H Housing First i Fi Presented by Melinda Freemon Presented by - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

H Housing First i Fi Presented by Melinda Freemon Presented by Melinda Freemon Anchorage Services Division Director Rural Alaska Community Action Program

Why housing as a focus area? Why housing as a focus area? • Trust Beneficiary populations are at greater risk for homelessness – Long range or lifetime need for support – Physical design and set up of a home can limit options – “Fall between the cracks” – Less likely to successfully negotiate leases, social problems financial crises problems with social problems, financial crises, problems with addiction and poor social choices 2

Homeless Assistance Program State of Alaska partnership to support housing programs long term programs long term • uniting housing funding streams and systems • Supportive services on site = prevent homelessness Supportive services on site prevent homelessness • Catalyst to pull other funding sources together to move individuals and families out of homelessness to permanent housing with flexible supports • Encourage innovative ideas and entrepreneurial strategies with flexibility in ways to distribute funds. • Helps federal programs become more effective. 10

Homeless Beneficiaries Estimates: Governor’s Council on Homelessness 2005 1 14,000 people in Alaska annually experience homelessness ‐ 32% (4,480) estimated to be chronic or long term ( , ) g homeless (primarily beneficiaries) ‐ 28% of total homeless are families with children (3,930 individuals). ‐ Approx 30% of these families (1,179) have a member who qualifies as a Trust beneficiary 2,3 ‐ Combined estimates indicate approximately 5,659 (40%) of Combined estimates indicate approximately 5,659 (40%) of the total people homeless in AK may be Trust beneficiaries __________________________________________________________ 1. State of Alaska Report on Recommended Strategies to Address Homelessness, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (2005) 2. Safe harbor Inn Report on Guest Characteristics and Outcomes June 2006 3. Personal communication with Safe Harbor Executive Director, April 2008 4

Alaska’s economic environment Alaska s economic environment Then and now – 2 bedroom rental rates Then and now 2 bedroom rental rates 2002 2009 Anchorage h $8 2 $812 $ 990 $ 990 Fairbanks $756 $ 957 Kenai $699 $ 815 Mat ‐ Su Mat Su $732 $732 $ 935 $ 935 Juneau $1,100 $ 1,222

Alaska’s economic environment Alaska s economic environment Wage needed to afford “Fair market rent” g 2002 2009 Anchorage $16.19/hr $17.88 Fairbanks $14.94 $17.96 Kenai $13.81 $15.29 Mat ‐ Su $14.46 $16.90 Juneau $21.73 $22.92 SSI payment = $637 per month plus Adult Public Assistance Assistance

August 31, 2009 August 31, 2009 Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan releases his strategy on addressing the homelessness issue: • Continue the review of data on recent deaths and vigorously investigate Continue the review of data on recent deaths and vigorously investigate violence against those who are homeless as a result of chronic alcohol use; • Move people from camps to safer environments with Move people from camps to safer environments with supportive services; • Engage community stakeholders in a working group that will advise on Engage community stakeholders in a working group that will advise on strategies and assist with identifying and leveraging resources for implementation.

Three Elements Three Elements to End Housing Access Housing Access H Homelessness l Housing Housing Appropriateness Affordability

Housing First Principles Housing First Principles • Targeted to the most vulnerable • Provider is obligated to bring Provider is obligated to bring robust services into the housing housing • People are moved into housing directly from the street without preconditions of treatment acceptance f t t t t

Housing First Principles Housing First Principles • Continued housing is not dependent on participation in services • Harm reduction approach rather than mandating rather than mandating abstinence • Residents have leases and tenant responsibilities

Housing First I mplementation Housing First I mplementation Alcohol Consumption Outcomes Significant decrease in Median drinks per days drinking to days drinking to day decrease 2% day decrease 2% intoxication over time per month 18 30 16 16 25 14 12 20 10 15 8 8 6 10 4 5 2 0 0 0 0 Prior to 6 months 9 months 12 months Prior to 6 months 9 months 12 months housing housing

Housing First I mplementation Housing First I mplementation I mprovements to the Community – Seattle’s experience Seattle s experience • $4M of crisis system costs of residents were eliminated in first 12 months of operation: 12 months of operation: • 56% of this in Medicaid payments • County jail bookings down 45% County jail bookings down 45% • Sobering center usage down 87% • Shelter usage down 92% • Reduction in alcohol-related incidents observed by Downtown Ambassadors.

