Community Involvement StrategiesShort-term:• Enlistelectedandothergovernmentalofficials,aswellas

communitybusinessleaders,tochampionandpromotethe10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.

• DevelopPowerPointpresentationandothermaterialstoeducatecommunityaboutlocalhomelessnessissuesand10-YearPlan goals and activities.

• ContinuetorecruitnewmembersfortheHomelessContinuumof Care.

• Createcomprehensivemarketingcampaignregarding10-YearPlan initiatives.

• Hosttwice-yearlylandlordbreakfasts.

The Future

• Developemploymentplans/modelsforat-riskyouth,youthagingoutoffostercare,andex-offenders.

• Increase number of affordable housing units in the community.• Pursuegrantopportunitiestodevelopsupportivehousing

specificallyforpeoplerecoveringfromsubstanceabuse,foryouthandforpeoplewithdisabilities.

Housing with Supports StrategiesShort-term:• Increasethenumberofemergencyshelterunits,especiallyfor

families and young adults.• ContinuetosupporttheLivingstonTransportationCoalitionin

itseffortstoincreasetransportationoptionsinthecommunity.• Identify and utilize best methods for obtaining additional and

sustainablefundingforsupportiveservices.• Increaseprivatetransportationoptionsviacar-sharingand

car-donationprograms.• Increase access to medical care and behavioral health care.• ProvideSocialSecuritybenefitandworkincentiveinformation

and guidance.

Long-term:• Developcoordinatedefforttoprovideeducationand

employmentservicestoindividualswithanincompleteeducationand/oralackofskillsforemployability.

• Providelong-termcasemanagementandmentoringtoassistinmaintaining housing and stability.

HOUSING WITH SUPPORTS: Ensure supportive services are available to help people maintain housing and stability.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Engage the community, including elected officials, business owners and average citizens in the effort to address the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Long-term:• Developanannualcommunityfundraisertogenerate

extraresourcesforhomelessindividualsorthoseatriskforhomelessness.

Youcanbeanimportantpartofourcommunity’scommitmentandeffort to end homelessness in ten years! Please consider joining the LivingstonCountyHomelessContinuumofCareorvolunteeringforoneofthetenyearplanimplementationworkgroups.Formoreinformation,pleasecontactchairpersonMaryPhillipsat517546-4126ormphillips@cmhliv.org

PLANNING PARTNERS

LivingstonCountyCommunityMentalHealthAuthorityLivingstonCountyDepartmentofHumanServicesLivingstonCountyHumanServicesCollaborativeBodyLivingstonCountyHomelessContinuumofCareTheArcofLivingstonOakland-LivingstonHumanServiceAgencyLACASATheSalvationArmyLivingstonFamilyCenterLivingstonEducationalServiceAgencyMichiganWorksLivingstonCountySheriffLivingstonCountyHabitatForHumanityWomen’sResourceCenterLivingstonCountyUnitedWayKeyDevelopmentCenterLivingston-WashtenawSubstanceAbuseCoordinatingAgencyMichiganStateHousingDevelopmentAuthority

...And Housing For All The Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Livingston County

July2007

WhilehomelessnessinLivingstonCountyisnothighlyvisible,itshuman,socialandeconomictollisfeltthroughoutourcommunity.Thistollismanifestedinincreasedutilizationofcrisisservices,significantlevelsofsubstanceabuse,decreasedemploymentandproductivity,andincreasedratesofincarceration.

A“point-in-time”countconductedinLivingstonCountyinJanuary2007found95individualswhomettheHUD(HousingandUrbanDevelopment)definitionofhomeless*andanother131peopleweredeemed“precariouslyhoused”.Anin-depthsurveyofsomeoftheseindividualsrevealedseveralfactorscontributingtohomelessness,mostnotablydomesticviolence,unemployment,substanceabuse,mentalillnessandlackofaffordablehousing.Peoplewithdisabilities,adolescents(includingrunawayand“throwaway”youth),seniorcitizensandyoungadultsagingoutofthefostercaresystemwerealsoidentifiedasespeciallypronetohomelessnessorathighriskforbecominghomeless.Itisevidentthatmanypeoplefacinghomelessnessneednotjustanaffordableresidence,butalsosupportservices.Thesemayincludementalhealthtreatment,substanceabusetreatment,physicalhealthcare,employmentcounseling,lifeskillstraining,childcare,transportation,advocacyservicesandmore.

