Adopting a Homeless Preference Catherine Peterson U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Background Opening Doors First ever comprehensive federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness Four key goals End Veteran homelessness by 2015 End chronic homelessness by 2015 (now 2017) End family and youth homelessness by 2020 Set a path to end all types of homelessness

2014 Point in Time Count Data Continuum of Care Total Homeless Persons McHenry County166 Rockford/Winnebago, Boone Counties410 Waukegan/North Chicago/Lake County409 Champaign/Urbana/Rantoul/Champaign County205 Madison County240 Joliet/Bolingbrook/Will County309 Peoria/Perkin/Fulton, Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford405 East Saint Louis/Belleville/Saint Clair County339 Dekalb City & County96 Chicago6,287 Cook County1,182 Bloomington/Central Illinois669 Springfield/Sangamon County269 DuPage County654 South Central Illinois118 Decatur/Macon County256 Aurora/Elgin/Kane County405 Rock Island/Moline/Northwestern Illinois218 West Central Illinois145 Southern Illinois325 Total13,107

Public Housing Notice Issued June 10, 2013

Reporting Public Housing definition of homelessness for reporting purposes: An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (including shelters or institutions) OR An individual or family who is fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence AND has no other residence AND lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing *PHAs must fill out question 4C on homelessness on Form 50058

Establishing a Homeless Preference Assess local housing needs PHAs may apply and limit preferences All Public Housing tenants must come from waiting lists PHAs can create a preference specifically for people who are referred by a partnering homeless service organization PHAs may require homeless documentation PHAs must ensure fair housing compliance

Other Strategies Wait List management Project-Basing Vouchers Admissions policies Termination policies

Family Options Study 2,282 families enrolled in the Study across 12 communities after spending at least 7 days in emergency shelter Families will be followed for 36 months Randomly assigned one of four interventions: Permanent housing subsidy Community-based rapid re-housing Project-based transitional housing Usual care

Family Options Study Conclusions “For most families, homelessness is a housing affordability problem that can be remedied with permanent housing subsidies without specialized homeless-specific psychosocial services.”

Helpful Resources USICH Opening Doors Public Housing Notice ation/hudclips/notices/pih Family Options Study udy.html

Questions? Catherine Peterson