The Vital Link: Connecting Housing and ServicesA publication of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities

CLPHA

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Table of Contents The Vital Link

Sometimes a home is not enough.

Across the country, families are struggling to climb the economic ladder. Seniors are

grappling with how to prevent losing their homes and independence. People with

physical or mental disabilities are searching for ways to live full lives in their own

communities. More and more veterans are finding themselves without a home and

out of the economic mainstream. Other people are finding themselves abruptly out

on the streets because of illness or the loss of a job.

But none of these problems are intractable, and housing authorities are increasingly

playing a leading role in developing wide-ranging solutions.

These agencies are uniquely situated as housing providers for vulnerable populations

because they have practical experience developing community-based programs.

With few federal dollars available for housing-linked supportive services, housing

authorities are bringing together local service providers and their cities to secure

additional resources for this expanded mission.

Housing authorities today provide decent and safe affordable housing to 7.45

million low-income seniors, people with disabilities, working adults, and families with

children. They serve hundreds of thousands more through other local, state, and

federal housing programs.

The profiles on the following pages provide a handful of examples of the thousands

of lives that are being improved by these new ventures. With their partners, housing

authorities are developing intervention strategies to get people off of the street,

to help people retain their housing, and to use

housing as a springboard for a better future. Their

efforts represent not only effective interventions, but

cost-effective solutions to community concerns.

In the process, they are establishing best practices

for local, state and federal policy makers, along with

nonprofits and private entities, to support these

community-based solutions. They are finding new

ways to coordinate between federal agencies and

other partners, breaking down silos that can be

roadblocks to services. Housing authorities are truly

serving as a vital link.

Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA)

1 Introduction

2 Providing Tools for Success 3 Chicago, Illinois5 San Antonio, Texas6 Bridgeport, Connecticut7 Dallas, Texas

9 Aging with Dignity

10 Cincinnati, Ohio11 New York, New York 12 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

13 Supporting Independent Living

14 King County, Washington16 Newark, New Jersey

18 Serving Those Who Served

19 El Paso, Texas20 Washington, D.C.22 San Bernardino, California

23 Everyone Deserves a Home

24 Jersey City, New Jersey25 San Diego, California27 Portland, Oregon29 Baltimore, Maryland

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Families Climbing the Economic Ladder

Almost half of public housing residents and housing choice voucher holders

are extremely low-income families. The remainder are seniors and people with

disabilities. The median annual income in public housing for these families is

$10,600, more than $4,000 below the federal poverty line for a family of two. The

median income in the housing choice voucher program is $14,700, just above the

poverty line.1 Approximately one third of all households in these programs report

income from earned wages, but the work tends to be extremely low-paying.

There are substantial barriers to sufficient employment for these families beyond

the current weak labor market. Many families are struggling with poor health and

limited education. Those with high school or equivalency degrees are more likely

to have steady employment but many residents lack even these basics. Further

complicating the goal of steady employment is accessing support services like

child care and transportation.

However, there are programs that have been proven to work. For example, a HUD

2011 report found that Family Self Sufficiency Program graduates had higher

incomes when they completed the program.3

Low-income families are also more vulnerable in times of crisis because they lack

sufficient resources to fall back on. The risk of becoming homeless is growing for

families, in large part because of the economy. Between 2007 and 2009, there was a

25 percent increase in families facing worst-case housing needs4; family homelessness

overall increased by 13 percent, even as individual homelessness did not.5

Even brief episodes of homelessness can have lasting consequences for families.

All aspects of a child’s development—physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and

behavioral—can be negatively impacted. For example, homeless children are

four times as likely to be sick as other children. Rates of post-traumatic stress for

parents are three times those of the general population.

The most successful programs are those that first try to prevent at-risk families

from losing their homes, and then if they do, quickly re-house them to mitigate

the impact. Housing authorities are increasingly involved in helping their resident

families get back on their feet.

Providing Tools for Success

Statistics for extremely low-income renter households as of 2009:

• There was a shortage of 3.4 million

affordable units.

• Only 32 units were affordable and

available for every 100 households.

• The number of renters with worst-case

needs in 2009 (7.1 million) rose 42%

since 2001.

• A household must earn the equivalent

of $38,400 in annual income to afford

the national average two-bedroom fair

market rent (FMR) of $960 per month.2

1 HUD Picture of Subsidized Housing http://explore.data.

gov/Construction-and-Housing/A-Picture-of-Subsidized-

Housholds-2008/b9tu-4kdp

2 http://www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2011/introduction.pdf

3 http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/affhsg/

eval_fssp.html

4 HUD defines worst case needs as very low-income rent-

ers who do not receive government housing assistance

and who either pay more than one-half of their monthly

income for rent, live in severely inadequate conditions,

or both.

5 http://usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/USCMHunger-

completeWEB2009.pdf

Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is known for its Plan for Transformation, the largest

revitalization of public housing stock in the country. It is the most ambitious redevelopment

effort of public housing in the United States, with the goal of rehabilitating or redeveloping the

entire stock of public housing in Chicago.

By the end of the Plan in 2015, 25,000 units of housing will be renovated or built new. But

beyond the bricks and mortar, a significant component of the plan involves integrating residents

into the larger social, economic, and physical fabric of Chicago.

A key component of that effort is FamilyWorks, a comprehensive support services program that

helps families work toward self-sufficiency. It is a voluntary program, yet 70 percent of eligible

families are in the program at any given time.

Carrie Pullie, the Program Manager for FamilyWorks contractor Metropolitan Family Services,

says the program is outcome-dependent.

“We work from a performance-based contract and are rated on 49 distinct goals,” she says.

“We do quality assurance calls with residents to make sure my case managers follow through.”

The goals are detailed and quantifiable, measuring everything from increases in literacy to job

placement and retention to the numbers of children enrolled in specific educational programs.

One client is Paulette Davis, whose family has been helped on a number of levels through

the program.

“They helped my daughter with college application fees and helped my oldest daughter get her

GED,” Davis says. “They have helped find summer camps for my grandchildren and summer

jobs for my children.”

“The Plan for Transformation is and always will be dedicated to improving the lives of CHA residents,” says Lewis A. Jordan, CHA CEO. “The multitude of programs and services offered by CHA helps residents along the road to self sufficiency. People have taken these tools and achieved remarkable things, from obtaining their doctorates to starting their own small businesses to buying their first home to earning scholarships to the finest schools in the nation. One of CHA’s biggest measures of success is that the children of today’s public housing families now have options other than asking for their own public housing unit when they turn eighteen.”

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She and her oldest daughter regularly attend CHA-sponsored workshops, including a recent

one on credit score management. They are also both enrolled in a new job training program that

teaches green industry skills.

