Tiny Houses, An Alternative Housing Solution REALITY AND SOLUTIONS Tiny Houses, An Alternative Housing Solution

Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless (CSAH) Lead Agency for Homeless Services in Chatham County Founded 1989 Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless (CSAH)

What is best practice today? Housing First Ending homelessness by providing housing before any attempt at service, case management, or entry into programs. No barrier shelters Comprehensive policy and investment on affordable housing What is best practice today?

Why do we have this problem? Well intended, wrong approach Entrenched myths about the homeless Inadequate attention to economics Short term approaches 5842 on public housing wait list 9752 on housing choice voucher wait list $12,602 avrg HH income, size 2.2 persons Why do we have this problem?

Why? GA Prison Population Georgia – 8th highest incarceration rate in U.S. 54,000 inmates in 2014 30% recidivism rate Why? GA Prison Population

Common myths Homeless persons choose this life They are lazy Camps: 35 - 18 down town, 10 south side, 1 eastside, 6 Garden City - Housing They are lazy Housing affordability Criminal background barriers (Crime free hsg) Mental health, substance abuse, physical limitations They need to get a job Hiring barriers, self-care barriers, housing Common myths

Other helpful information Many homeless individuals have income A chronic homeless person finds creative ways to survive Many homeless people struggle with mental illness, substance abuse, physical injury Veterans may have undiagnosed brain injury Other helpful information

What does our system look like? Nonprofits Food, clothing, shelter, legal, job training Continuum of Care – coordination, HUD $ Government Sub-contracts with nonprofits Focus on urgent issues Law enforcement Business & citizens – just get rid of it What does our system look like?

What can we do? Embrace Housing First Rethink Our Housing Policy Ending homelessness by providing long term homeless persons with dignified housing Rethink Our Housing Policy Housing is a basic need – remember Maslow All new housing development serves various incomes What can we do?

What can we do? Recognize that we made missteps Address the issue as if it is ours – press leaders to embrace proven ways to solve the challenge Recognize the true costs of doing nothing Emergency room admissions Mental health hospital admissions Environmental impact of garbage build up What can we do?

75+ COST STUDIES – COUNTERINTUITIVE RESULTS The American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness 75+ COST STUDIES – COUNTERINTUITIVE RESULTS Maine Seattle Portland Minnesota Sioux Falls Boston Minneapolis California SE CT Quincy Santa Clara New York Salt Lake City Chicago Dayton Reno San Francisco Denver Indianapolis Cincinnati Richmond Cincinnati North Carolina Santa Barbara Louisville Asheville, NC Los Angeles South Carolina Dallas Atlanta Maricopa County San Diego Fort Worth Jacksonville Waco Gainesville Completed Studies San Antonio Lee County Studies in Australia, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax Broward County Key West www.abolitionistroundtable.com @ARTNextPractice

RESULTS FROM COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS Cost of Random Ricocheting The American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness RESULTS FROM COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS Cost of Random Ricocheting $35,000 - $150,000 Cost of Housing and Services $13,000 - $25,000 www.abolitionistroundtable.com @ARTNextPractice

What is CSAH Doing? Resisting efforts to over plan Following a simple strategic plan Plan simply, invest wisely Build affordable housing Strengthen/reduce nonprofit providers Address public policy change Lower eviction rates Provide an interim managed camp ground All developers pay a small share of affordable housing What is CSAH Doing?

QUESTIONS? Cindy Murphy Kelley ckelley@homelessauthority.org 912.644.7945 www.homelessauthority.org