KENT COUNTYKENT COUNTY HOMELESS STUDY HOMELESS STUDY

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSCENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

FALL 2000FALL 2000

RESEARCH TEAM RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERSMEMBERS

JEFF FROMMEYER – MASTER OF JEFF FROMMEYER – MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK CANDIDATESOCIAL WORK CANDIDATE

TAMMY L. HOLT – MASTER OF URBAN TAMMY L. HOLT – MASTER OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING CANDIDATEAND REGIONAL PLANNING CANDIDATE

DR. REX LAMORE - STATE DIRECTOR, DR. REX LAMORE - STATE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSCENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

DR. JOHN SCHWEITZER- PROFESSOR DR. JOHN SCHWEITZER- PROFESSOR OF THE URBAN AFFAIRS PROGRAMOF THE URBAN AFFAIRS PROGRAM

RESEARCH ADVISORSRESEARCH ADVISORS

ROBERT SCHIRADO - PLANNER, KENT ROBERT SCHIRADO - PLANNER, KENT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTCOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

JAMES WINSLOW – HOUSING JAMES WINSLOW – HOUSING ADMINISTRATOR, KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, KENT COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

MICHAEL STACHOWIAK – HOMELESS MICHAEL STACHOWIAK – HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SALVATION ARMYASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SALVATION ARMY

BETTY ZYLSTRA- DIRECTOR OF BOOTH BETTY ZYLSTRA- DIRECTOR OF BOOTH SERVICES, SALVATION ARMYSERVICES, SALVATION ARMY

KENT COUNTY HOMELESS KENT COUNTY HOMELESS STUDYSTUDY

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION DESCRIPTION OF DATADESCRIPTION OF DATA RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSISRESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

DESCRIPTION OF DATADESCRIPTION OF DATA

PERIOD OF DATA COLLECTIONPERIOD OF DATA COLLECTION PARTICIPATING SHELTERSPARTICIPATING SHELTERS CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET

(INTAKE FORM)(INTAKE FORM)

PARTICIPATING SHELTERSPARTICIPATING SHELTERS

CASA DE LA PAZCASA DE LA PAZ THE BRIDGETHE BRIDGE DOMESTIC CRISIS DOMESTIC CRISIS

CENTERCENTER GUIDING LIGHT GUIDING LIGHT

WOMEN’S MISSIONWOMEN’S MISSION HOMELESS HOMELESS

ASSISTANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMPROGRAM

ICCF FAMILY HAVEN ICCF FAMILY HAVEN

MEL TROTTER MEL TROTTER MISSIONMISSION

RAMOTH HOUSERAMOTH HOUSE RECUPERATION RECUPERATION

CENTERCENTER RED CROSS RED CROSS THE SALVATION THE SALVATION

ARMY ARMY SENIOR NEIGHBORS SENIOR NEIGHBORS WELL HOUSEWELL HOUSE

PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY (INCLUDING MISSING (INCLUDING MISSING

DATA)DATA)

Yes25%

No58%

Missing17%

PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY

Yes30%

No70%

RECENT RESIDENCERECENT RESIDENCE

76%

4%

7%

13%

Grand Rapids

Wyoming

Other Kent County

Outside of KentCounty

HIGH SCHOOL / GEDHIGH SCHOOL / GED

46%

54%yesno

ATTENDED COLLEGEATTENDED COLLEGE

20%

80%

yesno

FAMILY COMPOSITIONFAMILY COMPOSITION

35%

13%

43%

9%

single femalesingle malefemale with childrenother

FAMILY SIZEFAMILY SIZE

48%

16%

16%

20%

1234+

AGE OF PRIMARY CLIENTAGE OF PRIMARY CLIENT

Mean age was Mean age was 29.229.2

Youngest was 9Youngest was 9 Oldest was 87Oldest was 87 92% were 92% were

younger than 46 younger than 46 yearsyears

14%

28%

31%

19%

8%

Lessthan 1818-25

26-35

36-45

46+

GENDERGENDER

20%

80%

MalesFemales

FAMILY RACE FAMILY RACE

49%

40%

6%5%

BlackWhiteHispanicOther

SOURCES OF FAMILY SOURCES OF FAMILY INCOMEINCOME

051015202530

REASONS FOR REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

IN PERCENT IN PERCENT

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

VETERAN HOUSEHOLDVETERAN HOUSEHOLD

4%

96%

YesNo

MOVED FROM SHELTER MOVED FROM SHELTER TO:TO:

