Ending Family Homelessness The Basics National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference Seattle, Washington February 7,

1. Ending Family HomelessnessThe BasicsNational Alliance to End Homelessness ConferenceSeattle, Washington February7, 2008 Sue Marshall The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness Washington, DC www.community-partnership.org

2. About the Community Partnership • Nonprofit public private partnership - 501 (c) 3 • Established to prevent homelessness through community building strategies • Manage the District of Columbia’s Continuum of Care pursuant to competitively procured contract with District of Columbia Department of Human Services (approximately $35m) • Submit annual Continuum of Care application to HUD ($18m) • Develop and operate Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) • Conduct annual Point in Time enumeration and Annual Homeless Assessment report (AHAR)

3. Homelessness in the Nations Capital • Summary of 2007 Point In Time Count • 5757 individuals and persons in families were homeless in January 2007 • Homelessness decreased by 6.5% • Permanent supportive housing increased - 38% of all homeless resided in permanent supportive housing • 340 persons were estimated to be sleeping on the street

4. Families Who AreHomeless in the Nations Capital • Homelessness and poverty are interrelated • The District of Columbia has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation • The average family that is homeless lives on an income that is 80-90 lower than the area median • Generally lower education levels of heads of households in families that are homeless lead to low paying jobs and limited opportunities for financial growth

5. Characteristics of Families that are Homeless(continued) • Primary source of revenue for families that are homeless is public benefits which are stagnant incomes sources that do not adjust to keep pace with the cost of living • The majority of families entering shelter were staying in overcrowded conditions with family or friends; stability there was less than a year • On an average night more than 750 persons in families are residing in emergency shelter

6. Prevention Works • Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)contributed to the decline in family homelessness • Locally funded program pays overdue rent as well as first month rent and security deposits • Applications taken at the point of intake • Nearly 1250 applicants in FY07 at a cost of $1.5m; 87 % of applicants were approved for assistance 83% of assistance was for rent arrearages • TCP is one of four grantees for ERAP

7. Prevention Using Housing First-Community Care Grant Program How the Program Works • Eight Family Support Collaboratives (FSCs) located throughout the city. It is recommended that the family work with a program near their community of origin. • FSC receives about $7,000 per family; $4,000 to case management and $3,000 for bridge subsidy and other housing-related costs. • Last $1,000 for case management is paid only after the family obtains housing. How the Program Works • FSCs have housing specialists on staff who have established on-going relationships with landlords in their neighborhood. • FSCs help the family manage lease application process and resolve credit history issues. • FSCs help family apply for housing vouchers and/or manage to live without a subsidy.

8. Community Care Grant Program Factors for Success • Neighborhood service delivery system. • Community relationships with landlords. • Case management (appreciated by families) • Flexibility of housing funds. • The family’s motivation to succeed. Source:An Assessment of the District of Columbia’s Community Care Grant Program – Center for the Study of Social Policy

9. Family System Transformation • Mayoral mandate to close large, congregate shelter that did not conform to legal mandate to provide apartment-style shelter • Needed to: • Create plan to prioritize how families would be moved out of shelter system • Determine the types of housing options needed • Provide case management services

10. Housing First • Used Community Care Grant Model to achieve System Transformation • Used locally appropriated funds to develop subsidy program • Used HUD Fair Market Rent standards • Families pay 30% of rent • Subsidy can be up to two years • At the end of two years family will be: • Able to live independently without subsidy • Connected to a permanent subsidy • Residing in permanent supportive housing

11. Case management • Entered into contracts with Family Support Collaboratives to: • Identify housing units appropriate for families • Assistance with moving and establishment of households • Intake, assessment and development of a written case plan and budgeting plan for each family • Active engagement with families (weekly or biweekly depending on family profile)

12. Assessment Outcomes • Tier 1 Families with high overall self sufficiency score. • These families were categorized as able to live with minimal supportive services. These families could function well in scattered site community setting with a time limited rental subsidy • Tier 2-Families that had a mid range overall score. • Families categorized as needing an Intermediate level of supportive services where services may be intensive at first, but later level off as they makes progress in dealing with self sufficiency barriers. • Families’ ability to live in scattered site housing would be determined on a case by case basis. • Tier 3 -Families that had a low overall self sufficiency score. These families had particularly low scores in the following areas: • Severe Mental Illness that was not treated • Active & Unacknowledged Chronic Substance Abuse • Active Abuse & Neglect Issues

13. September 2007-100% Shelter Focused System

14. November 2007-57% Neighborhood Based Transitional Housing Bridge SubsidyFocused System

15. Keys to Success • Accurate and thorough front end assessment • Coordinated and formalized partnerships • Mainstream Systems • Landlords • Community-based institutions • Housing subsidies • Flexibility and Accountability • Data/Ability to track and report outcomes

16. “Homeless” describes a family’s current condition; it does not define the family!