1. Home Again A 10-year plan to end homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County 10-year planning, Housing First, and homeless encampments COSCDA Conference September 17, 2007

2. Portland Demographics  513,627 in Portland  2,063,277 in Metro Area  Median age - 36.4  Median household income - $42,287  Percent below poverty level – 17.8 (compared to 13.3 nationally).  Fair Market Rent for 1 BR - $638/month

3. Portland’s Homeless Demographics Annual 19,200 served in FY 05-06:  10,936 adults w/out children (4% less than 04- 05)  7,865 persons in families (5% more than 04-05)  384 homeless youth (12% less than 04-05) Point in time  1,438 unduplicated “street count”  3,018 unduplicated in “shelter count” (inc. vouchers, rent assistance, trans. hsg.) 48.5% individuals in families with children

4.  Culhane research supported PSH as a response to adult chronic homelessness  We have invested millions of dollars, but have not ended homelessness  To end homelessness, we need to do business differently Facing facts...

5. Determination/preparation  Hit the trifecta of awards - $9.8 million  $625,000 from CSH for Taking Health Care Home  $3,430,440 ICH collaborative  $5,741,900 HUD/DOL  Money and projects spurred planning based in actual activities and outcomes

6. 10-year plan: 3 principles  Focus on the most chronically homeless populations  Streamline access to existing services to prevent and reduce other homelessness  Concentrate resources on programs that offer measurable results

7. Nine Action Steps  Move people into housing first  Stop discharging people into homelessness  Improve outreach to homeless people  Emphasize permanent solutions  Increase supply of permanent supportive housing

8. Nine Action Steps, cont.  Create innovative new partnerships to end homelessness  Make rent assistance system more effective  Increase economic opportunity for homeless people  Implement new data collection technology

9. One of the most successful tools to end and prevent homelessness: Short and long-term rent assistance

10. New programs, shifted resources Women’s Emergency Housing: Shifted use of $164k/year from a women’s night shelter to a new 4 agency housing collaborative Key Not a Card: City general funds ($2.4 M) to move people from the street  housing Short-term Rent Assistance (STRA) combines funds from City, County, PHA into one fund

11. Goals/outcomes: After 2 years Outcome2 Year GoalCum.% achieved Chronically homeless who have homes 5651,039184% Families housed500717143% (high resource using families) 150342228% Permanent supportive housing opened 260480185% (added to pipeline)42037990%

12. Street Count Outcomes January 23, 2007 1284 2355 386 1438 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 OverallChronic 2005 2007 -39% -70%

13. Reduced Use of Emergency Systems (Central City Concern’s Community Engagement Program) CEP saves 35.7% ($15,006 per person) in resources for chronically homeless people.

14. What makes a 10 YP successful  Identify your community’s challenges & opportunities  Seek commitment and creativity at the political, bureaucratic, and provider level  Hire dedicated staff to lead the planning and implementation effort  Follow a clearly defined goal of ending and preventing various types of homelessness

15. What makes a 10 YP successful, cont.  Replicate best practices from other Cities and Jurisdictions  Engage the most vocal critics  Simplicity and flexibility allow for change down the road  Celebrate successes!

16. Short & long-term problems: What if you don’t have enough emergency shelter or housing? While your state/community implements a long-term housing and service plan, how do you solve immediate needs of people sleeping outside?

17. Short & long-term solutions Build affordable housing and permanent supportive housing Locally funded short-term rent assistance Purchase a motel/apartments, operated by nonprofit (ex. Seattle’s Aloha Inn, Alaska’s Safe Harbor Inn) Identify “low-impact” camping areas

18. Portland’s Dignity Village Formed in 2002 State statute permits a jurisdiction to designate emergency camps if housing emergency exists On City land, with management agreement Became nonprofit org. 60-person capacity

19. Remote location, few neighbors

20. Semi-permanent structures, recycled materials: cob, straw bale, wood

21. Why residents like living at Dignity Village: pets…

22. …a sense of community

23. …safety, security…

24. Resources Portland’s 10-year plan and outcome reports: www.portlandonline.com/bhcd Nonprofit motel: Safe Harbor Inn, Alaska www.safeharborinn.org Homeless-run communities: –Dignity Village, Portland, OR: www.dignityvillage.org –Aloha Inn, Seattle, WA: www.alohainn.org Sally Erickson, Ending Homelessness Team City of Portland, Oregon, Bureau of Housing & Community Development serickson@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-0883