1. Overview of Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness

2. 2 The Plan Core Tenets of New Approach –Prevent homelessness whenever possible –Rapidly re-house people when homelessness can not be prevented –Provide wraparound services that provide housing stability and self-sufficiency –Systems change Requires a complete reorientation of the homeless delivery system

3. 3 Housing First “For the housing first approach to be successful, we must expand the availability of affordable, permanent housing, increase the accessibility and transition to the existing tiered shelter system into a Housing First system” –Getting Housed, Staying Housed

4. Four Components of the Plan Prevention Discharge policies Affordable housing initiatives Accessible housing initiatives Emergency housing assistance Housing First Interim housing for up to 120 days Permanent housing including safe havens, SROs, supportive housing Self-Sufficiency/Employment Job skills and employment Mainstream resources Systems Improvement Enhancements in assessment, case management, accessing mainstream resources Homeless Management Information System to coordinate local, state, and federal resources and services

5. How the System Worked, circa 2003 What’s Wrong with the Current System: System linear, no front end assessment, one size fits all Homeless people recycle repeatedly – no stability. Few move into permanent housing and become self-sufficient. Minimal prevention services Inconsistent Services Lack of access and connection to mainstream resources and employment services. 20% of homeless consume 80% of resources.

6. How the New Chicago Homeless System Will Work Goal = Housing First Prevent the problem from starting Circle the Line Bring services around the circle Promote long-term stability and self-sufficiency. Improve exit planning strategies

7. 7 System Goals Type2005 actual 2008 goal 2010 goal 2012 goal Permanent Supportive Hsg 4,3037,586 Rolling Stock5097111,114 Interim Housing 1,4972,4123,0223,632 Emergency, Overnight, TS 2,5171,5669340 2 year TH1,3467693850

8. 8 How did we make the transition? Agency Change –Philosophy, Adopting a Housing First Approach –Staffing –Funding –Procedures and Rules System Change –Conversion of Beds –Addition of Units

9. 9 How We Built in Housing 1st Focused on Coalition/Support Building Began System-Wide Coordination Developed Sound Transition Goals Implemented Program Change Supported New Partnerships Maximized Financial Resources Remembered Evaluation

10. 10 Focused on Coalition/Support Building Reconfigured the Continuum of Care Board Garnered support from Mayor’s office, Continuum/Alliance staff, provider Partnership, private foundations and partners, and Consumer Caucus

11. GOALS: Transform the 3 shelter types into Interim Housing and reduce beds from 6,500 in 2002 to 1,000 by 2012. Increase Prevention & Short-term Housing Subsidies from 2,000 households in 2002 to 5,200 by 2012. Increase Permanent Supportive Housing units from 1,700 in 2002 to 4,000 by 2012. (This does not include other SRO and supportive housing units funded by CDOH that are not designated for the homeless.)

12. Proposed Transition

14. HOW & Housing First: Our Change Process

15. Our Story Founded 1983 Mission to provide permanent solutions to the problems of homelessness and poverty for women and children Serving homeless and at risk women and children in Chicago

16. The Participants We currently serve more than 850 women and children 100% are housed in their own units All receive time limited home based case management 95% remain stably housed.

17. The Housing Project based and Scattered-site

18. We’re part of the problem  When people are stably housed, everything stabilizes  Service Planning was focusing on the wrong things  Assessment was identifying problems not solutions  Need to be open to change

19. HOW From ……….…….…To Transitional Housing –Project Based –0% Scattered Site –Owner/operated Housing 100% conditional on program compliance Eligibility Criteria Required Program Readiness – Permanent Supportive Housing –75% scattered site –25% project based/owner- operated Revise program to allow for less stringent program compliance Eligibility criteria assumes everyone is housing ready

20. The Challenges: Rapid gear-shifting Entrenched Beliefs Inadequate systems Identity confusion

21. Our Core Lessons: Motivating Change Facilitating Change Modifying old systems Marketing a new image

22. Motivating Change Carrots: –Vision & Values –Awareness –Inclusivity Sticks: –External Environment –Accountability

23. Facilitating Change Leadership Communication Planning Time

24. Leadership If individuals at the top of an organization are not bought in, change will not occur. In educating others, need to help build collective ownership of the vision Need to facilitate planning around the details. Need to set benchmarks, lead with them, and be accountable for failing to achieve them.

