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Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness

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Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness Final Report Prepared for: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research Prepared by: Martha R. Burt, UI John Hedderson, WRMA Janine Zweig, UI Mary Jo Ortiz, WRMA Laudan Aron-Turnham, UI Sabrina M. Johnson, WRMA Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc. (WRMA) Sacramento, CA The Urban Institute (UI) Washington, DC January 2004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many individuals have assisted us on this project; we would especially like to thank the following: • The researchers and program administrators who nominated potential sites. • The on-site people we interviewed individually, in meetings and in focus groups who shared their time, information, and insights with us. • Our advisory team members, Donald J. Baumann, Deborah Dennis, Linda Gibbs, Jean L. Hochron, Mark Hurwitz, Natalie Hutcheson, Pam Michell, Pat Morgan, Ann O’Rielly, and Robert A. Rosenheck, who have contributed their time, knowledge, and expertise. • Marina Myhre, our project Government Technical Representative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), who has provided us with helpful support, observations and thoughts throughout the study. Other HUD staff members who have also provided acute comments on the projects research design, data analysis and report include Paul Dornan, Marge Martin, and Kevin Neary from the Office of Policy Development and Research, and Mark Johnston from the Office of Community Planning and Development. In addition, we would like to acknowledge the work completed by the following Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc. staff: Deborah Bass Rubenstein was fully involved in the early stages of this project, especially the research design and screening of sites; Charles Wheeler assisted in the report review; Gayleen Lentsch was in charge of report production; Cheryl Reed coordinated travel arrangements; Maricela Leyva-Perez and Jamie Vang provided administrative support. We appreciate the significant contributions that the above individuals made to carrying out the research and writing of this report, and they are not responsible for any remaining errors or omissions. The findings and views herein are those of the contractors and authors. The contents of this report are the views of the contractor and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Government. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................XIII Why This Study Is Important.......................................................................................................xiii Purpose of the Research............................................................................................................... xiv Who, What, Where, and When? ................................................................................................... xv Findings––Key Elements of Success............................................................................................ xv How They Got Where They Are Today—Key Factors in History and Implementation............ xvii Trigger Events and Paradigm Shifts ....................................................................................... xvii Thoughtful, Analytic Process................................................................................................... xix New Strategies for Programs and Services................................................................................... xx Documenting Progress................................................................................................................ xxii How Do They Pay For It?..........................................................................................................xxiii Implications................................................................................................................................ xxiv Implications for Policy........................................................................................................... xxiv Implications for Practice........................................................................................................ xxvi Implications for Research ..................................................................................................... xxvii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 1 Why This Study Is Important.......................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Research.................................................................................................................. 2 Who, What, Where, and When ....................................................................................................... 3 Birmingham, Alabama................................................................................................................ 4 Boston, Massachusetts ................................................................................................................ 5 Columbus, Ohio .......................................................................................................................... 5 Los Angeles, California .............................................................................................................. 6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ......................................................................................................... 6 San Diego, California.................................................................................................................. 7 Seattle, Washington .................................................................................................................... 7 Report Organization........................................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTER 2: ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS................................................................................ 9 What Does It Take? ........................................................................................................................ 9 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 9 Paradigm Shift .............................................................................................................................. 10 A Clear Goal of Ending Chronic Street Homelessness ................................................................ 10 Strong Community-Wide Level of Organization ......................................................................... 11 Strong Leadership and an Effective Organizational Structure ..................................................... 12 The Importance of Key People Exercising Leadership ............................................................ 12 Effective Organizational Structure ........................................................................................... 12 Significant Resources from Mainstream Public Agencies............................................................ 13 Ability to Capitalize on Trigger Events........................................................................................ 13 iii Table of Contents Significant Involvement of the Private Sector.............................................................................. 14 Private Businesses..................................................................................................................... 14 Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations................................................................................ 15 Commitment and Support from Elected Officials ........................................................................ 15 Outcome Evaluation Mechanisms for Program Support and Improvement................................. 16 Openness to New Service Approaches ......................................................................................... 16 Strategies to Minimize Negative Neighborhood Reactions to Locating Projects......................... 17 Conclusions................................................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 3: NEW STRATEGIES FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ......................... 19 Outreach........................................................................................................................................ 20 Philadelphia’s Outreach Coordination Center .......................................................................... 20 San Diego’s Police-Based Outreach Teams ............................................................................. 21 Other Outreach Efforts with Direct Housing Connections....................................................... 22 Other Outreach Efforts Without Direct Housing Connections................................................. 23 New Approaches to Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)......................................................... 23 Housing First Models................................................................................................................ 25 Safe Havens .............................................................................................................................
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