The Vital Link: Connecting Housing and Services by CLPHA

CLPHA

The Vital Link: Connecting Housing and Services A publication of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities

Table of Contents 1

Introduction

2 3 5 6 7

Providing Tools for Success

Aging with Dignity

10 11 12

Cincinnati, Ohio New York, New York Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Supporting Independent Living

14 16

King County, Washington Newark, New Jersey

Serving Those Who Served

19 20 22

El Paso, Texas Washington, D.C. San Bernardino, California

Everyone Deserves a Home

24 25 27 29

Jersey City, New Jersey San Diego, California Portland, Oregon Baltimore, Maryland

Chicago, Illinois San Antonio, Texas Bridgeport, Connecticut Dallas, Texas

Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) 2

The Vital Link Sometimes a home is not enough. Across the country, families are struggling to climb the economic ladder. Seniors are grappling with how to prevent losing their homes and independence. People with physical or mental disabilities are searching for ways to live full lives in their own communities. More and more veterans are finding themselves without a home and out of the economic mainstream. Other people are finding themselves abruptly out on the streets because of illness or the loss of a job. But none of these problems are intractable, and housing authorities are increasingly playing a leading role in developing wide-ranging solutions. These agencies are uniquely situated as housing providers for vulnerable populations because they have practical experience developing community-based programs. With few federal dollars available for housing-linked supportive services, housing authorities are bringing together local service providers and their cities to secure additional resources for this expanded mission. Housing authorities today provide decent and safe affordable housing to 7.45 million low-income seniors, people with disabilities, working adults, and families with children. They serve hundreds of thousands more through other local, state, and federal housing programs. The profiles on the following pages provide a handful of examples of the thousands of lives that are being improved by these new ventures. With their partners, housing authorities are developing intervention strategies to get people off of the street, to help people retain their housing, and to use housing as a springboard for a better future. Their efforts represent not only effective interventions, but cost-effective solutions to community concerns. In the process, they are establishing best practices for local, state and federal policy makers, along with nonprofits and private entities, to support these community-based solutions. They are finding new ways to coordinate between federal agencies and other partners, breaking down silos that can be roadblocks to services. Housing authorities are truly serving as a vital link.

Providing tools for success

Providing Tools for Success Families Climbing the Economic Ladder Statistics for extremely low-income renter households as of 2009: • There was a shortage of 3.4 million affordable units. • Only 32 units were affordable and available for every 100 households. • The number of renters with worst-case needs in 2009 (7.1 million) rose 42% since 2001. • A household must earn the equivalent of $38,400 in annual income to afford the national average two-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) of $960 per month.2

Almost half of public housing residents and housing choice voucher holders are extremely low-income families. The remainder are seniors and people with disabilities. The median annual income in public housing for these families is $10,600, more than $4,000 below the federal poverty line for a family of two. The median income in the housing choice voucher program is $14,700, just above the poverty line.1 Approximately one third of all households in these programs report income from earned wages, but the work tends to be extremely low-paying. There are substantial barriers to sufficient employment for these families beyond the current weak labor market. Many families are struggling with poor health and limited education. Those with high school or equivalency degrees are more likely to have steady employment but many residents lack even these basics. Further complicating the goal of steady employment is accessing support services like child care and transportation. However, there are programs that have been proven to work. For example, a HUD 2011 report found that Family Self Sufficiency Program graduates had higher incomes when they completed the program.3 Low-income families are also more vulnerable in times of crisis because they lack sufficient resources to fall back on. The risk of becoming homeless is growing for families, in large part because of the economy. Between 2007 and 2009, there was a 25 percent increase in families facing worst-case housing needs4; family homelessness overall increased by 13 percent, even as individual homelessness did not.5

UD Picture of Subsidized Housing http://explore.data. H gov/Construction-and-Housing/A-Picture-of-SubsidizedHousholds-2008/b9tu-4kdp

http://www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2011/introduction.pdf

http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/affhsg/ eval_fssp.html

UD defines worst case needs as very low-income rentH ers who do not receive government housing assistance and who either pay more than one-half of their monthly income for rent, live in severely inadequate conditions, or both.

http://usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/USCMHungercompleteWEB2009.pdf

Even brief episodes of homelessness can have lasting consequences for families. All aspects of a child’s development—physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral—can be negatively impacted. For example, homeless children are four times as likely to be sick as other children. Rates of post-traumatic stress for parents are three times those of the general population. The most successful programs are those that first try to prevent at-risk families from losing their homes, and then if they do, quickly re-house them to mitigate the impact. Housing authorities are increasingly involved in helping their resident families get back on their feet.

Providing tools for success

Chicago, Illinois

“The Plan for Transformation is and always will be dedicated to improving the lives of CHA residents,” says Lewis A. Jordan, CHA CEO. “The multitude of programs and services offered by CHA helps residents along the road to self sufficiency. People have taken these tools and achieved remarkable things, from obtaining their doctorates to starting their own small businesses to buying their first home to earning scholarships to the finest schools in the nation. One of CHA’s biggest measures of success is that the children of today’s public housing families now have options other than asking for their own public housing unit when they turn eighteen.”

The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is known for its Plan for Transformation, the largest revitalization of public housing stock in the country. It is the most ambitious redevelopment effort of public housing in the United States, with the goal of rehabilitating or redeveloping the entire stock of public housing in Chicago. By the end of the Plan in 2015, 25,000 units of housing will be renovated or built new. But beyond the bricks and mortar, a significant component of the plan involves integrating residents into the larger social, economic, and physical fabric of Chicago. A key component of that effort is FamilyWorks, a comprehensive support services program that helps families work toward self-sufficiency. It is a voluntary program, yet 70 percent of eligible families are in the program at any given time. Carrie Pullie, the Program Manager for FamilyWorks contractor Metropolitan Family Services, says the program is outcome-dependent. “We work from a performance-based contract and are rated on 49 distinct goals,” she says. “We do quality assurance calls with residents to make sure my case managers follow through.” The goals are detailed and quantifiable, measuring everything from increases in literacy to job placement and retention to the numbers of children enrolled in specific educational programs. One client is Paulette Davis, whose family has been helped on a number of levels through the program. “They helped my daughter with college application fees and helped my oldest daughter get her GED,” Davis says. “They have helped find summer camps for my grandchildren and summer jobs for my children.” 3

