Planning the End of Homelessness in Albuquerque Findings from Community Focus Groups – April 2006

Defining a Strategy Data Gathering Data Gathering Identify Long and Short-term Goals Identify Long and Short-term Goals Outline Action Steps Outline Action Steps Seek Input on Plan Seek Input on Plan Publish and Distribute Plan Publish and Distribute Plan Implement Action Steps Implement Action Steps

Community Focus Groups Supportive Services for the Homeless Supportive Services for the Homeless Affordable Housing for the Very-Low Income Affordable Housing for the Very-Low Income Community Perspectives on Homelessness Community Perspectives on Homelessness Homeless Perspectives Homeless Perspectives Improving Access to Mainstream Resources Improving Access to Mainstream Resources

Common Themes Housing is the answer to Homelessness Housing is the answer to Homelessness Collaboration/Cooperation Collaboration/Cooperation Long-term and intensive support Long-term and intensive support Difficulties with Mainstream Resources Difficulties with Mainstream Resources Need for Centralized Information Need for Centralized Information Marketing/PR campaign Marketing/PR campaign

Frequently Identified Problems Discharge policies or (lack of) Discharge policies or (lack of) Lack of community/political will Lack of community/political will Access to Mainstream Resources Access to Mainstream Resources Transportation Transportation Constraints placed by Funding agencies Constraints placed by Funding agencies Perceptions Perceptions

Supportive Services Model of wrap-around services Model of wrap-around services Collaboration – get inside each other’s programs – Case Management by Team Collaboration – get inside each other’s programs – Case Management by Team Broker-style case management Broker-style case management Create public spaces for homeless Create public spaces for homeless Support until self-sufficient Support until self-sufficient Database of services Database of services

Affordable Housing Must create incentive for developers Must create incentive for developers Workforce Housing Ordinance Workforce Housing Ordinance Require affordability in planning Require affordability in planning Mixed Income housing example Mixed Income housing example “Dramatize” Homelessness “Dramatize” Homelessness Seek funding from State for Housing Seek funding from State for Housing Collaboration with Developers Collaboration with Developers

Community Perspectives Economic Impact to Community Economic Impact to Community Community needs to own problem Community needs to own problem Massive public campaign Massive public campaign Formalize Collaboration Formalize Collaboration Centralize service access in City Centralize service access in City

Homeless Perspectives Discharged to streets Discharged to streets Need for long-term support Need for long-term support Disincentive of Mainstream Resources Disincentive of Mainstream Resources Homeless cooperative operated by tenants Homeless cooperative operated by tenants Change stereo-type/perceptions Change stereo-type/perceptions Keep families together Keep families together Need volunteer opportunities Need volunteer opportunities

Mainstream Resources Valid address and phone Valid address and phone Responsibility/motivation for communication Responsibility/motivation for communication Internet application Internet application Barriers to sharing information/HIPPA Barriers to sharing information/HIPPA Need bus service and free phones Need bus service and free phones Training for provider staff Training for provider staff

Interesting Ideas Collaboration Collaboration Creating case management teams Creating case management teams Database of services linked with 311 Database of services linked with 311 Formalize cooperation among stakeholders Formalize cooperation among stakeholders Joint marketing campaign Joint marketing campaign Cooperate with housing developers Cooperate with housing developers Support Work Force Housing Ordinance/State Housing Trust Fund Support Work Force Housing Ordinance/State Housing Trust Fund

Interesting Ideas Con’t Use of volunteers Use of volunteers As mentors As mentors Opportunities for the homeless Opportunities for the homeless Cross-training Cross-training Providers train systems personnel Providers train systems personnel Systems train provider staff Systems train provider staff

Other Things to be Addressed Institutional Discharge Policies Institutional Discharge Policies Transportation Transportation JobAccess JobAccess Bus service to SSA and TANF Bus service to SSA and TANF Break through systems barriers Break through systems barriers Felony convictions for housing Felony convictions for housing Phones/communication Phones/communication

There are lots more! What should our priorities be?