Monarch Housing’s Blog!

New in the 2008 Continuum of Care application cycle are funds set aside for Rapid Re-Housing Demonstration projects. As indicated in the Continuum of Care NOFA released on July 11, 2008, Congress has appropriated $25 million dollars for Rapid Re-housing programs that will be funded in each of the 10 HUD regions. HUD will award $23.75 million in Rapid Re-Housing for Families demonstration projects with $1.25 million set aside for an independent study of the selected programs. To view requirements and scoring criteria for Rapid Re-Housing projects submitted through the 2008 Continuum of Care application, click the link below.

2008 Rapid Re-Housing Requirements

For communities that are looking to create Rapid Re-Housing projects, there is a wealth of information provided through research on existing Housing First for Families programs. In March of 2004, the National Alliance to End Homelessness published a study of Housing First Programs for Families. Highlighting programs in 14 different communities, this study details the structure of various Rapid Re-Housing programs from across the country.

Research conducted by LFA (LaFrance Associates, LLC) found that all housing first programs shared key program design components above the overall goal of providing housing to families first and foremost and wrapping services around them according to their needs once permanent housing is secured. These key program design components include: Read the rest of this entry »

On June 3, 2008, we published a post about the America’s Road Home, the first national effort to end family homelessness. Founded by Richard E. Schaden, Chairman and founder of Quiznos and Consumer Capital Partners, along with his wife Cheryl, their fundraising will only be available to the 300+ communities that have signed the America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and Action established by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Only six elected officials in New Jersey have endorsed this initiative.

Where God Left His Shoes, will be the focal point of a national campaign to end family homelessness. Where God Left His Shoes, starring John Leguizamo, won the 2007 Humanitas Prize for Best Sundance Feature Film at the 33rd Humanitas Prize Awards ceremony.

The film will be released theatrically around the country in key markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Denver, generating ticket sales and donations that will go directly to resolving family homelessness. The movie will also be offered for individual fundraising events to communities around the country who have adopted ten year plans to end homelessness. Following the theatrical release, the movie will be distributed internationally and on DVD and ultimately on broadcast television next year - with all profits from ticket and video sales and additional donations from viewers going directly to ARH to support the fight against family homelessness.

For more information on America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and Action click here.

For more information on America’s Road Home click here.

Read the rest of this entry »

Serving Families in Permanent Supportive Housing

The 2nd in the Focus on Populations Training Track

Presented by: The Corporation for Supportive Housing

Experienced providers discuss how to develop, operate and provide services in permanent supportive housing for families, including topics such as:

What models of housing work for families
What kinds of services do families need and want
Unique benefits and challenges of PSH for families

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
9:30am - 12:30pm

NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency
637 South Clinton - Trenton, NJ

Complete registration online is available by clicking here.

To view the full to see the full list of CSH’s trainings for the year click here.

For more info: Call CSH at 609-392-7820 or email Barbara Dohrenwend [Email address: mbarbara.dohrenwend #AT# csh.org - replace #AT# with @ ].

On June 6, 2008, The Stratford, which will provide permanent supportive housing for special needs and homeless families, held their Grand Opening. In the photo on the right, Mayor Cory Booker of Newark cut the ribbon along with Reverend J. Carr Holland, III and Mike Meyer, the Director of Housing and Real Estate for the City of Newark, and a family that will call The Stratford home. The project will have a total of nine units, three 3 bedroom units and six 2 bedroom units. The Stratford has received project based SRAP funds and the primary funding sources were Low Income Housing Tax Credits, City of Newark Home, HUD Continuum of Care Funding and Federal Home Loan funding. Episcopal Community Development was the developer, for The Apostles’ House, which will “own” and operate the facility.

The comments from Mayor Booker on this historic project underscored the importance that his administration has placed on ending homelessness in Newark. To listen to his comments use the link below or click here.

 The Stratford Opening [3:00m]: Download

These are some of twenty (20) photos from the grand opening.

You can click on any photo to see it full size or click here to view all of the photos. To save a photo right click on the photo.

To view a slide show click here.

All of the photographs were taken by Eucabeth Williams [Email address: ewilliams #AT# monarchhousing.org - replace #AT# with @ ] and Naemah Sarmad [Email address: nsarmad #AT# monarchhousing.org - replace #AT# with @ ].

On April 21, 2008, the Monarch Housing’s Blog published a post on America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and Action. This is an important document in our effort to end homelessness in New Jersey and America.

As part of this national effort Richard E. Schaden, Chairman and founder of Quiznos and Consumer Capital Partners, along with his wife Cheryl have announced the establishment of America’s Road Home, the first national effort to end family homelessness. Its concept: making consumers part of the solution. Their fundraising will only be available to the 300+ communities that have signed the “Statement of Principles and Actions” established by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Thus, there is now even more urgency to encourage local elected officials to endorse the America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and Action.

For more information on America’s Road Home click here.

America’s Road Home has three goals:

Create a consumer face for Family Homelessness - to portray the homeless not just as statistics, but as parents and children - the seeds of our future.

