Housing Chronically Homeless People in Single Site Projects

NAEH Annual Conference

Washington, DC

Monday, July 17, 2006

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Presenters

Matthew Doherty, CSH-Resource Center (San Diego)

Katrina Van Valkenburgh, CSH-Illinois Program (Chicago)

Kevin Sharps, Episcopal Community Services (San Francisco)

Steven Shum, CSH-California Program (Oakland)

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CSH’s Mission

CSH helps communities create permanent housing

with services to prevent and end homelessness.

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Where We Work

Local offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, California.

Targeted initiatives in Kentucky, Maine, Oregon, and Washington.

CSH’s national teams assist supportive housing practitioners across the U.S.

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Outline

1. Defining Permanent Housing2. Preparing for Tenants’ Challenges3. Effective Service Strategies4. Effective Property Management

Strategies5. Building Community Acceptance6. Addressing Common Challenges in

Supportive Housing Operations

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Questions

1. How many of you are currently serving previously chronically homeless tenants in permanent housing?

2. How many are considering developing such a project?

3. How many work primarily on the property management side?

4. How many work primarily on the supportive services side?

5. Any urgent questions for us to address?

Defining Permanent Supportive Housing

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What is Supportive Housing?

Supportive housing is

permanent affordable housing combined with a range of

supportive services that help

people with special needs

live stable and independent

lives.

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HOUSING – PERMANENT: Not time limited, not transitional;– AFFORDABLE: For people coming out of

homelessness; and– INDEPENDENT: Tenant holds lease with normal

rights and responsibilities.

SERVICES – FLEXIBLE: Designed to be responsive to tenants’

needs;– VOLUNTARY: Participation is not a condition of

tenancy; and– INDEPENDENT: Focus of services is on maintaining

housing stability.

Housing + Services

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People who: Are chronically homeless Cycle through institutional and

emergency systems and are at risk of long-term homelessness

Are being discharged from institutions and systems of care

Without housing, cannot access and make effective use of treatment and supportive services

Who is Supportive Housing For?

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People who:

But for housing cannot access and make effective use of treatment and supportive services in the community;

and

But for supportive services cannot access and maintain stable housing in the community.

Who is Supportive Housing For?

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Affordability Safety and Comfort Support Services are Accessible,

Flexible, and Target Residential Stability

Empowerment and Independence

Key Principles

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1. Housing Choice

2. Housing and Services Roles are Distinct

3. Housing Affordability

4. Integration

5. Tenancy Rights / Permanent Housing

6. Services are Recovery-Oriented and Adapted to the Needs of Individuals

6 Dimensions of Best Practice

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Consensus among experts and policy-makers

Responds to documented needs and preferences of consumers

Documentation of supportive housing model(s) and agreement on (most) key principles

A growing body of evidence from research

Evidence-Based Practice

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Housing + Services Make a Difference More than 80% of supportive housing tenants are able to

maintain housing for at least 12 months Most supportive housing tenants engage in services,

even when participation is not a condition of tenancy Use of the most costly (and restrictive) services in

homeless, health care, and criminal justice systems declines

Nearly any combination of housing + services is more effective than services alone

“Housing First” models with adequate support services can be effective for people who don’t meet conventional criteria for “housing readiness”

Consistent Research Findings

Preparing for Tenants’ Challenges

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Preparing for Tenants’ Challenges

CASE STUDY – IN YOUR PACKET

QUESTION 1: What are some of the challenges Margaret may face as she tries to remain living stably in her new apartment?  

QUESTION 2: What issues should the property management and social services staff be prepared to address to help ensure Margaret can be successful?

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The Impact of Homelessness

LOSSES: Homeless people risk losing everything that made the world a safe, predictable and ordered place. Some of these losses include:

Loss of power Loss of control over their lives Loss of self-esteem and identity Loss of pride Loss of connection to people Loss of support network Loss of possessions Lack of privacy, nutrition, sleep Loss of routine

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The Impact of Homelessness

FEELINGS BEHAVIORS Fearful Protective, Hoarding

Uncertain Guarded Guilty Self-destructive

Shameful Isolated Angry Lashing Out

Frustrated Needy Stigmatized Sick Worthless Unproductive

Effective Service Strategies

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Successful Service Philosophies

Housing First Voluntary Services Consumer-Driven / Client-Centered Working with Substance Use and

Relapse

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Developing the Service Program

Deciding What Service to Provide With the vast array of services you could

provide in your housing, how do you decide which you will actually offer?

