SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — It’s business as usual for some in Akron, but one local organization said that’s not the case for them due to the ongoing government shutdown.
“We need help. We need a budget,” said Matthew Scifert.
Summit County Continuum of Care is facing uncertainty due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has put the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at a standstill.
Now, Christopher Richardson, the organization’s new executive director, said this impacts their ability to plan due to the hold up on their notice of award money.
This led News 5 to ask if that letter typically comes around this time period.
“Yeah, usually it would’ve already come at this time, and so there’s just a level of uncertainty right because the government is shut down,” said Richardson.
For the last nine days, the federal government has been shut down, which Scifert said is scary and heartbreaking for people who depend on this money to survive.
“Everybody’s lives are on the line,” said Scifert.
Before Scifert began volunteering with Summit County Continuum of Care, he said he was homeless for many years until he finally found help in 2023.
“Jesus got me out of there, and then people in the community,” said Scifert.
Now, Scifert shares his lived experience of being homeless to give back to others.
But he fears the ongoing government shutdown could impact his work.
“I work for a company that is funded by this, so if we’re not getting funding (then) we have a lot of people that could lose their jobs. A lot,” said Scifert.
On Wednesday, the Senate failed to pass competing Democratic and Republican short-term funding bills that could have reopened the government.
Even more unsettling for Richardson are the proposed changes to HUD’s permanent housing and supportive services, which he said could cost millions.
This led the organization to launch a call to action to ask for the community’s support by stressing the importance of this money to elected leaders, especially as the government remains shut down.
“It’s really uncertain right now if we’re going to see those grants come to fruition,” said Richardson. “Without those dollars it really will cause a major crisis.”
Richardson said he plans to meet with other organizations to find ways for them to be proactive rather than reactive.
