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GOALS FOR TONIGHT1) What is the status of homelessness in

Redding/Shasta County?2) What is currently being done?3) What can further reduce the impact

homelessness is having on our community?4) What are the next steps?5) What is the community’s role in solving

homelessness in Shasta County?

AGENDAI. Welcome and Introductions

II. Why an Analysis?

III. Findings and Recommendations

IV. What’s Next

V. Q&A

A LITTLE ABOUT USHomeBase• Non-profit consultants since 1985, working on the local, state and national level to support communities in successfully implementing effective responses to homelessnessStrengthening the Shasta County Homeless Response System: Recommendations for Building Capacity in the Homeless System of Care

Symmetric Solutions• Professional consulting

firm founded in 1991, specializing in large-scale

human service agency project implementations

Shasta County Homeless Management Information System

(HMIS) Review

BACKGROUND: WHY AN ANALYSIS?Homelessness is a vast and complex challenge in Redding/Shasta County that affects everyone.

BACKGROUND: WHY AN ANALYSIS?The 2015 PIT counted 559 homeless persons, down from 851 in 2013.

• But there is reason to believe these numbers are not accurate and the problem is much greater.• At least 3,000 homeless persons – and probably many more – rely on the service system each year.

Inquiry #1: In your experience, how does homelessness affect Shasta County?

THE PUBLIC COST OF HOMELESSNESSPublic costs of homelessness are very high it is far more cost-efficient to have effective programs responding to homelessness than to do nothing.

• Health Complications• Ambulance• Fire Department

• Emergency Room• Law Enforcement/Jail• Lost Taxable

Employment Income

LIGHT IN THE TUNNEL: VETERANS• Thanks to targeted strategies and effective coordination, there

has been a 33% decrease in homeless veterans nationally since 2009.

• Communities are successfully ending veteran homelessness, for example:

• Houston, TX• Lancaster, PA

• State of Connecticut• New Orleans, LA

LIGHT IN THE TUNNEL: OTHER COMMUNITIES• Other communities are also taking great strides toward

the ultimate goal of ending homelessness:

Utah has driven down chronic homelessness by 91% over the past 10 years

Utah has driven down chronic homelessness by 91% over the past 10 years

Jacksonville, FL, reduced its chronic homeless population by 25% this year

Jacksonville, FL, reduced its chronic homeless population by 25% this year Santa Clara County has committed to ending homelessness by 2020 by creating 6,000 new housing opportunities

Santa Clara County has committed to ending homelessness by 2020 by creating 6,000 new housing opportunities

Every community is different and there is no one-size-fits all solution – but there are ideas and lessons that can be adapted to

Redding/Shasta County.

SOLVING HOMELESSNESS• Research and experience proves it is

possible to transform what homelessness looks like in communities, large and small

We know what needs to be done, what the system and tools are that turn homelessness into a solvable problem

• Solving homelessness means having the system – the right mix of affordable housing and support services like case management, job training and addiction treatment – so people can get housed and stay housed

WHAT ABOUT SHASTA COUNTY?

• While the problem would be far worse without these services, the current response and resources are insufficient to meet the need.

Inquiry #2: What would it take to solve homelessness in Redding/Shasta County?

• Redding/Shasta County already has a variety of programs and services and many dedicated providers working hard to reduce homelessness.

METHODOLOGY: HOW WAS THIS REPORT CREATED?Stakeholder Interviews (June – Aug)

Stakeholder Workshop (July 16)Local Documents

Regulatory RequirementsBest Practices Material

JULY 16 STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP• Nearly 60 diverse members of Redding/Shasta

County community gathered to discuss gaps and opportunities for strengthening the homeless response.

• Participants included:• Elected

Representatives• Law Enforcement• Service Providers• Housing Authority• Health & Human Svcs

• Faith Community• Business Community• Journalists• Property Managers• Health Care/Community

Clinics

• Public Library• Public Schools• Neighborhood Safety• 2-1-1• County Residents

JULY 16 STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOPRecurring themes What do people want?

Unification of approach and vision

Strong leadership to drive creation, implementation, and community buy-in to cohesive central plan

Increased resourcesSustainability and accountability to promote participation and engagement

Transformation of the community perception of homelessness and the local homeless response

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE: WHY ARE PEOPLE HOMELESS IN SHASTA COUNTY?

• Diverse homeless population – some visible, many not – lots of different stories:

• 85% of the county’s very low income renters spend over 50% of their income on housing, much of which is substandard• For some, a single crisis is enough to fall down the homeless spiral

• Mental illness• Domestic Violence • Missed Paycheck

• Drug or alcohol addiction

• Medical crisis

POINT IN TIME COUNT2013 2015

Individual Adults 631 504People in Families 220 55

Chronically Homeless 199 298Veterans 203 87

Total Homeless 851 559

Still missing crucial information about who is homeless, how many, and why.

