About Us

The West Piedmont Better Housing Coalition, Inc. provides resources for continuum of care in Danville, Martinsville, and Franklin, Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania counties in Virginia. The Continuum of Care is a set of three competitive programs based on the law of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to address the problems of homelessness in a comprehensive manner in concert with other federal agencies.

In the West Piedmont region, we have learned there is need for such services because…

• 38% live in hotels/motels or apartment voucher arrangements (paid by public or private agency)
• 38% reside in homeless shelters
  
• 14% reside in substance abuse resident programs
  
• 13% reside in domestic violence shelters
  
• 24% live on the streets (outdoors, abandoned buildings, automobiles)

(based on 2010 Point-in-Time Survey - 194 adults, and 70 accompanied children)

What this Means…

Most people who are homeless in the West Piedmont service region are doubled up with relatives or friends, or are living in cars and do not even consider themselves "homeless".

The West Piedmont area is economically distressed with 13.5% of persons living below the poverty line. (Census 2000 U.S. Census Bureau)

The education levels of persons 25 years and older with high school diploma is 67.6% for the region, compared with 81.5% for the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Census 2000 U.S. Census Bureau)

What we have Accomplished…

• WPBHC has been awarded six HUD grants totaling more than $500,000 to implement and maintain the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database.
  
• Several agencies in the region are now using the HMIS system and more are being trained.
  
• Attained IRS 501©(3) Non-profit Status Recognition for the coalition.
  
• Reviewing Permanent Shelter-Plus-Care, Single Room Occupancy (SRO) and Transitional Housing opportunities.

On-Going Strategies…

We have a variety of strategies to impact current chronic homelessness. These include:

• Refining Point-in-Time survey methodology to more accurately count homeless individuals living in unsheltered conditions.
  
• Establishing HMIS system at all existing shelters and transitional housing facilities.
  
• Using current data from 2010 Point-in-Time survey to determine long-term needs of homeless in our region.
  
• Focusing on prevention strategies by developing and implementing Shelter Plus Care Program.

The Challenges we face…

• Ensuring implementation of HMIS by all agencies
  
• Capitalizing on the data captured by HMIS
  
• Keeping the Coalition on track and working together
  
• Implementing a "bricks and mortar" component: transitional housing
  
• Successfully identifying and obtaining grants and the matching funds to continue services
  
• Seeking a coordinated, collaborative approach to addressing homelessness
• Addressing the varied issues that lead to homelessness, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, unemployment
  
• Seeking additional volunteers for the Coalition. Volunteers are needed to review traditional housing models, plan future forums, advocate for the homeless, provide fundraisers and more.

Board Members

The West Piedmont Better Housing Coalition is private non-profit 501(c)(3) tax Exempt Corporation. Members of the board of directors are:

Conchita Terry McIver, President - HOPE Harbor
Gary Wasson, Vice President - Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Andrea Reynolds, Secretary - West Piedmont Aids Task Force
Dianne Morris, Treasurer - City of Danville

Petrina Carter, Averett University

Reginald Hayes - Citizens Against Family Violence

Tytiana Dennis - Telemon Corp.

Crystal Furches - Danville Pittsylvania Community Service

Melissa Gravely - Citizens Against Family Violence

Greg Hairston - Virginia Legal Aid Society

Richard Harris - Piedmont Community Services

Michael Harrison - The Community Fellowship

Jo-Ann Hickson - Wings Ministries, Inc.

Wayne Knox - City of Martinsville

Marsha Mendenhall - Pittsylvania County Community Action, Inc.

Jon Morris - STEP, Inc.

Mike Patterson - Franklin County Youth Center

Joan Rogers - Patrick County Department of Social Services

Jim Tobin - Piedmont Community Services

Cynthia Treadway - Franklin County Family Resource Center

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