Butler County Human Services has a new administrative post to serve the homeless. The community housing coordinator will be the first county employee devoted to the program that seeks new resources for the homeless and those on the verge of becoming homeless. Resources are increasingly becoming harder to find as homelessness grows.

While difficult to measure — mostly because many homeless individuals do not want to be counted as such — the county’s homeless population has tripled over the past four years to at least 1,200, according to Amanda Feltenberger, county director of Service Integration and Quality Management.

“Options are shrinking as the need is growing,” Feltenberger says.

The housing coordinator is expected to start in April, at an annual salary of about $45,000.

The job appears to be mostly administrative. The coordinator will ensure compliance with state and federal regulations; will seek grant funding; and will build relationships with private partners, such as landlords.

Creation of the housing coordinator post follows federal rules changes that established a “Continuum of Care” program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It’s part of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act — HEARTH.

The HEARTH Act became effective Aug. 30, 2012. It consolidates three HUD housing grant programs into one. It also requires existing local homeless assistance programs to organize themselves in their own Continuum of Care network.

The new HUD regulations require these Continuum of Care networks to designate one “collaborative applicant,” who will apply for HUD grants on behalf of the network and its individual components.

The community housing coordinator will be expected to play the role of collaborative applicant and Continuum of Care coordinator.

The creation of this position reminds us of the sheep rancher who noticed his lambs were underweight, so he bought a new scale. It begs the question: Is this the best remedy? Is this the most effective use of $45,000 a year in county tax revenue?

Regardless of the answer, the federal mandate for the new post seems inevitable. Assuming it is, then here are some suggestions for the individual hired to fill it:

• He or she should be familiar with the homeless, who sometimes seem invisible. You can’t really help those you can’t see.

• Strive for transparency, including detailed disclosure of the federal and state regulations that mandate the Continuum of Care program.

• Honor and respect the agencies and individuals you serve. Strive not to over-emphasize the money-making elements, such as landlords, that drive the program.

• Remember that the homeless are not organized or generally social. Some of the most desperate among them refuse to ask for help. Be willing to meet them where they live and advocate for the least of them.

• Explore innovative programs that encourage homeless individuals to work toward self-sufficiency. Start by obtaining abandoned homes and teach construction skills by renovating them. This has the added benefit of creating more viable housing.

It may be necessary and even cost-effective to hire an administrator for homeless programs. But this case in particular illustrates the folly of our tax dollars returning home from Washington along with rules — and a paid agent — telling us how the money must be spent.