Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness

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Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
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Goals

• Public health approach to benefit households
  affected and broader community
• Focus on best use of resources, best fit
• Goal reduce incidence prevalence of
  homelessness
• Fewer enter homelessness/shelter
• Reduced length of stay in shelter
• Reduced number who are homeless at point-in-time

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Strategies

• System Change
• Meaningful assessment accurate referral
• Coordination of right resources to right person
  at the right time
• Early warning system
• Inclusiveness and transparency
• Innovations
• Regional REACH model for individuals
• Flexible prevention, diversion rapid rehousing
  for families
• Generate broad community support for goal of
  ending homelessness

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Network Diagram
Leadership Council
Fiscal Sponsor - PVRVC
Service Coordination
Springfield 10YP
Pioneer Valley 10YP
Berkshire 10YP
Families
Individuals
WMIC
Data Performance Measurement
Springfield CoC
Three- County CoC
Berkshire CoC
Community Engagement
Franklin

• System Change/Community Initiatives
• Supportive Housing Development
• Employment Training
• Interfaith Mentoring
• Early Warning System
• Project Homeless Connect

Hampshire
Hampden
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Leadership Council Chair Dr. Evan Dobelle,
President, Westfield State College Vice-Chair
Lynne Wallace, Principal, Dietz Co. Architects

• Fr. Stan Aksamit, Our Lady of Peace
• Paul Bailey, Springfield Partners for Comm.
  Action
• Andrew Baker, Hilltown CDC
• Tim Brennan, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
• Rebecca Caplice, Greenfield Savings Bank
• Martin Chaisson, INOE Technologies
• Dave Christopolis, Berkshire Comm. Action
• Amy Clark, Franklin Co. Community Meals
• Steve Como, Soldier On
• Senator Ben Downing
• Linda Dunlavy, Franklin CR Council of Govts
• Judge Robert Fields, W. Div. Housing Court
• Bob Fleischner, Center for Public Representation

• David Gadaire, CareerPoint
• Steve Huntley, Valley Opportunity Council
• Lori Ingraham, Easthampton Savings Bank
• Peg Keller, City of Northampton
• John Klenakis, UMASS Donohue Institute
• Charlie Knight
• Gerry McCafferty, City of Springfield
• Betty Medina Lichtenstein, Enlace de Familias
• Andrew Morehouse, Food Bank of W Mass
• Rebecca Muller, GrantsWork
• Yasmin Otero, Dept. of Transitional Assistance
• Joe Peters, Universal Plastics
• Jane Sanders, Community Action
• Linda Stacy, United Way of Franklin County
• Liz Sullivan, Dept. of Mental Health
• Mayor Mike Sullivan, City of Holyoke

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Affiliated Committees Workgroups

• Individual and Family Workgroups
• Western Mass Interagency Council
• Supportive Housing Development Committee
• Regional Faith-Based Action Initiative
• Three Continua of Care
• Springfield 10-Year Plan Implementation Committee
• Project Homeless Connect
• Education, Training Employment Workgroup
• Housing First Workgroup

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Overview of Western Massachusetts

• Regional profile

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Western Massachusetts

• Four counties
• Berkshire
• Franklin
• Hampden
• Hamshire
• 35 of the area of the state
• 13 of the states population
• Urban Springfield is the third largest city in
  the state, and the fourth largest city in New
  England
• Rural 67 of the regions towns and cities have
  less than 5000 people
• The region contains two of seven state hotspots
  for family homelessnessHolyoke and Springfield

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Urban, Suburban, RuralTension between very
overwhelming need in urban areas and need to have
basic service infrastructure in suburban and
rural areas

• URBAN

• SUBURBAN RURAL

• Hampden County holds about half the regions
  population.
• Springfield and Holyoke contain among the highest
  populations of concentrated poverty in the
  nation.
• Springfield is ranked sixth in the nation for
  child poverty.

• Hampshire County. 5 colleges contribute to very
  high housing costs. Pockets of poverty,
  especially in Amherst.
• Berkshire and Franklin Counties are predominately
  rural, but contain urban areas Greenfield,
  Pittsfield, North Adams.

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Regional profile

• 75 of jobs are in service sector
• Education skills gap (50 high school drop out
  rate in Springfield)
• Immigration gateway
• Housing costs affordable compared to eastern part
  of state, but still out of range for very poor
  households
• High foreclosure rate

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Homelessness in Western Massachusetts

• January 2009 PIT Count
• 465 Individuals
• 383 Families
• As of mid-July, 2009, region had 195 homeless
  families in motels, out of a state total of 862
• (23 of motel families)

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Western Mass Innovations

• REACH
• Flexible Prevention, Diversion Rapid ReHouse

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Regional Engagement and Assessment of Chronically
Homeless Individuals (REACH)

• REACH grew out of WMIC prior to ICHH ICHH allows
  expansion of local best practice
• Monthly coordination meetings by county
  identification of all chronically homeless
  individuals, best fit housing services
• REACH providers must provide housing units
• 38 REACH services slots regionally
• So far, 2 agencies to provide 23 units/services
  more sought in 2nd RFP

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Funding for Individual Innovations
Agency Individuals Served Housing Match Funding Location
MHA 11 Tier 4 New SC McKinney grant 2009 121,000 Springfield
ServiceNet 8 Tier 3 4 Tier 4 Northampton Housing Authority, Hampshire Interfaith Friends, FCRHRA, Greenfield Housing Authority 115,185 Greenfield Northampton
TBD 7 Tier 3 8 Tier 4 TBD 127,614 In four counties except Greenfield, Northampton Springfield
Total 15 Tier 3 23 Tier 4 38 Total 363,799
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Prevention, Diversion and Rapid ReHouse for
Families

• Flexible funding for prevention, diversion
  rapid rehouse
• Monthly coordination meetings by
  countyprevention rehouse agencies DHCD/DTA
• Integration with RAFT, ESFP, HPRP, CSBG funds

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Funding for Family Innovations
Agency County ICHH Funding Families to be served Other prevention funds Notes
Berkshire Housing Development Corp. Berkshire 71,190 40 Tier 1,2,3,4 RAFT HPRP Partnership w/BCAC (CSBG)
Community Action Hampshire Franklin 28,147 18 Tier 1,2 CSBG
Franklin County Regional Housing Redevelopment Authority Franklin 46,095 22 Tier 1,2,3,4 RAFT
HAP Housing Hampden Hampshire 279,888 155 Tier 1,2,3,4 RAFT HPRP-applied Partnership w/SPCA (CSBG)
New England Farmworkers Council Hampden 50,750 35 Tier 1,2 ESFP DTA EA
Valley Opportunity Council Hampden 60,000 40 Tier 1,2 CSBG ESFP HPRP-applied
TOTAL 536,070 310
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Community Support

• The regional network is more than the innovations
• Building leadership community support
• Bring additional resources to the table
• Build political support for continued funding
• Engaging full community in working toward
  solutions
• Faith-based initiatives
• Coordination with local governments
• Engage United Ways and foundations in solutions
• Work with consumers community members

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Building Community Support

• ICHH Grant Components
• Leadership Council inclusion of civic
  business leaders
• Director of Regional Coordination
• Public relations
• Community organizing
• Website/Blog transparency
• Expertise of providers
• Strong data and results Outcomes rather than
  outputs
• Other Elements
• Faith-based Action Grant
• Consumer Advisory Council
• Project Homeless Connect