25. Communication As reorganization is contemplated and outlined, need to keep channels of communication open As part of ownership building, solicit input, and LISTEN. Acknowledge fears about change and address them head on. Maintain consistent follow-up and discussion between official meetings.

26. Planning: the details matter Important to think systematically Details matter, its like starting from the ground up, an operating plan is essential Concurrence of planning initiatives important to focus on Drive with measurable, attainable, goals

27. Time Acknowledge that change occurs slowly Set realistic expectations that will encourage success and continued evolution of buy-in. Time at the front end builds a sustainable path for real change. There’s always enough time to do it right.

28. Modifying or “Re-Tooling” Retooling is restarting Defining and Redefining –Mission –Target population –Guiding principles Planning – The details matter –Measurable, attainable goals –Operating plan is essential Education – Reprogram old assumptions

29. The Housing First Philosophy Homelessness is a housing issue Housing is a right not a reward People don’t need to wait until they’re “housing ready”

30. Common elements of Chicago’s Transition and Housing First programs Focus on Rapid re-housing Home-based case management Connecting to mainstream resources Housing is permanent – Services are transitional Goal – to integrate into community and exit system

31. 6 Program Design Considerations Crisis Intervention & AssessmentBegin at referral vs. after being housed? Housing SearchWho provides service? Who provides subsidy? Blend or separate from Case Management? Incentives for Landlord? Services and case managementVoluntary vs. Mandatory Partnership vs. Not Length of time available When to replace with Mainstream and Community Financial AssistanceWhat level if any to provide? -Housing related -Stability related LeasingParticipant leaseholder vs. Agency leaseholder Lease vs. sublease vs. subsidy agreement HousingScattered site vs. Project Based Owner operated vs. Market rentals Mainstreamed/Mixed Use vs. Dedicated/Isolated

32. Organizational Assessment Determine Baseline: –Assess: Determine where agency is with Housing First philosophy –Focus: Determine who you want to serve –Skills: Determine competencies with the population Knowing baseline, analyze six elements to determine how organization will adopt housing first strategy

33. Housing First Organizational Analysis of Capacity: Question:Answer: How is the move toward a Housing First grounded in the organization’s mission? How does the shift change the overall organizational structure? What parts need to grow? What parts need to change? Are you clear about what your current staff needs to transition to? In assessing current staff, do they have the skills to grow with the organizational changes? In assessing current staffing patterns, are existing ratios acceptable for executing the new model? How much on the job learning can you support? Who are the key staff that are going to spearhead the transition? Do they have what they need to help move your transition along?

34. Analysis of Organizational Capacity Continued: How can the transition be made scalable over time? Can current position span the gap during transition? How does it change the overall organizational structure? What parts need to grow to accommodate the change? What deficits does the transition highlight? What partnerships do those deficits point toward, if any? What are the challenges around transitioning to new funding sources and internalizing new performance and reporting mandates? How do you plan transition of systems when finite resources demand jump-cut transitions? Are any external mandates or timelines outstripping your internal organizational capacity and infrastructure? What needs to be focused on in your operating plan to address these concerns?

35. Reinventing and Marketing ourselves

36. Landlords Reach out and build relationships Share the Commitment Marketing Strengths instead of Barriers Live up to what we sell

37. Funders Education is key Emphasize Qualitative over Quantitative Long Term cost efficiencies Emphasize unique organizational strengths Highlight funder’s relationship to target population Economic Development

38. Public internal and external Education is Key Emphasize similarities Constant Communication

39. The Design and Service Shifts Case management home based Stronger focus on rapid community linkage Stronger emphasis on employment-training Recovery management Parenting and reunification Education support –Homework groups –Adult & child tutoring

40. Lessons from HOW Acknowledge that change occurs slowly Set realistic expectations that will encourage success, continued growth, and buy-in. Time at the front-end builds a sustainable path for real change. There is always enough time to do it right.