The Solution to Affordable Housing In Utah || Why is it taking so long?

Every night in Utah there are anywhere from 1,000 up to 3,000 people sleeping on the streets, along riverways, squatting in parks, or wandering around trying to find safety and security.

Michael Sussman is one of these unsheltered people. With a cracked tooth and disheveled hair, bloated belly, Sussman’s exterior make him appear older than his age. But he is certainly suffering from something like paranoid schizophrenia and needs assistance.

Sussman was evicted from Grace Mary Manor for being behind in his rent (among other factors). Utah Stories attempted to get the official reason why Sussman was evicted from Grace Mary, which offers Housing First units or “permanent supportive housing”, in which tenants should never be evicted for financial reasons, but Grace Mary said they could not offer details on Sussman’s case or additional information because this information is “private”. Sussman’s rent for his studio-one-bedroom unit was just $300 per month, as Grace Mary Manor is subsidized by Salt Lake City Housing Connect.

Back in the beginning of July 2022, Sussman found himself once again on the streets trying to find a safe place to stay. He had been homeless for seven years off-and-on prior to getting into Grace Mary. Sussman kept all of his belongings in a downtown storage unit, costing him around $100 per month. While his things were safe, he was not. Sussman said he was skeptical about his chances of surviving another stint on the streets, “I rarely sleep for more than a few hours when I’m outside. I’ve been assaulted, attacked at robbed while sleeping in parks… I just don’t know if I can make it this time” Sussman is a long way from retirement age, but he suffers from gout, and severe plantar fasciitis, which he says makes it impossible for him to do manual labor jobs or remain very long on his feet.

Sussman has degrees in French and German. He taught English in Africa. But he says after he got into an altercation with the police a few years ago, (he says they attacked him) he lost his ID and his life spiraled downhill, so he began living on the streets.

Sussman is articulate and passionate about his Jewish faith: he believes that nearly all homeless advocates are anti-semites. He believes Christians and homeless advocates are persecuting him because they have BBQs without kosher meats and they hold religious services to “false Gods” and require him to participate to receive services.

He has villainized his caseworkers, Grace Mary, The Road Home, and everyone who has tried to help him. Sussman appears a perfect candidate for the psychiatric support that Housing First could offer, but he was kicked out. Why? We will return to Sussman’s story.

The point is, that Sussman and his story are not unusual. Many semi-skilled professionals are finding themselves priced out of the housing market due to medical issues; the absence of family support and treatable mental disorders.

more on this found on Utahstories.com