Providing tools for success

Old Town Square and Renaissance North are two of the new mixed-income developments part of Chicago’s Plan for Transformation

She and her oldest daughter regularly attend CHA-sponsored workshops, including a recent one on credit score management. They are also both enrolled in a new job training program that teaches green industry skills. Some of the CHA Fiscal Year 2010 highlights: • 12,263 residents were engaged with service providers and there were more than 1,593 job placements through CHA-funded services. • 1,735 residents completed job readiness training and 702 residents completed an employment skills training program. • CHA’s Transitional Jobs programs resulted in 705 placements in subsidized employment and 888 unsubsidized placements. • 380 residents were enrolled at City Colleges of Chicago and 219 residents completed programs. • In FY2010, 298 positions were filled through CHA’s Section 3 program encouraging contractors to hire a percentage of CHA public housing residents. • CHA engagednearly 8,000 youth in recreational, academic, and employment programs and special events. • 2,352 youth were placed in summer jobs

Providing tools for success

Venus Juarez is looking forward to a better life

San Antonio, Texas The San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) knows exactly what it wants to accomplish with its new Jobs-Plus program: help residents get and keep jobs.

She enrolled in the housing authority’s FSS program, saying she was determined to “take advantage of every opportunity given to me.”

SAHA is one of two sites to receive a grant from a New York City-run JobsPlus program. It is based on an earlier pilot program that was shown to have a positive effect on public housing residents’ income.

Ms. Juarez will soon realize her goal of graduating from college—in the fall of 2011, she’ll earn an associate’s degree in mortuary science from San Antonio College. She had been interning at a local funeral home, where she has since been offered a full-time position.

SAHA will receive up to five years of funding from foundations that include the Social Innovation Fund, Catholic Charities of San Antonio, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. SAHA’s goal is to educate and find employment for 1,000 residents living at Alazan-Apache Courts and Mirasol Homes. They will be expanding on components of their current HUD-funded Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, a voluntary five-year program that matches residents with a wide-ranging network of agencies that can provide health, education, skills training, social services, and other supportive services. “When you talk about a return on investment, you cannot do better than providing someone with both a stable place to live and the tools to succeed,” says Lourdes Castro Ramírez, President and CEO of SAHA. “The very core of what we do at SAHA is about people—that is why we firmly believe that to create stronger communities, you must invest in people.” FSS has proven to be an effective program. A 2011 HUD report found that program graduates had higher incomes when they enrolled and when they completed the program. One example of the kind of resident SAHA intends to reach is Venus Juarez, who had few prospects before moving with her two daughters into public housing.

“I want to be a role model for my children, family, and my community. I redirected all my energy and now I do a lot of community service,” she says. “I also try to get all my neighbors involved, which is one reason why I’m part of SAHA’s Resident Ambassador Program.” The first step for anyone enrolling in the program is identifying a potential career and the way to get there, says Mary Jane Flores, a SAHA case manager who worked closely with Ms. Juarez. Services can range from finding day care to identifying business partners to help with tuition. The program also includes a proven way for residents to save money to own a home, which is a key part of the program. Since public housing rents are income-based, rents increase as a participant’s income rises. That makes saving money difficult. One answer is an escrow account for residents. Residents pay the higher rent, but SAHA matches the difference. “When they are ready to exit the program, they receive the funds, which many use as a down payment on a home or to pay off debt,” says Jane Flores. “It’s a graduation gift.” “Now that I’m almost finished with school, the pressure is on,” Ms. Juarez says. “But I know there are better things out there for me and my family.”

http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/affhsg/eval_fssp.html

Providing tools for success

Bridgeport, Connecticut Johann was laid off and she and her daughter were facing eviction when she heard about Stable Families, a partnership developed by the Bridgeport Housing Authority (BHA). “The philosophy is that a stable tenancy promotes a stable family life, and that a stable family greatly improves chances that family members will be able to improve their life circumstances and prospects,” says Kate Kelly, Director of Resident Services for BHA. It works. Through the program – the first of its kind in Bridgeport -- the family was able to stay housed and Johann could focus her attention on finding work. The support that she received included referrals to the local food pantry and assistance making utility payments. Her case manager also worked with school officials to address her daughter’s education. The Stable Families program office is located in the BHA building. BHA staff plays a key role in identifying at-risk families, participating in weekly meetings where they discuss the possible need for interventions. They look for triggers that left unaddressed could put families at risk of eviction. For example, listening to a tenant who would not allow maintenance staff in her apartment, Ms. Kelly realized that it was because of a history of domestic violence. When the housing authority staff offered to stay with her while the work was being done, her concerns were addressed. “We try to get a holistic picture of what is going on with a family that could become a problem,” Ms. Kelly says. “It could be housekeeping issues. It might be a child with an untreated mental illness.” The housing authority chose New Haven Home Recovery (NHHR) to administer the families’ support services, providing behavioral health staff to help families stay housed. Ms. Kelly says referring residents to an independent third party increases trust and is an important part of the program model. 6

“We are pleased that we have been able to find a way to serve our residents while being mindful of what our property managers need to do to run our residences,” says Nicholas Calace, Executive Director, BHA. “It is this kind of balanced approach that results in positive outcomes for everyone involved.” Kara Capone, NHHR Director of Programs, says Stable Families is the first program of its kind in Bridgeport and has been welcomed by the community. She has been surprised by their clientele. “We had anticipated that we would be serving families with very young children,” she says. “These families have children in school. We also find that the problems are not always with the head of the household.” BHA’s successful combination of housing and services in Stable Families now serves as a model for building a community-wide safety net. NHHR, along with the housing authority and other partners, is working to secure funding for a demonstration project named Stable Communities. The goal of this project would be to include a network of people -- educators, health care professionals, business leaders -- who could provide supportive services for low-income residents, thus increasing communitywide stability. “When you work with one family at a time and see the change,” says Ms. Capone, “you want to take it to a neighborhood level.”

