STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
IN THIS SECTION:
Homeless Overview Current Services St. Louis County Government City-County Partnership Emergency Shelters Sub-populations Inventory of Homeless Facilities and Service Providers Needs and Priorities Homeless Strategy Goals and Objectives Implementation
HOMELESS OVERVIEW ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Although it can be difficult to determine the exact number of individuals who are homeless in the St. Louis Consortium area, it was estimated there were 6,500 homeless women, children and men in 2001. Of that number, approximately 1,500 were living on the street. The 2001demographic information available from the St. Louis County Homeless Hotline indicates that of those who called the hotline seeking access to services: 84% were women and children 16% were men; 82% were African-Americans; female heads-ofhousehold were 31-50 years old; families had an average of 2.1 children; husbands were included in 10 households; and, the average income for women was $6,400 and $3,800 for men. Sub populations existing within the overall homeless population are youth, persons with mental illness, individuals who abuse substances, and battered women with children.
CURRENT SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY
St. Louis County Government
Within St. Louis County government, the Department of Human Services Office of Family and Community Services (OFCS) is responsible for the administration of all local, state, and federal funds designated for homeless services. OFCS is also responsible for the coordination and ongoing development of the County’s Continuum of Care, working closely with social service agencies, community leaders, consumers, the Saint Louis County Housing Resources Commission, and other County departments.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
CURRENT SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Housing Resources Commission
The Housing Resources Commission is a 7 member body appointed by the County Executive to provide oversight for funding realized from a $3.00 fee placed on every real estate transaction made in the County’s Recorder of Deeds Office. The first Commission was appointed in 1992. In addition to their fiduciary responsibilities, they were also given the task of creating the first strategic plan to develop a service delivery system for emergency shelter, transitional housing, prevention services, and self-sufficiency programs for County residents who were homeless. Since 1992, the Housing Resources Commission has realized approximately $9.5 million from this local source. In 1994, the Commission published the first joint Request for Proposal between with the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County to identify a non-profit agency to operate a 24-hour, 7 day a week, Homeless Hotline. The Hotline serves as a centralized intake and referral point for anyone needing shelter or prevention services. Families experiencing a housing crisis - delinquent rent/mortgage, substandard housing, overcrowding, or eviction - are assisted by the Hotline’s Prevention Program. Families who have lost their housing are referred to emergency shelter at the time of the call. Once a family is admitted to shelter, their case manager assesses their immediate service needs, makes service referrals, and works with the family to develop a goal plan that includes education, employment, and housing. In addition to assisting families in a housing crisis, the Homeless Hotline collects demographic information on every caller. This information is utilized by agencies and administrators to: write grants; track census; develop funder and board reports; determine service efficiency and effectiveness; follow trends; and, plan new programs and services.
CITY-COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis are partners in coordinating the Homeward Bound Services Project. Homeward Bound is an annual, one-day service fair dedicated solely to the promotion of programs and services for homeless individuals. Transportation from area shelters to and from the event is provided. The information made available to attendees includes education and job training, legal advice, employment opportunities, housing choices, health care, social security planning, and health insurance options.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
CURRENT SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY
St. Louis County Homeless Services Providers Network
The Office of Family and Community Services directs the activities of the St. Louis County Homeless Services Providers Network. This consortium of service professionals includes agencies, community leaders, housing and homeless advocates, educators, consumers, government representatives and interested citizens. The Network meetings serve as a public forum where participants can discuss issues, identify common problems, share information, and work collaboratively to maintain and improve service delivery. Meetings are held once a month with an attendance of 50+ individuals.
Emergency Shelters
Once referred to emergency shelter, families and individuals are assigned to a case manager. The case manager and family work together to identify housing and service needs, and to prioritize goals. They also attend family strengths, living skills, and parenting classes, and employment training. Over the past twenty-four months, St. Louis County has experienced a loss in emergency shelter beds. In the past two years, two emergency shelters for women and children have closed and a men’s shelter has closed for six months. This represents a loss of 82 beds. In addition to the loss of beds, the numbers of requests for shelter have doubled in the past two years. In response to this very real crisis, the funding for the hotel/motel program has been increased and additional beds have been purchased from several providers. Efforts to secure additional shelter sites have been fruitless and frustrating. Currently we are expanding the search by enlisting the assistance of the Office of Community Development, a local housing consortium, social service agencies, and housing advocates. Currently, there are 135 emergency shelter beds in St. Louis County with an average length of stay of 42 days.
