This post was originally written for the National Alliance to End Homelessness blog.

As communities redouble their efforts to achieve the goals of Opening Doors, one thing is abundantly clear: we need all hands on deck to truly end homelessness in this country.
This includes our partners at public housing agencies (PHAs) both as providers of mainstream housing resources and as key collaborators within our existing systems of care. As we continue to focus on permanent solutions like permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing strategies, we must expand the tools and resources available to support these efforts. This includes broadening and deepening our connections with our PHA partners.

This past week’s National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness saw some of the most exciting and influential thinkers in the field come together in Los Angeles. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) convened public housing agencies and Continuums of Care (CoCs) from targeted communities for a special pre-conference session to highlight the ways in which communities have successfully worked across HUD programs to create more opportunities for housing and services targeted towards persons experiencing homelessness.

The session began with a roster of terrific speakers. USICH Director Barb Poppe reminded us that while we have seen progress in reducing overall homelessness, especially among the chronic and veteran populations, additional collaboration and new partnerships are needed to significantly move the needle to meet the goals of Opening Doors. Sandra Henriquez, Assistant Secretary for HUD’s division of Public and Indian Housing, reminded us that while the targeted McKinney Vento homeless programs provide significant solutions, they do not represent the entire solution. Sandra strongly encouraged PHAs to examine their current operations in both the Housing Choice Voucher and conventional public housing programs to determine how they can further increase access and expand opportunities for those experiencing homelessness in these mainstream housing programs. Finally, we were incredibly fortunate to have Estelle Richman, Acting Deputy Secretary for HUD, echo this encouragement. Estelle brings a tremendous breadth of knowledge and experience in the public health and social services arena for vulnerable populations to HUD. She passionately spoke of the importance of housing as a stabilizing force for individuals and families facing challenges with chronic health conditions and mental health needs on their path to recovery and economic self-sufficiency.

After a rousing kick-off from our partners at the federal level, panelists from two bright spot communities, Salt Lake City and Fresno, provided some examination of innovative PHA activities in their communities. The Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake has been instrumental in the creation of permanent supportive housing by project-basing significant numbers of Housing Choice Vouchers and Shelter Plus Care rental assistance for new developments for homeless individuals and families in their community. The Fresno Housing Authority has created set-asides of vouchers for homeless individuals and families in their community through the establishment of local preferences in their Housing Choice Voucher program. The Fresno Housing Authority also cited their leadership role in their local 100,000 Homes Campaign initiative, Project P4: People, Place, Public Partnerships, as an excellent example of how to effectively target those in their community with the most severe housing needs. Both of these PHAs are actively involved in their local CoCs, a point that has clearly been essential to their success in tackling homelessness.

Following the panel, staff from USICH, HUD, the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and Community Solutions facilitated small group discussions around topics related to PHAs effectively serving households experiencing homelessness. Topics included:

PHA administrative policies (admissions and occupancy) as they relate to homeless/vulnerable households
Creating and operationalizing local preferences
Project-basing Section 8
Building/service provider partnerships
Strategies for using public housing
Serving homeless families
Serving chronically homeless
PHA participation in CoC activities and programs

These discussions provided an excellent opportunity for practitioners and policy makers from communities throughout the country to share and learn from one another. Challenges were acknowledged, but the focus of these breakout sessions truly centered on solutions and opportunities to explore new strategies. Many committed to exploring these solutions upon their return to their communities, and plans are underway to form several new affinity groups and learning communities.

In her remarks to the group, Sandra Henriquez acknowledged that her plea for further collaboration and partnership for many in attendance was a little like singing to choir. She implored us, though, to lift our collective voices so that they rippled beyond the choir and throughout the land. Together, she insisted, our voices could transform this country’s response to homelessness. I like the sound of that music.

Of the 1,266 Veterans served at StandDown this year, over 800 identified as currently being homeless; sleeping outside, in emergency shelter or in transitional housing. These homeless Veterans completed the Vulnerability Index at the StandDown as the culmination of survey efforts for Project H3 Vets, the community collaboration led by the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness to identify and prioritize for permanent housing the most medically vulnerable homeless Veterans in Maricopa County.

One permanent housing resource available to eligible homeless Veterans is the HUD-VASH program. HUD-VASH is a supportive housing program that provides Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers together with case management from the VA. HOM, Inc., is contracted with the City of Phoenix Housing Department to lease up new allocations of HUD-VASH vouchers. In an amazing display of collaboration and innovation, several partner agencies and organizations came together over the past few months to coordinate an effort so that the most vulnerable homeless Veterans identified at the StandDown could be screened for eligibility for HUD-VASH and attend a housing briefing at the conclusion of the StandDown – today, on Super Bowl Sunday.