Some of the CHA Fiscal Year 2010 highlights:

• 12,263 residents were engaged with service providers and there were more than 1,593 job

placements through CHA-funded services.

• 1,735 residents completed job readiness training and 702 residents completed an

employment skills training program.

• CHA’s Transitional Jobs programs resulted in 705 placements in subsidized employment and

888 unsubsidized placements.

• 380 residents were enrolled at City Colleges of Chicago and 219 residents completed

programs.

• In FY2010, 298 positions were filled through CHA’s Section 3 program encouraging

contractors to hire a percentage of CHA public housing residents.

• CHA engagednearly 8,000 youth in recreational, academic, and employment programs and

special events.

• 2,352 youth were placed in summer jobs

The San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) knows exactly what it wants to

accomplish with its new Jobs-Plus program: help residents get and keep jobs.

SAHA is one of two sites to receive a grant from a New York City-run Jobs-

Plus program. It is based on an earlier pilot program that was shown to

have a positive effect on public housing residents’ income.

SAHA will receive up to five years of funding from foundations that

include the Social Innovation Fund, Catholic Charities of San Antonio,

and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. SAHA’s goal is to educate and find

employment for 1,000 residents living at Alazan-Apache Courts and

Mirasol Homes. They will be expanding on components of their current

HUD-funded Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, a voluntary five-year

program that matches residents with a wide-ranging network of agencies

that can provide health, education, skills training, social services, and

other supportive services.

“When you talk about a return on investment, you cannot do better

than providing someone with both a stable place to live and the tools to

succeed,” says Lourdes Castro Ramírez, President and CEO of SAHA. “The

very core of what we do at SAHA is about people—that is why we firmly

believe that to create stronger communities, you must invest in people.”

FSS has proven to be an effective program. A 2011 HUD report found

that program graduates had higher incomes when they enrolled and

when they completed the program.

One example of the kind of resident SAHA intends to reach is Venus

Juarez, who had few prospects before moving with her two daughters into

public housing.

She enrolled in the housing authority’s FSS program, saying she was

determined to “take advantage of every opportunity given to me.”

Ms. Juarez will soon realize her goal of graduating from college—in the

fall of 2011, she’ll earn an associate’s degree in mortuary science from

San Antonio College. She had been interning at a local funeral home,

where she has since been offered a full-time position.

“I want to be a role model for my children, family, and my community. I

redirected all my energy and now I do a lot of community service,” she

says. “I also try to get all my neighbors involved, which is one reason why

I’m part of SAHA’s Resident Ambassador Program.”

The first step for anyone enrolling in the program is identifying a potential

career and the way to get there, says Mary Jane Flores, a SAHA case

manager who worked closely with Ms. Juarez. Services can range from

finding day care to identifying business partners to help with tuition.

The program also includes a proven way for residents to save money to

own a home, which is a key part of the program.

Since public housing rents are income-based, rents increase as a

participant’s income rises. That makes saving money difficult. One answer

is an escrow account for residents. Residents pay the higher rent, but

SAHA matches the difference. “When they are ready to exit the program,

they receive the funds, which many use as a down payment on a home or

to pay off debt,” says Jane Flores. “It’s a graduation gift.”

“Now that I’m almost finished with school, the pressure is on,” Ms. Juarez

says. “But I know there are better things out there for me and my family.”

San Antonio, Texas

Venus Juarez is looking forward to a better life

1 http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/affhsg/eval_fssp.html

Old Town Square and Renaissance North are

two of the new mixed-income developments

part of Chicago’s Plan for Transformation

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Providing tooLs for suCCess

Dallas, Texas

In 2009, the Dallas Housing Authority board decided to increase its focus on the city’s

growing homeless population. Part of the initiative is a joint permanent supportive housing

program that began in 2010 with the Housing Crisis Center’s (HCC) Good Neighbor Project.

For Charissa Buxton, 29, of Dallas, Texas, the program worked. Two years ago, she found

herself stuck with an abusive partner and no way out. She was living in a transitional housing

program also run by the HCC, and was one of the first to receive a voucher through the Good

Neighbor Project.

“It was amazing how quick everything kind of just fell into place,” says Ms. Buxton. “We got

out of our situation and didn’t have to worry about anybody showing up at my doorstep.”

She spent a few days in a shelter while her kids stayed with her parents. Within a week, they

were all moved into an apartment.

“The help with the bills and the rent took a lot of the pressure off me because I was also

going through legal battles with my kids, trying to get full custody and getting visitation rights

taken away from their father,” Ms. Buxton says.

The Good Neighbor Project was named by HCC staff because of their intent to be good

neighbors with the Lake Highlands community. They also did a lot of outreach to win support

for the program from the community. The designated units are scattered throughout a large

apartment complex there.

Ms. Buxton is one of 50 recipients of the project-based vouchers currently in the program.

Johann was laid off and she and her daughter were facing eviction

when she heard about Stable Families, a partnership developed by the

Bridgeport Housing Authority (BHA).

“The philosophy is that a stable tenancy promotes a stable family life, and

that a stable family greatly improves chances that family members will be

able to improve their life circumstances and prospects,” says Kate Kelly,

Director of Resident Services for BHA.

It works. Through the program – the first of its kind in Bridgeport -- the

family was able to stay housed and Johann could focus her attention on

finding work. The support that she received included referrals to the local

food pantry and assistance making utility payments. Her case manager

also worked with school officials to address her daughter’s education.

The Stable Families program office is located in the BHA building. BHA

staff plays a key role in identifying at-risk families, participating in weekly

meetings where they discuss the possible need for interventions. They

look for triggers that left unaddressed could put families at risk of eviction.

For example, listening to a tenant who would not allow maintenance staff

in her apartment, Ms. Kelly realized that it was because of a history of

domestic violence. When the housing authority staff offered to stay with

her while the work was being done, her concerns were addressed.

“We try to get a holistic picture of what is going on with a family that could

become a problem,” Ms. Kelly says. “It could be housekeeping issues. It

might be a child with an untreated mental illness.”

The housing authority chose New Haven Home Recovery (NHHR) to

administer the families’ support services, providing behavioral health

staff to help families stay housed. Ms. Kelly says referring residents to an

independent third party increases trust and is an important part of the

program model.

Kara Capone, NHHR Director of Programs, says Stable Families is

the first program of its kind in Bridgeport and has been welcomed by

the community. She has been surprised by their clientele. “We had

anticipated that we would be serving families with very young children,”

she says. “These families have children in school. We also find that the

problems are not always with the head of the household.”