21%

11%

13%15%

28%

12%

another shelterfriends of familyindependentlast residenceunknownother

RESULTS OF DATA RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSISANALYSIS

QUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESSQUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESS OVERALL INCIDENTSOVERALL INCIDENTS LENGTH OF STAYLENGTH OF STAY RECIDIVISMRECIDIVISM DEMOGRAPHIC CROSSTABSDEMOGRAPHIC CROSSTABS

WAYS OF QUANTIFYING WAYS OF QUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

Incidents - indicated by intake formsIncidents - indicated by intake forms• Single person or a familySingle person or a family• Unique incident or recidivismUnique incident or recidivism

Unique ID’sUnique ID’s Length of stay: date left-date enteredLength of stay: date left-date entered Bed-Nights: (family size) x (length of Bed-Nights: (family size) x (length of

stay)stay)

MEASURES OF MEASURES OF HOMELESSNESS INHOMELESSNESS IN

THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD

11,132 incidents in five years11,132 incidents in five years• 5,104 unique incidents5,104 unique incidents• 2,005 individuals were recidivists2,005 individuals were recidivists• 6,028 repeated incidents6,028 repeated incidents

Family size mean = 2.2Family size mean = 2.2 Length of stay averaged 9.5 daysLength of stay averaged 9.5 days Average incident used 20.9 bed-nightsAverage incident used 20.9 bed-nights 226,803 total bed-nights226,803 total bed-nights

INCIDENTS OF INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESS HOMELESSNESS

INVOLVING CHILDRENINVOLVING CHILDREN

66% of the incidents involved children66% of the incidents involved children• 37%involved children under age 637%involved children under age 6• 32% involved children aged 6-1732% involved children aged 6-17• 15% of the incidents were single children 15% of the incidents were single children

under age 18under age 18 There were 14,211 children involved in There were 14,211 children involved in

homeless incidentshomeless incidents 129,240 bed-nights were used by 129,240 bed-nights were used by

childrenchildren

INCIDENTS OF INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

BY YEARBY YEAR

2526 2553

2113

1709

2122

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99

BED-NIGHTS BY YEARBED-NIGHTS BY YEAR

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

1st Qtr 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99

LENGTH OF STAYLENGTH OF STAY

Average length Average length was 9.5 dayswas 9.5 days

Most frequent Most frequent (18%) was 1 day(18%) was 1 day

61% stayed less 61% stayed less than 1 weekthan 1 week

8% stayed more 8% stayed more than 4 weeksthan 4 weeks

61%

31%

8%

Lessthan 1Week1 to 4Weeks

Over 4Weeks

LENGTH OF STAY (DAYS) LENGTH OF STAY (DAYS) BY REASON FOR BY REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

0 5 10 15 20 25

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

DAYS

LENGTH OF STAY LENGTH OF STAY BY SHELTER GROUPBY SHELTER GROUP

0 10 20 30 40

Intake/Assessment

Motels

Special Populations

Men

Women andChildren

DAYS

INCIDENTS OF INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

BY SHELTER GROUP BY SHELTER GROUP

38%

3%26%

29%

4%

Women and ChildrenMenSpecial PopulationsIntake/AssessmentMotels

REPEATED INCIDENTS OF REPEATED INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

Of the 11,132 Of the 11,132 incidents, 46% were incidents, 46% were one timersone timers

20% were persons 20% were persons who had two who had two incidentsincidents

15% had 5 or more 15% had 5 or more incidents of incidents of homelessness in the homelessness in the five year periodfive year period

Number of Incidents

1

2

3

4

5 plus

USE OF HOMELESS USE OF HOMELESS SHELTERS IN BED-NIGHTS SHELTERS IN BED-NIGHTS

BY RECIDIVISMBY RECIDIVISM

41%

22%

13%

9%

15%

1

2

3

4

5

PERCENT OF RECIDIVISM PERCENT OF RECIDIVISM BY REASONS FOR BY REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

RECIDIVISM BY GENDERRECIDIVISM BY GENDER

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1 2 3 4 5+

MenWomen

RECIDIVISM BY RACERECIDIVISM BY RACE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