This morning our staff is joined by Phoenix VA HUD-VASH Case Managers, Community Bridges Navigators, City of Phoenix Human Services employees and the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness in serving these men and women who served our country. In addition to the HUD-VASH briefing, Veterans are completing the process to obtain assistance for security deposits through the HPRP program thanks to our friends at the City of Phoenix Human Services Department. The Veterans will be assisted by Community Bridges Navigators and VA Case Managers in searching for an apartment in the community to use their voucher in the coming days, but these Veterans will not return to the streets or shelter in the mean time. They’ll go straight from our office this morning to an apartment community where furnished apartments are offered as “bridge” housing until they have secured their permanent homes with their vouchers, which will be a matter of days, not weeks. This whole process is nothing short of miraculous, and our team is incredibly proud to be a small part of the effort.

It’s kind of fitting that the Patriots and Giants are playing in the Super Bowl today. We have a number of giants in our community working tirelessly together to end homelessness for these patriots once and for all. I’m rooting for both of them.

This man, who is now a friend of mine, stated that he had schizophrenia himself.  He went on to explain how using a condition or disability as the primary way of identifying a person or group of people is extremely harmful.  He did not want to be labeled a schizophrenic, as if his condition summed up all that he was.  He is a man that lives with schizophrenia, but his disability does not define him.

It was an important moment for me, and I try diligently to focus on people – not conditions – in my speech, both professionally and personally.

Words matter.  The way that we construct language has an effect on how we see and understand the world.  Focusing on one’s condition or circumstances increases the likelihood that the listener identifies the person or people as “less than,” as “other,” and reduces the opportunity to identify with them as fellow human beings.

We share so much more in common as members of a community with equal rights and responsibilities than we have differences.

This phenomenon of labeling people and groups of people extends beyond the issue of disability.  Last week I attended and presented at the annual conference of the Arizona chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).  NAHRO is the membership and advocacy organization for public housing authority and community development professionals.

I’m proud to say that this year marked my 15^th year as a NAHRO member.  I’m even more proud to learn from Community Solutions that NAHRO is now a partner in the 100,000 Homes Campaign – an absolutely monumental partnership in the world of homelessness.  NAHRO should be commended for their support of the campaign and I am truly excited to see how they demonstrate their support in their message and guidance to their members.

Public housing authorities (PHAs) control the HUD Housing Choice Voucher program – formerly known as Section 8 – in their communities, which is an absolutely critical mainstream tool in ending homelessness.  The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) recently outlined actions that PHAs can take to become more involved in preventing and ending homelessness in their communities.

While presenting to my colleagues at the AZNAHRO conference, I began to understand how labeling people based on their circumstances – in this case, as “homeless people” – continues to keep us from focusing on those with the worst case housing needs.

In our discussion, I heard in my own voice and in others how the labeling and categorization of people impacted the conversation.  By focusing on the condition of homelessness for individuals and families, mainstream housing programs were not as easily thought of as solutions.

There are targeted “homeless programs” for “that population.”  Some believe that PHAs need to focus on low-income and “working families” in their programs and that the non-profit and even faith-based sectors are better suited to assist “them.”  I don’t see it that way.

When we attach labels to people, like “homeless,” we miss the fact that these individuals and families are people that are suffering.  They are members of our community that are perhaps the most vulnerable among us.  They are someone’s son or daughter; perhaps a parent, or grandparent.  They may be someone’s brother or sister, and may have served our country bravely in the military.  They’re certainly low-income!

As we come together as communities to explore and develop new tools in the effort to end homelessness, I think it is important to choose our words carefully; especially as we bring new partners to the table.  Some may call it political correctness run amok, but I’ve seen how people respond to this crisis when we frame this issue appropriately – when we look at homelessness as a temporary condition of an individual or family.  People experiencing homelessness have names, faces, stories and are members of our community.  When we discuss solutions to homelessness, we’ll do well to remember that it’s “us” – not “them.”

Photo credit: Henti Smith

May you have peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams and joy to fill your holidays! From the HOM, Inc. team.

Over the course of several months, we put together our in-kind sponsorship.  We brought in almost everything for our participant to get a new start in their new home!  Early in December, we received word that our new friend, Ms. Angie, would be moving into her new apartment.

