Multi-Agency Shelter Transition The Evolution of Shelter Transitioning National Hurricane Conference March 2018 1
MASTT/MASTTF • Definition of MASTT or MASTTF – Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Team/Task Force is an approach that looks for transitional or permanent housing solutions for disaster survivors through a multi-agency approach using immediate casework from all available stakeholders • History - 2016 • MASTT is not a new concept. We have done this in an informal manner for years • No doctrine or written guidance (federal or otherwise) existed on transitioning survivors from sheltering to interim housing 2
Historic model • Transitional Sheltering has always been a linear approach Shelter 3
Historic model • Transitional Sheltering has always been a linear approach Shelter TSA 4
Historic model • Transitional Sheltering has always been a linear approach Shelter TSA IHP 5
Historic model • Transitional Sheltering has always been a linear approach Shelter TSA IHP Stability 6
Disaster Sheltering • Historically disaster sheltering led by Red Cross • Closing was determined when every resident had a place to go • Financial and local resources were more available – As partner resources began to emerge we didn’t use the partners in shelter casework • TSA in its infancy started during Hurricane Katrina disaster – Residents moved from shelters to hotels by Red Cross and FEMA covered the expenses • TSA became a quick fix solution to close shelters • Local jurisdictions began receiving pressure to close shelters earlier – Event venues need their facilities back – Schools want to reopen – Jurisdictions not owning the responsibility of those in shelter • Success of sheltering was based on how fast you could close a shelter 7
Cause and Effect • Rush to close shelters puts more pressure on post-shelter programs • TSA not intended to be used as a shelter plan or a housing plan • Thousands remain in post-shelter programs as solutions for transition fade away • MASTTF 8
A New Approach TSA We needed to look at Shelter Transitioning in a Client in Local Shelter Stability whole community Housing Experts approach IHP • Instead of working through a continuum of options, case workers can use the concept to build a recovery plan that will best address the needs of the client • To re-energize this strategy, we established a Shelter Transition Workgroup consisting of representatives from the whole community 9
Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Workgroup • The Project Plan called for: – Revising the Shelter Transition Appendix of the Multi-Agency Sheltering/Sheltering Support Plan Template – Develop a document that outlines the shelter transition process – Develop a sample Shelter Transition Team operational procedure – Develop checklists and other job aids on shelter transition oriented to local emergency managers • This work plan was presented at the 2016 National Hurricane Conference • In 2017 we reported on the progress of the Plan along with the sub-work groups at the NHC • In 2018 we can report that the document is completed 10
Shelter Transition Model 11
Barriers to Shelter Transitions 12
Stakeholders and their Roles 13
Shelter Transition Team 14
Use of MASTFF in 2016 • In 2016 the MASTTF process was used to transition over one thousand residents out of shelters in Louisiana to temporary or permanent housing options • Lessons Learned in Louisiana were: No one size fits all approach All agencies (on the MASTT) needed to be on board and committed to the cause HUD and Homeless Coalition as well as Independent living centers were key to our success 15
Observations from 2017 16
Observation from 2017 Hurricane Harvey – Landfall August 25,2017 • Texas & Louisiana shelter population peak August 30, 2017- 270 Shelters 44,000 population • Experienced FEMA staff to do MASTT was a challenge • Red Cross supportive of MASTT but also challenged with sufficient resources • FEMA MC able to put teams in the field within 10 days but lacked multiple local agency resources • Houston had a robust plan to shelter and transition which helped • Last shelter closed 10-28-18 17
Shelter Trend Hurricane Harvey 300 43906 277 16438 250 5322 2370 1572 200 2000 1083 814 Shelter Residents 483 150 208 89 100 29 95 50 31 24 17 9 5 3 2 1 1 00 1 Shelter Residents Open Shelters 18
Observations from 2017 Hurricane Irma – Florida Landfall September 10, 2017 • Shelter population peak 9-11-2017 - 694 opened shelters - 192 to 200 thousand residents most were evacuees. • MASST was FEMA staff only (not multi-agency) • Red Cross inconsistent on support. • City state and local pressure to close making it a FEMA responsibility • FEMA facilitated progress on shelter consolidations and closures in Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties 19
Shelter Trend Hurricane Irma 200000 800 700 694 7621 10000 600 500 1226 642 400 287 151 300 48 19 200 100 92 20 9 5 1 1 1 10 Shelter Population Open Shelters 20
Observations from 2017 Hurricane Maria – Puerto Rico Landfall 9-20-2017 • At peak assumptions 9-21-2017 - 175 shelters open – assumed 15000 to 20000 shelter residents • PR Dept. of Housing responsible for sheltering – subcontracted PR Department of Public Housing (PRDPH) to manage shelters • Formed a MASTT group immediately pulling in local partners (dept. of Family, PRDPH, DIA, and HUD grantees COC. Red Cross was not a part of sheltering but did support with health and mental health.) • Challenges - too many shelters opened – no consolidation plan or alternate locations plan – most shelters had less than 50 residents • FEMA Staffing challenges – 3 major disaster within one month. All qualified staff working other disasters • Department of Housing had challenges providing MASTT with shelter closing priorities. Department of Housing worked in their own silo by closing shelters without the knowledge of MASTT as well as providing inaccurate proposed closing dates • Robust participation from Continuum of Care (COC) - they retained shelter clients until they were transitioned out of the shelters • Last shelter closed March 9, 2018. 21
Shelter Trend Hurricane Maria 16000 200 15000 180 14000 175 162 160 12000 11375 140 132 10000 120 8221 106 8000 100 80 6000 76 5141 60 52 4000 3348 42 40 2041 2000 24 1014 20 395 123 15 8 7 2 0 1 0 Shelter Residents Open Shelters 22
Observations from 2017 California Wildfires – Peak Fire activity (10-13-18) 105,000 evacuees 64 shelters population 5331 • TSA immediately activated 10-14-17 • MASTT not used as most shelter residents were evacuees and able to return home • FEMA/Red Cross facilitated County Social Services to work with remaining 72 shelter residents that were pre-disaster precariously housed individuals • Last shelter closed on 11-8-17 23
California Wildfires 2017 6000 70 64 60 4910 5000 50 4000 40 3000 30 26 2000 20 1156 1000 10 227 4 71 1 2 1 0 0 Shelter Residents Open Shelters 24
We’ve made progress • 2018 Continuing engagement between Red Cross, FEMA, & HUD • Many lessons were learned as the Red Cross, FEMA and HUD, committed resources to address disaster sheltering needs of the impacted populations. • Agreed on an agency level that we would commit to supporting MASTT • MAST Appendix to the Multi- Agency Sheltering/Sheltering http://nationalmasscarestrategy.org/ Support Plan Template (available on the National Mass Care Strategy Website) 25
Next steps • Understand how the variables enhance, support community outcomes after a disaster • Achieve multi-agency consensus, agreement, and training on MAST concepts • Develop interagency AND intra-agency training • Achieve multi-agency agreement on a tool to capture data from shelter clients (e.g. Survey123, HMIS) • Ensure the MAST concepts are flexible to each shelter, jurisdiction, state, tribe or territory • Initial casework and ongoing case management 26
Questions Questions/Comments Thank you, Contact Info: Michael Whitehead michael.whitehead2@redcross.org Elizabeth DiPaolo elizabeth.dipaolo@fema.dhs.gov David Canavan david@davidcanavan.com Jodie Halsne jodie.halsne@redcross.org Kathryn Janssen kathryn.janssen@redcross.org 27
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