Inquiry #3: What else do you want to know about homelessness in Shasta County? What other information would be helpful to solving

the problem?

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY

• There is a lot to celebrate in the current system.

• The system will benefit from more centralized leadership, coordination, and community-wide engagement.

• Emphasis on growing resources and targeting them to the most effective interventions.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY

Many excellent programs and local initiatives operated by dedicated community providers, including – to name just a few:

• The Woodlands, in development, affordable housing complex with 19 beds set aside for persons with severe mental health issues

• Shasta Community Health Center provides services to approximately 3,000 homeless people a year with programs including the Hope Van

• HHSA case managers are helping persons move on from encampments to permanent housing

• 34 unit permanent supportive housing project operated by Northern Valley Catholic Social Services (NVCSS)

• County administered VASH vouchers for 55 veterans, and support services and SSVF for many more via the Veterans Resource Center

• Successful transition of 120 homeless persons to permanent housing in 2014 by the Good News Rescue Mission

RECOMMENDATIONS: FIVE GOALS

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

What about resources?• This is ALL about resources:

• Using resources more effectively• Building a system to bring in new, sustainable resourcesCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

RECOMMENDATIONS: ENGAGEMENT

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FINDINGS: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTStrengths Challenges• July 16 stakeholder meeting of

over 60 diverse community members demonstrating commitment to solving homelessness

• Volunteerism and support, including from the faith community; tremendous community generosity

• Public sentiment that “something must be done”

• Insufficient public information regarding homelessness and the service system

• Frustration and lack of awareness and support for the interventions that could best impact homelessness in Shasta County

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: COMMUNITY CARE FUND• Stakeholders in the faith community are developing a

flexible community fund to address housing barriers –e.g., deposits, utilities – that will support households leave homelessness more quickly.

• Stakeholders are also exploring ways community members can get involved in providing housing navigation and support.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: LANDLORDS• Homeless and formerly homeless people face many

challenges in locating an apartment. • Poor credit• No recent rental history• Criminal history• Mistrust by landlord• No community references

One-third of vouchers issued by the City of Redding go unused, partly because the household can’t find a rental.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BUSINESS COMMUNITY• Studies show that the vast majority –

around 88% – of homeless persons would prefer to be employed or already are.

• With the right tools and support, many homeless persons can be successful in the workplace.

• Support from the business community can create job and skill building opportunities.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BUILDING SOLUTIONS THAT WORK• Solving homelessness requires the support of the

community around the solutions that work.• Participation in the planning process to identify steps

that will turn the tide on homelessness in Shasta County/Redding.

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, fostering a united front and broad support for addressing homelessness. Develop a community engagement plan and unified

messaging this is a problem that can be solved.

Inquiry #4: How should the community learn about homelessness and the service system? What should

they know?

RECOMMENDATIONS: THE RIGHT MIX OF SERVICES

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FINDINGS: BUILDING THE SERVICESStrengths Challenges• Dedicated service sector, with

many committed agencies doing great work to prevent and end homelessness

• Meaningful formal and informal collaboration between different agencies

• Successful leveraging of mainstream resources to offer some key services such as outreach case management

• An existing foundation for each pillar: prevention, outreach, supports/housing

• Inadequate housing and support services to meet need – high demand for more housing and case management

• Only 34 permanent supportive housing beds (not counting VASH) and limited rapid rehousing availability

• Most programs are not permanent and not housing first

• Some federal and state funding opportunities may go unpursued

WHAT ENDS HOMELESSNESS?

Homeless

Homeless Spiral

Housing Stability Self-Sufficiency

Permanent housing.• A safe place, affordable, with the

support needed to stay there. • That’s what we mean by Housing

First having a place to stay leads to stability

PERMANENT HOUSING: A CRITICAL INVESTMENTPermanent Supportive Housing Permanent subsidy and

support services for persons with multiple long-term barriers to maintaining housing.

Supports households who would remain on the streets without significant support.

Rapid Rehousing Time-limited housing subsidy

and support services lasting from 3 months to 2 years

Supports households so they can get back on their feet

PERMANENT HOUSING: A CRITICAL INVESTMENT

PERMANENT HOUSING IS COST EFFECTIVE

PSH in King County WA saves $2,449 per person/month

PSH in Rhode Island reduced annual costs by $8,839/person

PSH in rural Maine reduced costs of mental health services by 57%, ER by 14%, ambulance by 32%, incarceration by 95%

PERMANENT HOUSING: A CRITICAL INVESTMENT

AND KEEPS HOUSEHOLDS OFF THE STREETS FOR THE LONG TERM

94% of single vets and 90% vets in families did not experience subsequent homelessness after a year in RRH

82% of singles and 95% of families in Connecticut were stably housed 3 years after participation in RRH

90% of families participating in RRH for Families Demonstration did not return to homelessness

HOUSING INVENTORY COUNT 2014Summary of Beds Reported By CoCPermanent Supportive Housing: 34Emergency Shelter: 192Transitional Housing: 393

Total Number of Year Round Beds: 619

**Plus some additional housing such as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) and CalWORKs Rapid Rehousing.