BHA’s successful combination of housing and services in Stable Families

now serves as a model for building a community-wide safety net. NHHR,

along with the housing authority and other partners, is working to secure

funding for a demonstration project named Stable Communities. The

goal of this project would be to include a network of people -- educators,

health care professionals, business leaders -- who could provide

supportive services for low-income residents, thus increasing community-

wide stability.

“When you work with one family at a time and see the change,” says Ms.

Capone, “you want to take it to a neighborhood level.”

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Ms. Buxton and son enjoying their new home

“We are pleased that we have been able to find a way to serve our residents while being mindful of what our property managers need to do to run our residences,” says Nicholas Calace, Executive Director, BHA. “It is this kind of balanced approach that results in positive outcomes for everyone involved.”

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America is aging. By 2030, the U.S. population will include 72.1 million

people 65 or older, more than twice their number in 2000. They made up

12.4 percent of the population in 2000; it will be 19 percent by 2030.

This population needs significant levels of support. In 62 percent of

elderly HCV households and 44 percent of elderly public housing

households, the elderly head of household or spouse has disabilities.

A recent study2 found that seniors living in public housing are more than

twice as likely to report fair or poor health compared to those with no

public housing experience. But like their peers, these residents prefer

to age in place.

Providing the services necessary to allow them to age in place is also

more cost-effective than relying on institutional care. Per person long-

term care expenditures are five times as high, and national expenditures

three times as high, for nursing home residents as compared to

community residents.3

Housing authorities are creating innovative programs that can serve as

community-focused models for serving seniors.

Aging with Dignity

The public housing and housing choice

voucher (HCV) programs, the largest

federally-funded housing assistance

programs for seniors, together house

more than 740,000 people 62 and older.

Seniors represent 15 percent of public

housing residents and 13 percent of HCV

holders. Fifteen percent of those senior

public housing residents and nine percent

of those senior HCV holders are 82 years

or older.

In 2009, 1.33 million very low-income

senior renters without housing assistance

paid more than half of their incomes for

rent and/or lived in severely inadequate

conditions. Homelessness among the

elderly is increasing at an alarming rate,

with projections expecting it to double

between 2010 and 2050.1

1 http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2698

1 http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/aging_statistics/index.aspx

2 Pamela L. Parsons, Briana Mezuk, Scott Ratliff, and Kate L. Lapane,

Subsidized Housing, not Subsidized Health: Health Status and Fatigue

among Elders in Public Housing and Other Community Settings,

Ethnicity and Disease, Volume 21 (Winter 2010)

3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20048355

“When we made the decision to focus on homelessness, we knew that permanent supportive housing programs would work for our population, and help people become and remain successful long-term tenants,” says MaryAnn Russ, Executive Director of the Dallas Housing Authority. “It takes a lot more than just affordable housing if people are also struggling with mental health issues or overcoming substance abuse.”

The program targets those who are currently homeless or in a shelter. Clients are expected to

stay with the program and its affiliated support services for as long as they need it. Some go

on to independence. Of those who have left the program, 90 percent of participants are still

living independently six years later.

Good Neighbor practices intensive case management, including random home visits, drug

testing, financial education, and partnerships with child care and mental health providers.

On-site services include two case managers, an after-school program, and Alcoholics

Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

In addition to the housing authority and the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, Ms. Russ credits

the property management company and the effectiveness of the HCC for the success of the

Good Neighbor Project.

Ms. Buxton was working when she entered the program. Between custody-related court

dates, family therapy visits, and other scheduling difficulties, she lost that job, and then

another. Now that things have settled down, she’s searching for a job.

She says being in the program allowed her to take care of her kids, now age 5 and 7, and got

them out of a bad situation.

“It’s opened a lot more doors for me that I didn’t have before because I was constantly having

to look over my shoulder and worry about where’s this coming from and what I need to do

next,” Ms. Buxton says. “It’s made life a lot easier to really concentrate on trying to better my

situation and myself.”

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Aging witH dignityAging witH dignity

New York, New York

At Vladeck Houses, a public housing complex on New York City’s Lower

East Side, the services offered to senior residents have allowed them to

stay in their homes, improve their health, and maintain social connections.

It was the first effort to bring services to a Naturally Occurring Retirement

Community (NORC) in a public housing complex and it has served as a

model. About one-third of its 2,850 residents are seniors .

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), in partnership with the

New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA), the United Hospital

Fund, and local community service providers, has embraced the concept,

identifying NORCs in 12 public housing communities.

“Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities are a replicable model of

service delivery that have proven their effectiveness over the years,” says

John Rhea, Chairman, NYCHA. “They provide an environment where the

medical, social, cultural, and recreational needs of senior residents can be

met through a unique partnership between public and private agencies.”

Each NORC is operated by a local community service partner and offers

senior residents health screenings, in-home assessments, transportation

services, financial management services, and housekeeping services.

Support groups, intergenerational activities, wellness programs, and

recreational programs are also available.

“The goal of a NORC is to empower people to age in place and make

decisions about their own life. No one wants to go off to a nursing home

or end up in a hospital. The NORC concept allows them to remain in the

community by bringing the needed services to them,” says Janet Fischer,

Chief Administrator of Senior Services for Henry Street Settlement, the

organization that operates the NORC at Vladeck Houses. These services

include access to social workers, nursing services, and individualized

case management.

Nathalie Manovich is 82 and has lived at Vladeck Houses since 1983. She

says she has found the social workers’ help invaluable in dealing with day-

to-day issues, including helping her navigate the bureaucracies of a new

prescription drug plan. They also recently provided her with coupons to a

city vegetable market, and helped her get her phone in working order.

“All my friends, they are the same age or older than me,” Ms. Manovich

says. “It’s impossible for us to live here without the help of this program.”

“Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities are a replicable model of service delivery that have proven their effectiveness over the years,” says John Rhea, Chairman, NYCHA. “They provide an environment where the medical, social, cultural, and recreational needs of senior residents can be met through a unique partnership between public and private agencies.”

Ted Bergh, Interim Executive Director of the Cincinnati Metropolitan

Housing Authority (CMHA), knows the demand for affordable housing

for seniors in his area is only going to increase. Already, 37 percent of

CMHA’s residents are elderly.

“With the economy the way it is, seniors are going to outlive their

retirement,” he says.

The good news is that the communities

CMHA serves are eager for the authority to

build housing targeted to seniors.

“It is a lot easier when you are on good

terms,” Mr. Bergh says. “It saves time and

effort when communities invite us in.”

That was certainly the case with Baldwin Grove, the first new CMHA

building outside the city of Cincinnati itself. (CMHA covers all of

Hamilton County.)

