Families on the brink rely on HomeStretch
Temporary housing to those in financial crisis
By: Chris Delke 8/23/2004

They are often referred to as the faceless persons of North Fulton, those families who are living on the brink of financial disaster. "Many of our local residents find it hard to believe that there are homeless persons living in our area,” said Sue Sharp, who took over this spring as executive director of Housing Initiative of North Fulton, a 10-year-old transitional housing program that helps local families overcome their housing crisis.

It was a complete change of direction for Sharp, who retired from Delta Airlines after a
27-year career as a flight attendant and later in a management role. She explained that the people who her organization is dedicated to helping are employed but just can’t seem to make ends meet. "Sometimes it’s just an unexpected medical bill or a reduction in the number of work hours that makes the difference between having a place to live and not,” she said. "More often than not, they are living out of their car when they finally get to us.” Her organization’s HomeStretch program offers temporary housing to families who have demonstrated a need and willingness to make things better for their families.

HomeStretch currently owns eight duplexes nestled in a cul-de-sac near the heart of downtown Roswell. These small three-bedroom units can accommodate 16 families and, according to Sharp, there is always a waiting list of families who need assistance. Three of the eight were acquired earlier this year. One of the first things Sharp did when she took over as executive director was to write a grant request to purchase the units that was submitted to Fulton County. The request struck a chord with those persons who hold the purse strings and Fulton County awarded the organization $447,000. "That covered the purchase of the units,” Sharp said, "but there was no money left to furnish the units or to do the renovations that are needed.” She said that Roswell Presbyterian Church has come to the fore with "time, talent and treasures” to begin the renovation process.

HomeStretch operates in two phases. In phase one families with an affiliation with the North Fulton area are identified. They must meet several criteria. They must be homeless, they must be drug-free, they must be working and if there is both a mother and father in the home, they must be married. HomeStretch furnishes them with a place to live with utilities provided but they are required to pay a small portion of their income as rent. The amount is determined on an individual basis, according to Sharp. They may live in one of the units for six to nine months. During that time they must work to reduce any debt they have accumulated as well as undergo counseling in budgeting, work skill sets and other areas that could assist them to become more productive members of society. Each family also has a sponsorship team that meets with them on a regular basis to provide emotional as well as other forms of support. A number of Sunday school classes have taken on this task, along with Roswell Women’s Club, GE Capital and other organizations throughout the community. In fact, Sharp said she first became aware of the HomeStretch program as a volunteer with the Roswell Women’s Club.

In phase two of the program, called Next Step, the families are moved to one of five units the organization owns off Mansell Rd. in Roswell. They may remain in one of those units for up to 24 months. During this period they must begin to pay their own utilities, a higher portion of the rent and make strides to restore credit, which many have lost due to financial hardships. The organization works closely with Habitat for Humanity and several of the HomeStretch families have eventually been able to purchase their own home through Habitat. "We hold these families to a high standard,” Sharp said. "We don’t give them a handout, just a hand up instead.” Is the program working? Apparently so. Sharp said four out of every five families successfully transition back into society at the conclusion of the program. Persons wishing to volunteer their time to HomeStretch or to make contributions of furniture, food or money can do so by contacting the organization at (770) 642-9185.