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Rapid-Rehousing:what can we learn from North America?
Nick Harleigh-BellNational Youth Policy and Practice Coordinator
+Rapid -Rehousing
Why North America?
Calgary Alberta 10 year Plan & Calgary Youth Homelessness Plan
(2008)
Philadelphia Rapid-rehousing adopted as part of city-wide program (sic)
2013
Other states also use similar approaches …but only got 50 minutes!
+Oh Canada
Alberta
Similar population size as Scotland Similar number of urban municipalities (18 cities, 2
“urban service areas” –similar to Greater Glasgow & Central Belt- 9 towns eligible to be cities
Rapid growth from 2.9% to 10% of Canada’s population in under 10 years (and huge pressure on affordable housing)
Rapid rise in youth homelessness Far larger geographic area than Scotland
+In west Philadelphia born and raised…
Philadephia
Similar size to Glasgow
In 2012-13: 12000 people accessed emergency accommodation 650 people rough sleeping at any one time 27% poverty rate High housing costs (84% making less than $20k pa paid
over 30% income on housing – 70% of which paid over 50% income)
Rising numbers of young people (lowest incomes, least opportunities)
+So?
Both areas looked to develop new programs to change how homelessness tackled
Challenges No “new” money High profile areas Existing systems failing
+What previous systems looked like (regarding emphasis and allocated resource)
Prevention
Emergency Acco
mmodation
& Crisis Suppo
rt
Stable
Accommodation and Support
+What Rapid-Rehousing systems look like (regarding emphasis and allocated resource)
Prevention
Emergency Acco
mmodation
& Crisis Suppo
rt
Stable
Accommodation and Support
+So, what is Rapid Rehousing:Let’s start at the very beginning…
“…provision of housing relocation and stabilization services and short – and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to help a homeless individual or family to move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.”
+Where it fits
+Who? using a Housing First model
Anyone*… No BARRIERS considered (criminality, addiction,
mental health) Only one question needs to be asked:
“Is this issue preventing someone from getting into** housing right now?”
SO unless entirely incapacitated answer is NO- & CAN be considered for Rapid Rehousing
Aim to be housed within 30 days
*over 18 ? **maintaining housing is a different matter
+Why young people?
Over-represented in homeless population
Can be diverted from entering (expensive) homeless system
Greater vulnerability due to Familial trauma Discrimination More identify as LGBTQI+ Difference: adolescent and young adult development
“frozen” by homelessness; not the same as adult due to inexperience and only partly developed resilience
Reduces trauma? Increases life-chances? (Probably)
+“ To grow an adult…
“ …you need to have time, you need to have support, you need to have to let people take risks, you have to let them make mistakes - and what happens when you’re homeless, all of that gets collapsed”
(Professor Stephen Gaetz, York University, Toronto 2013)
+What?
Own tenancy from the start (not transitional/probationary)
Short to medium-term support (max 2 years)
Defined and agreed end date from the very beginning
Client led
Works on strengths not deficits
Participation is home-based and voluntary *
Aims to develop resilience and service support from mainstream, locality and social networks not specialist agencies
(*according to up-front agreement)
+How? (1) Client-side
How is it “client-led”?
Client Driven Processes: -decisions-goals
Client Centred Processses-home-based case management-strengths based (resilience)
Client agrees up front there is a definite exit
+How? (2) Landlord side
Relies on good landlord relationships (US and Canada don’t have well developed, accessible social housing)
Main Landlord concerns are: Rent in full and on time Stable renters “Good neighbourliness” Property care
Young people can be a hard sell! (Role of client-service agreement important)
+How?(3) Service side
Needs a dedicated person to reach out to landlords Tasks include
Cold calling (recruiting landlords seen in internet, street signs, publications – and other “mainstream” means)
Direct mailing to potential landlords Attending local landlord networking meetings Hosting your own landlord event Word of mouth referral
All about the networking: business skills and negotiation required – not the same person as case manager or support
worker
+How? (3) Service side (cont.)
Case-management focus (low caseload - 8:1 high needs, 15-25:1 moderate/low needs)
Broker/advocate/intermediary/mediator
With/watch/confirm approach
No penalty for transition out
+Where?
Place should be:
In an established mixed neighbourhood with access to amenities & potential for positive social networks
Chosen (as much as possible) by client Not within a “Rapid Rehousing ghetto” Chosen using client-centred approach:
Ideally more than one property available Checklist of client’s want and needs Client able to make own decision
+So, what’s different?
Housing up front
Time –bound
Client-led
Community and social networks integration from the start
Mistakes are permitted
No barriers (no housing ready, no pre-tenancy preparation, no bar on offenders or people with addictions)
+Successes? (in US)
+Successes? (Canada)
Cautious findings: still to be evaluated but;
Similar percentages (Around 85% of RR still housed at end of support period) to US programs
Cost neutral - small saving in 5 years ( 3 years of programme to go)
Numbers of homeless young people in Calgary dropping.
+More info
Webinars:
http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/rapid-re-housing-webinars (NAEH)
http://calgaryhomeless.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Youth-Plan-2011.pdf (Calgary Homeless Youth Plan)
https://youtu.be/BcrGjsYKZeE (Professor Stephen Gaetz, York University, “Reimagining Our Response to Youth Homelessness)