Local Voices: Maryland Senate Candidate Speaks to Real Cost of Homelessness

Radio Free Hub City encourages the community to participate by submitting their own thoughts regarding local issues that matter, regardless of political affiliation or views. This letter was recently submitted to us in response to the recent pushback from Antrim Township regarding recent Hagerstown proposals to assist the homeless. These views do not reflect the opinions of Radio Free Hub City or its clients or sponsors.

I want to thank Councilman Kristin Aleshire and Antrim Township Administrator Chris Ardinger for speaking up with real common-sense perspectives about how we approach homelessness and addiction in our community. Both made points that deserve praise — Aleshire was right to remind us that nonprofits, not city hall, should be leading the charge when it comes to human services, and Ardinger made an excellent suggestion about repurposing the old YMCA building. That building could become a recovery and resource hub — a centralized location where people struggling with addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges can get the help they truly need.

Right now, the cost of doing nothing is enormous. On average, each homeless individual costs a community between $35,000 and $45,000 per year, mostly through emergency services — police calls, hospital visits, detox admissions, and short jail stays. When you multiply that by even 100 individuals, that’s $3.5 to $4.5 million a year — and that doesn’t include property damage, business loss from downtown vacancies, or the burden on small children growing up around unstable environments.

EDITOR’S NOTE: These figures are in line with 2016 estimates by the National Alliance to End Homelessness at $35,578 per year.

A safe, well-managed recovery center would cut those costs in half. It would reduce police time, hospital bills, and jail expenses by focusing on treatment instead of punishment. It would also bring in state and federal grants that local nonprofits could use to expand services — turning a social burden into a community solution.

But unfortunately, for the past six years, Senator Paul Corderman has been an obstacle to this kind of progress. He has consistently opposed initiatives that would create sustainable housing and recovery infrastructure — not because the ideas lack merit, but because he benefits politically and financially from keeping the system underfunded. By holding back operational funds and blocking partnerships that would allow nonprofits to coordinate care, he ensures that problems like addiction and homelessness remain unsolved. It’s a political strategy that makes communities appear broken while giving him talking points about “crime” and “decay.” In truth, he’s profited from the very instability he claims to want to fix. Meanwhile, downtown businesses struggle, taxpayers foot the bill, and families live with the consequences.

EDITOR’S NOTE: RFHC is unable to validate claims that Senator Corderman benefits financially from the current funding levels.

Beyond the dollars, the human cost is even greater. Every person who cycles between the streets, hospitals, and jails leaves behind families, children, and neighbors who suffer emotionally and economically. If we create a place that offers hope, structure, and recovery — we not only save money, we save lives.

This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about being strategic, compassionate, and accountable. The old YMCA building could be the cornerstone of a new approach — one where Hagerstown leads with heart and reason, and where every person has a path forward.

Eric Van Buren, Hagerstown Maryland – Democratic Candidate for State Senate, Legislative District 2A & 2B