Providing tools for success

Dallas, Texas

Ms. Buxton and son enjoying their new home In 2009, the Dallas Housing Authority board decided to increase its focus on the city’s growing homeless population. Part of the initiative is a joint permanent supportive housing program that began in 2010 with the Housing Crisis Center’s (HCC) Good Neighbor Project. For Charissa Buxton, 29, of Dallas, Texas, the program worked. Two years ago, she found herself stuck with an abusive partner and no way out. She was living in a transitional housing program also run by the HCC, and was one of the first to receive a voucher through the Good Neighbor Project. “It was amazing how quick everything kind of just fell into place,” says Ms. Buxton. “We got out of our situation and didn’t have to worry about anybody showing up at my doorstep.” She spent a few days in a shelter while her kids stayed with her parents. Within a week, they were all moved into an apartment. “The help with the bills and the rent took a lot of the pressure off me because I was also going through legal battles with my kids, trying to get full custody and getting visitation rights taken away from their father,” Ms. Buxton says. The Good Neighbor Project was named by HCC staff because of their intent to be good neighbors with the Lake Highlands community. They also did a lot of outreach to win support for the program from the community. The designated units are scattered throughout a large apartment complex there. Ms. Buxton is one of 50 recipients of the project-based vouchers currently in the program.

Providing tools for success

“When we made the decision to focus on homelessness, we knew that permanent supportive housing programs would work for our population, and help people become and remain successful longterm tenants,” says MaryAnn Russ, Executive Director of the Dallas Housing Authority. “It takes a lot more than just affordable housing if people are also struggling with mental health issues or overcoming substance abuse.”

The program targets those who are currently homeless or in a shelter. Clients are expected to stay with the program and its affiliated support services for as long as they need it. Some go on to independence. Of those who have left the program, 90 percent of participants are still living independently six years later. Good Neighbor practices intensive case management, including random home visits, drug testing, financial education, and partnerships with child care and mental health providers. On-site services include two case managers, an after-school program, and Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. In addition to the housing authority and the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, Ms. Russ credits the property management company and the effectiveness of the HCC for the success of the Good Neighbor Project. Ms. Buxton was working when she entered the program. Between custody-related court dates, family therapy visits, and other scheduling difficulties, she lost that job, and then another. Now that things have settled down, she’s searching for a job. She says being in the program allowed her to take care of her kids, now age 5 and 7, and got them out of a bad situation. “It’s opened a lot more doors for me that I didn’t have before because I was constantly having to look over my shoulder and worry about where’s this coming from and what I need to do next,” Ms. Buxton says. “It’s made life a lot easier to really concentrate on trying to better my situation and myself.”

Providing tools for success

Aging with Dignity The public housing and housing choice voucher (HCV) programs, the largest federally-funded housing assistance programs for seniors, together house more than 740,000 people 62 and older. Seniors represent 15 percent of public housing residents and 13 percent of HCV holders. Fifteen percent of those senior public housing residents and nine percent of those senior HCV holders are 82 years or older.

In 2009, 1.33 million very low-income senior renters without housing assistance paid more than half of their incomes for rent and/or lived in severely inadequate conditions. Homelessness among the elderly is increasing at an alarming rate, with projections expecting it to double between 2010 and 2050.1 1

America is aging. By 2030, the U.S. population will include 72.1 million people 65 or older, more than twice their number in 2000. They made up 12.4 percent of the population in 2000; it will be 19 percent by 2030. This population needs significant levels of support. In 62 percent of elderly HCV households and 44 percent of elderly public housing households, the elderly head of household or spouse has disabilities. A recent study2 found that seniors living in public housing are more than twice as likely to report fair or poor health compared to those with no public housing experience. But like their peers, these residents prefer to age in place. Providing the services necessary to allow them to age in place is also more cost-effective than relying on institutional care. Per person longterm care expenditures are five times as high, and national expenditures three times as high, for nursing home residents as compared to community residents.3 Housing authorities are creating innovative programs that can serve as community-focused models for serving seniors.

http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2698

http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/aging_statistics/index.aspx Pamela L. Parsons, Briana Mezuk, Scott Ratliff, and Kate L. Lapane, Subsidized Housing, not Subsidized Health: Health Status and Fatigue among Elders in Public Housing and Other Community Settings, Ethnicity and Disease, Volume 21 (Winter 2010)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20048355

Providing aging withtools dignity for success

Resident talks with visiting nurse – photo credit Baldwin Groves resident Doreen Vincent

Cincinnati, Ohio Ted Bergh, Interim Executive Director of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), knows the demand for affordable housing for seniors in his area is only going to increase. Already, 37 percent of CMHA’s residents are elderly. “With the economy the way it is, seniors are going to outlive their retirement,” he says.

Jacqueline Pennington has lived there for several years. It’s the first senior complex she’s lived in. She says it is easier and safer than the family complex where she lived previously with her family. “I used to joke that my next move would probably be to a seniors’ place,” says Ms. Pennington. “But now that I’m here, I love it.”

There are a range of on- and off-site services that make life easier. A nurse periodically stops by for blood “I used to joke that my next pressure checkups. Residents have been connected to move would probably be to a the Council on Aging of Southwest Ohio and many have seniors’ place, but now that I’m chosen individually to utilize their services. Residents “It is a lot easier when you are on good also take advantage of services provided across the here, I love it.” terms,” Mr. Bergh says. “It saves time and street at Maple Knoll Village, a large nonprofit senior effort when communities invite us in.” services provider. It includes a cafeteria open to the public. The That was certainly the case with Baldwin Grove, the first new CMHA demand for units is high, and occupancy hovers around 99 percent. building outside the city of Cincinnati itself. (CMHA covers all of Mr. Bergh conducts tours for other municipal officials to demonstrate the Hamilton County.) success of the development, and CMHA is already working to meet another CMHA relied on collaboration with the city of Springdale to avoid community’s request for a senior development modeled on Baldwin Grove. costly delays with permitting. Baldwin Grove was also the agency’s first Using Neighborhood Stabilization Program money, the authority will replace building that included “green” design and has been deemed an Energy 15 deteriorating four-family homes in the Mount Healthy community. It will Star building, among the first of its kind in Ohio. serve as its own developer for replacement housing, The Reserve on South Martin, which will add 60 units for seniors. The financing came from several sources including Low-Income The good news is that the communities CMHA serves are eager for the authority to build housing targeted to seniors.

Housing Tax Credits and public housing capital and replacement housing factor funds. The 100-unit, two-story building opened in 2007. It was designed specifically to meet the needs of seniors: there are laundry appliances in each of the units, ample common areas and meeting rooms on both floors, easily accessible elevators, and parking with convenient building entrances.

