Bismarck-Mandan leaders are hatching new ideas to break the cycle of homelessness here as part of local and statewide plans.

Sue Redman, community development block grant planner for the Bismarck City Planning Department, said a pool of 10 candidates have applied to serve as coordinator for the Region VII Missouri Valley Coalition for Homeless People.

The Region VII group is one of eight planning regions set up by the North Dakota Interagency Council on Homelessness. The NDCIH recently completed a 10-year plan to counter long-term homelessness.

The person will work half-time implementing Bismarck-Mandan's homeless plan with the MVCHP, and the remainder with administrative duties.

The coordinator will be at the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House. Hiring is expected to occur by late December.

"The duties will include grant writing and coordinating with non-profit and government agencies," Redman said. "The person also will be a spokesperson for the agencies working with the homeless and improving the communication between the agencies."

University of Mary social work students assisted by successfully obtaining a Bremer grant to fund the the new director's salary. They partnered with the Missouri Valley Coalition in applying for the fund.

The Region VII MVCHP strategy against homelessness within Bismarck-Mandan area involves:

n Improving preventive efforts.

n Increasing the availability of permanent supportive housing units.

n Improving coordination of existing services.

n Improving consumers' ability to pay for housing.

n Enhancing the quality and delivery of supportive services.

n Conducting education, research and advocacy efforts.

Redman said the city allocates grant money for rental assistance and for security deposits for those struggling. "In the spring, we allocated CDBG money to renovate transitional housing,"she said. "A portion assists Abused Adult Resource Center for families of domestic abuse."

Figures compiled from the Bismarck-Mandan area show there are 159 adults and 113 children under the age of 18 who are homeless. Seven of these were documented as chronic homeless and 30 are long-term homeless.

Redman said the 10-year plan also addresses creating permanent housing for the long-term homeless, such as those who are mentally ill or severely addicted to substances.

Finding money to aid these individuals who need ongoing care also will be the new director's job. Studies show permanent housing for those with serious problems puts less of a financial drain on the programs that assist them.

"On any given day, there are 300 to 400 homeless people in Bismarck and Mandan," said Roxi Polzin, client service provider for Aid Inc. of Bismarck. "People think of homeless people as people who are living under a bridge or in boxes. But there are people who are being evicted or going through a foreclosure."

She said their stories vary.

"I have seen people come here with nothing but the clothes on their back," she said. "Often, it's a mother running away with her kids from an abusive situation.

"I see a lot here from the reservation. They have no job where they came from. … We see people who come here to see a doctor and get treated; they get out and they have no place to stay."

Others have car trouble. A family dispute can send others into the street.

She said many are the working poor who are trying to pay rent. "Some are working three jobs just to make ends meet," Polzin said.

In some cases, an accident at home renders a person unable to work and they are ineligible for any worker's compensation.

"We try to help them stay in their apartment. It is actually less expensive that way. Once they get evicted, they have to make deposits on their rent, on their utilities on their phone," she said.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@bismarcktribune.com.)