Once we got the keys, our entire Team spent an afternoon setting up the apartment.  While Christmas music played, we set up her bedroom with a bed, lovely linens, a dresser, lamps and a nightstand.  The living/dining room was outfitted with a couch and throw pillows, dining room table and four chairs.  We made sure to program the TV and VCR and double-checked that she had fresh batteries and a stack of her favorite movies.  A small Christmas tree was decorated with an ornament from each employee, then we hung Christmas decorations and pictures.  Her bathroom was beautifully decorated with purple lilacs, purple towels and purple rugs – Ms. Angie loves purple! In the kitchen, after we put away her new pots and pans, organized dishes, cleaning supplies and towels, we set up the microwave, coffee maker and a few candle warmers.

In addition to the normal furnishings and household items, we tried to add extra touches to truly make Ms. Angie feel comfortable in her new home.  Once the whole unit was organized, we put up the Welcome Home banner and put chocolate candies in a fancy dish on the dining room table.  Just before we left, I even saw members of our Team tuck wrapped gifts into a few drawers and cupboards!

On the day of her homecoming, HOM, Inc. provided her favorite meal, buffet style.  It was such an honor to be involved with this Project and to see Ms. Angie’s face when she walked in!  She was beyond pleased with her new home and said that she was truly “Home for the Holidays.”

While sitting at a stop sign, minding my own business, two men drove by and flipped me off.  I have no idea why – I did nothing to them.  Perhaps they passed judgment based on my appearance, my car, or perhaps my “Life is good” bumper sticker.  It reminded me of how often people experiencing homelessness are judged and misjudged – how frequently others make assumptions and draw conclusions without knowing anything about them.  We expect it from people who just don’t understand the issues or the population, but it is surprisingly common even within the human services arena.  Too often, our most vulnerable – those most in need of help – are overlooked or discounted by homeless service providers.

Meet Mark.  Mark is a sixty-one year old man who lived on the streets for the past thirty years, half of his life.  He has been well-known to service providers, outreach teams, and law enforcement in Phoenix, Arizona for his drunken and belligerent behavior.  For years, he has been judged and dismissed as “service resistant,” someone who couldn’t be helped.  When Project H3: Home, Health, Hope (a local initiative of the 100,000 Homes Campaign) first engaged Mark, it seemed that he had given up on everything.

He presented himself as grumpy and mean, stopped bathing, and often did not bother using a restroom even when one was available (Mark smelled and looked pretty bad).  He drank so much that he could not walk unassisted.  Last July, Mark watched his brother die on the streets, on a park bench in the arts district.   Like his brother, he served in the armed forces and has veteran status.  Unfortunately, due to many years of negative experiences with the Veterans Administration (VA), he has been strongly opposed to treatment and services through the VA.  In fact, the original engagement strategy of the Project H3 navigation team was to chant “F the VA” with him.

No doubt, Mark was a classic example of a chronically homeless individual.   He fit the stereotype of a homeless male with a shopping cart – the one most people pretend is invisible and assume is beyond assistance.  Yet we, as a community, made a conscious decision to not only see him, but to save him.

A Plan

We assessed his many needs and cobbled together a plan to package the services needed to make Mark successful in permanent housing.  Mark wasn’t interested in shelter or water or a sandwich, but an apartment was appealing.

We knew the VA was a key player, so we convinced the VA to case manage Mark on the park bench during the day.  That was amazing from a systems perspective.  Since then, the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) navigation team and the VA have worked tirelessly with Mark.

As of today, he has been voluntarily sober for more than a month, is showering on his own (an indication of self-care), and has been going to the VA for various treatments.  He voluntarily rides public transportation to get to the VA for appointments.  Astounding.

Mark is temporarily staying in a transitional housing project staffed by previously homeless veterans, where he has the support of many peers who understand the challenges of being a veteran and experiencing street homelessness.  Health Care for the Homeless has established quite a rapport with Mark and helped stabilize him medically and convince him that everyone is sincere in wanting to help.

With all of this support and a true collaborative community effort, Mark reports that for the first time in twenty years, he actually feels like people care about him.  He has hope and is genuinely grateful for the opportunity to have a place of his own.

He received a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs and Supportive Housing voucher last week, so the team took him apartment shopping.  Early in his engagement, he indicated he would like an apartment in town near his “drinking buddies.”  Now, he has decided that he would prefer an apartment closer to the VA so that he can better take care of himself.  What a remarkable choice.

Moving in, Moving on

We moved Mark in today.  He was surrounded by people who care about him and worked hard to overcome the myriad  barriers that stood in the way.  After he was handed the keys, he reached out for Robin, his VA case manager.   Together, they unlocked the door to his permanent home.

Oh, and Mark is a baseball fan – he loves the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The PATH team is taking him to a game on Friday to celebrate his housewarming.  It’s time he began enjoying his new life.

