1. Linking Permanent Housing with Transitional Services
Katherine Hillenbrand
Dash King
Carolynn Howell
Joshua Russakis

2. Identifying the Problem

3. Homeless Statistics in Amherst
2009 Homelessness Characteristics *
Total # of homeless 16
# of chronically homeless 12
# of male homeless 11
# of female homeless 5
*Information from Eliot Homeless Services

4. Roads to Homelessness
Danielle DeBerry's Description of Roads to Homelessness

5. Stakeholders
1. Homeless and formerly homeless people and homeless advocates
2. Local homeless coalitions and networks
3. Homeless services providers and agencies
Jessie’s House
ServiceNet
Warming Center
Amherst Survival Center
Eliot Homeless Service
Center for Human Development
4. Nonprofit housing developers
5. Local government representatives

6. Tier System of Homelessness
Description
Needs
Proposed Solution 1
Use shelters for short-term transitional stays
Re-housed and do not return
Relatively few
Short-term housing
Diversion to existing housing
Immediate diversion to existing housing and employment services 2
Discharged from state institutions
Programs that meet their individual needs
Short-term residential capacity to meet the needs of their specific populations 3
Chronically and long-term sheltered
8% of the individual population
Complex needs
Medical
Mental
50% of the money spent on the individual shelter system is from this category
Better served in housing that is paired with moderate services 4
Chronically and episodically street homeless
Avoid shelters
Hardest to engage
Relationship of trust between them and outreach workers
Low-threshold housing wrapped with intensive services

7. Priorities for Tier 3 and Tier 4 Homelessness
Housing is not always seen as desirable.
Mental health and substance abuse issues.
Issues of pride, “I’m not homeless.”
Limited transportation options.
Associative pride, “Home Sweet Home.”
Tough transition from the homeless lifestyle to a mainstream existence.

8. *Based off of Eliot Homeless Services Vulnerability Index
Mortality Risks*
Aged 60 or older
> 3 emergency room visits in the previous three months
> 3 hospitalizations or emergency room visits in a year
Cirrhosis of the liver
End-stage renal disease
Frostbite, immersion foot, or hypothermia
HIV+ / AIDS
Tri-morbidity: Co-occurring psychiatric, substance abuse, and chronic medical condition
*Based off of Eliot Homeless Services Vulnerability Index

9. Housing First Approach vs. Continuum of Care
Two Options:
Housing First Approach vs. Continuum of Care

10. What is the Housing First approach?
Jay Levy's Explanation of Housing First

11. What is the Continuum of Care?
“A community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness...”
Housing and Urban Development
talking point: In 1995, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began to require communities to submit a single application for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in order to streamline the funding application process, encourage coordination of housing and service providers on a local level, and promote the development of Continuums of Care (CoCs). Since communities would be required to come together to submit a comprehensive application, the goal was that they would have a more structural and strategic approach to housing and providing services to homeless people.1 A CoC would provide this more strategic system by providing homeless people with housing and services appropriate to their range of needs.

12. Cost/Benefit Analysis
Costs:
Monetary costs: Space/housing costs (acquiring and maintaining a building, dealing with landlords, etc.) and food/resource costs
2. Personnel costs (Outreach workers, organizations to provide services, etc.)
Possible neighborhood hostility towards the project
Possible increase in crime rate/disturbances in the area immediately surrounding the permanent housing
Benefits:
1. Potentially saving lives.
Less conflict between shopkeepers and
the homeless.
Rehabilitation and reintegration of the
homeless into mainstream society
Fewer uncovered emergency visits to the hospital (saves emergency room trips and consequently money from the public, “Million Dollar Murray”)
5. Less taxing on the police
Catches and prevents Tier 1 and Tier homeless from becoming Tier 3 and Tier 4

13. Proposals:
Build permanent housing with on-site services (Housing First approach).
Housing should not be contingent on use of services.
Utilize existing service providers in the region.
Promote awareness and community outreach on an ongoing basis.
Community Action Agencies
Key civic and business leaders
Housing authorities
Landlords
Tenant organizations
Workforce Investment Act entities and contracted agencies
Faith-based organizations
Key members of local planning groups
School district officials
Local universities, such as Community Initiatives or Sociology Departments