Providing tools aging with for success dignity

Nathalie Manovich finds supportive services invaluable

New York, New York At Vladeck Houses, a public housing complex on New York City’s Lower East Side, the services offered to senior residents have allowed them to stay in their homes, improve their health, and maintain social connections. It was the first effort to bring services to a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) in a public housing complex and it has served as a model. About one-third of its 2,850 residents are seniors . The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), in partnership with the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA), the United Hospital Fund, and local community service providers, has embraced the concept, identifying NORCs in 12 public housing communities.

or end up in a hospital. The NORC concept allows them to remain in the community by bringing the needed services to them,” says Janet Fischer, Chief Administrator of Senior Services for Henry Street Settlement, the organization that operates the NORC at Vladeck Houses. These services include access to social workers, nursing services, and individualized case management.

“Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities are a replicable model of service delivery that have proven their effectiveness over the years,” says John Rhea, Chairman, NYCHA. “They provide an environment where the medical, social, cultural, and recreational needs of senior residents can be met through a unique partnership between public and private agencies.”

Each NORC is operated by a local community service partner and offers senior residents health screenings, in-home assessments, transportation services, financial management services, and housekeeping services. Support groups, intergenerational activities, wellness programs, and recreational programs are also available.

Nathalie Manovich is 82 and has lived at Vladeck Houses since 1983. She says she has found the social workers’ help invaluable in dealing with dayto-day issues, including helping her navigate the bureaucracies of a new prescription drug plan. They also recently provided her with coupons to a city vegetable market, and helped her get her phone in working order.

“The goal of a NORC is to empower people to age in place and make decisions about their own life. No one wants to go off to a nursing home

“All my friends, they are the same age or older than me,” Ms. Manovich says. “It’s impossible for us to live here without the help of this program.” 11

aging with dignity

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Versie McGlory, Jeltz Senior Center resident The Jeltz Senior Center was established in 1978 as public housing for low-income seniors. About three years ago, when the Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) became concerned about services for its residents, they partnered with Baptist Village Communities and Daily Living Centers to help the residents stay in their homes rather than having to move prematurely to a nursing home. “What started all this was we were seeing our residents failing,” says Barbie Baker, Senior Asset Manager for OCHA. “They couldn’t get all the services they needed. They were really sacrificing meals to pay for medication. Many were so frail they couldn’t keep up their homes. They were just really struggling to maintain their independence.”

“The people are nice and I enjoy going there,” she says. At 89, she’s able to live independently because of the services. “There’s a measure of security. I just like it very much. It’s the very place for me at this time in my life.” Other services include a well-used computer lab, a mini-library stocked and staffed by the Metropolitan library system, and transportation to shopping and medical appointments.

Baptist Village Communities is a nonprofit organization that manages senior communities and provides health services through its home health agency, Entrusted Hearts. A nurse visits the center twice a week.

A regional food bank comes once month with staples for any resident who needs them. They also bring fresh fruits and vegetables to set up a no-cost store, particularly helpful for residents who can no longer run errands.

“People were not able to visit doctors’ offices for appointments,” says Rebecca Harvey, RN, Director of Entrusted Hearts. “Some didn’t even have doctors. They weren’t seeing that there was going to be a difference in their lives if certain proactive measures were taken,”

“As a housing authority, we see every day the struggles our residents can have,” says OCHA Deputy Director Mark Gillet. “It is deeply rewarding to be able to step in and have such a tremendous impact on people’s lives.”

The visiting nurse provides blood pressure readings, blood sugar monitoring, and health education. These efforts have been so well received that residents started a contest among themselves to monitor blood sugar. In some cases, a visit by the nurse has had an even more immediate effect. “The nurse has sent certain individuals to the hospital, and as a result has helped to save their lives,” says Ms. Harvey. “Several were having chest pain or similar symptoms, and by the time they made it to the hospital, they had to have immediate surgery. ” 12

An adult day center run by Daily Living Centers is another key component of the collaboration. Versie McGlory , a resident of the Jeltz Center for 19 years, finds friends and activities at the center.

Providing tools for success

Supporting Independent Living In 2009, almost one million households with non-elderly people with disabilities confronted worst case housing needs, meaning they were low-income renters receiving no housing assistance and paying more than one-half of their income for rent and/or living in severely inadequate conditions. These households represented 38 percent of all very low-income households with someone with a disability. Among the entire population of renters, those households including non-elderly people with disabilities are more likely to have worst- case housing needs.

People with disabilities seeking rental housing face both a limited availability of accessible units and discrimination by landlords. (HUD reports that since discrimination against people with disabilities was added to the Fair Housing Act, allegations of disability discrimination have been the most common fair housing complaint.) Housing assistance programs have been proven to succeed with this population. Renter households that include people with disabilities are twice as likely to receive housing assistance as those that do not. This is considered a key reason that the 13 percent rise in worst-case housing needs for this population from 2007 to 2009 was substantially below the 20 percent increase for the population as a whole. Linking services to housing is vital to allowing people with disabilities to live independently and remain part of their communities. It is also cost effective. In 1990, New York State and New York City entered into what came to be called the New York/New York Agreement to House the Homeless Mentally Ill, jointly funding and developing 3,600 community-based permanent supportive housing units for people with severe mental illness. Studies showing the decrease in emergency services usage by participants in comparison to a control group showed an annualized savings of $16,281 (in 1999 dollars) for public services per unit. Cost savings due to reduced emergency room visits has also been documented in a California initiative, which found that the average number of emergency room visits per participant decreased 61 percent over two years, with average emergency room charges decreasing from $11,388 to $4,697 The housing authority partnerships profiled here are examples of how these agencies are leading the way in creating targeted programs to meet the needs of the members of their local population with mental and physical challenges.

ennis Culhane, Stephen Metraux, and Trevor Hadley, Public Service Reductions Associated with Placing Homeless D Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing, Housing Policy Debate, Vol. 13, Issue 1, 2002, pp. 107-163.)

