It’s Time.

1
Its Time.

• Fargos Plan to End Long Term Homelessness
• August 17, 2006

2
Purpose Method

• Develop a plan to end long term homelessness in
  10 years. (Sept 2005)
• Plan development to be guided by a working group
  made up of a cross-section of community
  stakeholders and interested parties. (40
  agencies)
• Specific strategies in the plan will focus on
  what can be accomplished within the City of
  Fargo.

3
About the Process

• Meeting 1 Framing the Issue, January 10
• Understanding homelessness
• Understanding the market
• Understanding the landscape
• Begin to set direction
• Meeting 2 Brainstorming solutions, February 22
• Refine list of identified system strengths
  weaknesses
• Brainstorm ideas to fill local gaps and review
  peer solutions that address gaps identified in FM
• 1st attempt at prioritization - strategies we
  should pursue
• Discuss performance measures- definition of
  success
• Meeting 3 Developing a Comprehensive Strategy,
  May 2
• Refine strategies
• Explore feasibility what will it take to make
  this plan a reality?
• Funding
• Logistics (site, etc)
• Political will and community support

4
A very specific goal

• Preventing / ending chronic homelessness is not
  identical with ending poverty or promoting
  economic self sufficiency
• Definition of success

Preventing Chronic Homelessness What works?
Deborah Dennis, Policy Research Associates
5
What is Long Term Homelessness? (LTH)

• Homeless individual or family
• With a disabling condition
• Continuously homeless for at least 1 year or has
  experienced 4 or more episodes of homelessness in
  the last 3 years.
• Note Local v. Federal Definition

6
What is a disabling condition?

• Physical, mental or other health conditions that
  limit the kind or amount of work you can do or
  that limit your daily activities
• Conditions that interfere with memory or daily
  decision making

7
Ending homelessness requires different solutions
for different subpopulations
Stats are based on cluster distribution of single
homeless adults in New York, Corporation for
Supportive Housing
8
Why end long term homelessness?

• Its expensive to do nothing - scarce system
  resources are being disproportionately used by
  small number of people.
• Traditional homeless service system does not work
  for this population
• Contribute to statewide effort to end long term
  homelessness
• Unacceptable for a progressive community to turn
  away from this issue

9
About the Local Homeless Population
10
Homeless individuals in Fargo recent data
sources

• 2000 Wilder Survey - 199
• 2003 Wilder Survey 228
• 2005 Point in Time Survey 249 (chronic homeless
  66)
• 2005 Annual Estimate 905 (chronic homeless
  114)
• 2006 Point in Time Survey 253 (chronic homeless
  79)

11
Homelessness in Metro area
Wilder Research Center, November 2004
12
ND Regions
13
Almost half of the states long term homeless
population lives in Fargo
14
Fargos homeless population
15
Basic characteristics of Fargos homeless
population

• Age. 2/3 are men, with an average age of 42.1.
  The average age of a homeless woman in Fargo is
  33.6.
• Marital Status. Approximately half of those
  interviewed have never married.
• Veterans. Veterans make up 29 of homeless males
  in Fargo.
• Residency. 46 of homeless persons in Fargo have
  lived in ND for at least 2 years. The 54 that
  are more recent residents are most likely to
  come to ND from Minnesota (52) or have lived in
  ND before (44).
• Children. 20 of the women in sheltered
  locations had at least one child with them.
• Race/Ethnicity. Fargos homeless population
  contains a disproportionate number of persons of
  color. 28 of Fargos homeless adults are
  persons of color 21 of the total are American
  Indian.

Wilder Research Center, November 2004
16
Basic characteristics (cont.)

• Unsheltered. Three out of four unsheltered
  homeless were men and almost half were American
  Indian.
• Duration of Homelessness. 60 of the unsheltered
  homeless have been homeless for more than 6
  months 46 of those living in sheltered
  locations have been homeless for that length of
  time.
• Education. Almost 80 of Fargos homeless
  population has a high school diploma or GED 27
  have attended at least some college.
• Employment. 41 of homeless persons in Fargo are
  employed 18 in a full time status. For those
  who are not working, the most common barriers are
  
• transportation (42)
• lack of housing (29)
• personal reasons (27)
• physical health problems (25)
• mental health problems (22)

Wilder Research Center, November 2004
17
Basic characteristics (cont.)

