journey home
The Gateway Gaston
Journey Home
Step 1
Client presents to Gateway and is personally contacted within 90 minutes.
Step 2
Client is provided a basic housing information survey for completion.
Step 3
Upon completion of housing survey client is referred to Continuum of Care for placement with professional rehousing support services. COC intake professional to contact client.
Step 4
Client situation is vetted and matched with appropriate Gateway volunteer for mentoring and cognitive support such as encouragement, accountability, etc.
Multiple Listing Service Data as of January 2022
| Gaston County | |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1750 |
| Number of Properties Available less than $1000 Per Month | 3 |
| Number of Properties Available less than $885 Per Month | 0 |
Realistic Reminders Regarding Available Housing Services in Gaston County
The Salvation Army Center of Hope at 107 South Broad Street Gastonia is our county’s only overnight crisis shelter. Max capacity is 65 people. This includes 4 family rooms.
Clients may present in person daily to determine if beds are available. The Center of Hope is a safe, high-barrier shelter. Candidates must satisfy these basic requirements:
⁃ Drug screen
⁃ Background check
⁃ Valid Gaston County identification
Hotels No local agencies or churches are equipped to provide funding for hotel lodging.
Housing Inventory Our county’s high rental occupancy rate means that at any given time approximately 2200 rental units remain available for lease at any price in Gaston County. The median rent is approximately $800.
In this market, most rental agencies require an application fee to even be considered for a lease.
In order to sign a lease clients will typically need:
⁃ First month’s rent
⁃ Security deposit
⁃ Utility deposit
⁃ Cleared past due utilities / rental costs from previous rentals if applicable
The United Way estimates that a family of 4 will need approximately $58,000 annual income to live reasonably comfortably in Gaston County. For more specific data visit the United Way Money Needs Calculator
You may search for available rental properties at https://www.myhousingsearch.
Currently, Gaston County has no single comprehensive service provider to support clients from homelessness to sustainable housing. To fill this vacuum, the Gateway offers volunteer mentors who donate their time to provide a hand-up to clients who embark on the journey home. Mentors offer cognitive guidance, encouragement, and accountability for clients who accept and engage this hand-up.
The New York Times reports that the single best option for a child to escape poverty in Gaston County NC is to RELOCATE TO LINCOLN COUNTY. This heartbreaking statistic motivates the Gateway to collaborate for the common good of all Gaston County’s residents. Read the report here.
You may request a volunteer mentor via these links:
The Gateway exists to connect our community for the common good. This effort includes not only connecting clients with appropriate resources with dignity. It also involves nurturing collaborative nonprofit, faith, and professional partnerships to break the strongholds of generational poverty. Housing and integrated services are key to this mission. If you would like to volunteer to serve with the Gateway please click below and let us know:
Click Here to Read the Full Report
