Transcript Slide 1

Outline of Presentation

Homeless Services in NYC: The Origins of the
HomeBase Program

NYC’s HomeBase Program

HELP USA’s HomeBase Program: Preventing
Homelessness in the South Bronx
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City-wide Outcomes/ Lessons Learned: 2004 – 2007

The Future of the HomeBase Program
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HELP USA : Agency Overview
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HELP USA is a non-profit organization founded by Andrew
Cuomo in 1986
HELP is NYC-based; also has facilities/ programs in
Philadelphia, Buffalo, Las Vegas and Houston
Developed and currently operates more than 2,300 units of
transitional and permanent housing for homeless and at-risk
populations
Serves more than 11,000 individuals and families each year
Provides emergency and transitional housing and supportive
services for victims of domestic violence
Operates employment and training programs that have
placed over 5,500 clients into unsubsidized employment
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Origins: NYC’s Homeless Services
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New York State has a ‘Right to Shelter’
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NYC has developed an extensive shelter system administered by
the Department of Homeless Services
Multiple city agencies & non-profits offer transitional housing,
rental assistance, eviction prevention, aftercare
Series of studies conducted on homeless
services in NYC
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Special Masters Panel: Family Homelessness Prevention (2003)
NYC’s 5 year plan Uniting for Solutions Beyond Shelter (2004)
Vera Institute: Understanding Family Homelessness in NYC
(2005)
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Origins: Recommendations
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Affordable Housing and Rental Subsidies
help prevent homelessness
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Early Identification: Identify precipitating
factors; high-risk populations
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Identify prior housing sources, conditions and precipitating events
that lead to family homelessness
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Incidents of Prior Homelessness, Areas of high receipt of public
assistance
“Doubled up” households, Young head of household
Families at risk may not be help-seeking: need for Outreach,
Community Education
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Origins: Recommendations
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Prevention Services must be Data-Driven,
Targeted
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NYC develops geo-coded agency tracking system
Includes data matches with multiple city agencies
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Geographic Analysis
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Patterns of shelter entry, poverty, public assistance
Prevention services must be communitybased, provide a range of interventions in a
variety of settings
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Cross-agency coordination is essential; need exists to tie together a
range of services provided through a variety of sources
Program design must be flexible and timely
Legal (anti-eviction) services must be included
Short-term financial assistance is key
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HomeBase: The Pilot Program
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Services Begin: Fall 2004
$12 million dollar
commitment per year
Programs operated by 6
community-based not-forprofit organizations
Funding 40% federal
(TANF) and 60% city funds
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HomeBase Program Model
Eligibility: Clients must be at imminent risk of entering
shelter and…
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Reside in a designated community district within NYC
 May currently be living in an institutional setting or supportive
living environment and will be returning to one of these
community districts
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Their household income may not exceed 200% of the federal
poverty line
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Must have a documented threat to their housing stability
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HomeBase Program Model
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Ongoing Program Evaluation
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Client outcomes
Community impact measure
Process measures
Data Will Inform Program Implementation
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Data sharing: daily, weekly, monthly program and
entrant data
Collaborative program development (public- private
partnership between DHS and non-profit
organizations
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HomeBase Monthly CD Map
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HomeBase Daily Report
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS SERVICES
HOMELESS FAMILY EMERGENCY SHELTER SYSTEM
4/11/2006
INTAKE CENTER ARRIVALS
Referral Date
: 04/10/2006
Referral Source: All Intake Centers
Sorted By:
Prevention Community Districts: (111,201,206,303,304,412)
Birth Date
Fam
Org
Intake
Actual Arrv
Comp
CD
Center
Date/Time
Head of Household Name
Case #
Soc Sec #
Last Name X
First Name X
905055600Z
XXX-XX-XXXX
5/14/1978
1/1
111
PATH
4/10/2006 17:03
Last Name X