HOMELESS SUBPOPULATIONS Youth Persons with mental illness Individuals who abuse substances Battered women and children
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CURRENT SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Transitional Housing
STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
There are 120 transitional housing units/beds for women, children and men. They are configured in a mix of congregate living, small apartments and scattered site houses. Families moving from emergency shelter to transitional housing must have demonstrated a commitment to completing their program, accomplishing their goals and furthering their plans for stabilization and independence. The average length of stay in transitional housing is 6 to 9 months. Recently, the County experienced a 30-bed decrease in transitional housing. While this loss is temporary, it is impacting the shelter’s ability to move families into transitional housing.
Sub Populations YOUTH
In the last 18 months, two youth programs have open additional shelter sites that include County residents. The County’s mobile outreach program collaborates with several youth out reach programs to enhance the number of contacts made with youth living on the street.
PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental health outreach, assessment and referral services are available for persons living in shelter, transitional housing or on the street. St. Louis County funds a dedicated team of mental health providers who respond to calls from shelters, transitional housing programs, and the mobile outreach program. The outreach team also attends shelter staffings to review difficult cases, identify issues and problems, and assess outcomes. In addition, they work with psychiatric hospitals to improve and enhance discharge planning.
INDIVIDUALS WHOM ABUSE SUBSTANCES
Outreach, assessment and referral services are provided by a dedicated team of counselors who work with individuals affected by substance abuse problems and live in shelter, transitional housing and on the street. The substance abuse team works in tandem with the mental health team in cases of dual diagnoses and cross-refers when appropriate. The substance abuse team participates in the shelter staffings and works with residential substance abuse treatment facilities to assist in discharge planning.
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CURRENT SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY
BATTERED WOMEN WITH CHILDREN
STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
Outreach, assessment, short term counseling, advocacy, economic development and referral services are available to victims of domestic violence who are living in shelter, transitional housing or on the streets. The DV response team participates in the shelter staffings and works closely with other ancillary service providers to facilitate appropriate discharge planning.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS INVENTORY OF HOMELESS FACILITIES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
The following table lists those agencies that are a part of the St. Louis County Continuum of Care and the services and programs that they provide to individuals and families who are homeless.
TABLE #3: INVENTORY OF HOMELESS FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY
ORGANIZATION
Adequate Housing for Missourians Alliance for the Mentally Ill Almost Home Al-Pac Behavioral Health Response Beyond Housing Bridgeway Counseling Catholic Charities Housing Resource Center Circle of Concern Community Alternatives Covenant House of Missouri Feed My People Fortress Outreach Good Samaritan Housing Resources Commission Human Development Corp. Kathy J. Weinman Shelter
FACILITY/SERVICE
Rent and security deposit assistance Family reconciliation for the mentally ill Transitional housing for teen mothers Transitional housing for women in recovery and their children Mental health outreach Scattered site transitional and permanent housing with support services Substance abuse program, domestic violence shelter Operates homeless hotline and prevention programs Food pantry Mental Health assessment, referral and treatment for shelter residents Youth outreach and comprehensive services Food pantry, household goods, and job training Emergency and transitional shelter for battered women Transitional housing with support services Local funding source for homeless services and programs Rent and mortgage assistance Emergency shelter for battered women
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS INVENTORY OF HOMELESS FACILITIES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
TABLE #3: INVENTORY OF HOMELESS FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY (CONTINUED)
ORGANIZATION
Legal Services of Eastern MO Our Lady’s Inn Peter and Paul Community Services Places for People Redevelopment Opportunities for Women Room At The Inn St. Louis County Dept. of Health St. Louis County Dept. of Human Services St. Louis County Housing Authority Salvation Army Community In Partnership Salvation Army Family Haven Salvation Army Harbor Light Salvation Army Substance Abuse Response Services Sherwood Forest STEP, Inc. Youth Emergency Services Y.W.C.A.
