Converting Transitional Housing to Permanent Supportive

Transcript Converting Transitional Housing to Permanent Supportive

Converting Transitional Housing to Permanent Supportive Housing

Presented by: Colleen Bain Gold, M.Ed., L.S.W.

Senior Vice President, Housing YWCA Columbus 65 S. 4 th St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 (614) 224-9121, ext. 220 [email protected]

Overview

• • • • • • • • • To convert or not to convert?

Considerations Step One: Evaluation Step Two: Develop a Plan Step Three: Policies and Procedures Step Four: Implementation Challenges Critical Success Factors Resources 2

To convert or not to convert?

• • •

Potential benefits : Long-term resident stability

– Housing subsidy – Ability to engage/build relationships with clients – Increasing income, employment, and other skills – Resident self-governance

Program Development

– Collaborative Partnerships – Outcomes measurement – Volunteer and donor relationships

Perceived funding preferences:

– HUD appears to be moving away from transitional – Push for HHS legislation for services (SELHA) – PSH appears to be very cost-effective 3

Considerations

• • • • • • • • • Population – does your population need/want, permanent, supportive housing; are they eligible?

Continuum of Care – does PSH make sense for your community and continuum of services?

Community impact – what impact will changing your program have on other providers; will it create a backlog in shelters?

Physical Space – are your units appropriate for PSH; do you have common space available for resident use?

Approvals – will your existing funders approve this transition?

Community Acceptance – will your stakeholders, neighbors, board members, etc. accept and support a transition?

Leases vs. “Participation” or “Occupancy” agreements Housing subsidies - Are subsidies available? Will HUD issue of mixing SHP with Section 8 be an issue for you? Operating vs. Supportive Services?

Sustainability

– Will the long-term dollars for services be there?

– Need to be realistic about staffing needs for population 4

Step one: Evaluation

• • • • • • • Data analysis – population demographics, length of stay, program completion (success) rate, recidivism, outcome measures, etc.

Client input and feedback – focus groups, surveys, confidential suggestions/concerns, Resident Council, etc.

Physical space needs – individual units, community space, “front-desk” space, etc. Environmental scan – interview other providers, CoC representatives, shelters, what impact would a conversion have?

Financial analysis – operational (property management) and programmatic (supportive services) Feasibility – talk to funders, board members, and other stakeholders to see if they will support the transition.

Best practices – explore other program models, program philosophies, what has and hasn’t worked with other programs, which program model suits your population?

Step Two: Develop a Plan

• • • • • • • • • Start with a clean slate Develop program philosophy – “Wet” versus “dry” housing – “Zero tolerance” policy, versus focus on eviction prevention – Intersection of property management and supportive services – Will services be voluntary?

– Establish staffing plan/chart of organization Seek technical assistance as needed Identify (new and existing) funding sources for services Identify new partnerships/collaborations to support your program Develop staff training/orientation plan (include property manager, supportive services staff, maintenance, front desk, etc.) Community notification plan Timeline (should include all of the above) Continuous Quality Improvement 6

Step Three: Policies and Procedures

• • • • • • • • • • Outreach/tenant recruitment Tenant Selection Criteria Leasing issues “House” rules Voluntary supportive services Housing retention/eviction prevention strategies Inter-disciplinary “team” meetings Resident Council Community relations Data and tracking (HMIS) 7

Step Four: Implementation

• • • • • • • • • Formal funder and stakeholder approvals Budget and contract amendments as needed Staff training and orientation (whether you are hiring new staff or not!) Client and community notification New leases for tenants Good Neighbor Agreement Collaborative partnership agreements Supportive Services programming Phased-in implementation if needed 8

Challenges

• • • • • • Developing a sustainable plan Developing successful engagement strategies Staff resistance to change – “That’s not how we do it” or “that won’t work” – Voluntary vs. “irresistible” services – Property management vs. supportive services Dealing with “hard-to-know-how-to-serve” clients – (housing retention and eviction prevention) Ever - changing funder preferences/requirements (HUD, state, local preferences) What is considered “operating” and what is considered “supportive services?” 9

Critical Success Factors

• • • • • • • • • • Stakeholder “buy-in” Dedicated and Qualified Staff Individualized Programming Creative Engagement Strategies Creating community – physical space configuration Blended Management – Property Management/Maintenance – Supportive Services Clear eligibility criteria Positive Community Relations Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation Sustainability strategies – Collaborative partnerships – Donor/volunteer stewardship – Diverse funding streams 10

Resources

• • • • • • • • • • • NAEH: www.endhomelessness.org

Corporation for Supportive Housing: www.csh.org

Community Housing Network: www.chninc.org

Community Shelter Board: www.csb.org

Center for Urban Community Services: www.cucs.org

HUD: www.hud.gov

National Low Income Housing Coalition: www.nlihc.org

YWCA Columbus: www.ywcacolumbus.org

Commons at Grant: www.ncrcdd.org

Treasure Island Housing Development Inc: www.tihdi.org

Common Ground: www.commonground.org