Alternatives To Shelter

Ending Homelessness for Women A Collaborative Model In Portland

National Alliance to End HomelessnessAnnual conference July 17-19, 2006

Liora Berry, City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Housing & Community Development

Home AgainA 10-year plan to end

homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County

Focus on the most chronically homeless populations;

Streamline access to existing services to prevent and reduce other homelessness;

Concentrate resources on programs that offer measurable results.

Three Principles

Key Action Steps In the 10 Year Plan

• Move People into Housing First• Stop Discharging People into Homelessness• Improve Outreach to Homeless People• Emphasize Permanent Solutions• Create Innovative New Partnerships• Make the Rent Assistance System More Effective

“Downsizing Shelters”What to Consider

What are the resources in the community? Are the shelters effective? All of them? What do people want and need who use

the shelter? What can be fixed? Will it be enough? What is the cost? What is possible? Is this the right thing to

do?

The Women’s Shelter 34 Bunks Night “wet” shelter Toilets, showers + coin

washer/dryer No linens, no storage No services offered 1 night at a time rule

Question: What are the resources in the

community?A) Homelessness in Portland

…women

B) Funding for Homeless Services in Portland

…women

Homelessness in Portland

17,000-18,500 served in FY 04-05: 11,224 adults without children 7,442 persons in families:

- 4,316 children under 18 - 2,456 persons served in domestic violence system

436 unaccompanied youth (under 18)

1/3 of those living on the street are women

39%

59%

2%

Homeless Funding

26%

12%24%

8%

30%

Client Assistance Permanent HousingShelter Operations Case ManagementTransitional Housing

Total FY 02-03 funding: $32 million from federal, state, local and private resources*

*An additional $16 million was allocated in FY 02-03 for the construction of transitional and permanent housing for homeless persons.

Is the shelter meeting the goals in the 10 Year Plan?

What do the women want and need who use the shelter?

What do the women want who don’t use the shelter but are living on the street?

What can be fixed?

Question: What are the resources/services in

our community?

Evaluating the Shelter• Serves approximately 500 women per year• Uneven occupancy rates & outside queuing• Majority had been living at the shelter: 18

for over a full year & one for over 4 years• High rates of untreated mental health &

chemical dependency• Listening to the women - a shared vision

1st Year - Trying A Fix

1) Provision of Technical Assistance2) Changes to Operations at the Shelter Site3) Adding in Services - Partners with an array of services and housing

Improvements 2004-05 Outcomes...

494 Women Stayed in the Shelter Uneven Occupancy (74 to115 per month) 251 of the Women Served via New

Partners 67 women placed into stable housing 19 into transitional & 48 into permanent

housing

Is this good enough?• Half of the women connecting

…and half are not• 19% of the women who connect

with the partner agencies are placed into housing

…and 81% are not• 10% of the shelter women are

placed into permanent housing…and 90% are still are on the street or in unstable short-term housing

More Improvements Are Needed

Addressing Philosophical Differences Evaluating the Outcomes Exploring the Options Bringing People Together Making the Decision Cutting the Funding - Bumpy Roads Implementing the New Model

WESC: Women’s Emergency Services

Collaborative 4 Experienced High Performing

Partners Transition Projects - Shelter & Services Cascadia - Behavioral Health & Housing JOIN - Street Outreach/Housing First Northwest Pilot Project - Homeless Seniors

Funding & Support- City of Portland

The Model 15 SRO Units of Wet Housing Within a

Mental Health Transitional Housing Site On-Site & Community Services Focus on Permanent Housing

Placement 1 Year of Retention Services Flexible Client Assistance Funds Harm-Reduction Relationship Focused

What is possible? Make it happen!

• Emergency Housing– Private SRO Unit– 2 Meals Per Day– Transportation

Assistance– Mental Health

Assessments & Services– Medication Support– Groups – Social Activities– On-site 24-Hour Staffing– Coordination with

Partners

• Individualized Support– Housing Placement &

Retention Support– Client Assistance – Flexible Rent Assistance– Help Applying for

Benefits/SSD• & More...

– Support in Employment Efforts

– Family Reunification– Furnishings/Supplies

Back to the Shelter …A Housing Placement

Blitz Leveraging Community Resources Agreement on Low-Barrier High

Tolerance Telling the 34 Women: August

29th 2005 Lucky vs. Unlucky Successful Engagement

WESC Is BornOct. 1 2005

WESC - Outcomes For Year 1

192 Women Households Served 210 people; partners, family members and 16 children 78 met the definition of chronically homeless We planned on serving 200 women (a year)

31 Women Provided Emergency Housing at SRO’s 19 exits (12 into PH, 6 into transitional, 1 to Psych facility) We planned on serving 65-75

90 Women Households Placed into Permanent Housing 110 people; partners, family members and those 16 children

89% Remain Stable in Permanent Housing (6 months+) Tracking outcomes at 3, 6 and 12 months after placement

What About the Women Who Were At the Shelter?

OF THE 34 BEDS AT THE DORM…. 30 women engaged 30 placed into housing 27 into permanent housing

including 3 of 6 placed into transitional housing 89% remain in permanent housing (24) & continued efforts at engaging all of the

women

Profiles• 40% Chronically Homeless• 60% Mental Health Issues• 46% Substance Abuse• 18% Had Children Under Age 18

– Only 1 out of 5 were eligible to regain custody• Of Those Entering SRO Units

– 65% Chronically Homeless; 84% Mental Health Issues; 90% Substance Abuse

Personal Profiles- JOIN– Psychiatric hospital, denied state MH referral, placed

into Cascadia MH transitional housing.– In permanent housing since September. Linked with

workforce agency and received subsidized housing via CDN Partner.

– In permanent housing since September. Attending school and has a new job. 6 months clean & sober. Reconnected with her mother.

– In permanent housing since September. Working full-time & working towards renewing teachers license.

Personal Profiles - Cascadia• 26 year old zero income chronically

homeless mentally ill, mother of young daughter. 5 1/2 months in emergency SRO.

• Assistance: Linkage with MH Services; restraining order related to a DV assault; applications for benefits, securing of PSH unit; reestablishing relationship with daughter and coordinating with DHS.

1st Year Fewer women

served with emergency housing

Big increase in the rate of success for all “touched”

1st Year Outcomes None return to the

street: 63% to permanent housing

47% of households, and 52% of people assisted are in permanent housing

WESC: Overall Outcomes

What is the cost? 2003-04 Original Program $164,000 2004-05 The “Fix”

+ .75 FTE Case Manager via Reunited Partner + .50 FTE Mental Health Case Manager

Leveraged 2005-06 “Closing the Dorm, WESC

Born” Transfer the 1.25 FTE to WESC 2.25 NEW FTE Using Existing Funds Almost $60,000 for Client/Rent Assistance (1/2

for relocation of the women in the dorm)

…and the good news continues $75,000 of County funds added for

Safety off the Streets program for women + more funds for rent assistance for WESC

$1.4 Million awarded for KNAC programs $284,000 KNAC program for CH women

Outcomes demonstrate “Housing First” works 240 formerly homeless women (258 people)

34% Reduction in adult shelter wait list

WAS IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO?

…the outcomes

say yes

Thank youCopies of the 10 Year Plan and outcome reports are available

online at: www.portlandonline.com/bhcd

Liora Berry, Ending Homelessness TeamCity of Portland, Oregon

Bureau of Housing & Community Developmentlberry@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-2391