together - billings, montana

TO G E T H E R ,W E C A N M A K E A D I F F E R E N C E .

www.WelcomeHomeBillings.org

Homelessness affects everyone in our community; from the emotional and physical toll it takes on homeless individuals to the financial toll it takes on

everyone else, no one is sheltered from its effects.

www.WelcomeHomeBillings.org

Is this homelessness?

Or this?

Homelessness in Billings

HUD Defines Homeless as Living …

1. Outside or other place not meant for sleeping;

2. Emergency shelter;

3. Domestic violence shelter;

4. Motel or hotel paid for by a voucher; or

5. Transitional housing program for homeless persons.

Emergency Shelter

Domestic Violence Shelter

Motel Paid by Voucher

Transitional Housing Program

Outside

Overall Homelessness Defined

• Outside

• Emergency Shelter

• Domestic Violence Shelter

• Motel/Hotel paid by voucher

• Transitional housing program

• Friends/Family; on emergency basis, short term

• Friends/family, voluntarily, long term

• Motel/hotel paid by self• Hospital • Jail • Psychiatric facility • Substance abuse treatment

HUD Defined Homeless Precariously Housed

HUD Defined Homeless

Precariously Housed

Overall Homeless

Average Homelessness in Billings

For every 10,000 people living in

Billings, 33 are

homeless

67 of these individuals

are veterans

309360

669

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

HUD DefinedHomelessness

PrecariouslyHoused

OverallHomelessness

*Represents averages of annual data from the 2006-2014 Montana Housing Status Surveys

Average Age and Gender of Billings Homeless

179

253

375

24 29

0

100

200

300

400

Under 18 18-30 31-60 61-65 65+

57%

43%

Gender

Male FemaleAGE


DID YOU KNOW?

Fami l ies with ch i ldren are amongst the fastest growing

sub-populat ion of the homeless .

Myths about Homelessness …

Homeless people don’t want to work…

Almost one third of the homeless in Bi l l ings are employed ful l or part -t ime.

If you build it they will come…

They are already here, 33% of the homeless in Bi l l ings have been here over f ive years.

Length of Time in the CommunityLess Than a Month

5%1-12 Months

12%

13-24 Months11%

2-5 Years15%

6-10 Years14%

11-20 Years18%

Over 20 Years25%


Sources of Income

190

5939

208

20

63

32

020406080

100120140160180200


Sources of Non-Income Benefits

12

10

19

15

6

30

90

208

30

0 50 100 150 200 250

Section 8 Housing

TANF Benefits

Veteran Affairs

WIC

SCHI

Medicare

Medicaid

SNAP

Other


Sleeping Locations

14%

21%

5%8%

33%

9%

Outside

Emergency Shelter

Motel with/WithoutVoucher

Transitional Housing

Family and/orFriends

Other


Ethnicity

60%

9%

28%

3%

White

Hispanic

Native American

African American

*People who identified as Asian, Pacific Islander, or other represented less than 1%


Factors that Lead to Homelessness…

• Conflict with family/friends

• Problems paying rent

• Incarceration

• Domestic Violence

• Evicted for reasons other than rent

Average Cost of Living

Monthly Expenses Community Average

Housing $650

Utilities $125

Food $300

Child Care ($22/Day) $484

Health Care $200

Transportation (car payment + fuel) $379

Other (phone, TV, clothing, misc.) $298

Taxes $407

Total $2,843

Based on a full-time employee who earns $8.25/hour ($1 above minimum wage) will have a net income of $1,367.

Disabling Conditions that Impact Housing Opportunity

• Substance Abuse

• Lack of Employment

• Physical Disability

• Mental Health

• HIV/AIDS

DID YOU KNOW?

I t costs over $15,000 to ser ve one homeless ind iv idua l for one year.

I f that ind iv idua l i s chronica l ly homeless , the cost increases to

$115,000 per year.

The tota l annual cost to ser ve the homeless in B i l l ings i s

$54 MILL ION

Services Needed Jobs

Affordable HousingMental Health ServicesAddictions Treatment

• Gather research and data on chronic homelessness

• Define Billings homeless problem

• Develop strategies to address root causes of homelessness

• Share knowledge of homelessness with public

B E C A U S E N O O N E H A S T O B E H O M E L E S S .

Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness

History

Structure

No one in Billings has to be homeless. Everyone in Billings has access to tools and opportunities for safe, appropriate

and affordable housing.

The Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness has partnered with local organization and community members to develop and implement a comprehensive ten-year plan in the pursuit

of ending chronic homelessness in the Billings community.

Vision

Mission

Billings Community

Connect

Billings Metro VISTA Project

Service Provider

Collaboration

Social Enterprise

Spare Change for Real Change

Housing First Project

Illuminate Homelessness

Who are the homeless

They are Individuals…

And Families.

They are made up of both the old…

and the new.

GET INVOLVED

YOU CAN DO SOMETHING Remember: You can do something: Donate, advocate, volunteer…each effort moves us that much closer to ending homelessness in Billings.

TO LEARN MORE: WelcomeHomeBillings.orgHere you can learn more about the problem of homelessness in Billings and what our community is doing to stop it. You can find ways to contribute. And if you or someone you know is in need of support, you can find information on how to get help.

DONATE TODAYDonate now by going online at www.welcomehomebillings.org/donate

Or by mail at the following address:

Community Development Division

2825 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor

Billings, MT 59101

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TOMayor’s Committee on Homelessness

together - billings, montana

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