Mark’s story is incredible. It is one of compassion, collaboration, and transformation.  We took the time to get to know Mark.  We were honest about his challenges, critically assessed his needs, and implemented a plan to meet those needs.

We invested time, bent rules, and made the systems work for Mark.  Our community provided Mark the opportunity to save himself.  If we are smart and strategic, we can end homelessness, one person at a time.

We have housed approximately 13 individuals in this project and hope to house approximately 25 by the end of September.  We are pleased to work alongside so many wonderful organizations in this effort and look forward to the positive outcomes as a result of this collaboration!

I have a mental illness.  One day everything came to an end when I found myself homeless and living on the streets.  I couldn’t hold down a job.

As an individual with a mental illness who has experienced homelessness I am grateful for the housing programs operated through Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation (ABC).  I was introduced to the folks at ABC over ten years ago when I found myself enrolled into the Maricopa County public mental health system.  I ended up in the hospital after spending several months on the streets and living in my car because my challenges with my mental illness had become so severe.

For the first time in my life, an individual from the public mental health system interviewed me while I was in the hospital and enrolled me into ValueOptions (the Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Maricopa County in 1999).  It was my first time that I had been enrolled in a system that would help me with employment, housing, medications and case management.  All other programs that I had been involved with in my earlier years did not help with employment or housing nor case management.

I was discharged from the hospital in the fall of 1999 and went to a transitional living center.  My case manager at that time helped me get onto the waiting list for subsidized housing.  ABC and the staff at HOM, Inc. helped me get into a small one bedroom apartment close to the clinic where I received my services.

Having a place to call home for the first time in about two years was a blessing and an important piece of my recovery.

Thanks to the wonderful work that the people at ABC and HOM, Inc. do each and every day I have been able to use the services for a few years and gain some knowledge and skills that helped me graduate from the public mental health system.

Today I am gainfully employed and have become self-sufficient thanks to the support from the people at ABC, HOM, Inc., and many individuals who were part of my recovery.

My definition of recovery is “Getting a Life” … and for me that means a home, a job and a date on Saturday evening.  Thanks to many individuals working in the public mental health system in Maricopa County and thanks to the folks at ABC and HOM, Inc. who helped give me a place to call home, I am on my way to building a better life for myself.

We definitely experienced some growing pains in those early years with the rapid growth. We had a break-in at our first office and had tenant rent payments stolen, our first fire at a client’s apartment, we acquired and customized housing program management software, changed the model of rental assistance for the program and learned a lot about operating a small business. As a family-owned and operated company, HOM has always been supportive of employees’ and their families. In the early years, you would often see babies in pack-n-plays and toddlers running through the office! After years of long hours and sleepless nights, we started to see some calm on the horizon. Just as that stability was nearing, Maricopa County saw a change in the regional behavioral health authority along with the introduction of Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation (ABC), the new recipient of the HUD homeless programs that HOM was managing. We’ve enjoyed a wonderful relationship with ABC since their inception in 1999 and congratulate them on their 10 years of success as well!

We also learned a lot about what it means to be homeless, the importance of recovery and hope and how to provide supportive housing to our clients with integrity. Since the doors opened, our emphasis has always been on customer service. We aim to treat all of our clients with the dignity and respect that they deserve. We value our relationships with all of our customers and partners, including our housing program participants, landlords, case managers and funders. We’ve also focused tremendous effort towards the development of processes, procedures and systems to deliver our services in the most efficient and effective manner possible. We strive to be a leader in our industry and to give back to the communities that we work and live in. Since 1994, we have provided housing to thousands of individuals and families exiting homelessness in Maricopa County. We are proud of our accomplishments, but we could not have reached this milestone without your help. Thank you for your support and partnership over the years!

Permanent Supportive Housing: Scattered Sites Model

There seems to be an increased interest in addressing homelessness in the Phoenix metropolitan area.  I’m not certain what to attribute this phenomenon to; whether inspirational leadership, increased capacity in the non-profit housing and service provider industry, favorable policies emerging from the public sector, or a heightened awareness resulting from increased media coverage of our current economic climate.  Rather than speculate on the reasons for the heightened attention, we need to harness the momentum and act swiftly.

We all know that housing is the solution to homelessness.  More specifically, permanent supportive housing ends homelessness.  So how do we capitalize on the current interest in homelessness and create permanent supportive housing options in our communities? I believe we need to invest in tenant-based, scattered sites supportive housing, which is the most effective way to rapidly re-house individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

For 16 years the organization I run, HOM, Inc., has administered scattered sites supportive housing programs targeted to individuals with serious mental illness exiting homelessness in Phoenix and its surrounding communities.  Our housing programs provide permanent supportive housing to approximately 1,100 households per month.  From this perspective, I can speak to the advantages of utilizing tenant-based scattered sites supportive housing as a strategy to end homelessness.