First Name X
6331657001
XXX-XX-XXXX
12/5/1976
1/1
111
PATH
4/10/2006 20:16
Last Name X
First Name X
2662322001
XXX-XX-XXXX
1/22/1965
2/0
111
AFIC
4/10/2006 12:24
Last Name X
First Name X
905054600Z
XXX-XX-XXXX
7/30/1956
1/1
111
PATH
4/10/2006 14:26
Last Name X
First Name X
905031600Z
XXX-XX-XXXX
9/10/1980
2/1
111
PATH
4/10/2006 20:50
Last Name X
First Name X
499315001
XXX-XX-XXXX
1/26/1982
1/1
201
PATH
4/10/2006 15:39
Last Name X
First Name X
9834592001
XXX-XX-XXXX
7/15/1982
3/1
201
PreApp
4/10/2006 22:04
Last Name X
First Name X
904509600Z
XXX-XX-XXXX
1/22/1982
2/0
201
PATH
4/10/2006 12:42
Last Name X
First Name X
904105400Z
XXX-XX-XXXX
8/28/1984
1/1
201
PATH
4/10/2006 18:43
Last Name X
First Name X
7185373001
XXX-XX-XXXX
4/11/1982
1/1
201
PATH
4/10/2006 16:00
Last Name X
First Name X
4103040002
XXX-XX-XXXX
8/29/1983
1/1
206
PATH
4/10/2006 19:33
Last Name X
First Name X
593651001
XXX-XX-XXXX
12/5/1974
1/0
206
PreApp
4/11/2006 2:13
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HomeBase Shelter Profile
MONTHLY PROFILE OF ELIGIBLE FAMILY SHELTER ENTRANTS
CD 303: Jan - Sep, 2006
Family Size (Number of Individuals)
Number of Families
213
200
131
160
120
40
37
80
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2
2
1
1
an
d
pe
rs
ov
er
s
30
s
44
yr
61
22
Family Size
Secondary Tenant Reason for
Homelessness
Primary Tenant Reason for
Homelessness
13%
107
45
yr
to
30
yr
s
to
s
21
yr
U
nd
e
r2
1y
r
29
yr
s
s
40
0
185
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2
240
on
pe
op
le
3
pe
op
le
4
pe
op
le
5
pe
op
le
6
pe
op
le
7
pe
op
le
8
pe
op
12
le
pe
op
le
Age of Head of Household
5%
1%
8%
13%
1%
33%
Lockout
0%
38%
Eviction
DV
10%
Eviction
52%
Crime Situation
Unlivable Conditions
Domestic Violence
26%
Crime situation
Unlivable Conditions
Discord
Overcrowding
Financial Strain
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HomeBase: Outreach
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Presentations to Local Groups, Community Leaders and
Elected Officials
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City-wide media campaign by DHS
‘Branding’ of HomeBase through common logo, graphics & advertising
Triage services available by dialing ‘311’
Community Outreach
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Fliers & brochures
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Mass Mailings - by zip code; aftercare clients are next
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HomeBase Mobile Unit
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Used by diversion workers to pick up clients at conditional shelters
Used by outreach workers to canvas target areas
Served as advertising tool for the program
Used to deliver family items and household supplies
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HomeBase : Intake & Assessment
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Intake Case Manager and Supervisor determine
applicant’s eligibility/ need for services
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Assess risk of homelessness; verify housing crisis by
calling landlord, primary tenant, etc.
Intake Case Manager conducts an Intake Interview
with eligible clients
Intake Case Manager provides resources that may
be able to assist applicants who are found ineligible
for the program
Eligible clients are assigned a permanent Case
Manager
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HomeBase : Services
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Case management
Legal services (anti-eviction)
Money management and household budgeting
seminars
Day care, education (GED, ESL, job training)
referrals and in-house job placement
Service referrals: mental health & substance
abuse, immigration services, etc.
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HomeBase : Services
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‘Broker’ of relationships with welfare offices,
housing court, other non-profit agencies
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Client advocacy with Landlords, NYC agencies
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Cross-agency service coordination
Flexibility & timeliness of service delivery
Full time Advocacy Case Manager
Short term financial assistance (for those who
qualify)
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HomeBase is the ‘funder of last resort’
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HomeBase : Services
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Short-Term Financial Assistance
 Most Financial Assistance is limited to one time per
family so as not to promote long-term reliance upon
HomeBase
 Rent arrears, deposit/brokers fees, furniture, moving
expenses, household repairs
 Short term rent contributions
 Work expenses/training
HomeBase typically leverages financial assistance
from many other funding sources (financial broker)
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HomeBase : Services
Established collaboration with HELP USA’s Fair Housing
Justice Center
Housing
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Discrimination
Violates the civil rights of your clients
Restricts housing choice and life opportunities
Contributes to homelessness (rights in housing court)
Disseminate
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Presentations and Brochures
Rental Search Logs
Examples
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Information about Housing Rights
of Illegal Housing Discrimination
Sexual harassment, Disability discrimination, Family status discrimination
