Developing Local Capacity for Supportive Housing:The Columbus Experience

Barbara PoppeExecutive Director

Community Shelter Boardwww.csb.org

Presented at the 2007 Enterprise Community Conference November 16, 2007

Who is CSB?

Community Shelter Board

• Created in 1986 to respond to growing needs of homelessness in Franklin County

• "It is unacceptable for anyone in our community to go without food or shelter for even one night."

Mel Schottenstein, CSB Founder

CSB’s Founders

• Public/Private Partnership:– City of Columbus

– Franklin County Commissioners

– United Way of Central Ohio

– Columbus Chamber

– Metropolitan Area Church Council

– ADAMH Board

– The Columbus Foundation

– Leo Yassenoff Foundation

Organizational Methods

• Investing in quality programs

• Innovating solutions

• Creating collaborations

What isRebuilding Lives?

A New Strategy - 1998

• Short-term needs -- Ensure basic emergency shelter during a crisis

• Long-term needs -- Establish permanent housing with supportive services

Rebuilding Lives -- Policy Shift

• Reconfigure emergency shelter system

• Develop 800 units of supportive housing

• Establish a Funder Collaborative

• Create Good Neighbor Policies and Procedures

• Institute a community relations plan

Rebuilding LivesFunder Collaborative

• Provide funding for capital, services and operations of supportive housing

• Strategy

• Program guidelines & standards

• Underwriting criteria

• Program evaluation, outcome measurement & reporting requirements

Rebuilding LivesFunder Collaborative

• Members

Affordable Housing Trust of Cols/Franklin Co.

ADAMH Board

City of Columbus, Administration

Columbus City Council

The Columbus Foundation

Columbus Health Department

Columbus Mayor’s Office

Columbus Medical Assoc. Found.

Columbus Metro. Housing Authority

Community Shelter Board

Corporation for Supportive Housing

Franklin County Administration

Franklin County Children Services

Franklin Co. Dept. Job & Family Services

Franklin Co. Office on Aging

Franklin County MR/DD

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing

Osteopathic Heritage Foundation

United Way of Central Ohio

Veterans Service Commission

The Result

• 3 new emergency facilities

• 772 units of permanent supportive housing operational for men, women and families who have experienced long-term homelessness

• 175 more units under development

• Homeless men and women “rebuilding their lives”

What has contributed to

success?

Keys to Project Success

• Success due to tremendous partnership

– Between funders, providers, and neighbors

• Project Development:

– Good Neighbor Agreements

– Diverse locations

– Strong political and business community support

– Strong developers and providers

Keys to Project Success

• Funding

– Board, system and funder support and consistent leadership

– Availability of local and federal funding

– Creativity in securing funding sources

• Housing First Program Model

– Low-demand housing and voluntary services

What impact has occurred?

• New investment from key stakeholders - City, County, ADAMH, CMHA, United Way

• Broad range of implementing agencies (board and staff) are informed and on board

• High level of media attention and focus

What impact has occurred?

• Pressure for public policy action and investment

• Real Estate Transfer Fee

– $6.5 million annually for homeless services & affordable housing

How is public will sustained?

What ‘hooks’ have kept political, business, & community leadership

invested?

• “Caring community – Moral Foundation”

• Partnership approach

• Media coverage – generate positive and manage the negative

• Results -- the plan did not sit on the shelf – it actually was implemented

• Broad & diverse investment

• Consistent, quality communication – “Care & Feeding” of leadership

How have new leaders been engaged?

• Immediate one-on-one briefings

• Tours

• Establish relationship with staff

• Use CSB trustees and their government affairs staff

What are the opportunities?

• Recognition of leaders

• Ongoing engagement of champions

• National Model

What’s Next?

Rebuilding Lives Updated Strategy

• Comprehensive research & resources inventory of current PSH system, plus family system

• Identify successes and challenges in Rebuilding Lives initiative

• Compose a plan based on the current situation, data driven solutions, community input, and result affective programs

• Community steering committee

Columbus’ Report Card

• PSH programs successfully target heavy shelter users.

• PSH programs reduce demand for shelter by at least 5% per year.

• PSH reduces shelter use by 35 days per placement.

Columbus’ Report Card

• PSH residents have much less subsequent admission to shelters.

• 70% of residents either retain housing or exit to successful housing placement over a 5-year period. Only 9% return to homelessness.

Columbus’ Report Card

• Average cost of $33/day is much lower than institutional care. Cost per unit varies widely by program.

• Federal source provide 58% of total operating & services funding for Rebuilding Lives programs; CSB provides 19%; the State of Ohio only 2%.

New Strategies

• Recommendations for PSH

– Develop 1,600 units of PSH

– Create centralized access

– Offer ‘move up’ incentives