supporting independent living

King County, Washington

Quinton Jimerson, living independently in Kent, Washington, thanks to a HASP voucher Clara McGowen’s job is to help house people with disabilities. She’s Program Manager at the YWCA for the Housing Access and Services Program (HASP), which channels Section 8 vouchers to disabled households through a consortium of service providers. The King County Housing Authority (KCHA) established the consortium and the contract with the YWCA to oversee the program administration. With disabilities including mental illness, developmental disabilities, and physical ailments, clients face barriers both before and after getting housing. They may have a poor rental history or none at all. Many struggle with substance abuse; some have felonies in their past. Some don’t even have any formal identification. The program awarded its first vouchers in 2000. Today, about 1,800 vouchers are under lease, making it one of the largest programs of its kind in the country. Once a client has housing, HASP’s primary goal is to help them keep it. That might mean intervening with a landlord when there’s an issue. It might mean gently explaining why they can’t let their homeless friends move in with them. Or it might mean recruiting a team of volunteers to clean out a hoarder’s place so they can pass the annual inspection— sometimes repeatedly.

supporting independent living

“This program is a great example of how housing and services can partner to successfully house our most vulnerable residents,” says Stephen Norman, Executive Director of KCHA. “Secure and affordable housing is the essential starting point for dealing with everything else. This program literally saves lives.”

Ms. McGowen describes one challenging case. The client, a woman with severe mental health issues, had stayed in a run-down motel for 10 years. All her money, including donations begged from nearby churches, went to paying for the motel. Because of her illness, if she forgot to take her medicine with her when she left, she would throw it away when she returned, fearing someone had tampered with it. She had many requirements that made it difficult for her to find housing—no connecting walls, for instance. It took a year to find a place, but she’s been there for two years. “And I tell you every day, it’s just amazing that she is still housed,” McGowen says. “She still has to take all of her food with her every time she leaves, so that she’ll have food, because if not, she’s going to throw it away. If it wasn’t for this program, she would not be housed today, period.” Another client, John Allen, is a disabled vet who has been housed since 2000. Before that, he had his own place, and was working and paying the rent. When he was injured and lost his job, the rent was too high for him to keep up. What he appreciates most is having someone to advocate for him — for instance, helping him work out an agreement with a landlord after a dispute over damages. Right now, Mr. Allen is going through chemo treatments. He takes 15 pills a day and has lost 28 pounds. The side effects are rough, but he’s optimistic. “I’m going to face life,” he says. “I’m a survivor; I’m a success.”

supporting independent living

Newark, New Jersey

Mayor Cory Booker and Keith Kinard at Millennium Way grand opening

supporting independent living

“Millennium Way is a perfect example of taking a modest project of 56 affordable units and leveraging it through partnerships to have a larger impact on the community as a whole,” Says Keith Kinard, Newark Housing Authority Executive.

Eugene, a Millenium Way resident

The grand opening of Millennium Way marked a milestone in Newark. A partnership between the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey-University Behavioral HealthCare (UMDNJ-UBHC) and the Newark Housing Authority (NHA), the 56-unit development provides 15 permanent supportive housing units for people the university identifies as qualifying for special needs housing. The partnership grew out of the university president’s desire to partner with the Newark Housing Authority, says Karen Torian, Chief of Preservation & Development for the housing authority. “There is a real challenge providing consistent behavioral care services to people who are homeless,” says Rosemarie Rosati, Vice President for Outpatient Services at the behavioral health center. “This housing has been a godsend.” Eugene was one of the first residents referred by the behavioral health care center. Having housing, he says, “means independence. I can be responsible and take care of myself.” “This partnership has yielded something quite unique, quite special,” UMDNJ-UBHC President and CEO Chris Kosseff says. “We are setting a national example of how we treat people suffering from serious mental illness so they can stay stable and remain members of our community.” Another key partner was the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA). Although they have funds earmarked toward special needs housing, it could not be used for services. The partnership enabled the agency to support a public housing program for the first time. Part of the challenge, says Ms. Rosati, is aligning the financing for housing with service funding. “We were very fortunate in this initiative to be able to bring together the Newark Housing Authority, HMFA’s special needs housing financing, and support for UBHC services through the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.” Avis Scott oversees the services provided to Eugene. “In shelters, you have no place to put your medication,” she says, noting that shelter residents have to sleep “with one eye open.” “If it wasn’t for them,” Eugene says, “I don’t know where I would be.”

Providing tools for success

Serving Those Who Served On a single night in January 2010, 61,011 veterans were homeless. At that point, 9 percent of people experiencing homelessness identified as a veteran; an estimated 136,334 veterans spent at least one night in a shelter or transitional housing program during 2009.

Veteran homelessness, like all homelessness, is caused by a complex interaction of economic and personal factors. Nearly 500,000 veterans pay more than half of their income for rent. More than half of those have incomes below the poverty line. Ten percent of veterans in poverty become homeless at some point during the year, compared to just over five percent of adults in poverty. Multiple and extended deployments may increase social isolation, which is associated with a higher risk of homelessness. Their rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and serious health problems are higher than those of other homeless adults. Many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other combat-related injuries. Veterans are also more likely to be unsheltered, living outdoors, and experiencing chronic homelessness. Although the vast majority of homeless veterans â&#x20AC;&#x201C;96 percent -- are men, the number of homeless women veterans caring for children is growing. Both Congress and our Federal Executive Agencies are determined to address this crisis. In appropriations for FY2008, Congress funded the first new Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers in 14 years. The bipartisan Congressional support for expanding this program to meet the tremendous need has been unrelenting, and new HUD-VASH vouchers have been funded each year since. Both HUD and the VA have the reduction of veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homelessness as one of their five High Priority Performance Goals. In 2010â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, of which both HUD and the VA are members, set a goal of ending veteran homelessness within five years. The executive agencies are working towards the vision of President Obama, who has repeatedly expressed zero tolerance for veteran homelessness. Housing authorities have played a key role overcoming institutional obstacles and making the program a success for the approximately 38,000 HUD-VASH voucher holders.

Serving those who served

(left) Larry Lochala with Major Myles B. Caggins III, Public Affairs Officer for Fort Bliss Larry Lochala (far right) with El Paso CEP Gerald Cichon

El Paso, Texas Matching homeless veterans with housing is not always easy. “These are very proud men and women,” says Gerald Cichon, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso. (HACEP). “It is an embarrassment for them to ask for help. We can’t sit here and wait for them to come to us.” So when the housing authority has vouchers to use, they do more than issue a press release and post the information on their website. “We put up flyers. The VA promotes it, and we partner with all the shelters,” says Lorena Rivera, Director of HACEP’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. “We go to all of the shelters with VA staff looking for potential applicants.” They are also helped by residents like Larry Lochala, a formerly homeless veteran participating in the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. “When someone like Larry gets out and talks about this, it has a huge effect on the population we are trying to reach,” Mr. Cichon says.