FACILITY/SERVICE
Provides a wide range of legal services for low income families Emergency shelter for women and children Emergency shelter and transitional housing for men Housing and related services for the mentally ill Family strengths program for shelter residents and domestic violence assessment and counseling for women and children Emergency shelter for families Assessments, well client care, health information and immunizations for shelter residents Administers homeless funding, purchases services, monitors contracts, coordinates Continuum of Care Public housing Emergency shelter and transitional housing for recovering women Emergency shelter Night shelter for men Outreach, assessment and referral for shelter residents with a substance abuse problem Family strengths camp Transitional housing and assistance Emergency shelter and counseling for youths Single-room occupancy housing for single women
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
HOMELESS SERVICES IN THE CITY OF ST. CHARLES
The number of homeless persons (individuals and families) within the City of St. Charles is difficult to assess. The latest information is from the 1990 census. On S-night, no homeless persons were visible in street locales, meaning that no reliable statistics exist for the number of unsheltered homeless. The Salvation Army’s shelter consistently turns people away from its shelter because of lack of space. Staff persons from social service agencies believe that the majority of the homeless suffer from one or more chronic conditions, such as substance abuse, mental illness, mental retardation. The homeless strategy has a two-pronged approach: to help individuals who are homeless or who are at risk of becoming homeless and to support the local agencies providing shelters for the homeless. Counseling and financial aid to individuals (households) is provided through grants to social service agencies which have ongoing programs of outreach and crisis management for homeless or at risk populations. The following social service agencies provide combinations of food pantries, rent or mortgage payments, first month’s rent, transient lodging at local motels and utility payment of homeless and at risk populations: The St. Vincent dePaul Societies of each of the Catholic churches within the City, The Salvation Army, Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service, North East Community Action Corporation, FISH of St. Charles, Grace Hill, and New Hope. Through the Community Development Block Grant, the City of St. Charles provides funding for Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service, and FISH of St. Charles to help prevent homelessness. The St. Charles Housing Authority addresses homelessness by providing Section 8 vouchers/certificates to lower income persons to help them attain housing. Missouri Breaks, operated by Youth In Need, Inc., is a long-term program for youth ages 16 to 21 with a group home facility as well as supervised scattered site apartments. The primary focus of this program is to help homeless young adults transition into successful independent living.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
HOMELESS SERVICES IN THE CITY OF ST. CHARLES
All of the above services provided to homeless and at risk populations are part of the Continuum of Care in the City of St. Charles. The present service delivery system provides for persons from homelessness through temporary housing, but does not provide for permanent affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity is supplying affordable housing, but the number of units built by them does not cover the need in the City and the County. As a way of providing for permanent affordable housing, City staff has explored a first-time homebuyers down payment assistance program through the Missouri Housing Development Corporation, but this is not part of the Action Plan for Program Year 2000. This possibility will be investigated further in Program Year 2002 and the Strategic Plan amended if this type of assistance will be provided through the City’s CDBG program. Three homeless shelters operate in the City of St. Charles: The Salvation Army operates a 14-bed emergency shelter for adults only. Youth In Need has a 12-bed shelter for runaway and abandoned youth ages 10 through 18 and The Women’s Center operate a 15-bed shelter for abused women and their children. The City furnishes funds to the Salvation Army and The Women’s Center shelter through the Emergency Shelter Program. Further funding is provided to The Women’s Center shelter from the Community Development Block Grant Program.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS NEEDS AND PRIORITIES ST. LOUIS HOME CONSORTIUM
Need: Increase shelter accommodations for women and children, elderly abuse victims, adolescents, and larger families.
In the St. Louis Consortium area there is a critical shortage of emergency shelter beds. In the last two years there has been a loss of 82 beds for women, children and men. This loss is primarily due to the closing of three shelters. In addition, in the same period, the number of individuals seeking shelter has doubled. For the first time many families are being turned away. There are 135 beds in the current inventory. In addition, St. Louis County funds a hotel/motel program. To replace the lost beds and meet the increase in need, St. Louis County will require opening an additional 125 beds. During the past year, efforts to open new sites have been fruitless and frustrating. We have experienced NIMBY at every turn. In the wake of this experience, the Providers Network has charged the Affordable Housing Task Force , a Network subcommittee, with developing a new housing strategy that takes homeless individuals and families from sanctuary to permanent housing. This plan includes not only increasing the number of shelter beds but conducting a complete assessment of the current shelter system and developing a new model.