CMHA relied on collaboration with the city of Springdale to avoid

costly delays with permitting. Baldwin Grove was also the agency’s first

building that included “green” design and has been deemed an Energy

Star building, among the first of its kind in Ohio.

The financing came from several sources including Low-Income

Housing Tax Credits and public housing capital and replacement

housing factor funds.

The 100-unit, two-story building opened in 2007. It was designed

specifically to meet the needs of seniors: there are laundry appliances in

each of the units, ample common areas and meeting rooms on both floors,

easily accessible elevators, and parking with convenient building entrances.

Jacqueline Pennington has lived there for several years. It’s the first

senior complex she’s lived in. She says it is easier and safer than the

family complex where she lived previously with her family.

“I used to joke that my next move would probably be to a seniors’

place,” says Ms. Pennington. “But now that I’m here, I love it.”

There are a range of on- and off-site services that

make life easier. A nurse periodically stops by for blood

pressure checkups. Residents have been connected to

the Council on Aging of Southwest Ohio and many have

chosen individually to utilize their services. Residents

also take advantage of services provided across the

street at Maple Knoll Village, a large nonprofit senior

services provider. It includes a cafeteria open to the public. The

demand for units is high, and occupancy hovers around 99 percent.

Mr. Bergh conducts tours for other municipal officials to demonstrate the

success of the development, and CMHA is already working to meet another

community’s request for a senior development modeled on Baldwin Grove.

Using Neighborhood Stabilization Program money, the authority will replace

15 deteriorating four-family homes in the Mount Healthy community. It will

serve as its own developer for replacement housing, The Reserve on South

Martin, which will add 60 units for seniors.

“I used to joke that my next move would probably be to a seniors’ place, but now that I’m here, I love it.”

Cincinnati, Ohio

Resident talks with visiting nurse – photo credit

Baldwin Groves resident Doreen Vincent Nathalie Manovich finds supportive services invaluable

Aging witH dignity Providing tooLs for suCCessProviding tooLs for suCCess

The Jeltz Senior Center was established in 1978 as public housing for

low-income seniors. About three years ago, when the Oklahoma City

Housing Authority (OCHA) became concerned about services for its

residents, they partnered with Baptist Village Communities and Daily

Living Centers to help the residents stay in their homes rather than having

to move prematurely to a nursing home.

“What started all this was we were seeing our residents failing,” says

Barbie Baker, Senior Asset Manager for OCHA. “They couldn’t get all

the services they needed. They were really sacrificing meals to pay for

medication. Many were so frail they couldn’t keep up their homes. They

were just really struggling to maintain their independence.”

Baptist Village Communities is a nonprofit organization that manages

senior communities and provides health services through its home health

agency, Entrusted Hearts. A nurse visits the center twice a week.

“People were not able to visit doctors’ offices for appointments,” says

Rebecca Harvey, RN, Director of Entrusted Hearts. “Some didn’t even

have doctors. They weren’t seeing that there was going to be a difference

in their lives if certain proactive measures were taken,”

The visiting nurse provides blood pressure readings, blood sugar

monitoring, and health education. These efforts have been so well

received that residents started a contest among themselves to monitor

blood sugar.

In some cases, a visit by the nurse has had an even more immediate effect.

“The nurse has sent certain individuals to the hospital, and as a result

has helped to save their lives,” says Ms. Harvey. “Several were having

chest pain or similar symptoms, and by the time they made it to the

hospital, they had to have immediate surgery. ”

An adult day center run by Daily Living Centers is another key component

of the collaboration. Versie McGlory , a resident of the Jeltz Center for 19

years, finds friends and activities at the center.

“The people are nice and I enjoy going there,” she says.

At 89, she’s able to live independently because of the services. “There’s

a measure of security. I just like it very much. It’s the very place for me at

this time in my life.”

Other services include a well-used computer lab, a mini-library stocked

and staffed by the Metropolitan library system, and transportation to

shopping and medical appointments.

A regional food bank comes once month with staples for any resident who

needs them. They also bring fresh fruits and vegetables to set up a no-cost

store, particularly helpful for residents who can no longer run errands.

“As a housing authority, we see every day the struggles our residents can

have,” says OCHA Deputy Director Mark Gillet. “It is deeply rewarding to

be able to step in and have such a tremendous impact on people’s lives.”

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

People with disabilities seeking rental housing face both a limited

availability of accessible units and discrimination by landlords. (HUD

reports that since discrimination against people with disabilities was

added to the Fair Housing Act, allegations of disability discrimination have

been the most common fair housing complaint.)

Housing assistance programs have been proven to succeed with this

population. Renter households that include people with disabilities are

twice as likely to receive housing assistance as those that do not. This is

considered a key reason that the 13 percent rise in worst-case housing

needs for this population from 2007 to 2009 was substantially below the

20 percent increase for the population as a whole. Linking services to

housing is vital to allowing people with disabilities to live independently

and remain part of their communities. It is also cost effective.

In 1990, New York State and New York City entered into what came to

be called the New York/New York Agreement to House the Homeless

Mentally Ill, jointly funding and developing 3,600 community-based

permanent supportive housing units for people with severe mental

illness. Studies showing the decrease in emergency services usage by

participants in comparison to a control group showed an annualized

savings of $16,281 (in 1999 dollars) for public services per unit.

Cost savings due to reduced emergency room visits has also been

documented in a California initiative, which found that the average

number of emergency room visits per participant decreased 61 percent

over two years, with average emergency room charges decreasing from

$11,388 to $4,697

The housing authority partnerships profiled here are examples of how

these agencies are leading the way in creating targeted programs to

meet the needs of the members of their local population with mental

and physical challenges.

1 Dennis Culhane, Stephen Metraux, and Trevor Hadley, Public Service Reductions Associated with Placing Homeless

Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing, Housing Policy Debate, Vol. 13, Issue 1, 2002, pp. 107-163.)

Supporting Independent Living

In 2009, almost one million households

with non-elderly people with disabilities

confronted worst case housing needs,

meaning they were low-income renters

receiving no housing assistance and

paying more than one-half of their

income for rent and/or living in severely

inadequate conditions.

These households represented 38

percent of all very low-income households

with someone with a disability. Among

the entire population of renters, those

households including non-elderly people

with disabilities are more likely to have

worst- case housing needs.

Versie McGlory, Jeltz Senior Center resident

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suPPorting indePendent Living suPPorting indePendent Living

King County, Washington

Clara McGowen’s job is to help house people with disabilities. She’s

Program Manager at the YWCA for the Housing Access and Services

Program (HASP), which channels Section 8 vouchers to disabled

households through a consortium of service providers. The King County

Housing Authority (KCHA) established the consortium and the contract

with the YWCA to oversee the program administration.

