 Community leaders came together in 2010 to lay a foundation for a plan  Consulted with National Alliance to End Homelessness on best practices  10 Year Plan created based on HUD requirements and sector best practices  Plan approved by Chester County Commissioners, November 2011  Official Launch, January 2013

Mission Statement To maximize current resources and develop new ones, making them as efficient and useful as possible with the end goal of preventing and ending homelessness in Chester County Vision Statement To ensure a community wide network of services to prevent and end homelessness in Chester County by shifting from a system that manages homelessness to a system that diverts, prevents, and rapidly re-houses.

Decade to Doorways Partnership Structure Leadership Consortium Executive Committee Coordinating Agency DCD Coordinating Agency DCD Public Relations & Advocacy System Change Action Team Permanent Housing Action Team Housing Stabilization Action Team Results Action Team Community Networking Group

 The role of the Permanent Housing Action Team is to identify and develop affordable permanent housing solutions appropriate to the needs of households experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Develop and support landlord relationships.  PHAT Membership: HACC, Landlords, Government, Service Providers, Developers, Funders and Coatesville VA Hospital

 People who are living in a place not fit for human habitation  People who are losing their primary nighttime residence  Families with children or unaccompanied youth who are unstably housed  People who are in imminent danger of domestic violence

 Emergency Shelter- 10  Transitional Housing- 11  Rapid Re-Housing/Homeless Prevention- 8 Total Number of Providers- 29

Year Round Beds  Emergency Shelter Beds- 276  Transitional Housing Beds Year Round Beds

 Total Number of Adults- 703  Total Number of Children : : : 21 Total Number of People Served 942 * Numbers based on Emergency Shelters funded through DCD.

 Homeless Prevention Agencies/Rapid Re- Housing Providers-8  791 people benefitted from financial assistance from homeless prevention programs. ◦ Children: 403  0-5: 184  6-12: 156  13-17: 63

 Family Size  One: $11,670 Two: $15,730  Three: $19,790 Four: $23,850  Five: $27,910 Six: $31,970  Seven: $36,030 Eight: $40,090

 Total Housing Units: 194,329  Rental Unit Vacancy Rate: 1.9%  42.9% of Chester County renters pay 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs  19.53% of CC Homeowners pay 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs  31,329 CC residents live below the poverty level ($23,850 for a family of four)  Source: United States Census Bureau, Population Division, Housing Unit Estimates for Counties: July 1, 2003 to July 1, 2013, Release Date May 2014.United States Census Bureau, Population Division, Housing Unit Estimates for Counties: July 1, 2003 to July 1, 2013, Release Date May 2014

 In the United States, the 2014 (two-bedroom) Housing Wage is $ This national average is more than two-and-a-half times the federal minimum wage ($7.25hr), and 52% higher than it was in In no state can a full-time minimum wage worker afford a one or two bedroom unit at Fair Market Rent. ( FMR for an area is the amount that would be needed to pay the gross rent (shelter rent plus utilities) of privately owned, decent, and safe rental housing of a modest (non-luxury) nature with suitable amenities)  Pennsylvania: $17.33  Chester County: $21.83 ($18.12 one-bedroom)  National low-Income Housing Coalition

 Chester County Central Point of Intake for Homeless Services  To connect with a Housing Specialist, please call  Website:

 Partner: Housing Authority of Chester County  Function: Assist individuals and families at-risk of or are literally homelessness to find safe, secure, affordable housing.  Must have some income but experiencing barriers to securing affordable housing: criminal record, past evictions, etc.  Landlord Engagement  To post an available property contact: 

 Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP)  Partner: Chester County Opportunities Industrial Center  Target Population: Homeless, Unemployed US Military Veterans  Services: Vocational Training, Resume Preparation, Job Search, Transportation, Clothing and Housing Assistance  Contact:

 Housing Counseling For People With Disabilities  Partner: Handi-Crafters, Inc  Target Population: People with cognitive and physical disabilities experiencing homelessness, not served by mainstream resources  Services: Housing locator, case management, information and referral and supportive services  Contact:

 Rental subsidy for families experiencing homelessness.  Administered by the Housing Authority of Chester County.  Homelessness Families “super preference”  Since October 2013: 100 Families housed under tenant based Section 8 vouchers

 Partnership with HACC, HUD, the Coatesville Veterans Hospital and the Veterans Multi- Service Center.  Recent 100 Vets in 100 Days Campaign  Since January 2009: 256 Vets found Permanent Housing under the HUD Veterans Supportive Housing Program (VASH).  Recent approval for an additional 43 VASH vouchers

 Partner: Human Services, Inc.  Target Population: people experiencing homelessness who have a severe, medically determinable impairment that limits their ability to work at a substantial, gainful level  Services: Case management, information and referral  Contact:

 Partners: EDSI and CareerLink  Persons Served: Low-income individuals who are underemployed or unemployed and meet 235% federal income poverty levels.  Services Provided: Job development, job placement and job retention services.  Applicants must be referred from approved D2D agencies.  Contact the PA CareerLink – Chester County® at to determine eligibility

    Michael Hackman Decade to Doorways Administrator