A Journey in Housing Or How to put angst into your life

VISION South Central Behavioral Services will partner with consumers, providers, and funders in a way that results in providing the best response to the consumer. South Central Behavioral Services will partner with consumers, providers, and funders in a way that results in providing the best response to the consumer.

South Central Behavioral Services A Community Mental Health Center primarily operating in South Central Nebraska Services –Mental Health –Substance abuse/addictions –Specialized Children’s Services

Mental Health –Rehabilitation for the Severe and Persistent Mentally ill Dual IOP Residential Rehab. Day Rehab. Community Support Recovery Café Thrift Store Housing Medication management

Substance Abuse/Addictions –Outpatient –Dual IOP –Half-way House for Men –Drug Court –Psycho-educational programs –Aftercare –Community Support

Specialized Children’s services –Agency Based Foster Care –Continuity Foster Care –Emergency Foster Care –Treatment Foster Care –Tracker –Mentoring or Home Based support –Adoption training –Youth transitioning to adulthood

So why does an organization serving a niche special needs population get into the housing business?

Many of the people SCBS serves can be described as: “poor/poverty level adults/youth who may be severely mentally ill and also may be addicted to or abusing drugs/alcohol”. And many of the people SCBS serves receive multiple services.

I believe the mentally ill population wants the same things in life that you and I want. In general: –A place of their own to live –A job –A date on Saturday night Which brings us to Housing!!

Housing –Two HUD Section 8 Housing projects –One 11 individual apartments –One 7 individual apartments

Pros of HUD Section 8 Housing –SCBS can own in 30 years –HUD picks up 90% of costs for construction, maintenance and 85% for management. –Section 8 housing voucher stays with the facility –Lowers community resistance –Project life – about 2 years

Cons –Address only the needs of a very specifically defined population –Under HUD regulations for 30 years –It takes 30 years for SCBS to acquire ownership

TIF project –John Foley Central States Development, LLC, Central States Development, LLC, Elm St., Suite 23, Omaha, NE Elm St., Suite 23, Omaha, NE 402/ / First contact: March, 2002 First occupant: January 2006 (we hope) 24 units!! (4 single parent family, 20 single occupancy) New company between CSD and SCBS South Central Apartment Partners, LLC

Pros –SCBS can own in 15 years –SCBS had input into the design, construction, and determined the priority tenant populations –John and Phyllis (John’s colleague) do 95% of the work –More input and control of project –SCBS determined priority for tenant selection

Cons –Project life – 4 years –Community resistance –Project needs to support itself, no ongoing subsidy available