With disabilities including mental illness, developmental disabilities,

and physical ailments, clients face barriers both before and after getting

housing. They may have a poor rental history or none at all. Many

struggle with substance abuse; some have felonies in their past. Some

don’t even have any formal identification.

The program awarded its first vouchers in 2000. Today, about 1,800

vouchers are under lease, making it one of the largest programs of its

kind in the country.

Once a client has housing, HASP’s primary goal is to help them keep it.

That might mean intervening with a landlord when there’s an issue. It

might mean gently explaining why they can’t let their homeless friends

move in with them. Or it might mean recruiting a team of volunteers to

clean out a hoarder’s place so they can pass the annual inspection—

sometimes repeatedly.

“This program is a great example of how housing and services can partner to successfully house our most vulnerable residents,” says Stephen Norman, Executive Director of KCHA. “Secure and affordable housing is the essential starting point for dealing with everything else. This program literally saves lives.”

Ms. McGowen describes one challenging case. The client, a woman with severe mental

health issues, had stayed in a run-down motel for 10 years. All her money, including

donations begged from nearby churches, went to paying for the motel.

Because of her illness, if she forgot to take her medicine with her when she left, she would

throw it away when she returned, fearing someone had tampered with it. She had many

requirements that made it difficult for her to find housing—no connecting walls, for instance.

It took a year to find a place, but she’s been there for two years.

“And I tell you every day, it’s just amazing that she is still housed,” McGowen says. “She still has

to take all of her food with her every time she leaves, so that she’ll have food, because if not, she’s

going to throw it away. If it wasn’t for this program, she would not be housed today, period.”

Another client, John Allen, is a disabled vet who has been housed since 2000. Before that,

he had his own place, and was working and paying the rent. When he was injured and lost

his job, the rent was too high for him to keep up.

What he appreciates most is having someone to advocate for him — for instance, helping

him work out an agreement with a landlord after a dispute over damages. Right now, Mr.

Allen is going through chemo treatments. He takes 15 pills a day and has lost 28 pounds.

The side effects are rough, but he’s optimistic.

“I’m going to face life,” he says. “I’m a survivor; I’m a success.”

Quinton Jimerson, living independently in Kent, Washington,

thanks to a HASP voucher

16 17

suPPorting indePendent Living suPPorting indePendent Living

Newark, New Jersey

The grand opening of Millennium Way marked a milestone in Newark. A partnership between

the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey-University Behavioral HealthCare

(UMDNJ-UBHC) and the Newark Housing Authority (NHA), the 56-unit development

provides 15 permanent supportive housing units for people the university identifies as

qualifying for special needs housing. The partnership grew out of the university president’s

desire to partner with the Newark Housing Authority, says Karen Torian, Chief of Preservation

& Development for the housing authority.

“There is a real challenge providing consistent behavioral care services to people who are

homeless,” says Rosemarie Rosati, Vice President for Outpatient Services at the behavioral

health center. “This housing has been a godsend.”

Eugene was one of the first residents referred by the behavioral health care center. Having

housing, he says, “means independence. I can be responsible and take care of myself.”

“This partnership has yielded something quite unique, quite special,” UMDNJ-UBHC

President and CEO Chris Kosseff says. “We are setting a national example of how we treat

people suffering from serious mental illness so they can stay stable and remain members of

our community.”

Another key partner was the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA).

Although they have funds earmarked toward special needs housing, it could not be used for

services. The partnership enabled the agency to support a public housing program for the

first time.

Part of the challenge, says Ms. Rosati, is aligning the financing for housing with service

funding. “We were very fortunate in this initiative to be able to bring together the Newark

Housing Authority, HMFA’s special needs housing financing, and support for UBHC services

through the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.”

Avis Scott oversees the services provided to Eugene. “In shelters, you have no place to put

your medication,” she says, noting that shelter residents have to sleep “with one eye open.”

“If it wasn’t for them,” Eugene says, “I don’t know where I would be.”

“Millennium Way is a perfect example of taking a modest project of 56 affordable units and leveraging it through partnerships to have a larger impact on the community as a whole,” Says Keith Kinard, Newark Housing Authority Executive.

Mayor Cory Booker and Keith Kinard at Millennium Way grand opening

Eugene, a Millenium Way resident

Providing tooLs for suCCess serving tHose wHo served

Veteran homelessness, like all homelessness, is caused by a complex

interaction of economic and personal factors. Nearly 500,000 veterans

pay more than half of their income for rent. More than half of those

have incomes below the poverty line. Ten percent of veterans in poverty

become homeless at some point during the year, compared to just over

five percent of adults in poverty. Multiple and extended deployments

may increase social isolation, which is associated with a higher risk

of homelessness. Their rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and

serious health problems are higher than those of other homeless adults.

Many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other

combat-related injuries. Veterans are also more likely to be unsheltered,

living outdoors, and experiencing chronic homelessness. Although the

vast majority of homeless veterans –96 percent -- are men, the number

of homeless women veterans caring for children is growing.

Both Congress and our Federal Executive Agencies are determined

to address this crisis. In appropriations for FY2008, Congress funded

the first new Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs

Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers in 14 years. The bipartisan

Congressional support for expanding this program to meet the

tremendous need has been unrelenting, and new HUD-VASH vouchers

have been funded each year since. Both HUD and the VA have the

reduction of veterans’ homelessness as one of their five High Priority

Performance Goals.

In 2010’s Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness,

the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, of which both HUD

and the VA are members, set a goal of ending veteran homelessness

within five years. The executive agencies are working towards the vision

of President Obama, who has repeatedly expressed zero tolerance

for veteran homelessness. Housing authorities have played a key role

overcoming institutional obstacles and making the program a success

for the approximately 38,000 HUD-VASH voucher holders.

Serving Those Who Served

El Paso, Texas

Matching homeless veterans with housing is not always easy.

“These are very proud men and women,” says Gerald Cichon, CEO

of the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso. (HACEP). “It is an

embarrassment for them to ask for help. We can’t sit here and wait for

them to come to us.”

So when the housing authority has vouchers to use, they do more than

issue a press release and post the information on their website.

“We put up flyers. The VA promotes it, and we partner with all the

shelters,” says Lorena Rivera, Director of HACEP’s Housing Choice

Voucher Program. “We go to all of the shelters with VA staff looking for

potential applicants.”

They are also helped by residents like Larry Lochala, a formerly homeless

veteran participating in the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing

(HUD-VASH) program.

“When someone like Larry gets out and talks about this, it has a huge

effect on the population we are trying to reach,” Mr. Cichon says.