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HomeBase : Housing & Relocation
HomeBase provides housing relocation assistance to
clients whose current living arrangements are no
longer viable.
Clients on this track:
 Meet regularly with the Housing Specialist
 Apply for all possible subsidized housing
opportunities
 Work closely with the Subsidy Coordinator for
assistance with the Section 8 process
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HomeBase: Diversion
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Many shelter applicants are in need of
immediate housing assistance, but do not
require an actual shelter stay.
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HELP USA piloted diversion program at
PATH (family intake center) to identify these
families and offer them HomeBase services.
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HELP HomeBase staff screened interested
applicants and triaged appropriate clients to
all of the HomeBase providers
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HomeBase : Diversion
HomeBase diverts families & individuals who are:
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Able to return to a safe doubled-up situation
Can be restored to their own housing apartments/homes
Have no housing options but have other resources (employment, existing
housing subsidy, etc.)
Who makes a good diversion candidate?
Client has income or the ability to obtain employment
 Demonstrate eligibility for housing subsidies
 Positive & motivated attitude
 Family does not wish to enter the shelter system; is motivated to pursue
other options
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HomeBase : After Care
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HomeBase families in pilot program receive After
Care services for 1 year in an effort to stabilize
housing & reduce shelter recidivism
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Case Managers keep clients engaged to be a support
to the family, as well as to ensure that they maintain
their employment and housing
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In new city-wide program, HomeBase will be the after
care provider for all clients leaving the shelter
system, working with DHS to ensure that self
sufficiency plans stay in place.
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HomeBase Outcomes
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In 2005, HomeBase neighborhoods saw a 12 % decline in shelter
entry compared to 2004, while the rest of the city experienced only a
7% decline. (5% differential)
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In 2006, the HomeBase community districts saw a 9% increase in
shelter entrants compared to 2004, while the rest of the city saw a
20% increase in entrants compared to 2004. (11% differential)
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In 2007, the HomeBase community districts saw a 4.5% decrease
in shelter entrants compared to 2004, while the rest of the city has
seen a 16% increase compared to 2004. (20.5% differential)
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Of the over 8,400 families and single adults that have been served
by the HomeBase program through 2006, only 7% of all clients have
entered the shelter system within 18 months. Ninety-three percent
of this at-risk population has remained housed.
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HomeBase: Lessons Learned
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Targeting
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Service strategies
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Target populations were indeed non-service seekers
Need to refocus on shelter history and front door (diversion)
Housing relocation needed; landlord relationships important
Coordinated, accessible employment services are essential
Aftercare services must be part of HomeBase
Spirit of public/ private collaboration must be maintained
Performance-based Contracting
Dollars to be allocated according to shelter demand
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HomeBase Scope of Services
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City-Wide Expansion
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Total funding will grow to 20 million dollars in FY 2009, and 22
million dollars in FY 2010.
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Increases in funding will come from reinvestment of shelter
savings.
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DHS is also seeking additional funding from other government and
private sources.
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Performance-based contracting
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Nearly 50% of budget
Paid per diversion that does not enter shelter for 1 year
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The Future of HomeBase
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Currently securing outside evaluation
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Implementation of Aftercare Services
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Targeting of services
Client outcomes and impact
Cost-benefit analysis
Housing stabilization
Employment
Day care and Education
“Brief” Services Model
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“Open House” service model, short consultation:
Seamless transition to full services if necessary
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