AffordablehousinginLivingstonCountyisextremelylimited,whichplacesmanyvulnerablepopulationsatgreatriskforhomelessnessandperpetuatesthecontinuedhomelessnessofthosewhoalreadylackhousing.A2004studycompletedbyCommunityResearchServicesestimatedthat,minimally,1350personsinLivingstonCountyareinneedofaffordable,supportivehousing.Pera2005studyconductedbytheNationalLowIncomeHousingCoalition,thefairmarketrentforatwobedroomapartment($831permonth)inthiscommunityisbeyondthereachofpeopleearningminimumwageorreceivingSSI.Thestudydeterminedminimumwageearnerscanaffordtopaynomorethan$268permonthforhousingandapersonreceivingSSIcanaffordnomorethan$174.

* “A person sleeping in a place unfit for human habitation (e.g. on the streets or in an automobile), or residing in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program.”

Prevention Strategies

Short-term: • Bringrelevantagenciestogethertostreamlineprocessfor

accessingpreventionassistance.Adoptcommonservice,administrative and evaluation standards across organizations.

• Providetenanteducationclassestoteachresponsibletenancyandmoneymanagementskills.

• Increase access to medical care and behavioral health care.• Create a mechanism for roommate matching.• Workwithschoolstoidentifyandassistfamiliesatrisk

for homelessness.

Long-term:• Providelong-termcasemanagementandmentoringtoassistin

maintaining housing and stability.• Centralizefundingforpreventionservices.

Since1998,theLivingstonCountyHomelessContinuumofCare(HCC),aworkgroupoftheLivingstonCountyHumanServicesCollaborativeBody(HSCB),hasprovidedoversightoftheplanningprocessforapplicationandspendingoffundsforhomelessservicesinthecommunity,aswellasadvocacyregardingtheissueofaffordablehousing.TheHCCiscomprisedofdedicated,collaboration-friendlyindividualsrepresentingadiversespectrumofcommunityagencies,systemsandcitizensworkingtogethertodevelopanddeliverservicestopreventhomelessnessandendthehomelessnessofthosewhoalreadylackhousing.

Inresponsetoarecentnationwidechallengetoendhomelessness,andwiththesupportoftheMichiganStateHousingDevelopmentAuthority(MSHDA),subcommitteesoftheHCCmettoidentifygapsinourcurrentsystemofhomelessservicesanddevelopshort-andlong-termstrategiestoclosethegapsandstrengthenourcontinuumofcare.Theresultwasacomprehensiveten-yearplantoendhomelessnessinourcommunitybyfocusingonprevention,systemreform,housingwithsupportsandcommunityinvolvement.

SYSTEM REFORM: Increase the accessibility, capacity, coordination, accountability and evaluation of homeless services in order to develop an efficient continuum of housing, including emergency, transitional, permanent supportive and affordable housing.

The Response

The Challenge

The Plan

System Reform StrategiesShort-term:• AdoptHousingFirst**modelacrossthecontinuumof

housing services.• Workwithlandlordstoimprovemethodofcommunicating

available housing units.• Lobbyfortaxcreditsforlandlordswhorenttopeoplewith

limitedincomeand/ordisabilities.• Utilize211andHomelessManagementInformationSystem

(HMIS)dataforongoingneedsassessment.***• Improvehomelesspoint-in-timecountoutreachefforts.• Coordinatedischargeplanningforindividualsleaving

psychiatricfacilities,substanceabusetreatmentcentersandcorrections facilities.

** Housing First emphasizes a rapid return of homeless individuals to permanent housing with intensive support services.

*** HMIS is a state-wide, computerized data collection tool designed to capture information on the characteristics and needs of people experiencing homelessness. 211 is a telephone-based, regional

information and referral system.

Long-term:• Developanevaluationmodelthatwillallowforidentificationof

themosteffectivecombinationsofhousing,services,andaccessto both.

PREVENTION: Keep people housed by preventing evictions and foreclosures via timely, easy access to needed resources and services.