Stable housing and stable jobs complement each other for low-income families in Mahoning County. Without one, they cannot have the other.
Workforce and housing advocates from the Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership conducted the first ever Renters Workshop at the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
Five participants completed the two-and-a-half-hour training about how to be a “good tenant” so they can stabilize their home and avoid eviction. Tenant rights was also on the agenda. A typical lease agreement was reviewed as well as a budget sheet Participants discussed how to keep the landlord’s property in the same condition or better on the inside and outside of the home.
Community resources and MYCAP programs were discussed, along with the importance of communication with the landlord and agencies that are providing the support services needed to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
The MYCAP team have gained some cooperation from local landlords with this training. A Workforce Agreement between the program participant and the MYCAP Workforce Case Manager is presented to the landlord when new tenants seek leases.
Case managers advocate for participants by notifying the landlord they have obtained employment and can meet their rent obligation. The tenant will have MYCAP case management support for up to one year. Community partners are engaged when help is needed with deposits or other requirements.
At the end of the training, participants were provided with a certificate of completion and a housewarming gift. The gift was a trash can filled with cleaning products and garbage bags for their new home.