Types of Services Supportive Services Planning Worksheet:

Menu of Services Available to Tenants

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Services Make the Difference

Flexible and Voluntary General Supportive Services Independent Living Skills Counseling Health and Mental Health Services Alcohol and Substance Use Services Community-Building Activities Vocational Counseling and Job

Placement

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Services Program Standards

Service Program Design Provider / Tenant Relations Community Linkages Property Management / Social Services

Relationship Crisis Prevention / Safety and Security Crisis and Emergency Protocols Recording and Reporting

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Services in Supportive Housing

Services critical in achieving residential stability and maximizing independence: Assistance with budgeting, paying rent Access to employment Tenant involvement Medication monitoring and management Daily living skills training or assistance Medical and health services

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Services critical in achieving residential stability and maximizing independence:Counseling and support in achieving

self-identified goals.Assistance in meeting lease

obligations and complying with house rules

Referrals to other services or programsConflict-resolution training

Services in Supportive Housing

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Engagement Strategies

Engagement sets the stage for formal case management and

treatment sessions where in-depth assessments, counseling, and

referrals can occur on an individualized basis.

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Goals of Engagement

Care for immediate needs Develop a trusting relationship Provide services and resources Connect to mainstream services

and social networks to maximize independence

Helping people stay housed

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Effective Engagement

Create the proper physical environment Respect, accept and support people Develop active listening skills Let the tenant’s goals drive the services

offered Help people make informed choices Be consistent with repeated, predictable

patterns of interaction Engagement should be non-threatening

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Effective Engagement

Effective engagement for people with mental health issues

Effective engagement for people with substance use issues

Effective Employment

Strategies

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CHETA Program

October 2003 five communities received grants from HUD and DOL through Ending Chronic Homelessness through Employment and Housing program.

Bring together the local workforce development systems and the permanent supportive housing to increase employment outcomes for people who are chronically homeless

CHETA: CSH in partnership with Advocates for Human Potential provide technical assistance to these sites through the Chronic Homeless Employment Technical Assistance Center

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Lessons Learned

In general, people with psychiatric disabilities in the community have a 10% work participation rate (10% are employed).  In supportive housing, the rate goes up to 20%, on average. 

If your building doesn't have at least 15-20% working, you want to evaluate:Are you providing appropriate employment

services?Do you have barriers for your tenants in your

employment services that you're not aware of (staff telling them they're not ready, etc.)?

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Lessons Learned Don't wait! 

Employment can and should be something discussed at outreach and intake

Planning around employment should start immediately upon entry into supportive housing. 

Many providers falsely believe that the tenants need time to "settle in" before they can start thinking about employment – but many have found it's easier to begin discussing employment at time of move-in. 

Tenants may not begin work immediately, but talking about employment helps normalize them in the new environment faster, prevents some of the depression and/or anxiety about moving in that might otherwise occur.

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Lessons Learned Tenants and people with psychiatric disabilities

overwhelming say they want to work.  Supported employment has proven to be a

successful model across mental health and substance abuse populations, gender, race, income, and housing setting.

Supported employment programs have reached 40-60% employment rates. 

Supported employment includes competitive jobs; rapid job entry (no long pre-vocational job readiness or club house model); long-term wrap-around support once placed in a job, without a time limit to that assistance.

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Lessons Learned Project in Indianapolis with a housing first/work first model for

street and shelter homeless has reached a 70+% employment rate and a 50%+ retention rate at 6 months.

As with approach to mental illness or substance use -- recovery and maintenance will be a lifelong endeavor, and there will be stumbling along the way - relapse is normal. 

It is a circuitous route, not a straight line from job readiness training, to subsidized job, to unsubsidized job to long-term retention.

CSH's Next Step: Jobs program (3 cities, 27 sites for 3 years) proved that employment is cost effective for all parties:  tenants, government, society as a whole.  Tenants, while taking an immediate loss in income (from less benefits), had a bottomline net gain later on.  Costs were returned to government through reductions in benefits paid and increase in taxes paid. 

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Employment Resources

CHETA website:   www.csh.org/cheta CHETA Listserve: 

chronichomeless@topica.com SAMHSA website (look for supported

employment under evidence based practices): www.samhsa.gov

CSH website: www.csh.org

ECS’ Supportive Services Strategies

Effective Property Management

Strategies

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Forms of Property Management

Project sponsor owns the project or leases the units and provides the property management.

Project sponsor owns the project but contracts for property management services from a property management company.

Project sponsor leases units from a private property owner who continues to manage the units.

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Key Principles of Property Management

Principle 1: Property Management Supports Mission-Driven HousingShared commitment to the success of

the community and each of the tenants that resides in the building.

Shared commitment to coordinated communication between social services, property management and tenant organizations.