Build modern channels for giving - to show consumers how to give and to make it easy for them to get involved.

Ask consumers to give - to make it clear that we all need to help.

America’s Road Home believes in supporting the 300+ communities that have signed the “Statement of Principles and Actions” established by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. It is through this declaration that cities and communities have created action oriented 10 year plans to end the blight of homelessness and bring families back to life. Among the 2008 fundraising events utilizing the film, “Where God Left his Shoes” will be available to cities and communities that have signed the statement of principles and actions and have an active 10 year plan to end homelessness. For more information on the movie click here.

The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness will be working with mayors, freeholders, county executives and other elected officials to become signatories of America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and Action and thus reiterate their commitment to ending homelessness.

Read the rest of this entry »

Did you miss last week’s rapid re-housing chat on KnowledgePlex?

If you did you can still review the audio and video in Windows Media format by clicking here.

Click here to view the PowerPoint for the Hennepin County Rapid Exit Program. For the Housing Opportunities for Women - Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness program click here.

To read all of our posts on Rapid Re-housing click here.

On May 22, 2008 KnowledgePlex hosted a web-based conference on Rapid Re-housing. The second of a two part series on new housing strategies for the homeless focused on rapid re-housing programs in the communities of Hennepin County Minnesota and Chicago Illinois. Panelist for this chat spoke to the impact rapid re-housing has had on the shelter system and the success they have seen in shorter lengths of stay in shelter and long term stability in housing.

Click here to view the PowerPoint for the Hennepin County Rapid Exit Program. For the Housing Opportunities for Women - Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness program click here.

Rapid re-housing programs are gaining increased recognition as their ability to minimize shelter stay for minimal costs become apparent. With a focus on helping families return to housing and their communities more quickly, rapid re-housing programs reduce the strain on the shelter system and increase the success and stability of families as they live independently.

Marge Wherely of Hennepin County, Minnesota shed some light on the structure of their Rapid Exit program. In Hennepin County, 72% of families entering the shelter are aided through the Rapid Exit program and 95% of those families remain stably housed.

Families entering the shelter are immediately assessed to determine the level of housing barriers and placed into categories of low, moderate and high barriers to housing. Families with moderate to low barriers are referred to the Rapid Exit Program while families with more severe housing barriers are referred to other supportive housing programs that might be more suitable for their needs. Rapid Exit counselors begin to locate housing for the families based on their knowledge and relationship with local landlords. Families are connected to local non-profits for their service needs.

The average family will receive assistance, both financial and service oriented, for 3 to 6 months. A heavy emphasis is placed on connecting families with mainstream resources so as to transition and maintain support upon the termination of services from the rapid exit team. The average family receives $2,500 over a 3 - 6 month period for housing start-up costs. Families are actively involved in the development of their service plan and work with rapid exit counselors to determine the form of their financial assistance whether it be a one-time lump sum payment or a shallow subsidy over the course of a few months.

The success of Hennepin County’s Rapid Exit Program is due, in large part, to the collaboration between the County, Shelters and Non-profit service providers. At the County level, a re-organization of the way in which homeless service dollars are spent has enabled Hennepin County to guarantee start-up costs for housing to any homeless family that has located housing. In addition, a strong relationship with private landlords helps the program move families quickly into permanent housing reducing the average length of stay in shelter to 30 day.

Britt Shawver of Housing Opportunities for Women located in Chicago, Illinois highlighted the transformation currently taking place in Chicago. As a city that had an over abundance of 2-year transitional programs with very low success rates and a large percentage of clients entering and exiting the programs in 6 - 8 months, it became clear that a change in approach was necessary in order to see progress in the movement to end homelessness. After careful Read the rest of this entry »

With Rapid Re-housing programs gaining national attention, we are now at the cross roads of a model shift in working with homeless families. Many communities across the country have understood the effectiveness of rapid re-housing programs and have found local resources to fund rapid re-housing. The United Way of Greater Los Angeles, understanding the need for expanded programs working to end homelessness, raised funds to support homeless service providers in their efforts to end homelessness in Los Angeles.

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles, with the help of over 4,000 volunteers, was able to raise $500,000 through HomeWalk, United Way’s annual 5K family walk to raise awareness and resources to end homelessness in Los Angeles County. With the funds raised, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles has created A Pathway Home Initiative. With a focus on preventing and ending homelessness, A Pathway Home Initiative has issued an RFP for Rapid Re-housing program proposal and Permanent Supportive Housing Program Proposals. Service Agencies in the Greater Los Angeles area have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $50,000 to support their efforts in working with the chronically homeless and homeless families.

Launched in 2007, the United Way’s A Pathway Home Initiative has made signficant progress in their efforts to raise awareness about homelessness and support efforts to end homelessness. Announcements of grant receipients are expected to take place by the end of June 2008. As we take note of their efforts and watch their success in the coming months and years, the Untied way of Greater Los Angeles serves as an example of what is possible when communities come together and creatively work to end homelessness.

To read more about HomeWalk click here

To learn more about A Pathway Home Initiative click here