It is my thought, right or wrong, that winter and the cold weather heighten the reality of the housing crisis. For some, the use of the word crisis might sound dire, but to me, it is significant enough to refer to the unhoused as dire, since it appears to be a major issue in multiple states.
The tremendous amount of building locally is not affordable for many. It feels like profit over humanity. My latest reading shows that there are six emergency shelters for the unhoused in Sussex County. Of the six shelters, only two accommodate women – one in Seaford and the other in Milford.
If a person is trying to work in Rehoboth or Lewes, getting to a shelter in Milford or Seaford can be a daunting task. I reflected back on an article written in the Nov. 2 issue of the Cape Gazette about the collaboration between St. Jude Church in Lewes and the Code Purple team to provide shelter for men only from Dec. 1 through March 15. That’s great for men, but what about the women who work locally and have no reasonable local option?
The Nov. 2 article had a lot of lovely verbiage about Mary and Joseph seeking shelter and the need for that loving Christian support to be there; however, for me, once again it feels like the Marys of the world are being forgotten. There are women attempting to survive in Sussex County and they just might feel like that’s an overwhelming task. This housing situation is problematic for those who are unhoused, men and women alike. I would hope the women who are dealing with housing issues be given consideration for a shelter in Rehoboth or Lewes.
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