The Impact of Affordable Housing

The Lakewood Resource & Referral Center212 2nd Street Suite 204

Lakewood, NJ 08701

The Topics We’ll be covering.

Preventing Chronic Homelessness

Spurring Economic Growth

Why Address Prevention? Strategies to prevent new cases or “close the

front door” to homelessness are as important to ending homelessness as services to help those who are already homeless re-enter housing

The challenge is targeting efforts toward those who will become homeless without the preventive intervention

Why Focus on Mainstream Programs?

People who experience chronic homelessness are heavy users of expensive mainstream services

Levels of disability and poverty make them likely to be eligible for mainstream programs

Approaches that work for this subgroup may make mainstream services more accessible for others

Prevention of Chronic Homelessness

Involves identifying key individual- and system-level risk factors and targeting prevention efforts to specific subgroups

Risk Factors for Chronic HomelessnessIndividual Risk Factors Chronic health conditions, mental illness and/or substance use

disorders Limited or no social support networks Domestic violence and other victimization or trauma-related factors Family instability as a child (out-of-home placement, family

homelessness, incarceration of a parent) Combat experiences for veterans

System-Based Risk Factors Discharge from jail, prison, hospital, shelter, detox, residential

substance abuse treatment, and foster care Lack of permanent affordable housing Very low or no income

Key Prevention Strategies Development, implementation and monitoring/

enforcement of discharge policies that prevent homelessness (zero-tolerance policies)

Access to supportive services coupled with housing

Pilot programs for ex-offenders (in-reach, housing assistance, post-release support services )

Creating/setting aside housing for people exiting mental health institutions, other at-risk populations (e.g., substance abusers)

The Role of Discharge Planning in Preventing Chronic Homelessness

Discharge planning, linked to affordable housing and aftercare, is a “promising practice” for the prevention of chronic homelessness—particularly for people with health and behavioral health disorders

Discharge from InstitutionsData from Massachusetts showed that people coming into shelters were well-known to the State’s mainstream systems

18-24 year olds aging out of State services

Ex-offenders released from State or county facilities with no place to go

People from detox at the beginning of their recovery

People with serious mental or physical illnesses released directly from a hospital

Best Practice Strategies Develop and implement system-wide policy

that prevent discharges to shelters or streets

Focus on the individual—use stays in hospitals and correctional facilities as opportunities to engage, assess, and plan

Ensure continuity of care when transitioning from one provider to another

Best Practice Strategies Employ “boundary spanners” who understand and can

cross agency lines

Help individuals access housingDevelop housing expertise within mainstream systemsProvide bridge subsidies and priority access to Section 8

Help individuals access servicesLink people to services or teams (ACT, CTI) that provide

or broker servicesHelp individuals gain access to benefits before they are

released

Best Practice Strategies Collaboration and partnerships

Get stakeholders to the tableFind champions, develop incentives, stress cost

savings

AccountabilityHold systems/providers accountable for outcomesEstablish indicators with realistic benchmarksIncorporate standards into contracts

Best Practice Examples…Transition Specialists/Boundary Spanners

New York State’s Office of Mental Health funds pre-release coordinators and a transition case management team to provide services to inmates with mental illnesses released from State prisons. Services include:“In-reach” visitsLinking to community housing and treatment

providersCoordination with Division of Parole

King Co. Seattle’s mental health and addiction services division funds 4 liaisons to work with staff and patients at the State hospital to facilitate transition planning

Best Practice Examples…Accessing Housing Options

Hawaii’s Mental Health Division provides temporary rent subsidies to homeless patients being discharged. Section 8 rules revised to give preference to people who are homeless or receiving bridge subsidies

Kentucky made persons being discharged from State hospitals a priority population for Section 8

New York State’s Office of Mental Health has mandated that individuals at high risk for homelessness receive priority for housing, case management, and Assertive Community Treatment

Best Practice Examples…Continuity of Care and Service Access

Critical Time Intervention and Short-term ACT Services are evidence-based practices for people who have experienced chronic homelessness

Provide intensive clinical services for 6-12 months during and following transition from shelters, hospitals, or jails

Proven effective in maintaining residential stability and linkage to mainstream treatment and other support services after intervention is scaled back or withdrawn

Best Practice Examples…Collaboration and Partnerships

Maryland Mental Hygiene Administration funds transition planning services for incarcerated individuals with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders who are homeless

Seed money is provided to 23 jurisdictions that have developed interagency advisory boards and agreements specifying services community agencies will provide to ensure successful re-entry

Best Practice Examples…Accountability

New Hampshire banned discharges to shelters in a new hospital discharge planning policy

Massachusetts mainstream systems (corrections, mental health, etc.) evaluate contractors on performance measures where homelessness is a negative outcome and housing is a positive outcome. Outcomes are tied to incentives and disincentives in each system

City of Philadelphia and Massachusetts are reducing shelter beds by providing incentives for providers to provide prevention services and supports in housing. Shelter providers are penalized if a former client reappears in the shelter system

Best Practice Examples…Youth in Transition The Federally-funded Independent Living Program for

youth transitioning from foster care allows up to 30% of funds to be used toward housing for youth until they reach the age of 21

Illinois’ Department of Youth and Families’ Youth Housing Assistance Program provides housing advocacy and cash assistance to youth aging out of foster care. Housing advocates throughout the State assist with locating affordable housing and accessing social services. Grants to cover start-up costs (e.g., security deposits) and partial housing subsidies are available

Best Practice Examples…Re-Entry for Ex-Offenders

States and localities are collaborating with criminal justice re-entry initiatives to provide housing and post-release support services

Blended funds to create and provide new housing for formerly incarcerated persons

Re-allocation of Criminal Justice/Corrections capital funding to housing agency

Provision of Corrections/Parole funds to subsidize supportive housing for former inmates

Cross-training for improved discharge planning

Best Practice Examples…Post-Detox/Pre-Recovery Support Massachusetts’ Bureau of Substance Abuse Services

(BSAS) supports two programs to prevent homelessness and relapse for individuals leaving detoxification without a recovery home bed or other housing in place. Both provide services and transitional housing for an average of 30 days

Housing is Critical “…the greatest challenge is not in the discharge planning

process itself, which involves assessing individuals and linking them to services, but in the development of sufficient housing & services…” (SAMHSA Expert Panel Meeting Summary)

Providing housing subsidies that target those with worst case housing needs (e.g., people who experience chronic homelessness) is probably warranted

Studies have shown for more disabled populations (people with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders) access to permanent housing with supportive services is effective

Spurring Growth

Bringing Inflated Housing Costs Down Limiting the Average Monthly Housing expense Facilitating Growth in Consumer Demand

Spurring Growth

Brings Down Cost of Living Lowers Sustainable Salary Levels Lowers Business’ Operating Costs Provides Competitive Pricing Ability Facilitates Better Client Satisfaction

Thank You

Q&A