El Paso is home to the second-largest military installation in the U.S., and

is expected to be home to 37,000 troops and 53,000 family members by

2012. According to the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless, there are over

160 homeless veterans living on the streets of El Paso on any given day.

Mr. Lochala certainly considers himself a success story. He has taken it

upon himself to become an “ambassador” to homeless veterans. “I find

them every day,” he says. “I know a homeless guy when I see one, and I

know how to approach them. Some are ready, some are not.”

He also speaks whenever possible about the issue of homelessness and

the importance of finding ways to address it. “So many people think it can

never happen to them.”

The entry to the program begins at the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health

Care System. If a veteran is homeless and eligible for VA medical care,

they are referred to HACEP. But their relationship with the VA does not

end there.

“They have to need and want case management,” says Joel Arrigucci,

who coordinates homeless programs for the VA. “They must have a

plan that includes self sufficiency. We make sure they have a hobby or

volunteer somewhere. They can stay as long as they need, but the goal is

that through employment or benefits they can rent without assistance.”

There are hurdles. Although VASH voucher holders cannot be screened

for a criminal record, not all landlords will accept tenants with a record.

And the voucher can only be used for rent – other resources have to be

found to pay deposits and utility bills and buy furnishings.

The housing authority’s proactive partnership with the El Paso VA and

their outreach to the homeless population has made the VASH program

extremely successful here; it is why the authority was recently awarded an

additional 25 vouchers for a total of 95 vouchers.

On a single night in January

2010, 61,011 veterans were

homeless. At that point, 9

percent of people experiencing

homelessness identified as a

veteran; an estimated 136,334

veterans spent at least one night

in a shelter or transitional housing

program during 2009.

(left) Larry Lochala with Major Myles B. Caggins III, Public Affairs Officer for Fort Bliss

Larry Lochala (far right) with El Paso CEP Gerald Cichon

18 19

Providing tooLs for suCCess Providing tooLs for suCCess

20 21

serving tHose wHo servedserving tHose wHo served

Washington, D.C.

In the nation’s capital, the Vietnam and Korean memorials give haunting testimony to those who

gave everything in service of their country. It’s a sad irony that not far away, survivors of those

and other military conflicts are struggling with homelessness.

A partnership between the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), the VA hospital

system, and the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) attacks that problem head on,

awarding HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to veterans and

moving them off the streets and into their own homes.

DCHA Executive Director Adrianne Todman says the partnership has been successful at

housing more than 150 clients since 2010, with about 50 more in process. DCHA has received

a total of 490 vouchers for veterans since Congress reinvigorated the program three years ago.

She attributes the success to the good working relationship the housing authority had already

built with DHS. They provided the city with 350 vouchers for the hard-to-house homeless, and

developed a streamlined approach.

“The two-track process we developed working with DHS on Housing First allowed us to move much

faster in identifying, processing, and housing veterans and getting them into case management,”

says Ms. Todman. “We went from a normal timeline of six months down to one month.”

Originally, a client had to return to DCHA four or five times, having their eligibility determined,

bringing in landlord paperwork, an inspection report, and more.

Now, a DHS case worker works with the applicant to gather all the necessary documentation

and identifies a potential unit. The housing authority then determines the rent reasonableness,

inspects the unit and makes any needed repairs. After clients find a unit from the pool of those

available, they make their only trip to DCHA to be briefed, sign the lease, and pick up the key.

“Our veterans represent a far larger percentage of our homeless population than they should,”says Adrianne Todman, Executive Director of the DCHA. “Serving this population is something I place a high value on in terms of the service that they gave to us.”

Of the 175 vouchers DCHA received in 2010, the VA agreed to fund DHS as the case-manager

for 110 vouchers, and maintained the traditional VA process for 70 of the vouchers. “It served

as a experiment, providing a control group against which to judge the new process. It was

successful,” Ms. Todman adds.

One of the program’s first participants was Anthony Taylor, 53. Things have gone so well for him

that he recently met with members of Congress to speak about the VASH program. He also acts

as a mentor for those who have just begun the process.

“I have an opportunity to be an example for others,” he says. “I try to do that.”

He came into the program after years of homelessness and a life derailed by a heroin addiction.

Though he was able to kick the heroin long ago, he still struggled to rebuild his life.

“The program has given me a lot of comfort—the fact that I have my own home.…You feel like

you’re a regular person, not something less,” he says. “You feel like the person you were put

here to be. It’s been a blessing for me, it really has.”

Dallas Williams, Manager of Homeless Services at DHS, says the case management model lets

them offer services to those who might otherwise fall through the cracks. Their caseloads are

also kept low, about 20 clients each.

Mr. Williams says clients at times have to work through the initial distrust of any type of

government agency.

“They’ve been promised a lot of things over the years and most of the time it’s never

materialized. This is what most of them have shared with us,” says Mr. Williams.

This time, the housing authority was able to deliver on the promise.

Anthony Taylor

22 23

serving tHose wHo served serving tHose wHo served

“VASH has provided veterans in our county with the means of accessing vital services such as housing and medical assistance,” says Susan Benner, HACSB’s Executive Director. “Through our strong partnership with the local VA hospital we hope to continue to serve more veterans, as more VASH vouchers become available, and continue to showcase success stories such as Ms. Watson’s. The program works.”

Kathleen Watson is a U.S. Air Force veteran. After serving as a medical technician during

Vietnam, she earned a criminal justice degree, took a job with the County Probation

Department, and bought a house.

But she lost her job and consequently her home, and lived in temporary shelters until she

entered the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. VASH combines

rental assistance with intensive case management that connects clients with a range of

services, including help finding an apartment, mental health and substance abuse treatment,

and legal and financial counseling.

The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) partners with the local VA

hospital—the Loma Linda Medical Center—to match homeless veterans with housing and

social services.

As a result, Kathleen was able to lease an apartment near the hospital where she has access to

medical care.

“VASH has taken me out of the street and lifted me up from the very bottom,” she says. “It has

helped turn my life around.”

Case managers work closely with residents to establish personal goals and to access services

they need. There are monthly in-home and medical center visits.

“This is a resource for them given that they have served their country,” says Enid Reece, a

social worker with the program. “We definitely try to remind them that this is not a handout, this

is something that is available to them because of what they have done for the country.”

San Bernardino, California

The costs of homelessness – in lives and in dollars – are staggering.

The chronically homeless, who have no health care and whose health

conditions are made worse by living on the streets, face serious illness

and death. They also make extensive use of the most expensive municipal

services, such as emergency rooms and inpatient hospital care.