The entry to the program begins at the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System. If a veteran is homeless and eligible for VA medical care, they are referred to HACEP. But their relationship with the VA does not end there. “They have to need and want case management,” says Joel Arrigucci, who coordinates homeless programs for the VA. “They must have a plan that includes self sufficiency. We make sure they have a hobby or volunteer somewhere. They can stay as long as they need, but the goal is that through employment or benefits they can rent without assistance.” There are hurdles. Although VASH voucher holders cannot be screened for a criminal record, not all landlords will accept tenants with a record. And the voucher can only be used for rent – other resources have to be found to pay deposits and utility bills and buy furnishings. The housing authority’s proactive partnership with the El Paso VA and their outreach to the homeless population has made the VASH program extremely successful here; it is why the authority was recently awarded an additional 25 vouchers for a total of 95 vouchers.

El Paso is home to the second-largest military installation in the U.S., and is expected to be home to 37,000 troops and 53,000 family members by 2012. According to the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless, there are over 160 homeless veterans living on the streets of El Paso on any given day. Mr. Lochala certainly considers himself a success story. He has taken it upon himself to become an “ambassador” to homeless veterans. “I find them every day,” he says. “I know a homeless guy when I see one, and I know how to approach them. Some are ready, some are not.” He also speaks whenever possible about the issue of homelessness and the importance of finding ways to address it. “So many people think it can never happen to them.” 19

Providing tools forserved success Serving those who

Washington, D.C. Anthony Taylor In the nation’s capital, the Vietnam and Korean memorials give haunting testimony to those who gave everything in service of their country. It’s a sad irony that not far away, survivors of those and other military conflicts are struggling with homelessness. A partnership between the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), the VA hospital system, and the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) attacks that problem head on, awarding HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to veterans and moving them off the streets and into their own homes. DCHA Executive Director Adrianne Todman says the partnership has been successful at housing more than 150 clients since 2010, with about 50 more in process. DCHA has received a total of 490 vouchers for veterans since Congress reinvigorated the program three years ago. She attributes the success to the good working relationship the housing authority had already built with DHS. They provided the city with 350 vouchers for the hard-to-house homeless, and developed a streamlined approach. “The two-track process we developed working with DHS on Housing First allowed us to move much faster in identifying, processing, and housing veterans and getting them into case management,” says Ms. Todman. “We went from a normal timeline of six months down to one month.” Originally, a client had to return to DCHA four or five times, having their eligibility determined, bringing in landlord paperwork, an inspection report, and more. Now, a DHS case worker works with the applicant to gather all the necessary documentation and identifies a potential unit. The housing authority then determines the rent reasonableness, inspects the unit and makes any needed repairs. After clients find a unit from the pool of those available, they make their only trip to DCHA to be briefed, sign the lease, and pick up the key. 20

Providing Serving tools thosefor whosuccess served

“Our veterans represent a far larger percentage of our homeless population than they should,”says Adrianne Todman, Executive Director of the DCHA. “Serving this population is something I place a high value on in terms of the service that they gave to us.”

Of the 175 vouchers DCHA received in 2010, the VA agreed to fund DHS as the case-manager for 110 vouchers, and maintained the traditional VA process for 70 of the vouchers. “It served as a experiment, providing a control group against which to judge the new process. It was successful,” Ms. Todman adds. One of the program’s first participants was Anthony Taylor, 53. Things have gone so well for him that he recently met with members of Congress to speak about the VASH program. He also acts as a mentor for those who have just begun the process. “I have an opportunity to be an example for others,” he says. “I try to do that.” He came into the program after years of homelessness and a life derailed by a heroin addiction. Though he was able to kick the heroin long ago, he still struggled to rebuild his life. “The program has given me a lot of comfort—the fact that I have my own home.…You feel like you’re a regular person, not something less,” he says. “You feel like the person you were put here to be. It’s been a blessing for me, it really has.” Dallas Williams, Manager of Homeless Services at DHS, says the case management model lets them offer services to those who might otherwise fall through the cracks. Their caseloads are also kept low, about 20 clients each. Mr. Williams says clients at times have to work through the initial distrust of any type of government agency. “They’ve been promised a lot of things over the years and most of the time it’s never materialized. This is what most of them have shared with us,” says Mr. Williams. This time, the housing authority was able to deliver on the promise. 21

Serving those who served

“VASH has provided veterans in our county with the means of accessing vital services such as housing and medical assistance,” says Susan Benner, HACSB’s Executive Director. “Through our strong partnership with the local VA hospital we hope to continue to serve more veterans, as more VASH vouchers become available, and continue to showcase success stories such as Ms. Watson’s. The program works.”

San Bernardino, California Kathleen Watson is a U.S. Air Force veteran. After serving as a medical technician during Vietnam, she earned a criminal justice degree, took a job with the County Probation Department, and bought a house. But she lost her job and consequently her home, and lived in temporary shelters until she entered the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. VASH combines rental assistance with intensive case management that connects clients with a range of services, including help finding an apartment, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and legal and financial counseling. The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) partners with the local VA hospital—the Loma Linda Medical Center—to match homeless veterans with housing and social services. As a result, Kathleen was able to lease an apartment near the hospital where she has access to medical care. “VASH has taken me out of the street and lifted me up from the very bottom,” she says. “It has helped turn my life around.” Case managers work closely with residents to establish personal goals and to access services they need. There are monthly in-home and medical center visits. “This is a resource for them given that they have served their country,” says Enid Reece, a social worker with the program. “We definitely try to remind them that this is not a handout, this is something that is available to them because of what they have done for the country.”

Serving those who served

Everyone Deserves a Home Housing First Potential Cost Savings An analysis of data from the 2009 American Community Survey found that 72 percent of households at or below the federal poverty line are severely housing cost burdened, spending over 50 percent of their income on rent. When housing accounts for such a significant percentage of a household’s resources, any unexpected financial crisis could lead to homelessness.

