff Jamison is the director of operations for Tedford Housing. Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community.
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