Yet the percentage of the homeless population considered chronically

homeless – 17 percent in 2009 – was a decrease of more than 40

percent from 2006. The drop was driven in large part by the dramatic

rise in permanent supportive housing offered under the Housing First

model. This approach first houses people, then incorporates services that

address obstacles to housing stability—mental health, physical health,

substance abuse, or lack of employment. Housing First is becoming

increasingly prevalent because of the significant savings, in people’s lives

and to municipalities.

Unfortunately, while the chronically homeless population is declining,

other homeless populations are growing. Since economic factors are

the major causes of homelessness, the recession is pushing increasing

numbers of people out of their homes and placing many others at risk.

According to a January 2009 report based on estimates of the depth likely

to be reached by the current recession, 1.5 million additional Americans

are likely to experience homelessness over the next two years.1

They have few options. Nationally, subsidized housing resources have

long served only one-quarter of those who are eligible. Many waiting lists

are closed and have been for years; even when they are opened, the wait

can take years. In addition, the struggle to find a job and regain economic

stability is even more difficult without a home.

But housing authorities are working within their communities to identify

strategies that make the most of scarce resources to rapidly re-house

people, and provide services that can quickly get people back on their feet.

1 Estimates based on Pathways’ Housing First Model – http://www.pathwaystohousing.org

Everyone Deserves a Home

Housing First Potential Cost Savings

An analysis of data from the 2009

American Community Survey found that

72 percent of households at or below

the federal poverty line are severely

housing cost burdened, spending over

50 percent of their income on rent. When

housing accounts for such a significant

percentage of a household’s resources,

any unexpected financial crisis could lead

to homelessness.

Comparing costs for chronically homeless care

Psychiatric hospital

Emergency room

Jail ShelterHousing

First2

Municipal cost per night

$1,185 $519 $164 $73 $57

24 25

everyone deserves A Home Providing tooLs for suCCesseveryone deserves A Home

San Diego, California

Amanda and Will had been living on the streets of San Diego off and on

for the past several years. Will was working in construction, but lost his

job during the recession. Amanda has a disability and her lone income

comes from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both entered San

Diego’s Emergency Winter Shelter for homeless adults shortly after it

opened for the season in December 2010.

“I don’t know if you guys know how hard it is to find a job when you’re

living on the streets,” says Will. “No legitimate employer, other than

day labor companies, will employ you when you’re on the streets.” He

says having an address and a place to take care of himself makes a

tremendous difference.

In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created the

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). The

program focuses on minimizing the experience of homelessness, either

by its prevention or with rapid re-housing. As part of the Recovery Act,

HPRP was envisioned to be a tool for helping those impacted by the

recession to re-stabilize their lives and concentrate on reentering the

workforce and attaining self-sufficiency. In short, it was just the program

to assist someone like Will.

The San Diego Housing Commission, which manages the seasonal winter

shelter for the city, received HPRP funds and designed a local strategy for

their use in which qualifying persons residing at the adult shelter could

receive up to 12 months of housing assistance. They hired Townspeople,

a local nonprofit, to screen residents interested in the program; after final

evaluation by the Housing Commission, 102 were approved.

The housing assistance offered to those eligible participants included

direct payments to landlords for security deposits and a portion of the

monthly rent. After approval, participants had 30 days to find housing.

Amanda and Will heard about the HPRP program after landing at the

shelter. They attended an orientation session in early January, were

approved shortly thereafter, and moved into Studio 15, a downtown rental

complex, in March.

Finding participating landlords is one of the program’s most challenging

components, because participating individuals can have problematic

financial and credit histories, along with lacking documents like

Social Security cards. The program also helps residents track down

documentation.

Still, some landlords are more than willing to participate. Anna Scott is

the Project Manager for the Affirmed Housing Group, the developer and

landlord of Studio 15, where Will and Amanda now live. “We saw this

as the perfect opportunity to be part of a solution for people who are in

transition,” she says.

Of the 102 people approved for HPRP, 90 found housing before the

shelter closed, moving to a variety of settings, including single room

occupancy hotels and Housing Commission-owned units for elderly and

disabled tenants.

HPRP was not the Housing Commission’s first foray into working to

house homeless individuals. The Commission created a Special Housing

Initiatives Unit in 2009 in order to facilitate initiatives targeted to people

experiencing homelessness. Because of the Unit’s successful track

record, the City of San Diego asked the agency to serve as the new

manager for its two winter shelters.

Derek Williams was a forklift operator—

and a good one, he says. But an

accident in the late nineties left him with

seizures. Without health insurance, he

couldn’t afford medication. Untreated,

his condition cost him three jobs and

ultimately his home.

A cooperative partnership between the

Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA)

and the United Way of Hudson County changed that.

“These programs allow us to help people who would not ordinarily get

help,” says Patty Ramirez, Director of JCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher

program. “Ordinarily these families are not on any waiting list.”

She says it works because “we confine our efforts to our areas of

expertise.” The housing authority recruits landlords to take part in the

program, conducts inspections, and helps people search for housing.

“I don’t know where I would be without this program,” says Mr. Williams.

“I can’t be happier.” His sons and grandchildren pay regular visits. He

has also become part of the community at his building, helping set up

and clean up for holiday celebrations.

His situation demonstrates how the two agencies mesh to serve

someone’s needs. Mr. Williams has a case manager provided by the

United Way who helps him with his budget and makes sure he takes his

medication and keeps doctor appointments. His housing is covered by

the Collaborative Solutions program, a HUD-funded Housing First model

with a grant from HUD.

Kareem Jeter was working, but was

not making enough to find a place

to live. He was staying with relatives,

where his two-year-old daughter was

sleeping on a couch. “This has put a

roof over my daughter’s head and given

me the opportunity to look for better

employment.” He is housed through the

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid

Re-housing program that was part of the 2009 Recovery Act.

His case manager helped him with his resume and a year after he

entered the program, continues to stay in touch.

“Our long-standing collaboration with the United Way of Hudson County

shows how well two very different operations can combine forces,” says

Maria Maio, JCHA Executive Director. “Our residents will be successful

because we help them find more than just housing.”

They are looking at an even more ambitious joint program, developing 21

special needs housing units at the United Way building, with project-

based vouchers from the housing authority.

Everyone involved considers the current partnership an unqualified

success. Says United Way director Carmel Galasso, “We can’t do this

without JCHA.”

Jersey City, New Jersey

“Our long-standing collaboration with the United Way of Hudson County shows how well two very different operations can combine forces,” says Maria Maio, JCHA Executive Director. “Our residents will be successful because we help them find more than just housing.”