RurAL CAP’s Anchorage Services Division Housing Statistics Housing Statistics Tenant Years Average CSP Years in Average of 80 Homeless calls (annual) ( ) ASD CSP calls 70 58 70.58 Housing since 70 Housed (annual) 60 T.A. 25 103 0.25 0 R.A. 15 41 0.5 5 50 S.M. 18 10 1 0 D.K. 7 18 1.5 0 40 F.E. 21 46 2 0 30 I.S. 11 72 2 0 19.5 19 5 L O L.O. 40 40 15 15 2 5 2.5 1 1 20 P.K. 19 284 2.5 10 E.L. 17 40 3.5 0 10 3.47 V.N. 6 109 4 0 1.33 0 M.E. 46 45 5 0 Years Homeless (Blue) Years Housed with ASD (Blue) E.Q. 8 55 9 0 CSP Pickups Annually (Red) CSP Pickups Since Housed (Red) O.H. 12 81 10 0

A Safe Environment Karluk Manor

Karluk Manor A Safe Environment Why Fairview? • Hotel available at a very reasonable rate • 48 single room efficiencies – approx 200 sq ft/rm • 24/7 On-site Staff 24/7 O it St ff • Security technology for monitoring entire site • Redesigned interior and exterior areas for • Redesigned interior and exterior areas for enhanced security • Improved landscaping and pedestrian approach p p g p pp

Karluk Manor A Safe Environment Why Fairview? • Proximity to medical care, shopping, public y , pp g, p transportation • Voluntary participation – this is where the people are located now. Housing is a l l t d H i i better alternative than on street/camps • Fairview neighborhoods need assistance • Fairview neighborhoods need assistance

Karluk Manor A Safe Environment Why not other communities? Why not other communities? Other neighborhoods support housing also: • Homeward Bound – 25 units Mt. View • Chanlyut – 16 units Mt View • Safe Harbor – 50 units downtown • Safe Harbor II – 50 units Muldoon • Safe Harbor II 50 units Muldoon • Soteria House - 1o units Spenard • Anchor House – 60 units Spenard p • Assisted Living homes – 200 (+ ) across Anchorage • Bridge Home program – 50 (+ ) Units across A Anchorage h

Karluk Manor A Safe Environment Program Features • Residents will hold leases and pay rent • Residents will participate in beautification of the property and the neighboring community (as in other properties run by RurAL CAP) • Stringent tenant rules to ensure and support a • Stringent tenant rules to ensure and support a safe community (no loitering, no panhandling) • Staff will facilitate access to additional social services

Karluk Manor A Safe Environment Program Features • Return to the community: hiring tenants for day labor and housekeeping

Neighborhood I mprovements g p RurAL CAP projects p j rehabilitate properties: • Safer S f • Stronger • Greener • Greener

Neighborhood I mprovements g p Completed Completed Tarwater Street (above and inset) and N North Lane (right) th L ( i ht)

Neighborhood I mprovements g p 2009 Before and After 100 Davis Street Project 3726 Peterkin Avenue Project

Neighborhood I mprovements g p 2010 Breaking Ground East 11th & Medfra (above) and proposed 7-unit and proposed 7 unit design (right)

t Housing First Fi Works Works i H

Contact: Melinda Freemon, Division Director Anchorage Services Division g mfreemon@ruralcap.com Kenneth Scollan, Division Manager Affordable Housing kscollan@ruralcap.com (907) 279-7535 120 N. Hoyt y www.ruralcap.com