When you walk into the building of our Richard Sering Center located at 4515 Superior Ave, you are greeted by Micah 6:8. It says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
We have to ask ourselves, as a country, as a city, and as an organization: How do we treat those in need? What does the Lord require of us all?
In Matthew 25:35-40, we are called to feed the hungry, shelter the stranger, and care for the sick and imprisoned for “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” We are not without opportunity to heed this calling in Cuyahoga County. According to the most recent Point in Time count, 1,637 people in Cuyahoga County experienced homelessness on a single night. In 2024, LMM’s Men’s Shelter served 2,630 people, with an average length of stay of 49 days. Among those who did not require our assistance with accessing permanent housing, 43% of them stayed three days or less, with many staying only one day. Our local data demonstrate the broad spectrum of needs of our community’s unhoused neighbors.
The most significant drivers of homelessness are the lack of affordable housing and stagnant wages that have not kept up with the increased costs of living. Many other factors at play may contribute to the income-to-cost-of-living gap—from a job loss, an unexpected medical diagnosis, hunger, being recently released from incarceration, fleeing violence, experiencing a natural disaster, lack of access (i.e., not meeting some landlord requirements), poverty, or struggling with a mental illness or substance use disorder.
The uncomfortable truth of life in America is thus: we are all one major life-altering event away from homelessness. We all have a role to play in supporting one another in times of crisis.
How Our Faith Guides Us
The Bible says explicitly in Proverbs 31:9 to “defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Guided by our Lutheran faith tradition, at LMM, we believe that:
- Housing is a human right.
- Every individual deserves to live in a community of dignity and respect.
- Poverty is indicative of a moral failing of our nation’s collective responsibility to support and care for one another, as we are called to do by Christ.
Our Perspective on Current Events
As a frontline provider of homeless services for youth and adults for decades, we are deeply concerned about the recent rhetoric and shift in U.S. policy surrounding individuals experiencing homelessness. We are highly concerned about the language in the executive order, which is overly broad and poorly defined, and opens the door to weakening vital protection against civil commitment. Civil commitment is a rarely used legal tool that should be used as a last resort, as it involves the loss of rights and freedoms. Criminalizing and institutionalizing our neighbors, whether they live in Cleveland or other places, is not an effective or moral solution to addressing our country’s most pressing issues. One needs only look at our nation’s history to find examples of the harm caused by these policy strategies.
We also believe that there needs to be more investment in mental health and housing supportive services, not drastic cuts. This isn’t a partisan issue. In previous administrations, Republicans and Democrats have come together before to create housing solutions, including supporting veterans. We believe that they can and should do so again. Time is of the essence.
Compassionate Solutions That Work
As a nation and a community, we can solve the issue of homelessness by investing in compassionate, evidence-based, and cost-effective solutions.
- Prioritize and invest in evidence-based and promising practices.
LMM supports individuals and families through the Family Stability Fund, Third-Party Leasing, and Shared Housing. Each of these program’s centers on the unique needs of the individuals and/or families.
These are innovative practices to ending homelessness with a proven track record. Using models like these, frontline providers, such as LMM, connect individuals experiencing homelessness with stable, affordable, and accessible housing that meets their specific needs. Potential avenues for housing include, but are not limited to, permanent supportive housing, shared housing, recovery housing, single-family housing, and multi-family housing. LMM works hard to help people in this area.
In our experience, the majority of those we serve who are unhoused simply need access to quality affordable housing to get back on their feet and take a step towards regaining stability. This does not mean we provide access to housing only. The model encompasses a wide variety of voluntary wrap-around and supportive services including case management, mental health treatment, peer support, workforce development, substance use treatment, and more, as necessary. We meet people where they are, equipping them with the tools and resources to meet the unique needs of each individual.
- Decriminalize homelessness.
Criminalization is an immoral response to homelessness that traps people into a cycle of poverty. Court fees and fines make it harder for individuals who are homeless to pay for necessities like food, medical care, medications, and housing. Having a criminal record creates a series of collateral consequences that create obstacles to housing and employment.
Criminalization is also the most expensive response to homelessness. When compared to the amount of money needed to provide evidence-based housing solutions to homelessness, such as Rapid Re-Housing or Permanent Supportive Housing, the choice is clear. Comprehensive strategies that do not seek criminalization are a more fiscally responsible use of taxpayer funding.
- Support innovative initiatives like Home for Every Neighbor.
Home for Every Neighbor is a $2 million program, launched by the City of Cleveland, that connects homeless individuals with landlords who will accept them as tenants. The City pays rent for 12 months. LMM helped to launch this pilot program. The program has successfully housed over 175 people and has been funded for a second year. Those who favor a compassionate, caring approach to those who are homeless should rally around initiatives like this instead of looking at long-term detention facilities.
Call to Action
We express solidarity with those leaders who have expressed their concern about what is happening in their communities. We re-commit ourselves to staying true to the values that we were founded upon in 1969.
We call upon our partners to join us in prioritizing the recognition that each person we serve is a Child of God. We are here to meet the needs of the individuals we serve, and to play a reverent role in assisting them in their time of need. For those who would like to volunteer at our shelter, we welcome your support and participation, no matter how big or small. For others who feel called to take a more vocal role in defending our homeless neighbors, we encourage you to contact your U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative and voice your concerns. You can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and the operator will connect you directly with your Senator or Representative.
Learn More
- National Alliance to End Homelessness Blog Series: Understanding Trump’s Executive Order on Homelessness
- National Low Income Housing Coalition Advocates’ Guide
- National Low Income Housing Coalition Housing First Resources
- US Interagency Council on Homelessness – Collaborate, Don’t Criminalize: How Communities Can Effectively and Humanely Address Homelessness
- National Homelessness Law Center – Housing and Homeless in the United States UN Report
