Moving Forward With Independence And Affordable Housing

Adults in Stepping Stones 24/7/365 advocacy services put in a lot of hard work to change their lives and find freedom from all forms of abuse. But, we consistently find that it is difficult for families to find accessible, affordable safe housing options upon exit from Stepping Stones’ safe shelter.

Over the last 12 months, only 15% of the families who left our shelter services were able to find permanent housing (i.e. setting up their own household) in our West Yavapai County communities. Upon exit, some people are able to live with friends or family while others access further services (other temporary housing, mental health, or substance abuse treatment). These options are often not long-term, which means the majority have to choose less stable housing options in order to live in safety and independence, and sadly, it’s getting worse.

Our mission at Stepping Stones is to end intimate violence in all forms and promote individual self-sufficiency, personal growth, self-worth, and resiliency in the adults and children that we are committed to serve. We know that affordable housing is an important part of staying safe after leaving our shelter. But, we also know that financial insecurity can lead someone to make choices that they otherwise would not. It can be less scary to go back to something you know isn’t good for you (like returning to an abusive relationship!) than to face a difficult financial challenge alone.

In order to address this issue, we’re doing two important things:

1. Building self-sufficiency and independence in the adults we serve. When an abusive relationship takes away autonomy and independence from someone, it takes time to reestablish those traits in their life (or maybe establish them for the very first time!). Our advocates help adults to identify needs, create goals, and walk them through the options and resources they have available to them. Then, they are able to start taking action and making decisions.

Sometimes, it is difficult for that person to make easy decisions because they haven’t done it in years. For others, they are paralyzed when examining all the work that they need to do moving forward. Our team knows that the only way to move forward is to take things one day at a time. It’s not easy or fast, but little by little, these adults are able to make true, lasting change in their lives.

2. Creating more housing options for families. One of our favorite things we’ve been able to accomplish recently is purchasing and renovating an old triplex in order to add three additional transitional housing apartments for families leaving our emergency shelter. These additional units offer more families longer time living in safety as they continue the hard work of healing, saving money, and searching for permanent housing. While transitional housing may not be long-term (up to 2 years), it is a positive step forward for many who are facing the lack of affordable housing in our community. It helps families in need of housing right now, while the larger community takes a look at addressing the housing issues many residents face.

Stepping Stones knows that housing is just one part of a bigger picture for people finding freedom from abuse. Having a safe, stable, affordable place to live is a central piece to ensuring someone can continue to do the hard work it takes to heal.

If you would like to get involved to support our important goal of acquiring additional transitional housing options for local families, please contact Cori or Alexis at 928-772-4184.