Ending Homelessness in DallasPutting Theory Into Practice

Making homelessness in Dallas and Collin CountiesHow MDHA is leading the development of the homeless response system,

that will make homelessness in Dallas rare, brief and nonrecurring.

David Gruber, Development and Communications Director (4/17/20)469-222-0047, david.gruber@mdhadallas.org 1

Our Mission

Lead the development of an effective homeless response system that will make the experience of homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties rare, brief and non-recurring.

UnshelteredUN

Emergency ShelteredES

Safe HavenSH

TransitionalHousing

TH TotalChange

Year to Year

2020 1,619 1,938 50 864 4,471 -1.4%

2019 1,452 2,313 49 724 4,538 +9%

2018 1,341 1,991 23 785 4,140 +9%

2017 1,087 1,861 19 822 3,789 -.5%

16.2% decrease in Emergency Sheltered homelessness11.5% increase in Unsheltered homelessness

First Some History - 1980s-1990sManaging Homelessness

4

1980sHomelessness is like a natural disaster, so

emergency shelters will solve the problem. They didn’t.

1990sThe homeless need to be made “housing ready” through Transitional Housing programs, replete with myriad rules they must abide by, to help them address all their problems. They worked

only for a minority.

Late 1990s-Early 2000s Ending Homelessness

5

GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION – ENOUGH MANAGING HOMELESSNESS.

WE NEED TO END HOMELESSNESS!

IF ONLY THERE WAS A WAY WE COULD DO THAT…

Meanwhile in a Small Program in NYC… Housing First

6

House persons with two conditions only:

Abide by the terms of your lease;

Meet periodically with your case manager.

Offer them wrap around services.

It Worked!

7

First used for chronically homeless

individuals in NYC;

Then spread in community after community, and

setting after setting (not only chronic).

Because it worked for 85% of clients

and above.

Now, the consensus of scholars (and

hence) the policy of the federal

government, is that all programs should follow this method.

2000s-2010sPSH and RRH in, TH out

8

Permanent Supportive Housing – Communities built these for the chronically homeless, and others in need of a permanent setting with intense wrap around supports.

Rapid Rehousing – First during the Great Recession, non-chronically homeless individuals were quickly housed, and offered intense wrap around services for a limited time, so they can get back on their feet and move on in 90-180 days.

Transitional Housing – Due to low success/ high cost, the Federal Government encourages discontinuing.

Not Enough…

Another critical idea became clear, especially during the Great Recession:

• Not enough for a community to have the resources available to help those experiencing homelessness.

• Like every product, commodity or service, without a delivery system, communities could not deal with their challenges.

• Especially true given the scarcity of the resource they were trying to deliver, housing for the homeless.

9

A Systems Response

10

THERE NEEDED TO BE A HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IN EVERY COMMUNITY.

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS, IN EACH AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WERE TASKED WITH ESTABLISHING

AND RUNNING THESE SYSTEMS.

The Role of MDHA (and its Counterpart in Every American Community)

11

FACILITATE GRANT FUNDING FOR HUD FUNDED HOMELESS

SERVICES PROGRAMS (CONTINUUM OF CARE OR COC GRANTS TOTALING ABOUT $17

MILLION ANNUALLY)

ADMINISTER THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

SYSTEM (HMIS) THAT DRIVES IMPROVEMENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED HOMELESS SERVICES

PROGRAMS (CURRENTLY SERVES ABOUT 17,000

PERSONS)

MAINTAIN COUNT OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING

HOMELESSNESS

MAINTAIN INVENTORY COUNT OF HOUSING AND SHELTER

BEDS FOR THE HOMELESS AND FORMERLY HOMELESS

DEVELOP AND QUARTERBACK AN EFFECTIVE UNIFIED HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WHERE ALL HOMELESS SERVICES

PROGRAMS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE HOMELESSNESS

RARE, BRIEF AND NONRECURRING

Building Dallas’ Homeless Response System

2015-2017

12

13

1. Divert

Homelessness is not homogeneous, rather is on a continuum

Many of those, who seek our help, have the capacity to self resolve, with the help of mainstream resources, or “light touch” one-time assistance

2. Assess, Prioritize, Place

The system has one entry point only.No placements are made in any

program without…

Assess

Objectively, uniformly, with an evidence-based tool.