The costs of homelessness – in lives and in dollars – are staggering. The chronically homeless, who have no health care and whose health conditions are made worse by living on the streets, face serious illness and death. They also make extensive use of the most expensive municipal services, such as emergency rooms and inpatient hospital care. Yet the percentage of the homeless population considered chronically homeless – 17 percent in 2009 – was a decrease of more than 40 percent from 2006. The drop was driven in large part by the dramatic rise in permanent supportive housing offered under the Housing First model. This approach first houses people, then incorporates services that address obstacles to housing stability—mental health, physical health, substance abuse, or lack of employment. Housing First is becoming increasingly prevalent because of the significant savings, in people’s lives and to municipalities. Unfortunately, while the chronically homeless population is declining, other homeless populations are growing. Since economic factors are the major causes of homelessness, the recession is pushing increasing numbers of people out of their homes and placing many others at risk. According to a January 2009 report based on estimates of the depth likely to be reached by the current recession, 1.5 million additional Americans are likely to experience homelessness over the next two years.1 They have few options. Nationally, subsidized housing resources have long served only one-quarter of those who are eligible. Many waiting lists are closed and have been for years; even when they are opened, the wait can take years. In addition, the struggle to find a job and regain economic stability is even more difficult without a home. But housing authorities are working within their communities to identify strategies that make the most of scarce resources to rapidly re-house people, and provide services that can quickly get people back on their feet. Comparing costs for chronically homeless care Municipal cost per night 1

Psychiatric hospital

Emergency room

Jail

Shelter

Housing First2

$1,185

$519

$164

$73

$57

Estimates based on Pathways’ Housing First Model – http://www.pathwaystohousing.org

Everyone Deserves a Home

Jacqueline Suarez, JCHA, Housing Assistant Tech, Kareem Jeter, Resident, Derrick Williams, Resident, Patricia Ramirez, Director of the Housing Choice Voucher program for JCHA

Jersey City, New Jersey Derek Williams was a forklift operator— and a good one, he says. But an accident in the late nineties left him with seizures. Without health insurance, he couldn’t afford medication. Untreated, his condition cost him three jobs and ultimately his home.

“Our long-standing collaboration with the United Way of Hudson County shows how well two very different operations can combine forces,” says Maria Maio, JCHA Executive Director. “Our residents will be successful because we help them find more than just housing.”

A cooperative partnership between the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) and the United Way of Hudson County changed that. “These programs allow us to help people who would not ordinarily get help,” says Patty Ramirez, Director of JCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher program. “Ordinarily these families are not on any waiting list.” She says it works because “we confine our efforts to our areas of expertise.” The housing authority recruits landlords to take part in the program, conducts inspections, and helps people search for housing. “I don’t know where I would be without this program,” says Mr. Williams. “I can’t be happier.” His sons and grandchildren pay regular visits. He has also become part of the community at his building, helping set up and clean up for holiday celebrations. His situation demonstrates how the two agencies mesh to serve someone’s needs. Mr. Williams has a case manager provided by the United Way who helps him with his budget and makes sure he takes his medication and keeps doctor appointments. His housing is covered by the Collaborative Solutions program, a HUD-funded Housing First model with a grant from HUD.

Kareem Jeter was working, but was not making enough to find a place to live. He was staying with relatives, where his two-year-old daughter was sleeping on a couch. “This has put a roof over my daughter’s head and given me the opportunity to look for better employment.” He is housed through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program that was part of the 2009 Recovery Act. His case manager helped him with his resume and a year after he entered the program, continues to stay in touch. “Our long-standing collaboration with the United Way of Hudson County shows how well two very different operations can combine forces,” says Maria Maio, JCHA Executive Director. “Our residents will be successful because we help them find more than just housing.” They are looking at an even more ambitious joint program, developing 21 special needs housing units at the United Way building, with projectbased vouchers from the housing authority. Everyone involved considers the current partnership an unqualified success. Says United Way director Carmel Galasso, “We can’t do this without JCHA.”

Everyone Deserves a Home Providing tools for success

San Diego, California “The San Diego Housing Commission has created a bridge to housing for over a hundred formerly homeless persons,” says Rick Gentry, President & CEO of the housing commission. “Those who want to truly benefit must now cross that bridge, take the reins, and guide their future.”

Will and Amanda are getting back on their feet Amanda and Will had been living on the streets of San Diego off and on for the past several years. Will was working in construction, but lost his job during the recession. Amanda has a disability and her lone income comes from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both entered San Diego’s Emergency Winter Shelter for homeless adults shortly after it opened for the season in December 2010. “I don’t know if you guys know how hard it is to find a job when you’re living on the streets,” says Will. “No legitimate employer, other than

evaluation by the Housing Commission, 102 were approved. The housing assistance offered to those eligible participants included direct payments to landlords for security deposits and a portion of the monthly rent. After approval, participants had 30 days to find housing. Amanda and Will heard about the HPRP program after landing at the shelter. They attended an orientation session in early January, were approved shortly thereafter, and moved into Studio 15, a downtown rental complex, in March.

“We have been on the streets for about seven years,” says Will. “It is truly a blessing that through this program we were able get into an apartment.”

Finding participating landlords is one of the program’s most challenging components, because participating individuals can have problematic financial and credit histories, along with lacking documents like Social Security cards. The program also helps residents track down documentation.

day labor companies, will employ you when you’re on the streets.” He says having an address and a place to take care of himself makes a tremendous difference.

Still, some landlords are more than willing to participate. Anna Scott is the Project Manager for the Affirmed Housing Group, the developer and landlord of Studio 15, where Will and Amanda now live. “We saw this as the perfect opportunity to be part of a solution for people who are in transition,” she says.

