+

Rapid-Rehousing:what can we learn from North America?

Nick Harleigh-BellNational Youth Policy and Practice Coordinator

+Rapid -Rehousing

Why North America?

Calgary Alberta 10 year Plan & Calgary Youth Homelessness Plan

(2008)

Philadelphia Rapid-rehousing adopted as part of city-wide program (sic)

2013

Other states also use similar approaches …but only got 50 minutes!

+Oh Canada

Alberta

Similar population size as Scotland Similar number of urban municipalities (18 cities, 2

“urban service areas” –similar to Greater Glasgow & Central Belt- 9 towns eligible to be cities

Rapid growth from 2.9% to 10% of Canada’s population in under 10 years (and huge pressure on affordable housing)

Rapid rise in youth homelessness Far larger geographic area than Scotland

+In west Philadelphia born and raised…

Philadephia

Similar size to Glasgow

In 2012-13: 12000 people accessed emergency accommodation 650 people rough sleeping at any one time 27% poverty rate High housing costs (84% making less than $20k pa paid

over 30% income on housing – 70% of which paid over 50% income)

Rising numbers of young people (lowest incomes, least opportunities)

+So?

Both areas looked to develop new programs to change how homelessness tackled

Challenges No “new” money High profile areas Existing systems failing

+What previous systems looked like (regarding emphasis and allocated resource)

Prevention

Emergency Acco

mmodation

& Crisis Suppo

rt

Stable

Accommodation and Support

+What Rapid-Rehousing systems look like (regarding emphasis and allocated resource)

Prevention

Emergency Acco

mmodation

& Crisis Suppo

rt

Stable

Accommodation and Support

+So, what is Rapid Rehousing:Let’s start at the very beginning…

“…provision of housing relocation and stabilization services and short – and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to help a homeless individual or family to move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.”

+Where it fits

+Who? using a Housing First model

Anyone*… No BARRIERS considered (criminality, addiction,

mental health) Only one question needs to be asked:

“Is this issue preventing someone from getting into** housing right now?”

SO unless entirely incapacitated answer is NO- & CAN be considered for Rapid Rehousing

Aim to be housed within 30 days

*over 18 ? **maintaining housing is a different matter

+Why young people?

Over-represented in homeless population

Can be diverted from entering (expensive) homeless system

Greater vulnerability due to Familial trauma Discrimination More identify as LGBTQI+ Difference: adolescent and young adult development

“frozen” by homelessness; not the same as adult due to inexperience and only partly developed resilience

Reduces trauma? Increases life-chances? (Probably)

+“ To grow an adult…

“ …you need to have time, you need to have support, you need to have to let people take risks, you have to let them make mistakes - and what happens when you’re homeless, all of that gets collapsed”

(Professor Stephen Gaetz, York University, Toronto 2013)

+What?

Own tenancy from the start (not transitional/probationary)

Short to medium-term support (max 2 years)

Defined and agreed end date from the very beginning

Client led

Works on strengths not deficits

Participation is home-based and voluntary *

Aims to develop resilience and service support from mainstream, locality and social networks not specialist agencies

(*according to up-front agreement)

+How? (1) Client-side

How is it “client-led”?

Client Driven Processes: -decisions-goals

Client Centred Processses-home-based case management-strengths based (resilience)

Client agrees up front there is a definite exit

+How? (2) Landlord side

Relies on good landlord relationships (US and Canada don’t have well developed, accessible social housing)

Main Landlord concerns are: Rent in full and on time Stable renters “Good neighbourliness” Property care

Young people can be a hard sell! (Role of client-service agreement important)

+How?(3) Service side

Needs a dedicated person to reach out to landlords Tasks include

Cold calling (recruiting landlords seen in internet, street signs, publications – and other “mainstream” means)

Direct mailing to potential landlords Attending local landlord networking meetings Hosting your own landlord event Word of mouth referral

All about the networking: business skills and negotiation required – not the same person as case manager or support

worker

+How? (3) Service side (cont.)

Case-management focus (low caseload - 8:1 high needs, 15-25:1 moderate/low needs)

Broker/advocate/intermediary/mediator

With/watch/confirm approach

No penalty for transition out

+Where?

Place should be:

In an established mixed neighbourhood with access to amenities & potential for positive social networks

Chosen (as much as possible) by client Not within a “Rapid Rehousing ghetto” Chosen using client-centred approach:

Ideally more than one property available Checklist of client’s want and needs Client able to make own decision

+So, what’s different?

Housing up front

Time –bound

Client-led

Community and social networks integration from the start

Mistakes are permitted

No barriers (no housing ready, no pre-tenancy preparation, no bar on offenders or people with addictions)

+Successes? (in US)

+Successes? (Canada)

Cautious findings: still to be evaluated but;

Similar percentages (Around 85% of RR still housed at end of support period) to US programs

Cost neutral - small saving in 5 years ( 3 years of programme to go)

Numbers of homeless young people in Calgary dropping.

+More info

Webinars:

http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/rapid-re-housing-webinars (NAEH)

http://calgaryhomeless.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Youth-Plan-2011.pdf (Calgary Homeless Youth Plan)

https://youtu.be/BcrGjsYKZeE (Professor Stephen Gaetz, York University, “Reimagining Our Response to Youth Homelessness)