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An Ounce of Prevention: Strategies for Keeping Seniors Housed

An Ounce of Prevention: Strategies for Keeping Seniors Housed. Elizabeth Anderson, LCSW, MPH City of West Hollywood, Strategic Initiatives Division www.weho.org. Why Focus on Seniors? . Growing population – r equires new strategies to address needs

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An Ounce of Prevention: Strategies for Keeping Seniors Housed

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  1. An Ounce of Prevention:Strategies for Keeping Seniors Housed Elizabeth Anderson, LCSW, MPH City of West Hollywood, Strategic Initiatives Division www.weho.org

  2. Why Focus on Seniors? • Growing population – requires new strategies to address needs • Lifetime renters – no equity, limited savings, facing rent increases • Fixed income – limits housing choice if entering rental market • Frail– physical, cognitive and mental health needs • Urgency- Social isolation means only a crisis draws them to services

  3. One monthly meeting you won’t regret.

  4. A Model you can Replicate City of West Hollywood • Hoarding Task Force – 2013 City of Santa Monica • Senior Housing Task Force – 2015 Goal: Zero Seniors Exiting to Homelessness

  5. Task Force Model Resources to Succeed • Flexible pool of funds • Rental assistance Public + Non-Profit Collaborators • Social Services – City, County, Non-Profit • Public Safety – Fire, Police • Building and Safety - Code Compliance • City Attorney’s Office • Rent Control • Housing/Public Housing Authority Expectations • Stabilize + maintain • Gauge independence • Recurring investments • Graduate to home or higher care Monthly Coordination • Review referrals • Problem solve • Coordinate interventions • Track case history

  6. Task Force in Action Fire Department  Code Enforcement  Task Force Facilitator • 73yo single female, with health condition, long term renter • Tenants complaining to landlord re clutter/infestations • Code opened case to address habitability of the unit Task Force Coordination • Code Enforcement  Social Services Case Management • Hired intensive cleaning services: Bug Bomb, Steri-Clean, Golden Choice • Flex Funds paid for hotel stay during treatment • Distant family engaged • Connected to community programs • Code Enforcement closed case, landlord + building tenants happy • Resident graduated to home, engaged in maintaining unit

  7. Basic Needs budget model • Santa Monica Housing Authority - Preserving Our Diversity (POD) • Federal data: 6,325 Santa Monica households with very low incomes are spending more than 50% of their income on rent • 2016 survey of rent-control tenants identified high rent burden and low incomes left many tenants with $200/mo or less for basic needs • Cash-based assistance calculated by comparing the household’s after-rent income to the UCLA Elder Index Basic Needs Budget, adjusted for Santa Monica transit costs • After rent basic budget: $879 for a 1-person household and $1,460 for a 2-person household • Cash-Based Assistance = Basic Needs Budget after-rent income standard minus household’s pre-enrollment after-rent income

  8. Pilot FindingsNov 2017 – June 2018 See Housing Commission reports: Dec. 2018, Jan. 2019 22 households in pilot • Average monthly assistance $482 • Increase in service utilization • Increase in benefit enrollment • 1 household reported lower CalFresh benefits due to POD subsidy • Improved wellbeing • All remained housed; 1 passed away

  9. For more information Elizabeth Anderson, LCSW, MPH eanderson@weho.org West Hollywood Strategic Initiatives & Social Services Divisions Santa Monica Human Services Division Santa Monica Housing Authority – Preserving Our Diversity (POD) • UCLA Center for Health Policy Research – Elder Index

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