Annual Report On Homeless 2013 Persons Served in Dane County City of Madison Paul Soglin, Mayor Division of Community Development Jim O’Keefe, Director Sue Wallinger, Grants Administrator Linette Rhodes, Grants Administrator TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Where Are Homeless Individuals Sheltered? .............................................................................................................................. 2 Families, Children and Unaccompanied Teenagers in the Shelter System.................................................................................. 3 Single Men in the Shelter System ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Single Women in the Shelter System .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing in Dane County ............................................................................................ 11 Street Outreach ......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Prevention – Helping Tenants Avoid Homelessness ................................................................................................................. 17 Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in Dane County ....................................................................................... 19 Final Thoughts ........................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Appendix A Housing Inventory .................................................................................................................................................. 20 Appendix B List of Agencies Serving Homeless Persons& Persons at Risk of Homelessness ..................................................... 30 Appendix C Homeless Services Consortium Agencies ................................................................................................................ 38 Appendix D Statistics on Homeless Persons Served 1989-2013 ................................................................................................ 40 Appendix E Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness - Summary of Recommendations ......................................... 47 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2013, 3,370 people were reported to have been served at least one night by a shelter program in Dane County. The 2013 Annual Report on Homeless Persons Served in Dane County offers a snapshot of the homeless and at-risk populations served by area homeless service providers. The report seeks only to provide a demographic description of the people served by area homeless service programs as well as other background information about these services. It does not attempt to analyze or otherwise explain the conditions of Dane County’s homeless population or the factors contributing to their situations. Neither does it account for other persons who might confront similar housing issues but who have not been served in 2013 by shelter programs within Dane County. The number of people served by area service providers has fluctuated over the years. The 2013 total of 3,370 individuals represents a slight reduction from the 3,382 reported served in 2012, but is higher than the numbers reported in 2010 (3,136) and 2011 (3,079). Of the 3,370 people served in 2013, 1,529 were members of families (a total of 473 families with 946 children under 18 years of age); 1,304 were single men; 497 were single women and 36 were unaccompanied youth under the age of 18. Two couples without children were also served. Compared to 2012, the number of single men and women served declined by 110, however, that reduction was more than offset by an increase in service to families. There were no known policy changes instituted in area shelters in 2013 that might account for this experience. While service providers and funders collect specific information regarding individuals receiving shelter and services, little is known about the number or needs of those in Dane County who are not served by area shelters, i.e., those in need who do not seek assistance. While there are some persons who sleep in outdoor locations or in vehicles, there are many more that live temporarily with friends and relatives in overcrowded apartments or homes. Given these limitations, it is difficult to develop a complete and accurate estimate of the number of people in Dane County whom do not have stable, permanent housing. One attempt to compile information useful in making such estimates is a twice annual Point in Time (PIT) survey conducted in July and January. The PIT survey seeks to account for all homeless individuals, both sheltered and unsheltered, on the days the survey is conducted. It is worth noting that the two most recent PIT surveys showed increases in the number of unsheltered persons compared to the previous year. Ninety-nine unsheltered persons were counted in January of 2013, twenty-two more than in January 2012 and one hundred eighty-five were counted in July 2013, twenty-three more than a year earlier. 1 WHERE ARE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SHELTERED? Persons in need of shelter services in Dane County receive assistance through one or more of the following: Emergency shelter Transitional housing Permanent supportive housing In Dane County, there are 379 shelter beds available within ten different shelter programs1 which target different client groups. For example, families are served by The Salvation Army (TSA), the YWCA, The Road Home and Dane County Parent Council family shelters. Families and single adults who are fleeing violence are served by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) shelter2. (DAIS also distributes motel vouchers to its clients for short- term stays.) Single women are served by The Salvation Army Single Women’s Shelter. Single men are served by the Drop-In Shelter (operated by Porchlight, Inc.) and The Port (operated by St. Vincent de Paul). Single men and women with mental illness are served by Safe Haven (operated by Porchlight, Inc.). Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin (YSOSW) – Briarpatch Division provides shelter in five volunteer host homes for youth under the age of 18. In addition to persons served in emergency shelters, Dane County homeless service agencies reported serving 1,727 individuals using 920 units of transitional and permanent supportive housing.3 Some homeless clients enter the continuum of care through transitional housing programs. These are programs that provide a variety of support services; residency is limited to 24 months. Persons appropriate for transitional housing are those who are likely to be able to move to stable housing and be successful without ongoing services. Examples of local transitional housing programs include: 1) Porchlight’s Partners in Transitional Opportunities Program, which serves individuals with AODA issues; 2) Tellurian’s Start on Success Program, which serves homeless families; and 3) The Road Home/YWCA Second Chance Apartment Program, which serves homeless families. Permanent supportive housing programs provide services similar to transitional housing programs; however, they impose no limits on length of residence. Persons appropriate for supportive permanent housing are persons likely to need some level of ongoing services in order to maintain stable housing. Many residents have disabilities, such as mental illness. Examples of local permanent supportive housing programs include: 1) Housing Initiatives’ Shelter Plus Care Program, serving singles and families with mental illness; 2) Porchlight’s Pheasant Ridge Trail Program, serving singles with disabilities; and 3) HUD-VASH housing vouchers for homeless single adults and families who are veterans. In 2013 the City of Madison used 75 VASH vouchers from the Veterans Administration to serve veterans. The number of housing units available for transitional and permanent supportive housing is generally unchanged since 2012. The number of units included in the 2012 Annual Report was 1,096 units; in 2013 the number was versus 920. However, the 2012 count included units not exclusively designated to serve homeless persons. This year’s report includes an updated inventory in Appendix A that reflects units explicitly designated to serve households who meet the definition of homeless. 1 The total number of beds includes 67 “overflow” beds and “32” TSA motel vouchers that are consistently in use. 2 Many of the persons seeking shelter are actually fleeing violence; Salvation Army and YWCA shelters also provide housing with services provided by DAIS. 3 Not all transitional and supportive permanent housing units in Appendix A provided client data as part of this report. 2 FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND UNACCOMPANIED TEENAGERS IN THE SHELTER SYSTEM Homeless individuals in families made up the largest percentage (45%) of the homeless population in Dane County. In 2013, there were 473 families (representing 1,529 individuals) in Dane County served either by shelters or through motel vouchers. Dane County Parent Council, The Salvation Army, Domestic