1. Lessons Learned in Ending Homelessness
Bridges Out of Poverty
2012 Arizona Housing Conference Lloyd S. Pendleton
Tucson, Arizona Special Advisor USICH Executive Director

2. Overview and key points
Opening Doors – Federal Plan on Homelessness – June 2010
Goals:
Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness by 2015
Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans by 2015
Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children by 2020
Set a path to ending all types of homelessness
Utah Committed to homeless plan

3. Utah Committed to Chronically Homeless Individuals
Spoken at this conference the last two years about our organizational and housing first approach
State Homeless Coordinating Committee chaired by Lt. Governor
Organized 12 Local Homeless Coordinating Committees chaired by an elected official – each has a ten-year plan aligned with state ten-year plan
Used pilots to test new approaches and get buy in – especially housing first
Re-purposed homeless funding towards housing and providing supportive services with the housing
Reduced chronic homeless population by 72% from 2005 – 542 remaining
Committed to offer housing to all by 2015
Today I will share concepts in working with individuals in poverty

4. “Men build too many walls and not enough bridges” Sir Isaac Newton

5. Improving Economic Stability
Poverty is a significant contributor to instability and homelessness
Economic classes -- poverty, middle class, and wealth – each has hidden rules (language)
Business and educational systems operate on middle class hidden rules
Middle Class hidden rules –Understanding this allows a person to increase their economic stability

6. What is poverty and how is it generally defined?

7. US Censes Bureau
The Census Bureau defines poverty -- The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country.
In 2011 the US poverty threshold for a family of four was $22,350 (DHHS)

8. Broader Perspective Make a paradigm shift in our view of poverty
We will explore a broader perspective of poverty
Make a paradigm shift in our view of poverty

9. Poverty is More than Money
A broader definition of poverty is “the extent to which an individual goes without resources” and can include:
Emotional
Mental
Spiritual
Financial
Physical
Support Systems
Relationships/Role Models
Knowledge of Hidden Rules
Coping Strategies

10. Leaving Poverty
The ability to leave poverty is more dependent on other resources than it is upon financial resources.

11. General Types of Poverty
Generational – Two generations or more in poverty
Situational – Caused by circumstances
What are some circumstances that cause situational poverty?

12. Behaviors & Circumstances That Promote Poverty
Dependency
Single parenthood
Negative behavior of individuals and groups
Values/work ethic
Breakup of families/family structure
Addition, mental illness
Language experience

13. Mental Models

14. Mental Models Are internal pictures of how the world works
Exist below awareness
Are theories-in-use, often unexamined
Determine how we act
Can help or interfere with learning

15. For a dialogue to occur we must suspend our mental model

16. Economic Poverty
What does it look like?

17. Small Group Discussion
Think of an adult in generational poverty.
Imagine that you followed that person for a year, observing what happened and how he/she spent his/her time.
Write your observations.

18. Mental Model for Poverty

19. Businesses Schools Police Social Services Church Pawn shop
With this slide we expand our examination of the environment to include businesses and other community organizations. Have the group think about the relationship between people in poverty neighborhoods and the police, schools, etc. Is that the same as it is for middle-class people? Analyze the model for stability, safety, and interactions with the dominant culture.
ANCHOR:
If you think of a ”pocket of poverty” in your community, you will often see certain organizations, services, and businesses. Are these present in your community?
In order to understand poverty, we must also address the larger elements that co-exist with poverty in our communities.
Businesses
Pawn shop
Liquor store
Corner store
Rent-to-own
Laundromat
Fast food
Check cashing
Temp services
Used-car lots
Dollar store

20. Generational Poverty – Mental Model
It is a description of the concrete experience.
It is an abstract representation of poverty.
It shows part to whole.
It depicts the relative importance and interlocking nature of the elements.
It is a depiction of the trap: no future story, no choice, no power.

21. Creating a Future Story
Poverty -- Living in the moment and largely based on feelings, thus three concepts need to be nurtured:
Future Orientation – Tell me how this moment plays out for me in the future
Choice – So busy surviving I do not see choice; help me see where and what are my choices
Power – Often fighting social services, healthcare, & criminal justice system; help me see my power and how to effectively use it.

22. Mental model of what it looks like in middle class

23. What Does Middle Class Look Like?
What issues do you face each day?
What activities are you involved in?
What do you think or worry about?
What businesses/stores/facilities do you frequent to support your way of life?
What relations do you have with schools, police, church, etc.?

24. Middle class Mental Model

25. Businesses Shopping/strip malls Bookstores Banks Fitness centers
Schools
Police
Social
Services
Church
This slide continues the investigation into the middle-class environment.
The mental models of class show us where the hidden rules come from.
Businesses
Shopping/strip malls
Bookstores
Banks
Fitness centers
Vet clinics
Office complexes
Coffee shops
Restaurants/bars
Golf courses

26. Wealth Mental Model

27. The Poor Middle Class Wealth
Summary
Survival
Relationships
Entertainment
Work
Achievement
Material
security
Political, financial, social connections
The Poor
Middle Class
Wealth

28. Survival Could you survive in middle class?
Could you survive in poverty?
Could you survive in middle class?
Could you survive in wealth?