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: BUILDING THE SERVICESBUILD THE SERVICE SYSTEM that will successfully

reduce homelessness.Promote evidence-based practices in existing

programsRealign resources to better achieve community

prioritiesIncrease resources by establishing systems to better

obtain federal, state, and local fundingInquiry #5: What should be the service system’s

priorities? Who is falling through the cracks?

RECOMMENDATIONS: LEADERSHIP

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FAQ: WHAT IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC)?

• Flexible coalition-type structure• Supports coordination of the local homeless response• Administers homeless funding from the US Dept. Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to local programs• Different leadership/coordination roles in different communities• Funding limitations in Redding/Shasta County means the CoC has historically been focused on bringing in $375,000 in HUD funding for housing programs.• The CoC could do more with more resources invested

FINDINGS: INFRASTRUCTURE (LEADERSHIP)Strengths Challenges• Several dedicated individuals

taking initiative to move the system forward

• CoC successfully receivedaward of nearly $375,000 in 2014

• Strong community voice in favor of developing leadership at the July 16 meeting

• No common understanding of who’s in charge – no “center of gravity”

• Initiatives are independent; no coordination at the system level

• CoC is severely under-resourced

• CoC coordinator is intermittent, part-time, limited funding

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: LEADERSHIP

Inquiry #6: What are the challenges to unification and leadership around homelessness in Shasta County? What qualifications will

make a successful leader here?

IDENTIFY AND FOSTER UNIFYING LEADERSHIP to provide a hub for collective action to drive unity and collaboration around shared priorities.

RECOMMENDATIONS: DATA

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FAQ: WHAT IS THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS)?• Information technology system • Collects and manages client and service data• Helps monitor program and system level performance • Supports understanding of the local landscape around homelessness

FINDINGS: INFRASTRUCTURE (DATA)Strengths Challenges• Existing HMIS system operated

by County Housing and Community Action Agency

• Substantial community feedback supporting HMIS expansion

• Interest in using HMIS for coordinated entry

• Insufficient data around homeless population

• Very limited staffing for HMIS –approx. 10-20% fte – and few dedicated resources

• Few participating agencies, insufficiently robust HMIS software and relatively inactive HMIS committee

WHY DATA?

Understanding the Problem

Tailoring the Solution

Measuring the Results• Getting the most we can out of the resources we have with monitoring and evaluation• Bringing in new resources by identifying the issue and measuring impact

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: INFRASTRUCTURE

DEVELOP KEY DATA SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENT HMIS REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS to understand current landscape and plan

accordingly ongoing monitoring and evaluation facilitate long-term resource development/funding

RECOMMENDATIONS: PLANNING

Right Mix of Services

Data

Leadership

Planning

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FINDINGS: PLANNINGStrengths Challenges• Already some planning, such as

the Consolidated Plan• Meaningful collaboration

between different service agencies to make limited resources go farther

• July 16 stakeholder workshop demonstrated substantial community support for a common vision, goals and leadership around addressing homelessness

• Several different, uncoordinated initiatives being led by different groups

• No consensus around priorities, how to achieve objectives or who should be responsible for implementation

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: COMMUNITY PLANNINGCONDUCT A COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS

that: Engages stakeholders at all levels of the

communityIs grounded in a real and data-driven

understanding of the community needs and resources

RECOMMENDATIONS IN BRIEF: COMMUNITY PLANNINGCONDUCT A COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS that: Focuses on evidence-based program modelsEstablishes a process for implementation and ongoing monitoringFocuses on short and intermediate term goals, emphasizing sustainability and maximizing outcomes

STRATEGIC PLANNING• A community process where stakeholders work

together to identify priorities and an actionable path to achieving those priorities.

• What needs to be done?• Who will do it?• What steps to take?• What is the timeline?

WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED?

Who is responsible for addressing homelessness?

Elected Officials

Faith Community

Business Community

Health and Human ServicesHousing Authorities

Non-Profits

Schools

HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY GET INVOLVED?• Support plan development by participating in opportunities for community input• Engage in the dialogue around homelessness and its solutions• Become part of the solution: there’s a place for everyone

Inquiry #7: What should be the role of the community in addressing homelessness?

QUESTIONS?Nikka Rapkin & Eli Hamilton, HomeBasenikka@homebaseccc.orgeli@homebaseccc.org

Scott Rich, Symmetric SolutionsHMISsupport@gmail.comView the HMIS and Homeless System Reports at http://www.norcalunitedway.org/redding-area-homelessness-coalition-project