Prioritize

each person for service – Based on the level of their

vulnerability and according to their specific needs.

Place

All clients go on to a unified housing priority list and are

housed based on their priority status and specific needs.

15

SO

Street Outreach

ES

Emergency Shelter

SH

SafeHaven

TH

Transitional Housing

Jail Hospital

COORDINATED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

TriageHUD Intake Assessment

Assessment

(SPDAT)

Documentation of Priority Status – Housing Priority List

Documentation of Disability

Documentation of Homelessness

PSH/RRH Bridge/OPH with Supportive

Services(High Vulnerability)

$$$

TH/RRH w/ limited supports

(Mid-Low vulnerability and subpopulations)

$$

RRH / Self-Resolve Diversion, Private

Housing, Prevention(Low and Very Low

Vulnerability) $ 16

3. All Roads

Lead to Housing

The entire system is oriented towards housing.

There is a sense of urgency in getting everyone, and first and foremost those who are high on the housing priority list, into housing, as soon as possible, with as few barriers as possible.

In the meantime, individuals, who need it, are offered temporary shelter, with the constant ever-present expectation that they be moved into housing as soon as possible.

4. Transparency

Every program that serves the homelessneeds to report, in real time, into one central HMIS data system, managed by MDHA, without exception (barring issues of safety).

This is the only way we can know if and how much progress we are truly making.

More importantly, this is the only way we can improve and self-correct , where we are not.

Dallas’ Homeless Response System Swings

into Action - 2017-2018

19

2017-2018 Highlights

20

Homeless CountsSupporting

Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities

Hurricane Harvey Relief

Homeless Response System Leadership

Training and Strategic Planning Retreat

Emergency Shelter Housing Challenge

2017-2018 Highlights

21

Faith-Based Organizations

Homeless Helpline

Collin CountyExpansion

Inclement Weather Shelter

New Leadership

Dallas’ Homeless Response System Begins to Turn the

Tide - 2019-2020

22

2019-2020 Highlights

23

ENSURE D-ONE PLAN BUY-IN AND TASK

ASSIGNMENT

DRIVE ALL DECISIONS WITH DATA

INCREASE RAPID REHOUSING

ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A MOVE-

ON PROGRAM

2019-2020 Highlights

24

IMPROVE STREET OUTREACH

PARTNER WITH THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE

ENHANCE DIVERSION

2019-2020 Highlights

25

SYSTEMATIZE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL

ASSISTANCE

DEPLOY FREQUENT USERS SYSTEMS

ENGAGEMENT (FUSE)

END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS

EDUCATE AND BUILD COMMUNITY SUPPORT

2019-2020 Highlights

26

ACHIEVE RACIAL EQUITY IN HOMELESSNESS

MOBILIZE THE FAITH COMMUNITY ESTABLISH A FUNDERS COLLABORATIVE TO END

HOMELESSNESS

STATE OF HOMELESSNESS ADDRESS 2020

SOHA

2020 Annual Homeless Count

28

Homelessness decreased 1.4% from

4538 to 4,471

Emergency sheltered homelessness

decreased 16.2% from 2313 to 1938

Unsheltered homelessness increased

11.5% from 1,452 to 1,619

Veteran homelessness decreased 14.6% from

431 to 368

Chronic homelessness increased 7% from 470

to 503

Family homelessness decreased 10.4% from

1025 to 918

Child homelessness decreased 9.5% from

732 to 662

The percentage of persons of color in

unsheltered homelessness increased

from 54% to 61%

The COVID-19 Imperative – We Must Act Now

29

We Are All Connected

30

31

Help MDHA End Homelessness

32

Donate to MDHA Donate

Support organizations which are part of our homeless response system. Support

Volunteer for the annual Homeless CountVolunteer

Invite MDHA to speak Invite

Advocate for more housing for those experiencing homelessnessAdvocate

33