Priority: Women With Children and Men
Because of the recent loss of emergency beds, this need is currently the greatest priority.
Need: Rent and Mortgage Assistance
Rent and mortgage cash assistance programs are critical for low-income families to sustain housing. St. Louis County places an emphasis on preventing homelessness by funding programs that provide rent, mortgage and utility assistance to families with a housing crisis. In conjunction with cash assistance, clients attend money management, budgeting, weatherization, landlord/tenant, and community responsibility classes.
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NEEDS AND PRIORITIES ST. LOUIS HOME CONSORTIUM
Priority: At-risk families
STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS
At-risk families are defined as families with total household incomes of less than 30% of the area median household income. At-risk families are especially affected by the cost of rental housing. Many at-risk families pay a disproportionate percentage of their income for rent, struggle to maintain regular rent payments, and often face eviction when they become delinquent in payments. In order to reduce rental costs, two families often reside together in a single-family unit, a violation of their lease and a breach of most housing codes. The overcrowded situation actually increases the likelihood for eviction, placing two families at risk of homelessness.
Need: Street
Providing Services to Individuals on the
The Mobile Street Outreach Program was launched in December 1999. With two vans on the street 14 hours per day, 850 (unduplicated) contacts have been made with people living on the street. While the population is primarily men, 30 women have been identified. Some had their children with them. The van is stocked with clothing, food, water, blankets, and toiletries for clients. Building trust with this chronically homeless, unique, and vulnerable population is slow and arduous. Only under the most extreme conditions do they consider coming into shelter and few stay more than the night.
Priority: Continue Serving Chronically Homeless
Include a Safe House/Sanctuary in the Affordable Housing Task Force plan. This type of “no-rules” shelter offers a nonthreatening environment that removes this chronically homeless population off the street, provides an adjustment period, and increases the chances they will adapt well enough to move into a transitional or permanent housing setting.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS HOMELESS STRATEGY ST. LOUIS HOME CONSORTIUM
The primary goal of the homeless services provided in the St. Louis Consortium area is to break the cycle of homelessness by assisting families with placement in permanent housing more quickly and sustain their supportive services for as long as necessary.
GOAL:
IMPROVE CLIENT ACCESS TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS: Objective: Actions:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Develop and implement a Continuum-wide permanent, affordable housing strategy.
Affordable Housing Task Force to develop new shelter/housing strategy model for Homeless families that takes them from sanctuary through permanent housing. Invite the housing providers, advocates, service providers, churches, community leaders, and government leaders to focus groups for comment and in-put. Develop implementation timeline and initiate Increase affordable permanent housing units in St. Louis County Finalize strategies being developed by Task Force. Make recommendations to the Dept. of Planning. Identify permanent supportive housing opportunities. Research models and funding opportunities for supportive housing projects. Apply for Supportive Housing Program funding to expand Shelter plus Care program. Identify state funding for supportive housing projects. Sustain current level of support services for chronically homeless families. Identify additional sources of funding to expand support services. Develop service model compatible with strategies.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: HOMELESS HOMELESS STRATEGY ST. LOUIS HOME CONSORTIUM
Objective: Actions:
Develop and implement a Continuum-wide information system that lists available, permanent housing information in real time.
1. Identify elements for developing an affordable, permanent housing listing to create the software. 2. Market concept to landlords. 3. Hold information meetings with landlords. 4. Keep providers, community leaders, and housing entities apprised of effort. 5. Develop funding package. 6. Advertise for potential software developers. 7. Review applicants/make selection. 8. Unveil software. 9. Implement in homeless services agencies and other appropriate venues.
Objective: Actions:
Rent Subsidy Escrow
1. Create a rent subsidy pool. 2. Develop a list of housing providers who will rent to clients and bad credit records if first year’s rent is guaranteed. 3. Develop and implement an IDA for clients in escrow program to enhance economic stability. 4. In second year, increase subsidy pool and number of families in program.
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