At the beginning of each year, as the head of a Vashon social services agency, I find myself reflecting on the past, yet attempting to plan for the future. It’s a tricky position, since, of course, the future is unknowable and the past, too, is not always clear. Having made that disclaimer, I’d like to explore three issues I’ve been pondering due to recent events at the national and local level — issues I call “Cliffs, Crime and Collaboration.”

Cliffs. I guess we did not quite fall off of one, according to the political pundits, but for those of us providing housing and social services, we have been sliding down a slope for awhile.

A New York Times editorial in December summed up the situation well. According to the Times, federal housing programs such as Section 8 provide crucial support to more than five million people, half of whom are elderly or disabled and a third of whom are families with children. These programs ensure that people pay only 30 percent of their income in rent. For most people on fixed incomes, this leaves them with approximately $400 a month for all their other needs.

These five million people are the lucky ones, because more than eight million other individuals and families would be eligible for assistance if we chose to expand Section 8 housing. Instead, these people are stuck paying more than 50 percent of their income for rent. These families are on the verge of homelessness every day.

We are not able to keep up with the people currently being served, much less assist the other eight million who are in need of housing assistance. I ask myself where does that leave us as a nation and how do we help those who are still on a cliff?

Crime. If there were ever a clear causal relationship, it would be between lack of a decent home or homelessness and crime. Every major study supports this. I do not mean that people on the verge of homelessness or without a home are involved with crime; on the contrary, the majority of those people are not. In fact, their incidence of crime is more often as the victim. People on the street have a higher incidence of mental illness and addictions and are generally much more vulnerable.

When there is involvement in the criminal justice system, it’s mainly for shoplifting, petty theft or other minor property crimes that involve getting money to survive.

Here on Vashon, the same is true. We have been hearing a lot lately about homeless encampments, incidents of crime, drug sales and people in our community who say they feel fearful. We have a difficult time accepting that these things happen on our island and often vacillate between anger and empathy, a desire to do something and feelings of helplessness.

All are valid emotions, and I urge you to accept all of these as valid. It shows we are alive and aware of our community; it is also how we begin to address the problems.

Collaboration. Big issues like crime and homelessness can feel overwhelming, but actions by each of us as individuals or groups are what change and repaint the picture. Your support of local social service organizations and our churches already affects our island positively every day. We need to remember these successes, especially when challenges remain; it reminds us we can take care of our own.

As I look forward, I see many continued collaborations as well as new ones beginning on our island. I know the members of the Vashon Social Service Network are working together closely and discussing in-depth how we as a network can best create a single clear voice to continue to support our island. It is this spirit of collaboration and honesty that makes me feel hopeful that Vashon will continue to move forward in 2013.

— Chris Szala is the executive director of Vashon HouseHold, an affordable housing agency.