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Housing First Opportunities Housing First Opportunities and Barriersand Barriers

South Central Pennsylvania South Central Pennsylvania Housing Recovery SummitHousing Recovery Summit

April 29, 2014April 29, 2014

Presented by: Presented by:  Diana T. Myers, Diana T. Myers & Associates, Diana T. Myers, Diana T. Myers & Associates,

Inc.Inc. Jennifer Johnson, Franklin/Fulton County MH/ID/EIJennifer Johnson, Franklin/Fulton County MH/ID/EI Ben Laudermilch, Cumberland/Perry Housing and Ben Laudermilch, Cumberland/Perry Housing and

Redevelopment AuthorityRedevelopment Authority

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Purpose of the SessionPurpose of the Session

To provide a brief overview of:To provide a brief overview of:– the Housing First model; the Housing First model; – the experience of operating a the experience of operating a

Housing First program; Housing First program; – the pros/cons of housing first to the pros/cons of housing first to

consider when deciding to consider when deciding to implement this approach.implement this approach.

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What is Housing First?What is Housing First?

The Housing First Approach is The Housing First Approach is to move homeless individuals to move homeless individuals into permanent affordable into permanent affordable housing as quickly as possible housing as quickly as possible and to support them with and to support them with relevant services in order to relevant services in order to achieve long-term stability.achieve long-term stability.

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“ “Housing is the Cure for Housing is the Cure for Homelessness. It’s that Homelessness. It’s that simple.”simple.”

Dr. Sam TsemberisDr. Sam TsemberisPathways to HousingPathways to Housing

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Presumption:Presumption:

Once housing stability is Once housing stability is achieved, clients are better achieved, clients are better prepared to address mental prepared to address mental health, substance abuse and health, substance abuse and other issues.other issues.

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What are the Key Principles of What are the Key Principles of Housing First?Housing First?

Housing is NOT the Next Step Housing is NOT the Next Step after Jumping through Many after Jumping through Many HoopsHoops

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What are the Key Principles of What are the Key Principles of Housing First?Housing First?

Housing is a Basic Human RightHousing is a Basic Human Right Housing is Not Contingent Upon Housing is Not Contingent Upon

Compliance with ServicesCompliance with Services The Focus is on Accessing Housing The Focus is on Accessing Housing

as Quickly as Possibleas Quickly as Possible Housing is Not Time Limited; it is Housing is Not Time Limited; it is

Permanent and AffordablePermanent and Affordable

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What are the Key Principles of What are the Key Principles of Housing First?Housing First?

A Variety of Services are Delivered A Variety of Services are Delivered to Promote Housing and Income to Promote Housing and Income Stability, and to Promote Self-Stability, and to Promote Self-Sufficiency and Well-BeingSufficiency and Well-Being

Services are Provided Only as Long Services are Provided Only as Long as Needed Following Housing as Needed Following Housing Placement Placement

Services Can be Minimal or Intensive Services Can be Minimal or Intensive Depending on the IndividualDepending on the Individual

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Housing First Evidence Based Housing First Evidence Based Practice ModelPractice Model

Pathways to Housing, New York, New York Pathways to Housing, New York, New York Target PopulationTarget Population

– Sheltered and Unsheltered Homeless Sheltered and Unsheltered Homeless Families and Individuals who were Families and Individuals who were Difficult to House or Had Difficulty Difficult to House or Had Difficulty Maintaining Housing Maintaining Housing

– Chronically Homeless Individuals (with Chronically Homeless Individuals (with Disabilities, Generally Serious Mental Disabilities, Generally Serious Mental Illness and Often Co-occurring Illness and Often Co-occurring Disorders) Disorders)

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Pathways to Housing Pathways to Housing New York, New York New York, New York

Strong Outreach and Engagement Strong Outreach and Engagement – ACT teams meet homeless where they are (jails, ACT teams meet homeless where they are (jails,

hospitals, street), when ready, move them hospitals, street), when ready, move them directly to permanent homesdirectly to permanent homes

Services Community-Based & Client-DrivenServices Community-Based & Client-Driven- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT),

PACT, CTT PACT, CTT Team Approach for Chronic/Hard to Team Approach for Chronic/Hard to ServeServe

- Wraparound Case Management, Services Wraparound Case Management, Services Customized to Individual, Delivered by a Team Customized to Individual, Delivered by a Team of Practitioners and Available 24-7. of Practitioners and Available 24-7.

Permanent Housing Options ‘AvailablePermanent Housing Options ‘Available– Section 8 vouchers, S+CSection 8 vouchers, S+C

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Other Housing First ModelsOther Housing First Models

2008 McKinney Rapid Rehousing for 2008 McKinney Rapid Rehousing for Families Demonstration ProgramFamilies Demonstration Program– Expanded Housing First Concept to Expanded Housing First Concept to

Families with ChildrenFamilies with Children Households with Dependent Children Residing Households with Dependent Children Residing

on the Streets or in Shelter on the Streets or in Shelter Households with Moderate BarriersHouseholds with Moderate Barriers Centralized IntakeCentralized Intake Supportive Services including Housing Supportive Services including Housing

PlacementPlacement

Example: Beyond Shelter in Los AngelesExample: Beyond Shelter in Los Angeles

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Other Housing First Models Other Housing First Models

Franklin/Fulton County MH/ID/EIFranklin/Fulton County MH/ID/EI– Hybrid ModelHybrid Model

Cumberland and Perry Housing and Cumberland and Perry Housing and Redevelopment AuthorityRedevelopment Authority– Pilot ProgramPilot Program

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2014 HUD Policy2014 HUD Policy

HUD set a goal for 75% of the HUD set a goal for 75% of the permanent supportive housing (PSH) permanent supportive housing (PSH) programs in each Continuum of Care programs in each Continuum of Care to use a “Housing First Approach:” to use a “Housing First Approach:”

GoalGoal: To ensure people in greatest : To ensure people in greatest need of PSH are not screened out need of PSH are not screened out from participationfrom participation

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Key Elements of New Key Elements of New Housing First ApproachHousing First Approach

1.1. No barriers to entry (sobriety, No barriers to entry (sobriety, income, rental, credit or criminal income, rental, credit or criminal histories) histories)

2.2. Simple application process to house Simple application process to house eligible households as quickly as eligible households as quickly as possible (even those with greatest possible (even those with greatest barriers)barriers)

3.3. Project participation requirements Project participation requirements do not include service participation, do not include service participation, sobriety or medication compliance sobriety or medication compliance

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What are Key Components?What are Key Components?

Drug Tolerance PolicyDrug Tolerance Policy Providing Housing that Clients LikeProviding Housing that Clients Like Diverse Funding Streams for Diverse Funding Streams for

Housing and ServicesHousing and Services Strategies to Overcome Loneliness Strategies to Overcome Loneliness

and Isolationand Isolation Staffing that Provides Responsive Staffing that Provides Responsive

Service DeliveryService Delivery

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What are Possible Pitfalls?What are Possible Pitfalls?

Inconsistent Outreach and Inconsistent Outreach and EngagementEngagement

Absence of Qualified/Committed Absence of Qualified/Committed Staff/Service ProvidersStaff/Service Providers

Inflexible Rules and PoliciesInflexible Rules and Policies Lack of Housing OptionsLack of Housing Options Insufficient Support/Integration Insufficient Support/Integration into the Communityinto the Community Lack of R-e-s-p-e-c-t Lack of R-e-s-p-e-c-t