• Affordability of Housing
• 54 of homeless persons surveyed said they could
  pay something for rent but no more than 200 per
  month (including utilities).
• 25 of people surveyed could not afford to pay
  anything for rent.
• Only 6 could afford the typical rent for an
  apartment of the size they would need.

Wilder Research Center, November 2004
18
Basic characteristics (cont.)

• Health and well being
• 41 of homeless adults in Fargo were told by a
  doctor in the last two years that they have a
  serious mental illness.1
• 50 of homeless adults report that they consider
  themselves to be alcoholic or chemically
  dependent.
• 28 of the homeless population in Fargo has
  received in-patient drug/alcohol treatment in the
  last 2 years.
• 27 of homeless adults have been dually diagnosed
  by a doctor in the last 2 years as having both a
  mental illness and a chemical dependency problem.
• 1 Mental illness as referenced in this survey
  includes schizophrenia, manic-depression or
  bipolar disorder, some other type of delusional
  disorder, major depression, anti-social
  personality disorder or post-traumatic stress
  disorder.

Wilder Research Center, November 2004
19
Characteristics of Fargo homeless by chronic
status
2006 ND Point in Time survey
20
Primary reasons for homelessness
21
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22
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23
Precariously housed Households At Risk

• People at risk of becoming homeless represent the
  front door to homelessness
• Approximately 10 of households with income at or
  below poverty level cycle through the homeless
  system in a given year

24
Are there leading indicators?

• Eviction
• Foreclosure
• Food poverty
• Energy assistance
• Other prevention services

25
Who is chronically homeless?

• Primary contributing factors
• Substance Abuse
• Serious Mental Illness with inconsistent use of
  medications/treatment
• Unemployable or unable to keep a job because of
  disability
• Poor rental history or criminal background

Wilder Research Center, FM Regional Survey, Nov
2004
26
Risk factors for chronic homelessness

• Chronic health condition
• Mental illness
• Substance abuse disorders
• Limited or no social support network
• Very low or no income
• Discharge from jail, prison, hospital, shelter,
  detox, treatment, foster care

Preventing Chronic Homelessness What works?
Deborah Dennis, Policy Research Associates
27
The Local Housing Market
28
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29
How does this fit in the Affordable Housing
discussion

• Workforce housing
• Extremely low income households (i.e., poverty
  level incomes)
• Precariously housed
• Homeless

30
Housing Affordability is a relative concept

• 12 of households in Fargo report incomes below
  the poverty level (i.e., 30 AMI)
• Affordable rent for 1 person household (earning
  30 AMI) is 328, including utilities
• Affordable rent for person with SSI as only
  income source approx 164/month (30 of the avg
  SSI pmt made in ND)
• Fair Market Rent 1 bedroom unit - 443, 0
  bedroom unit - 373

31
Affordability for poverty level households
requires access to Deep Subsidy Housing

• Deep subsidy housing assistance that allows
  tenant to pay 30 of their income toward rent
  with the balance covered from another source.
• Section 8 voucher
• Shelter Plus Care program
• Public Housing
• Other

32
Homeless Housing Beds by type of occupancy, 2005
The FHRA was awarded 11 additional SC units in
the 2005 CoC grant, expected online in 2006. A
48 bed homeless veterans project is currently
under development by Centre, Inc. and the VA.
33
Assisted Rental Housing, 2003
Source Housing Study Update - City of Fargo,
Community Partners Research (April 2004) Most of
the projects in this table, except Low Income
Housing Tax Credit, are considered deep subsidy
units, meaning that rent is based on 30 of
tenant income.
34
Provision of Support Services
35
Mainstream Systems Targeted v. Non-targeted

• Mainstream Systems are government-funded programs
  that are intended to meet the critical needs of
  low income people (services, housing and income
  supports)
• Non-Targeted programs designed to serve low
  income people and/or people with special needs
• Targeted programs designed to serve homeless
  people specifically

36
Why mainstream resources?

• previous research shows that any successful
  effort to end homelessness must include a
  combination of services, income supports and
  housing.
• The same research tells us that the most
  important but under-utilized source of income,
  housing and services to people who are homeless
  or at-risk for homelessness are government-funded
  programs designed to meet the needs of low income
  people (mainstream systems).

