engaging the private rental sector in homelessness Nicole Bramstedt 2017 Transatlantic Practice Exchange

Working in NYC Homeless Policy, I Heard This about Homelessness & the PRS. Landlords don’t take the Section 8 vouchers. Landlords don’t take the LINC vouchers. NYC is a very difficult rental market. Landlords cause homelessness.

To Address This, NYC Has Been …. Making robocalls to landlords about LINC. Enforcing the 2008 City source of income discrimination law against landlords. Providing landlords monetary incentives to encourage renting to homeless individuals: $3,500 landlord bonus; Security voucher of 1-month’s rent; Unit hold incentive of 1-month’s rent; Special Supplemental Assistance Fund; 1st month’s rent & 3+ months of subsidy, up-front.

But Is This Enough? Could More Be Done? From FY98-17, single adults’ length of stay in NYC shelters more than tripled, from 108 to 383 days. From FY99-17, nearly 1 in 5 single adults returned to NYC shelters within a year of being housed.

So I looked outside NYC, to the UK & Crisis, via the 2017 Transatlantic Practice Exchange. Crisis is particularly appropriate. Since 1997, it has worked to make the PRS a viable housing option for homeless individuals.

At Crisis, I Assessed How the UK Engages Landlords in Homelessness. Two research questions: What strategies does the UK use to understand & build relationships with landlords? What strategies does the UK use to encourage & support landlords to rent apartments at below market rent to homeless individuals?

Crisis Surveys Landlords to Understand Their Concerns. Ex: Crisis’ 2016 Home: No Less Will Do Campaign Learned landlord attitudes = barrier to housing homeless. Surveyed over 800 landlords about renting to homeless: (1) 82% won’t rent as perceived risk of rent arrears & intense management; 2) when rent, 18% increased deposit & 16% increased rent. Survey results are important as: help to understand concerns; lead to policies responsive to concerns; send a message to landlords that are a stakeholder.

Crisis Uses Advocacy to Build Relationships with Landlords. Crisis recognizes landlords have an interest in homeless policy. Ex: Advocacy around the Homeless Reduction Act Obligates local authorities to help tenants pre-eviction. Helps tenant - prevents eviction & helps landlord - addresses tenant not paying rent. For advocacy: (1) reached out to landlord associations & membership groups; (2) asked landlords to sign a petition & contact Parliament.

Policy Director, Residential Landlords Association The Residential Landlords Association Backed the Homeless Reduction Act. “The vast majority of landlords & tenants want the same thing – a stable, secure tenancy they can both rely on. It is expensive & time consuming for a landlord to find a new tenant & most landlords will do all they can to keep tenants in their homes rather than face an empty property. Many landlords would be much less reluctant to rent to people who were homeless if the risks could be better managed….” David Smith Policy Director, Residential Landlords Association

The UK Uses Tenancy Programs to Encourage Landlords to Rent. Ex: Crisis’ Renting Ready Is tenancy training to develop independent living skills – budgeting, housing rights, communication. Ex: Trust in Fife’s Tenancy Share Is tenancy support as transition to & maintain shared housing. Before move into shared permanent housing, match those in transitional housing with roommates & educate them about shared housing. Valuable as: (1) prepares to maintain a tenancy; (2) addresses landlord concern that homeless need more tenancy management.

Tenancy Support Has Landlord Support & Improves Tenancy Sustainment. Landlords like Renting Ready & rent to those taking it. “Renting is a serious business - so make sure the property & the landlord are safe, legal & secure. Get advice & ask any questions before you sign. RLA landlords support Renting Ready as a sure way to avoid future misunderstandings.” - Residential Landlords Association Landlords buy into Tenancy Share due to Fife’s support. Tenancy Share improves tenancy sustainment. From 2013-16: created 45 shared tenancies with 90% sustained for 6 months.

Tenancy Support Programs Should Be Used in the U.S. Two recommendations: Provide tenancy training like Renting Ready at drop-ins, shelters and supportive housing; Before homeless individuals move into shared housing, match them as roommates & educate them about sharing like Tenancy Share.

The UK Uses Help-to-Rent Projects to Encourage Landlords to Rent to Homeless. Help-to-Rent projects help tenants & landlords in renting: (1) support tenants to sustain tenancy; (2) entice landlords to rent by offering selling points addressing concerns. Ex.: Trust in Fife’s Fife Keyfund Assists tenants & landlords: (1) help both negotiate a 1-month deposit for repairs; (2) help tenant save for deposit; (3) support both during tenancy. 2014-15: created 318 tenancies & 85% sustained.

Help-to-Rents Have a Positive Landlord Response & Should Be Used in the U.S. Help-to-Rents get landlords to rent to homeless. NOMAD Board Officer: landlords respond well to incentives & return to Help-to-Rents after going to commercial market, finding it’s easier to rent to Help-to-Rents. Recommendations for the U.S.: Implement a Help-to-Rent pilot for those exiting to permanent housing. Model after Fife Keyfund & do for scattered-site supportive housing.

The UK Uses Other Strategies to Encourage Landlords to Rent to Homeless. These strategies include: Tapping into existing, positive relationships with landlords; Using outcomes from prior projects to rebut concerns. Ex: Glasgow Homeless Network’s PRS Housing 1st Pilot To get landlords to rent to homeless, used: (1) positive landlord relationships; (2) data from prior Housing 1st pilot, showing 100% tenancy sustainment & low landlord maintenance costs.

Let’s Work Differently on Homelessness! “[W]ith resources getting tighter & needs higher, it would be easy to lose sight of the opportunities to work differently. Yet now more than ever we need to look outside traditional boundaries, thought processes & what we take as given. We need to find new ways of dealing with … homelessness … & remain focused on our vision to end it.” Mark McPherson, Homeless Link 2016 Transatlantic Practice Exchange Report

Contact me at: Nicole Bramstedt Legislative Counsel New York City Council nbramstedt@citycouncil.nyc.gov 212-482-4115