Jacqueline Suarez, JCHA, Housing Assistant Tech, Kareem Jeter, Resident, Derrick Williams,

Resident, Patricia Ramirez, Director of the Housing Choice Voucher program for JCHA

Will and Amanda are getting back on their feet

“We have been on the streets for about seven years,” says Will. “It is truly a blessing that through this program we were able get into an apartment.”

“The San Diego Housing Commission has created a bridge to housing for over a hundred formerly homeless persons,” says Rick Gentry, President & CEO of the housing commission. “Those who want to truly benefit must now cross that bridge, take the reins, and guide their future.”

26 27

everyone deserves A Home everyone deserves A Home

“More than 96 percent of the resi-dents in this program are still with us after two years in our housing, which is one of the best retention rates in the country for programs helping people out of homelessness,” says Home Forward Executive Director Steve Rudman. “Our strong site presence, made possible by support we receive from the City of Portland, ensures that partners know when to connect with their clients to help them be success-ful as tenants.”

The first thing Steven Keenan does when he comes to work at the NorthWest Towers is make

the community coffee pot. As the Resident and Community Services Coordinator for Home

Forward1, that may be the only constant in his day.

He plays a crucial role in a pilot program of the city’s Key Not a Card project. The name is

meant to demonstrate that outreach workers offer the chronically homeless more than just their

business card. It is one of several partnerships the housing agency has with the city that are

specifically targeted towards the chronically homeless

Home Forward has dedicated 30 units in two buildings; full-time service managers in each are a

central reason for the program’s high retention rate.

Three community partners—JOIN, Catholic Charities Housing Transitions Program, and Human

Solutions—can refer clients to the program. Once accepted, they receive an orientation, a

calendar of events and workshops, and an open door to the services staff on-site for help with

anything needed to ensure tenancy.

During Mr. Keenan’s work day, he may hand out food or hygiene supplies, meet with a resident

about noise levels, or just be there for someone to talk to.

“We have one program goal—to help people keep their housing,” he says.

One person he talks to often is David, who lost his home following a divorce.

“They found me living under a bridge,” he says. When his case worker saw he had too much

time on his hands, she convinced him to volunteer at a soup kitchen.

Portland, Oregon

David says he would be living under a bridge if not for the program

1 Formerly the Housing Authority of Portland

“I think it’s great,” he says of the program. “I wouldn’t be inside without it.”

The pilot program is funded by the city, which pays for on-site staff. Their goal is to connect

residents to their neighbors, and help them get used to living in a setting other than the

outdoors or a shelter. Any time there is an issue regarding behavior, the staff is informed; 100

percent of all notices are mitigated within 24 hours of the issuance of that notice.

Tomi Rene left Michigan when the recession hit and came back to Portland where she’d lived

while earning a culinary degree.

She arrived broke and homeless. She lived first in a tent in a friend’s backyard, then in their

basement. She found part-time work, but lost the job due to health issues when her precarious

housing situation made it impossible to keep her medication at the required temperature.

“This been a huge benefit,” she says. “It has been a springboard for the next part of my life.”

At first, she says, she lived “like a hermit.” Her resident and community services coordinator

worked to draw her out and eventually helped her find a few day-long jobs in the building,

including getting units ready for inspection. Gradually, her health and confidence returned. She

now works as a full-time caregiver for another resident.

Rosanne Marmor, Home Forward’s Resident Services Program Manager, says keeping close

tabs on clients stops problems that threaten their success before they become too big to

handle. She says the biggest surprise they found was that it was not as difficult as they had

anticipated. “Keeping someone in housing doesn’t take as much as we expected.”

Tomi Rene says the program has been a springboard for her life

Statistics:

Chronically homeless people—those

who have been homeless a year or

more—consume about half of the total

resources spent on all homeless programs

in Portland and Multnomah County, even

though they represent only 10 percent of

the total homeless population.

A Portland State University study found

that homeless people spend 65 percent

less time in hospitals and 51 percent less

time in emergency rooms when they have

permanent supportive housing.

28 29

everyone deserves A Home everyone deserves A Home

When Baltimore began its 10-year Plan to End Homelessness in 2008, the Housing Authority

of Baltimore City (HABC) worked with the city to distribute 378 Housing Choice Vouchers using

the Housing First philosophy.

“Homeless people need housing first, so you put them in a permanent housing unit first, and

then you bring the services,” says Kate Briddell, the Director of the Homeless Services Program,

a division of the Mayor’s Office of Human Services. “Usually there’s really intensive case

management at the beginning.”

The program uses the Vulnerability Index, a tool for identifying and prioritizing the street

homeless population for housing according to the fragility of their health. It was developed by

Common Ground as part of research by Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless. The Boston

research identified the specific health conditions that cause homeless individuals to be most at

risk for dying on the street.

The approach is working. After 18 months, 83 percent of the participants are still housed.

Support services can include dealing with mental health issues, tackling drug and alcohol

abuse, finding transportation, even budgeting.

Jack Amato, 64, says the program has turned things around for him. Six years ago, he lost has

job as a construction supervisor. Unable to make his car and rent payments and struggling with

a heroin addiction, things quickly spiraled down for him.

“I wound up in a shelter,” he says. “First time in my life—it was just horrendous. I didn’t know

what to do, where to go.”

Eventually, he started applying for help, and within a few months—on his birthday in February

2010—he moved into an apartment in Cedonia in northeast Baltimore City.

Baltimore, Maryland

“I’ve got my Social Security and my handicapped apartment here and I’m

just doing so great,” he says. “I have wonderful neighbors here. I mean,

you couldn’t ask for anyplace better.”

The community benefits as well. Three encampments of homeless people

in the city have been downsized or are gone. Hundreds of people are off

the streets.

He also notes that the lack of funding for the 2011 calendar year meant

the agency had to stop issuing new vouchers, using its limited funds to

meet ongoing commitments.

“We’re pleased that we could offer vouchers to over 350 chronically homeless Baltimore residents,” says Paul Graziano, Baltimore Housing Commissioner, who also runs HABC. “With the combination of stable, long-term housing and intensive wrap-around support services, we have helped folks such as Mr. Amato reclaim their lives.”

Jack Amato credits the program with turning his life around

Council of Large Public Housing Authorities455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 425

Washington, DC 20001

202.638.1300 www.clpha.org

CLPHA

The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit

organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing

through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education.

CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in

the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing

program; administer 26 percent of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and

operate a wide array of other housing programs.

As a multi-billion dollar asset, public housing is the cornerstone of affordable

housing and community development. CLPHA:

• Advocates for adequate public housing funding and policies that support local

management and accountability.

• Develops and analyzes policies impacting the public housing community.

• Educates policymakers and the public about the critical role public housing

plays in meeting affordable housing needs.