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2. Project Description Summary: Provide a brief summary of the project being <br />proposed and a general description of how it will address homelessness or affordable <br />housing in Kittitas County. Be sure and indicate whether the proposal is intended to <br />provide direct client services or construction, maintenance, or improvement of housing <br />facilities. (250 words max.) <br />According to the 2019 Kittitas County Senior Population Brief, in the next ten years Kittitas <br />County will be home to 1,114 seniors who are at or below the poverty line. Data indicates that <br />more than 70 additional seniors could require assistance or become homeless in the next three <br />to five years. With only 124 senior -dedicated units currently in Kittitas County, a dangerous gap <br />in services for at -risk seniors continues to develop. SSAP is the only program available to <br />vulnerable seniors over the age of 65 who have no assets and insufficient support systems to <br />prevent their return to or advance into homelessness by bridging the gap through rental <br />vouchers. SSAP is a direct client service program. <br />The Senior Support & Advocacy Program (SSAP), formerly Senior Rent Assistance, addresses <br />homelessness for seniors who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and over the age of 65 <br />and stabilizes them in safe housing. The advocate case manager administers a thorough <br />assessment of need and connects seniors to food, energy assistance, public transportation, <br />mental and physical health, socialization, and to Hope University coaching in budgeting, saving <br />money when you shop, credit and debt, energy conservation, healthy eating, and exercise. This <br />supports vulnerable seniors in moving as far toward self-sufficiency as possible given their age <br />and situation. <br />Due to the increasing lack of available affordable housing and the projected increase in seniors <br />at risk of homelessness and with health complications in the coming years HopeSource <br />proposes that the current SSAP program be made permanent. We further propose amending <br />the current contract to indicate an annual increase based of the Cost of Living Adjustment <br />(COLA) as published by the Social Security Administration, typically 2-3% annually, to ensure the <br />increasing number of seniors are not left homeless and without help. <br />5 <br />