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Instituting A System-Wide Housing First Approach in Norfolk

Instituting A System-Wide Housing First Approach in Norfolk. Presentation by Katie Kitchin Office to End Homelessness Norfolk, VA. Presentation Overview. Background on our system and its history Why/How we started the conversation Key events and key players Funding Outcomes to date

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Instituting A System-Wide Housing First Approach in Norfolk

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  1. Instituting A System-Wide Housing First Approach in Norfolk Presentation by Katie Kitchin Office to End Homelessness Norfolk, VA

  2. Presentation Overview • Background on our system and its history • Why/How we started the conversation • Key events and key players • Funding • Outcomes to date • Projections forward • Lessons learned

  3. The Short Story on Norfolk • Norfolk serves as the urban core for Southeastern Virginia (population of Norfolk = 240,000, population of region = 1 million) • Norfolk has high poverty (18%), but improving (down from 20%) as downtown redevelopment and economy thrive (less than 4% unemployment, AMI up). • Homeless population = 555 (down from 665 last year) • Regional homeless number is 1800+.

  4. Ending Homelessness in Norfolk • Norfolk Human Services Director announced “no child will sleep on the streets of Norfolk” in 2004. • May, 2005, the City of Norfolk and its Mayor, Paul Fraim, commit to end homelessness in 10 years. • Two related elements in 10 year plan: replicating Rapid Exit from Hennepin County; initiating Central Intake for Homeless Families

  5. How the Conversation Got Started • The Research tells the story… Culhane et al, Urban Institute • Turnaways at Family Shelters were high, hotel placements were increasing. • Lengths of stay in family shelters nearing two months. • DHS leadership strongly supportive of Home-Based services, family preservation, etc. • Ten year plan adopted to include this shift.

  6. Key Events and Key Players • 2004, DHS begins to adopt Director’s mission – HART is created. • 25 families expected, 1,000 come in the first month. • Site visit to Hennepin County in 2005 included Family Shelter ED, and City staff. • Ten year plan adopted 9/05, Homeless Consortium President serves on Commission.

  7. Key Events (Cont’d) • RFP issued to pilot with 50 families/$150,000. No responses received. • Early 2006, Hennepin County and St. Stephens Housing came to regional conference. • Summer 2006, Family Homeless Summit. Hendrickson, Amos came back to provide intensive training to all providers interested. • Summer 2006, agreement reached on central intake for homeless families. • Planning grows intensive throughout Fall 2006. • Housing Broker Team concept developed by Consortium members. • Central Intake launched January 2007. • Meanwhile, HART numbers continue to grow.

  8. Major Issues • Major issues around: level of services to be provided at shelters vs. in housing • Who will provide services? • Who is accountable for outcomes? • Trust! • What should the City’s responsibility be for funding shelter operations and move to Rapid Exit? • Housing Broker Team without case management services poses major concerns. • Moral Hazards!

  9. Funding – Where Does It Come From? • Almost no new funding. • CDBG, IV-B, IV-E, TANF, State and local funds. • In calendar 2005, $800,000 per year minimum spent on prevention, 737 households. • HART controls most of spending on prevention ($600,000 in 05)… • Funding for housing-based case management still needed.

  10. HART ExpendituresFY07 • CSA $317,068.76 • Family Pres. $108,251.97 • VIEW $80,079.59 • PSSF $1,124.83 • Rapid Exit $23,200.67 • Housing-POS $300.00 • General Relief $2,108.37 • Total $532,134.19

  11. HART Customers Increase

  12. CDBG Grant Highlights Predictions • $300,000 over two years provided to test prevention with little case management follow-up. • Results are somewhat disappointing… but scale is still small (93 households past 3 months in follow-up). • Are we asking the same question?

  13. Other Results/Projecting Forward • Family Homelessness held constant or decreasing slightly. • Evictions drop dramatically (3000 in 2005 to 1300 in 2006). • Pressure growing on housing-based case management. • HUD funding for services presents a major issue. • Public Housing/Section 8 subsidies in high demand (NRHA serves est. 16,000 people, 36,000 people are below poverty) waiting lists closed for several years. • Evolving role of homeless service providers, securing connections with Child Welfare, MH/SA services a must! • Prediction $4 million in additional expenditures through child welfare system.

  14. Lessons Learned • Leadership from funders is essential. • Take the time to listen/understand the viewpoints of stakeholders. • Slow progress is okay!

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