White Black Other

One TimeTwo or More

RECIDIVISM BY FAMILY RECIDIVISM BY FAMILY COMPOSITIONCOMPOSITION

55.3

39.5

60.9

42.438.8

50.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Sing

leFe

mal

e

Sing

leM

ale

Fem

ale

&Chi

ldre

n

Mal

e &

Chi

ldre

n

Cou

ple

Cou

ple

&Chi

ldre

n

RECIDIVISM BY WHERERECIDIVISM BY WHERE CLIENT MOVED TO CLIENT MOVED TO

More Likely to Repeat Homeless More Likely to Repeat Homeless EpisodeEpisode• Another shelterAnother shelter• Substance abuse treatmentSubstance abuse treatment

Less Likely to RepeatLess Likely to Repeat• Out of townOut of town• Returned to last residenceReturned to last residence• VA facilityVA facility

NUMBERS OF HOMELESS NUMBERS OF HOMELESS PEOPLEPEOPLE

BY RACE AND GENDER BY RACE AND GENDER

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Whites Blacks Other

MalesFemales

PERCENT OF HOMELESS PERCENT OF HOMELESS MALES AND FEMALES BY MALES AND FEMALES BY

RACERACE

48

33.637.6

56

14.410.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Whites Blacks Other

MalesFemales

RECIDIVISM BY RACE AND RECIDIVISM BY RACE AND GENDERGENDER

39.3

49.6

40.6

64.7

37.1

51.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Whites Blacks Other

MalesFemales

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM CHILDREN AS CUSTOMERSCHILDREN AS CUSTOMERS REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSREASON FOR HOMELESSNESS PARTNERSHIPSPARTNERSHIPS

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM

TRAINING FOR INTAKE WORKERSTRAINING FOR INTAKE WORKERS EDUCATIONAL LEVEL- ENTER HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL LEVEL- ENTER HIGHEST

GRADE COMPLETEDGRADE COMPLETED PRIMARY REASON FOR STAY CATEGORY PRIMARY REASON FOR STAY CATEGORY

- SPECIFY WHAT “OTHER” MEANS- SPECIFY WHAT “OTHER” MEANS SIZE OF FAMILY CATEGORY - REPLACE SIZE OF FAMILY CATEGORY - REPLACE

WITH THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING SHELTERSEEKING SHELTER

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM

INCLUDE A CATEGORY FOR INCLUDE A CATEGORY FOR REFERRING AGENCY, WALK-IN, REFERRING AGENCY, WALK-IN, POLICE DROP-OFF, ETC.POLICE DROP-OFF, ETC.

FAMILY COMPOSITION -COMPLETE FAMILY COMPOSITION -COMPLETE A SEPARATE INTAKE FORM FOR A SEPARATE INTAKE FORM FOR EACH ADULT SEEKING SHELTEREACH ADULT SEEKING SHELTER

CHILDREN AS CUSTOMERSCHILDREN AS CUSTOMERS

66% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE 66% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDRENCHILDREN

37% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE 37% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 6YRS.6YRS.

HOW DO THESE CHILDREN HOW DO THESE CHILDREN PERCEIVE THEIR HOMELESS PERCEIVE THEIR HOMELESS EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

REASON FOR REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

FINANCIAL - RECIDIVISMFINANCIAL - RECIDIVISM DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE - DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE -

RECIDIVISMRECIDIVISM TANF - TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TANF - TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE

FOR NEEDY FAMILIES FOR NEEDY FAMILIES LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING

UNITS BEING PRODUCEDUNITS BEING PRODUCED

PARTNERSHIPSPARTNERSHIPS

YOU CAN’T GO IT ALONEYOU CAN’T GO IT ALONE NEED FOR A PATH TO STABLE NEED FOR A PATH TO STABLE

HOUSING PRODUCTION (IF UNITS HOUSING PRODUCTION (IF UNITS ARE AVAILABLE)ARE AVAILABLE)

STRONG COOPERATION WITH STRONG COOPERATION WITH DOMESTIC ASSUALT, MENTAL DOMESTIC ASSUALT, MENTAL HEALTH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HEALTH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIESAGENCIES

KENT COUNTYKENT COUNTY HOMELESS STUDY HOMELESS STUDY

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSCENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

FALL 2000FALL 2000