In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). The program focuses on minimizing the experience of homelessness, either by its prevention or with rapid re-housing. As part of the Recovery Act, HPRP was envisioned to be a tool for helping those impacted by the recession to re-stabilize their lives and concentrate on reentering the workforce and attaining self-sufficiency. In short, it was just the program to assist someone like Will. The San Diego Housing Commission, which manages the seasonal winter shelter for the city, received HPRP funds and designed a local strategy for their use in which qualifying persons residing at the adult shelter could receive up to 12 months of housing assistance. They hired Townspeople, a local nonprofit, to screen residents interested in the program; after final

Of the 102 people approved for HPRP, 90 found housing before the shelter closed, moving to a variety of settings, including single room occupancy hotels and Housing Commission-owned units for elderly and disabled tenants. HPRP was not the Housing Commission’s first foray into working to house homeless individuals. The Commission created a Special Housing Initiatives Unit in 2009 in order to facilitate initiatives targeted to people experiencing homelessness. Because of the Unit’s successful track record, the City of San Diego asked the agency to serve as the new manager for its two winter shelters. 25

Everyone Deserves a Home

David says he would be living under a bridge if not for the program

“More than 96 percent of the residents in this program are still with us after two years in our housing, which is one of the best retention rates in the country for programs helping people out of homelessness,” says Home Forward Executive Director Steve Rudman. “Our strong site presence, made possible by support we receive from the City of Portland, ensures that partners know when to connect with their clients to help them be successful as tenants.”

Portland, Oregon The first thing Steven Keenan does when he comes to work at the NorthWest Towers is make the community coffee pot. As the Resident and Community Services Coordinator for Home Forward1, that may be the only constant in his day. He plays a crucial role in a pilot program of the city’s Key Not a Card project. The name is meant to demonstrate that outreach workers offer the chronically homeless more than just their business card. It is one of several partnerships the housing agency has with the city that are specifically targeted towards the chronically homeless Home Forward has dedicated 30 units in two buildings; full-time service managers in each are a central reason for the program’s high retention rate. Three community partners—JOIN, Catholic Charities Housing Transitions Program, and Human Solutions—can refer clients to the program. Once accepted, they receive an orientation, a calendar of events and workshops, and an open door to the services staff on-site for help with anything needed to ensure tenancy. During Mr. Keenan’s work day, he may hand out food or hygiene supplies, meet with a resident about noise levels, or just be there for someone to talk to. “We have one program goal—to help people keep their housing,” he says. One person he talks to often is David, who lost his home following a divorce. “They found me living under a bridge,” he says. When his case worker saw he had too much time on his hands, she convinced him to volunteer at a soup kitchen.

Formerly the Housing Authority of Portland

Everyone Deserves a Home

Tomi Rene says the program has been a springboard for her life “I think it’s great,” he says of the program. “I wouldn’t be inside without it.” The pilot program is funded by the city, which pays for on-site staff. Their goal is to connect residents to their neighbors, and help them get used to living in a setting other than the outdoors or a shelter. Any time there is an issue regarding behavior, the staff is informed; 100 percent of all notices are mitigated within 24 hours of the issuance of that notice. Tomi Rene left Michigan when the recession hit and came back to Portland where she’d lived while earning a culinary degree. She arrived broke and homeless. She lived first in a tent in a friend’s backyard, then in their basement. She found part-time work, but lost the job due to health issues when her precarious housing situation made it impossible to keep her medication at the required temperature. “This been a huge benefit,” she says. “It has been a springboard for the next part of my life.” At first, she says, she lived “like a hermit.” Her resident and community services coordinator worked to draw her out and eventually helped her find a few day-long jobs in the building, including getting units ready for inspection. Gradually, her health and confidence returned. She now works as a full-time caregiver for another resident.

Statistics: Chronically homeless people—those who have been homeless a year or more—consume about half of the total resources spent on all homeless programs in Portland and Multnomah County, even though they represent only 10 percent of the total homeless population. A Portland State University study found that homeless people spend 65 percent less time in hospitals and 51 percent less time in emergency rooms when they have permanent supportive housing.

Rosanne Marmor, Home Forward’s Resident Services Program Manager, says keeping close tabs on clients stops problems that threaten their success before they become too big to handle. She says the biggest surprise they found was that it was not as difficult as they had anticipated. “Keeping someone in housing doesn’t take as much as we expected.”

Everyone Deserves a Home

Baltimore, Maryland

When Baltimore began its 10-year Plan to End Homelessness in 2008, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) worked with the city to distribute 378 Housing Choice Vouchers using the Housing First philosophy. “Homeless people need housing first, so you put them in a permanent housing unit first, and then you bring the services,” says Kate Briddell, the Director of the Homeless Services Program, a division of the Mayor’s Office of Human Services. “Usually there’s really intensive case management at the beginning.” The program uses the Vulnerability Index, a tool for identifying and prioritizing the street homeless population for housing according to the fragility of their health. It was developed by Common Ground as part of research by Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless. The Boston research identified the specific health conditions that cause homeless individuals to be most at risk for dying on the street. The approach is working. After 18 months, 83 percent of the participants are still housed. Support services can include dealing with mental health issues, tackling drug and alcohol abuse, finding transportation, even budgeting. Jack Amato, 64, says the program has turned things around for him. Six years ago, he lost has job as a construction supervisor. Unable to make his car and rent payments and struggling with a heroin addiction, things quickly spiraled down for him. “I wound up in a shelter,” he says. “First time in my life—it was just horrendous. I didn’t know what to do, where to go.” Eventually, he started applying for help, and within a few months—on his birthday in February 2010—he moved into an apartment in Cedonia in northeast Baltimore City. 28

Everyone Deserves a Home

Jack Amato credits the program with turning his life around

“I’ve got my Social Security and my handicapped apartment here and I’m just doing so great,” he says. “I have wonderful neighbors here. I mean, you couldn’t ask for anyplace better.” The community benefits as well. Three encampments of homeless people in the city have been downsized or are gone. Hundreds of people are off the streets. He also notes that the lack of funding for the 2011 calendar year meant the agency had to stop issuing new vouchers, using its limited funds to meet ongoing commitments.

“We’re pleased that we could offer vouchers to over 350 chronically homeless Baltimore residents,” says Paul Graziano, Baltimore Housing Commissioner, who also runs HABC. “With the combination of stable, long-term housing and intensive wrap-around support services, we have helped folks such as Mr. Amato reclaim their lives.”

CLPHA The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer 26 percent of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. As a multi-billion dollar asset, public housing is the cornerstone of affordable housing and community development. CLPHA: • Advocates for adequate public housing funding and policies that support local management and accountability. • Develops and analyzes policies impacting the public housing community. • Educates policymakers and the public about the critical role public housing plays in meeting affordable housing needs.

Council of Large Public Housing Authorities 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 425 Washington, DC 20001 202.638.1300 www.clpha.org