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Mission-Driven Property Management

“Double Bottom Line”

Implement key practices related to: Development, enforcement of house rules Collaborative approaches to tenant

selection and screening, move-in, orientation and crisis management

Resident councils Creation of job opportunities for tenants Record-keeping Evictions and problem-solving

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Key Principles of Property Management

KEY PRINCIPLE #3

Principle 2: Establish clear roles and responsibilities Commitment to clear roles and

responsibilities for all stakeholders. Establishment of ongoing forum(s)

for talking about and re-negotiating roles and responsibilities.

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Key Principles of Property Management

KEY PRINCIPLE #3

Principle 3: recognize overlap and built-in tension between roles Respect for the different roles of

social service provider, property manager, owner and tenant council; Each is necessary and important for a well-managed building.

Acknowledgment and productive use of the built-in tension between these roles/functions.

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Overlapping Roles and Responsibilities

Supportive services goals and responsibilities

Property management goals and responsibilities

Goals that all staff have in common and mutually support

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Areas of Overlap Between Property Management and Support Services Functions Intake: Tenant Selection and Interviewing Orientation of Incoming Tenants Rent Payment and Arrears Dealing with Disruptive Behaviors Procedures in Crisis Tenant Grievance Procedures Tenant Council Community Building

Overlapping Roles and Responsibilities

ECS’ Property Management

Strategies

Community Acceptance Strategies:

The Six Steps

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The Six Steps

Intended to be a proactive, comprehensive, collaborative, and flexible approach

A framework, not a formula

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The Six Steps

Step I: Assessment and Planning Step II: Political Strategy Step III: Building Active Community

Support Step IV: Dealing with Community

Concerns Step V: Legal Strategy Step VI: Public Relations/Media Strategy

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Benefits

Fewer costs and delays. Fewer fire drills and surprises. More sense of your own power. Increase likelihood of tenant

acceptance in community.

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Step I – Assessment and Planning

Done early in the pre-development process.

Development team should meet with loyal supporters (people who can keep secrets before the project goes public) to assess and plan.

Assess what local government approvals are needed, when, by whom.

Assess process, criteria and timeline.

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Purpose

Separate the Unique from the Generic

What is our organization’s reputation in its county/jurisdiction?

Who are the leaders in the community and what is their knowledge of supportive housing; experience with our organization; knowledge and experience with the population we are serving?

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What and Where

What is “around” the site; history of the neighborhood; who are the local organizations.

What are the neighbors’ issues going to be.

What are the potential legal issues. Where are we going to find supporters.

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Developing Your Strategy

Project may affect staffing needs, timeline and budget.

Step I must be done first Implementation of the remaining steps

occurs simultaneously The process is not linear. Expect your plans to change, but being

prepared, you will still have an advantage.

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Step II – Political Strategy Assess the local government Elected officials, appointed officials, area commissions,

architectural review boards, city/county/village administrators and staff.

Timing is critical---harder to sway votes when proposal is already surrounded by controversy.

Ask the question: “If the vote were held tonight, do I know what the outcome would be?”

Identify solid supporters, uncertain votes and opponents.

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Three Types of Situations

Positive: Positive enough; make sure you don’t lose votes

Mixed: Persuade unknown votes, use allies to move votes, secure votes you think you have, determine strategies for unknown

Negative: Use law; peer to peer usually works well

Rest of planning will depend upon which situation you are in, what votes you need

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Step III – Build Public Support

Active, vocal community support will help you get/keep political support, counter your opponents, tell your story to the media, and when appropriate say things that the developer may not want to say.

Second most often neglected step. Hard to make time for. Very valuable when there is a problem.

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To Do

Brainstorm potential supporters Think broad, wide and creatively of who and how

they can help Prioritize how much and what supporters can/will

do Recruit Get your foot in the door - ask potential

supporters to do something small before the BIG ASK

Train, support, mobilize, and deploy

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Step IV – Dealing with Community Concerns

This is a critical and the MOST difficult process It’s about relationship building Not everyone who asks a question is an

opponent--much less a permanent opponent Have an alternative to “community meetings”

for getting out and connecting to the community Large meetings may help organize the

opposition

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General Strategy

Peel away the number of issues and opponents so that you can tell opponents compelling and true stories of your efforts

In dealing with community concerns there are always three things going on:

Mutual education processProblem identification and solvingBuilding relationships

General Strategy

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To Do

Canvassing Open House One-on-one meetings, small home

meetings Tours Thank you letters and reminders Make no promises you’re not sure you

can fulfill

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Step V – Legal Strategy

Can cover several topics: Any land use issues/zonings you’ll

need for the siting of the project Responses to opponents who base

opposition on discriminatory statements or actions

Fair housing and rights of tenants

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Step VI – Media Strategy

Most reporters write the story that is easiest to write

Learn how to make the reporter’s job easier to tell our story--do some of the reporter’s work for him/her

Use a prepared response strategy rather than trying to go out and get stories

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To Do

Designate and prepare a spokesperson--include supporters and successful clients/residents

Develop a few clear and simple messages and alternative stories for interested reporters

Prepare easily fax-able fact sheets

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To Do

Offer to give tours of existing developments

Give lists of references Follow-up on any coverage you get with

a thank you, a factual correction If coverage biased, supporters can write

letters to editor or op-ed pieces Develop ongoing friendly relationship

with media

ECS’ Community Building

Experiences

BREAK!

Addressing Common Challenges In

Supportive Housing Operations

Deborah’s Place Eviction Prevention

Program

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Deborah’s Place

Founded in 1985 Serves women who were formerly

homeless

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Deborah’s Place

Housing and programs include: Delores Safe Haven Teresa’s Interim Housing Program Permanent Supportive Housing

Marah’s: 30 unitsPatty Crowley Apartments:

39 unitsRebecca Johnson Apartments:

90 units Case Management and Therapeutic

Services Education and Employment Services

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Deborah’s Place Mission

Deborah’s Place breaks the cycle of homelessness for women in Chicago

through a continuum of housing options, comprehensive support services and opportunities for change provided by

dedicated volunteers and staff, women succeed in achieving their goals of stable housing, sustainable income and greater

self determination.

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Deborah’s Place Mission

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Development of Eviction Prevention Program

Always part of Deborah’s Place unwritten culture that they work with women who had not been successful in other housing environments

Eviction may at times be a sad necessity, but defeats the agency’s mission and the agency’s view of ending homelessness

Deborah’s Place believes that eviction continues the cycle of homelessness

Implementing Eviction Prevention

Program

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Homelessness Prevention Specialist

Assists women through the application and interview process for Deborah’s Place housing and subsidy and advocates for tenants at risk of eviction

When a tenant is at risk of eviction, this staff person supplements their regular case management services

The tenant’s case manager stays in close contact with the Homelessness Prevention Specialist during this period of time

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Intensive Case Management

Intensive case management for first 3 months

Case Managers work together to ensure that all new tenants receive special programming to assist them in adjusting to housing

Ideal is the moment the woman moves into the building, her case manager or homelessness prevention specialist are there to greet her and help her move in

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Committees

Barring and Termination Prevention Committee Oversees barring or termination from

all residential programs Eviction Prevention Committee

Determines natural consequences for lease violations

Reviews all decisions made by the housing team on lease violations

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Eviction Prevention Committee

Led by the Director of Supportive Housing

Includes: Property ManagerCase Management TeamChief Operating Officer (COO)

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Lease Violation Process

For when tenant is at-risk of eviction Eviction Request Form filled out by Property

Manager Tenant identifies their Advocate Form sent to tenant, COO, PM, HPS, Case

Manager and Tenant’s Advocate Tenant and Advocate present their case to

Eviction Prevention Committee Tenant may meet with the Eviction Prevention

Committee several times to review tasks and progress

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Eviction Prevention Committee’s Recommendation

Committee must write up their recommendation which must include:Lease ViolationInterventions staff has made to avoid eviction

If the recommendation is to evict, they must document how the eviction meets the mission and values of the organization, how it is a natural consequence for the behavior and why it is the only option

They can recommend consequences other than eviction

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Final Decision

Committee makes recommendation to Director of Supportive Housing and COO who make final decision

If the final decision is to go ahead with eviction, the legal eviction process would begin at this point

If the final decision is not to evict, there may be some requirements that the tenant will need to comply with

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The Results

Fiscal Year 2002-2003: 10 women evicted from their 129 units of permanent supportive housing in two buildings

Since implementing the eviction prevention program July 1, 2003, Deborah’s Place has only evicted 5 women during these three years

3 for unit abandonment and 2 for nonpayment of rent

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Lessons Learned

Having a hearing prior to implementing formal eviction procedures gives an opportunity for the tenant to take responsibility to correct their behavior

Shifting to an eviction prevention philosophy can be difficult for staff

Requires a lot of staff training and patience Staff who can’t buy in, have to leave, and this

can be painful Plan to do Harm Reduction training for tenants,

to help them understand this process

Addressing Other Common Challenges

Questions and Answers

& Wrap Up

To Learn More About Supportive

Housing

visit www.csh.org