29. Hidden Rules

30. Hidden Rules Defined
In all classes, groups, and cultures, there are hidden rules about food, dress, decorum, etc.
Hidden rules are the unspoken cues and habits of a group that an individual does or does not fit.
A child will learn the rules of survival in their environment by breathing – no flip chart needed
You know you have broken a hidden rule when there’s an awkward silence, or you get “the look”

31. What are some of the hidden rules in organizations to which you belong, i.e. work, church, volunteer group, etc?

32. Possessions POVERTY MIDDLE CLASS WEALTH People Things
One-of-a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees

33. Time Poverty – Present most important
-- Decisions made for the moment based on feelings of survival
Middle Class – Future most important
-- Decisions made against future ramifications
Wealth – Traditions & history most important
-- Decisions made partially on basis of traditions/decorum

34. Money Poverty - To be used, spent Middle Class - To be managed
Wealth - To be conserved, invested

35. Food Poverty - Did you have enough? - quantity important
Middle Class - Did you like it?
- Quality important
Wealth - Was it presented well?
- Presentation important

36. Clothing
Poverty - Valued for individual style and expression of personality
Middle Class - Valued for its quality & acceptance into norm of middle class
Wealth - Valued for its artistic sense & expression

37. Education Poverty - Valued & revered but abstract and not a reality
Middle Class - Crucial for climbing success ladder & making money
Wealth Necessary tradition for making money and maintaining connections

38. Language Poverty - Casual register - Language is about survival
Middle Class - Formal register
- Language is about negotiation
Wealth Formal register
- Language is about networking

39. Registers of Language REGISTER EXPLANATION FROZEN
Language that is always the same. For example: Lord’s Prayer, wedding vows, etc.
FORMAL
The standard sentence syntax and word choice of work and school. Has complete sentences and specific word choices.
CONSULTATIVE
Formal register when used in conversation. Discourse pattern not quite as direct as formal register.
CASUAL
Language between friends and is characterized by a 400- to 800-word vocabulary. Word choice general and not specific. Conversation dependent upon non-verbal assists. Sentence syntax often incomplete.
INTIMATE
Language between lovers or twins. Language of sexual harassment.

40. Research – Children 1-3 age by Economic Households
Number of words exposed to
Economic group
Affirmations (strokes)
Prohibitions (discounts)
10 million words
Welfare
1 for every 2
20 million words
Working class
2 for every 1
30 million words
Professional
5 for every

41. Key Points

42. Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear-cut distinction.
Key Point
Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear-cut distinction.

43. Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries.
Key Point
Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries.

44. Key Point
An individual brings with him/her the hidden rules of the class in which he/she was raised.

45. We cannot blame the victims of poverty for being in poverty.
Key Point
We cannot blame the victims of poverty for being in poverty.

46. Key Point
We can neither excuse persons from poverty, nor scold them for not knowing. As professionals we provide support, insistence, and expectations.

47. Key Point
Schools and businesses operate from middle-class norms and use the hidden rules of middle class.

48. Key Point
For the poor to be successful, we must understand their hidden rules and teach the rules that will help them to be successful at school, at work, and in the community.

49. Key point
In order to move from poverty to middle class or from middle class to wealth, an individual must give up relationships (at least for a short time) for achievement.

50. Key Point
By building relationships of mutual respect with those served, we are assisting them in building resources needed to move toward stability or maintain it, AND we can be transformed too.

51. “No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it”
Albert Einstein

52. Helping, Fixing, Serving
“When you help, you see life weak. When you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life a whole. Fixing and helping may be, the work of the ego, and service the work of the soul.”
Naomi Remen

53. What will do differently based on what learned today?
Can you make a difference in the lives of those with whom you work?
How we “help” is very important!
Henry experience

54. No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.
–Dr. James Comer
There are four main reasons one leaves poverty: (1) It’s too painful to stay, (2) a vision or goal, (3) a key relationship, and/or (4) a special talent or skill. Education also can be a bridge out of poverty.
No significant learning—and no significant change—occurs without a significant relationship.
Talk at your table about the changes your organization expects from customers.
Most of our organizations ask people in poverty to change their thinking and their behavior. It all hinges on the quality of our relationships. When we develop community-engagement models, everyone can be transformed by the relationships.
SEQUENCE:
Bridges Out of Poverty introduces a perspective to help us understand that economic class brings a sense of identity with it. We’ll discuss how we can reframe our own thinking in order to build and maintain relationships with someone who may not come “wired” for middle-class structures and organizations.
REINFORCEMENT:
By building relationships of mutual respect with our customers and employees, we’re assisting them in building resources needed to move toward stability or maintain it. AND we can be transformed too.