Scattered Sites

A tenant-based, scattered sites supportive housing program is one in which a monthly rental subsidy is provided to an individual or family to assist them in renting a privately-owned dwelling unit in the community.  Participants need not be employed or have another income source, as their contribution towards the rent is based on their income.

Participant pays 30% of their adjusted monthly income towards the monthly rent for their housing, with the balance paid by a subsidy from a housing provider.  Usually the lease is between the program participant and the landlord, signed in connection with a housing assistance payment contract between the landlord and housing provider.

Rent must be reasonable in comparison to similar unassisted dwelling units in the targeted community and generally may not exceed HUD’s Fair Market Rent for the area.  The unit must also be decent, safe and sanitary, and must pass a housing quality standards inspection in order to qualify for the rental assistance.

In addition to monthly rental assistance, supportive services are provided to participants in their homes. Appropriate supportive services are an absolute necessity in any permanent supportive housing program, which may be costlier to administer in a scattered sites program, especially over a large geographic area.

Supportive services are based upon the individual’s needs.  Services may center on a person’s disability or their need for skills development around living independently in their own housing.  Together with wrap-around supportive services, a tenant-based scattered sites housing model provides many benefits to program participants, housing providers and the communities that they are operated in.

Housing Choice

Providing an individual or family with an opportunity to rent a home in the open market affords the highest level of choice in housing.  Some will argue that a person who is currently without a home would be happy with any housing opportunity.  I disagree.  I think a person should be able to choose which neighborhood they want to live in, whether at a small duplex, large apartment community, or a guest house in someone’s back yard.

This autonomy contributes to the formerly homeless person’s integration into the community and enhances independence.  With single-person households, generally the target housing option is an apartment.  Living in an apartment community with neighbors of various socioeconomic backgrounds creates opportunity for social engagement and the development of natural supports.

Alternatively, in a single-site development that is specifically designed for a target population, the opportunity for community integration is lessened.  Single-site projects can also inadvertently create a concentration of severely impoverished residents with similar challenges, creating a stigmatization of the housing which can negatively impact a person’s psychological well-being.  Having choice in one’s housing positively relates to higher satisfaction with housing option.

Financial Impact on Communities

Scattered sites supportive housing programs provide a positive financial impact to communities.   HOM, Inc. provides rental assistance to over 450 different apartment communities, property management companies and independent rental property owners.  These programs provide landlords with a stable stream of tenants and rental income – especially critical in our current housing market.

Positive relationships with private landlords are a crucial component of a successful program; not only to maximize housing choice but also to provide participants with supportive environments where landlords work as partners in the program.  Our program landlords relax tenant selection criteria for applications, reduce or waive required deposits, and work proactively with us to support our participants in their housing.  This includes counseling participants in tenant compliance matters and cooperating with supportive service provider staff to allow appropriate intervention, when necessary, instead of opting immediately for normal non-compliance measures, including eviction from housing.  This assistance and cooperation increases the rate of housing retention for program participants.

Cost

A tenant-based, scattered sites supportive housing program is far less costly, in the short term, to launch and administer.  The program only requires funding for the ongoing monthly rental assistance payments.  Different funding sources may also provide funding for additional important activities; including security deposits, tenant-caused damages and vacancy loss.

The cost of the monthly rental assistance may also decrease over time as program participants’ incomes increase; whether through the attainment of employment or through receipt of benefits such as Social Security disability benefits.  HOM programs provide housing assistance to 1,100 households on a monthly basis for approximately $7 million annually, or about $530 per household per month.  This figure represents the cost of the housing only, and does not include the cost of providing supportive services.

In comparison, a single-site supportive housing development planned to break ground in Phoenix this year has an estimated price tag of just over $15 million.  The development will have 65 units and not all of them will be targeted for persons experiencing homelessness.  It will also not be ready for occupancy for another 18 months.

Effective Strategy

Ending homelessness requires strategies around prevention, re-housing and supportive services.  A tenant-based, scattered sites supportive housing program is an effective strategy for providing rapid re-housing options with supportive services to persons experiencing homelessness.  It is not the only viable model for permanent supportive housing.  We need as many options available that we can envision and create, including project-based, single site developments.  To be successful in our efforts towards any of these strategies to end homelessness, we need innovation, political will and community awareness and involvement.  In Phoenix, I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.