Homelessness in King County

All Home ALL HOME is a community-wide partnership to make homelessness in King County rare, brief and one-time. Our VISION is that homelessness is rare in King County, racial disparities are eliminated, and if one becomes homeless, it is brief and only a one-time occurrence. Staff, population areas

STRATEGIC PLAN: JULY 2015-JUNE 2019 A Regional, Aligned, Community Plan to End the Experience of Homelessness among Residents of Seattle/King County Homelessness is Rare, Brief, and One-Time Fewer homeless Fewer days Reduced disparity More housed Fewer returns Increased support Goal 1: RARE: Address the causes of homelessness Goal 2: BRIEF, ONE-TIME: Improve and expand existing programs and processes Goal 3: COMMUNITY: Engage the entire Community to End Homelessness Graphic representation of our 2015-2019 Strategic Plan Vision, Outcomes, Goals & Strategies, and how we get the work done Foundation of our values Data-driven governance and accountability Person-centered, collaborative, compassionate, equitable

Community-level Determinants of Homelessness Research of 300+ cities and states found statistical correlation between these factors and rising homelessness: Resource: Byrne, T., Culhane, D., et. al., “New Perspectives on Community-level Determinants of Homelessness” (2013): Article and Summary Housing market Increase in rent of $100 associated with 15% increase in homelessness in metro and 39% in rural/suburban areas Economic conditions Areas with high poverty and unemployment rates associated with higher rates of homelessness Demographic composition Areas with more Hispanic, baby boomer, and single person households associated with higher rates of homelessness Safety net States with lower mental health expenditures associated with higher rates of homelessness Transience Areas with more recently moved people associated with higher rates of homelessness - will focus mostly on our strategic plan, but want to begin with this slide, which has been a helpful framework as we think through what we've seen in the ONC over the past few years - thinking through what is driving some of what we are seeing the community has informed our discussions in developing strategic plan

WHO is Homeless?

Our Progress

homelessness is in a state of emergency. Declaration On November 2, 2015, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine issued declarations that homelessness is in a state of emergency. “Emergency declarations are associated with natural disasters, but the persistent and growing phenomenon of homelessness—here and nationwide—is a human-made crisis just as devastating to thousands as a flood or fire, ” said Executive Constantine. scope of activities, authority, support staff

Goal of the Declaration The goal of the declaration was to draw attention to the large increase in the number of people sleeping outside in the region, often in unsafe conditions Moreover, the SOE declaration was an effort to: Inject new emergency funding in programs serving the unsheltered Request additional assistance from state and federal partners Broaden public engagement and built greater awareness of the issue scope of activities, authority, support staff

Homelessness is Solvable Why I’m Optimistic: - New prevention and diversion funding to stabilize youth and families - Commitment of funders and nonprofits to double-down on what is working - New efforts to increase affordable housing at federal, state, and local levels - Re-engagement and accountability of business, faith, residents in addition to local governments The types of strategies highlighted in the plan: -Prevention and diversion (targeting prevention, assisting people in finding housing solutions without entering the homeless system); example from family system -Realignment/Right-sizing – ensuring the system capacity and types of interventions available match the demand; guided by typology of homelessness and more evidence of the growing challenge of predicting what intervention will work from the onset and being able to have a nimble and flexible system to adjust the level of services needed at any given time -More affordable housing in the community across the community (SKC – more affordable but growing less so and limited vacancies); restored safety net to ensure other systems are doing what’s needed to help prevent homelessness and lift people out of homelessness (TANF, HEN, emergency assistance) -Engage the community and also hold it accountable to solutions; tracking performance of agencies to ensure everyone is working towards aligned goals

Focus Strategies SWAP Analysis System-Wide Analytics and Projection (SWAP) Assess performance of homeless system, using local client and program data and budgets Model results of system level changes Make recommendations for system redesign Provide leadership with roadmap that will lead to significant reductions in homelessness King County Council Health, Housing and Human Services Committee Seattle City Council Human Services and Public Health Committee Joint meeting – June 29, 2016

Diversion Early engagement quickly moves families from the street to housing, avoids costly interventions, and frees our limited shelter resources for those who have no other option.

Connect with Housing & Supports Coordinated Entry Connect with Housing & Supports Navigate Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) ensures that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access and are quickly identified, assessed for, and connected to housing and homeless assistance based on their strengths and needs. CEA will use standardized tools and practices, incorporate a system-wide housing first approach, and coordinate assistance so that those with the most severe service needs are prioritized. Status of Key Coordinated Entry for All efforts:   1. The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is in the process of contracting with community-based providers for geographically diverse Regional Access Points (RAP), where people experiencing or at risk of homelessness can go to receive an assessment 2. DCHS has hired a Coordinated Entry for All Program Manager 3. CEA is expected to go live in July 2016 Assess

Rapid Re-housing Housing Services Case Management Employment Rapid re-housing is a cost-effective strategy to help people successfully exit homelessness and maintain permanent housing by integrating three components: Change in culture: light touch, doing the least for each household rather than the most, client-centered, belief that people can do it without us What’s essential to rapid re-housing? Flexible resources Relationships with landlords Links to other services in the community Skill managing a flexible program Partnership with clients to make realistic plan Ability to engage family/friends if appropriate Housing Services Case Management Employment Assistance

Supportive Housing SUCCESSFUL: Supportive Housing improves housing stability, employment, mental and physical health, and school attendance; and reduces active substance use. People in supportive housing live more stable and productive lives. COST-EFFECTIVE: Supportive housing costs essentially the same amount as keeping people homeless and stuck in the revolving door of high-cost crisis care and emergency housing. Supportive housing is an innovative and proven solution that combines affordable housing with services that help people who face the most complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy and dignity.  Effectiveness of the intervention Cost savings arguments BENEFICIAL: Supportive housing helps build strong, healthy communities by improving the safety of neighborhoods, beautifying city blocks with new or rehabilitated properties, and increasing or stabilizing property values over time.

Action Underway Garnering additional resources through voter approved levies, like the King County Best Starts for Kids Levy and the Seattle Housing Levy, that prevent homelessness and provide affordable housing, and New and expanded investments in shelter diversion by King County, Seattle, United Way of King County, and the Raikes Foundation, Successfully applying for new federal investments in permanent housing, including rapid rehousing, through Continuum of Care, Reducing screening criteria across the homeless system, improving access for homeless households,

Action Underway Redesigning approach to coordinated entry to housing and services, including implementing a housing first approach Establishing a new HMIS system and administrator that give providers and funders access to data, allowing us to make real-time, data-driven decisions Shifting to an enhanced shelter model in King County and Seattle, designed to connect homeless with services and housing navigation A memorandum of understanding signed by Seattle, King County, and United Way to implement performance-based contracts

Mark Putnam Director Mark.Putnam@allhomekc.org www.allhomekc.org