Homelessness in America I
Municipal Strategies for Preventing and Managing
Homelessness
Help Hope Home: Southern Nevada’s Plan to End
Homelessness
Agenda
• Introduction/Background• Costs of Homelessness• State of Homelessness in Southern
Nevada• Regional Approach to Homelessness• Conclusion
JURISDICTIONAL STRUCTURE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
Southern Nevada: Contributing Factors to Homeless Issue
• 10-15% increase in rent since 2004
• 17,000 apartments to be converted to condos
• 2000+ trailer park spaces to be eliminated
• Highest foreclosure rate in country
• Shortage of low income/subsidized housing
• Not enough mental health/treatment services
• Discharge planning is just beginning
Definition of Homeless
HUD - Lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; sleeping in a facility or temp housing program; sleeping in places not meant for human habitation
• Transitional Homelessness (75%)– Refers to a single episode of homelessness that is of a relatively short duration
• Use resources for brief periods• Most families and singles adults fall into this category
• Episodic Homelessness (4%)– Refers to recurrent periods of homelessness
• Usually younger, often addicted• Seasonal use of facilities
• Chronic Homelessness (21%)– Refers to individuals with a disabling condition who have been homeless:
• Continually for a year or more• Four times in the past three 3 years• Use 75% of the total resources
On the average, it costs:
$3,722 - an emergency room visit$214 - transport by ambulance$4,440 - three day hospital stay $600 - month’s stay in mass shelter$185 - night’s stay in detox$150 - night’s stay in jail
On the average, it costs:
$50,000 year’s stay on the streets for the chronically homeless$11,000 year’s stay in housing with supportive services for
the chronically homeless
High Cost of Homelessness
Statistics from 2007 Homeless Count
• 11,417 homeless people identified in the census• 34% were in shelter; 66% were unsheltered • 33% are “hidden homeless”• 3,000 homeless children• 56% were between 31-50 years old• 72% of respondents were male; 28% female• 50% had some disabling condition• 43% has HS diploma; 28% had a college degree
Homeless Survey Overview (conducted during Homeless Count)
73% have been homeless for less than 1 year
50% indicated that they had disabling conditions; more than 24% were experiencing a physical disability
74% have a GED/high school diploma or higher
65% of respondents indicated that they were living in Southern Nevada when they became homeless
33% had lived here less than one year
38% had been living here more than 5 years
43% came to Nevada to work
6% were here or grew up here
Identified GapsAccording to a United Way Southern Nevada Community Assessment
Affordable housing A regional strategy for low-income housing Case management services Mental health services Substance abuse treatment services Enhanced partnerships with law enforcement Enhanced coordination among non-profits,
faith-based groups, and government and the list continues …
Regional Response to Homelessness
Southern NevadaRegional Planning Coalition
(SNRPC)
Committee OnHomelessness
(CoH)
EvaluationWorking Group
RegionalHomeless Services
Coordinator
HMIS SteeringGroup
CoC TechnicalAdvisory Board
Public AwarenessWorking Group
PartnersCity of Boulder CityCity of HendersonCity of Las Vegas
City of North Las VegasClark County
CCSDLVMPD
SNAMHSSNHC
US Veterans Affairs
Boulder CityCity of HendersonCity of Las Vegas
City of North Las VegasClark County
CCSD
•Regional CoordinationPolicy Recommendations Planning & EvaluationBudget and Funding Continuum of Care Allocations CommitteeHomeless Trust Fund Community Mobilization
•Inclement Weather Shelter Program•Homeless Management Information System•Homeless/In Shelter Count
1. Enhance coordination between non-profit organizations and government.
2. Prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.
3. Provide seamless client services through effective partnerships.
4. Foster self-sufficiency through access to education, training and employment opportunities.
Ten CoH Regional Priorities
5. Increase the availability of stable and sustainable housing.
6. Facilitate the transition from homelessness through intensive case management.
7. Ensure the availability of basic needs services.
8. Increase access to medical, dental and vision care services.
9. Improve the availability of mental health services.
10. Improve the availability of substance abuse treatment programs.
Ten CoH Regional Priorities continued
Our Regional Plan
• Help Hope Home: Southern Nevada’s Regional Plan to End Homelessness– One Goal - To End Homelessness in Southern Nevada
– Three Strategies• Help - Planning for Outcomes• Hope - Prevention • Home - Focus on Housing
– Communicating the Message• Business Case• Implementation Schedule• Evaluation/Reporting on Progress
HELPPlanning for Outcomes objectives include:
– Holding focus groups, work sessions– Conducting the Point-In-Time Homeless Count every two years– Conducting a Gaps Analysis– Collaborating to drive regional policy– Working to streamline funding programs to support plan
initiatives– Crafting a business case for ending homelessness– Developing an implementation schedule with goals, objectives
and benchmarks delineated– Producing an evaluation and reporting plan– Continuously evaluate the service delivery system through the
Homeless Management Information System
HOPEPrevention objectives include:
– Preventing eviction and displacement– Increasing access to transitional and supportive housing– Providing one time and short term rent assistance– Increasing the income of the poor through education and training– Increasing access to community treatment programs and
supported institutional release programs– Improving placement services for housing for individuals coming
out of hospitals, mental health institutions, jails, prisons and the child care system
– Providing wraparound social services to clients who have been housed after a period of homelessness
HOME
• Focus on Housing objectives include:– Expanding permanent housing subsidies– Increasing the availability of affordable housing– Implementing a Housing First strategy – Addressing regulatory barriers and retention of
affordable housing– Developing harm reduction programs for clients
HelpHopeHome (Plan for outcomes; Prevention; Rapid rehousing)
Inclement Weather Shelter Program moving to year round
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
Year-round offsite lodging program allows rapid placement of people unsuitable for mass shelter
Homeless Count
Successful Continuum of Care application
Community Triage Center (CTC) administered by Westcare
Establishment of Homeless Trust Fund with United Way
Regional Efforts
Best Practices & Lessons Learned
• Conduct a needs assessment to identify resources and gaps
• Involve all stakeholders• Agree to disagree• Agree to a common goal, vision and/or mission• Make sure everyone is using the same
language• Build public awareness• Determine common priorities• Celebrate accomplishments
RESOURCES
• Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition Committee on Homeless Plan and Implementation Schedule can be found at: www.helphopehome.org/the_plan_goals.html
• The city of Las Vegas’ Home for Homeless Nevadans 10 year plan can be found at: http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/files/Homes4homelessNevadansPlan.pdf
• The 2007 Winter Homeless Census can be found at: www.helphopehome.org/the_plan_research.html
Contact Information
City of Las VegasCity Manager’s Office
400 Stewart Ave. 8th Fl. Las Vegas, NV 89101 (702) 229-6501
Orlando Sanchez, Deputy City Manager
Regional Homeless Office (702) 455-5721
www.helphopehome.org
QUESTIONS ?
