R2010-35 PLACING ON FILE - 10 YEAR PLAN TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS

Home Browse Search

• Applicants for assistance from the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). The HPRP program targets households in the early stages of homelessness whose issues can be resolved with a few months of rent-subsidized housing combined with services. While this group overlaps with the other two, it includes many others, including households impacted by unemployment, illness, and the home mortgage crisis. This strategy calls for using the HPRP applicant pool to identify households at risk of becoming homeless and intervening with services to keep them in their homes when possible, and offering a clear path to permanent housing when not. Additionally, the community needs to set a goal of providing three meals per day, seven days a week, for those who are homeless or in dire financial straits. This will entail coordination and planning among the Good Samaritan Inn, the faith community, and others. With its new facility and its track record of success, Good Samaritan Inn could take the lead in coordinating this effort. Housing Range of Housing. The community should continue developing a wide range of housing choices for homeless individuals and families. No one form of housing serves the needs of every person or family. Nor is there one path that works for everyone. For some, the "Housing First" model is best; immediate placement in permanent housing will end their chronic homelessness. For others, the "Continuum of Care" approach is more appropriate. They do better when they progress through various forms of housing to the most independent housing they can manage. The range of housing opportunities includes many forms of housing: • Emergency shelters for short-term homelessness • Transitional housing • Safe Haven • Single-room occupancy • Site-base permanent supportive housing • Scattered site permanent supportive housing Earmarking units for exclusive use by persons who are chronically homeless by HUD definition is not an efficient use of limited resources. Future production will be guided by utilization of current housing stock as well as the efficiencies of producing flexible units that can be used by non-chronic homeless. Earmarking may have the effect of increasing chronic homelessness by denying housing to those who are on the road to becoming chronically homeless. Developing and maintaining units is a joint effort of local government, federal and state resources and nonprofit agencies. The importance of supportive and cooperative city government cannot be overstated. Decatur's accomplishments to date would not have Rev. 2010/02/19 17