1. Housing First For Families Overview Prepared By: J.X. Gilmore Grant Compliance Officer

3. Program Design

4. Common Program Design Components 1.Initial crisis intervention 2.Housing services 3.Home-based case management 4.Direct financial assistance

5. 1. Initial Crisis Intervention COMMON DESIGN ELEMENTS Basic level of crisis intervention services Initial case management planning DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN ELEMENTS Referral source (i.e. emergency shelter or transitional housing)

6. 2. Housing Services COMMON DESIGN ELEMENTS Staff who recognize the needs of private market landlords as well as clients Family Needs  Clarify housing needs  Help develop rental resumes  Assist in obtaining housing subsidies  Provide one-on-one and group tenant education workshops  Assist in locating appropriate housing  Negotiate lease terms with and on behalf of clients  Assist with move-in costs and security deposits Landlords Needs  Conduct ongoing and specific outreach to recruit landlords  Mediate conflicts between landlord and tenants as appropriate DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN ELEMENTS Availability of housing subsidies Landlord incentives (i.e. pay filing fees if tenants break lease agreements, lease transfer) Search support separate from case management

7. 3. Case Management COMMON DESIGN ELEMENTS Services are not a precondition for obtaining housing but designed to help families after they are in permanent homes. Home-based case management services for:  Linkingage with mainstream social services  Ensure children are enrolled and attending school  Provide crisis management assistance  Help participants work toward case management goals developed at the outset of program participation. DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN ELEMENTS Length of time case management services are available (i.e. intensive at the outset and end after 60 days) Mandatory vs. Voluntary (i.e. voluntary participation via a signed contract outlining their willingness to participate or made mandatory for a certain period of time

8. 4. Direct Financial and In-Kind Assistance COMMON DESIGN ELEMENTS Provision of discretionary funds (i.e. previous utility bills, moving costs, rental deposits, etc…) with a spending limit per family as opposed to a set amount. Thus, some families may receive less if they have savings or other resources Help participants obtain furniture, food and other “set up” goods either directly or through referral DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN ELEMENTS The amount of assistance participants receive and who receives financial assistance

9. Program Staffing

10. FunctionResponsibilitiesCompetencies Program AdministrationGeneral program administration: planning, fundraising, hiring, etc… Coordinates partner agencies Conducts outreach and training of referral agencies Administers direct financial assistance Strong management and leadership skills Able to develop trusting and collaborative relationships with referring agencies Manages financial tracking system for efficient funds access Housing SearchAssists participants in finding appropriate housing Provides tenant education Conducts outreach to landlord Understands the needs, interests, and concerns of landlords Able to help participants identify their housing needs Knowledgeable about landlord-tenant law and can advise landlords and tenants about their mutual rights and responsibilities Recruits and develops strong relationships with landlords Case ManagementProvides home-based case management Links participants to community support services Utilizes a case management approach that empowers individuals to define and work towards goals. Willingness to work off-site and outside of the regular 9-5 work day. Able to engage and interest families in taking advantage of case management.

11. On average, Housing First programs have a ratio of approximately 1:25 The ratio of housing specialists varies based on program design and job description Staff are expected to have general competencies:  Skills in working with diverse populations  Experience working with families with multiple needs  Respect for personal and professional roles and responsibilities  Knowledge of the culture and language of clients served  Ability to establish trusting relationships with clients and able to handle crisis situations

12. Community Linkages

13. Types of Community Linkages LINKAGES TO REFERRAL AGENCIES School social workers Central intake (i.e. Harp Program) LINKAGES TO MAINSTREAM SERVICE PROVIDERS Emergency and transitional housing facilities Mental health service providers The function of the case managers in a Housing First program is less to provide one-on-one or group service to clients, and more to link clients with existing services in their communities.

14. Funding

15. There is usually no single funding source that specifically supports Housing First programs. Programs that are more expensive provide a higher level of direct financial assistance and longer period of case management services

16. Barriers to Implementation and Sustainability Funding Contractual obligations Paradigm shift Lack of affordable housing Hiring staff with the right skills Encouraging transitional and emergency shelters to refer clients promptly Keeping families engaged in case management services after entering housing Being the landlord

17. Project Launch Checklist 1.Understand and adopt the Housing First philosophy 2.Define target population 3.Assess existing community programs to enable streamlining and avoid duplication 4.Identify funding 5.Buy-in from board, staff and funders 6.Develop program goals 7.Define program design 8.Hire and/or (re)train staff 9.Develop community linkages 10.Conduct outreach to landlords 11.Track program success and challenges