Network partners have been invaluable resources in Springfield’s emergency response to people displaced by yesterday’s tornadoes. Housing placement workers from Friends of the Homeless, the Center for Human Development, HAP Housing and Springfield’s Office of Housing are contributing to a triage and rapid rehousing response. The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development has been on-site in emergency shelters, processing applications and assisting with housing triage.
Thank you to these fabulous partners and for network coordination!
Staff from these agencies will continue to be on-site at the two Springfield emergency Red Cross shelters tomorrow (Central High School for families with children and Greenleaf Community Center for individuals without children). Housing specialists will be meeting with displaced residents to provide information and assess needs.
Towards the end of the day tomorrow I will be compiling a needs assessment, in order to understand how many housing units are needed and what type of financial assistance will be needed to place displaced people into units. The City will be requesting emergency financial resources to assist displaced households.
As part of our rehousing effort, we are trying to identify available housing units in the greater Springfield area. We are looking at both subsidized and market-rate units. If you have any information about vacancies, or have the capacity to call landlords seeking information about vacancies, please contact Lizzy Ortiz, [email protected]. We have already been in contact with a number of landlords and have found that they are eager to help out where possible.
Thank you for your support. Please give to the Red Cross, which is coordinating emergency response efforts, and please stay tuned for other ways you can help out.
It has been inspiring to see our community come together to help folks impacted by this disaster. I am so appreciative of this network of dedicated responders who are helping in so many different ways!