Holes in the Safety Net Mainstream Systems and
Homelessness, Chalres and Helen Schwab
Foundation, February 2003, page i.
37
The local arena how are services provided?

• Emergency shelter
• Transitional housing
• Permanent supportive housing
• Unsheltered

38
Local service providers Prevention

• Housing assistance basic needs
• Cass County Social services
• Rape Abuse Crisis Center
• SE ND Community Action Agency
• Salvation Army
• ND Assoc for Disabled
• SE Human Service Center
• YWCA of FM
• Emergency Food Pantry
• Presentation Partners in Housing
• Central Cities Ministry/Communal Fund

39
Local service providers Prevention

• Education, Counseling Referral
• SE Human Service Center
• Mental Health Association
• Crisis Help Lines (211, First Link)
• Village Family Svc Center (Tenant Ed project)
• SE ND Community Action

40
Local service providers Outreach

• Health Care for Homeless Veterans
• SE Human Service Center
• Youthworks
• Law Enforcement agencies
• Homeless Health Services
• Native American Christian Ministries
• Native American Programs
• Rape Abuse Crisis Center
• Salvation Army

41
Local Service Providers Supportive Services

• Case Management
• SEHSC PATH coordinators
• SE ND Community Action
• Salvation Army
• Youthworks
• ND Association for Disabled
• Life Skills
• SE ND Community Action
• New Life Center
• Youthworks
• Re-entry for Violent Offenders

42
Local Service Providers Supportive Services

• Alcohol Drug Abuse Treatment
• SE Human Service Center
• Off Main
• ShareHouse Sisters Path
• Mental Health Treatment
• Mental Health Association
• SE Human Service Center

43
Local Service Providers Supportive Services

• Education
• Public Schools Educ program for homeless
  children and youth
• Adult Learning Centers
• Feed the Children
• Youthworks
• Veterans Upward Bound
• Employment Assistance
• Job Service ND
• SE Human Service Center PATH coord
• ND Vocational Rehab
• Job Club/Employment Dev (SENDCAA)

44
Local Service Providers Supportive Services

• Child Care
• Cass County Social Services
• SE ND Community Action
• Transportation
• ND Association for Disabled
• Job Service ND
• Veterans Administration
• Youthworks
• Metro Transportation Initiative
• Health Care
• Cass County Social Services
• Homeless Health Clinic
• Family Health Care
• Good Medicine Indian Health

45
The Local Landscape
46
Coalitions working on this issue

• Statewide efforts
• Continuum of Care
• Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Local efforts
• FM Area Homeless Coalition
• Jail Intervention Coordinating Committee

47
Strengths Housing market

• Year round activity
• Rent levels are good relative to other places
• Plentiful supply of housing
• Good access to transportation
• Good quality/code enforcement - well maintained
  housing
• Dispersion of subsidized housing throughout
  community
• Strong neighborhoods

48
Strengths Service system

• Relationship between providers
• Creative programming
• Workers know the system - strong referral network
• State line is less of an obstacle for support
  services
• Strength of hidden system (faith community)
• Participation of some attorneys who are willing
  to help with guardianship issues
• Critical mass of advocates statewide

49
Weaknesses Housing market

• Background checks are a barrier
• Competing demand from student population
• Losing lowest cost housing to redevelopment
• Decentralization of City of Fargo
• Number of people with very low income who are not
  eligible for or cant access subsidies
• Shrinking availability of rent subsidy
• App of property tax to affordable housing
  projects
• NIMBY
• Construction of enough new on-campus housing to
  meet student wants
• Housing that is available to youth aging out of
  foster care
• Housing w/ harm reduction focus for substance
  abuse

50
Weaknesses Service sector

• Lack of coordinated Guardianship/Representative
  Payee System
• Waiting lists to access services
• Connection between services and housing
• Support for youth aging out of foster care
• Complexity of eligibility/access
• Lack of services for working poor (people just
  outside of eligibility guidelines)
• Funders preference for being last money in
• Adequate funding (Are the cracks systemic or
  related to adequacy of funding?)
• Duplication of services? Opportunities for
  consolidation?

51
Going HomeFargos Plan to End Long Term
Homelessness