Buffalo and Erie County’s Ten-Year Plan

A collaborative initiative to end homelessness

Katie McHugh ConnollyProgram DirectorHomeless Alliance of Western New YorkBuffalo, New York

Context Buffalo and Erie County

Rust Belt Control Boards High poverty rates

Homelessness In-line with cities of its size

Continuum of Care Run by a non-profit lead agency

Homeless Alliance Membership organization

Getting Started/Timeline Outreach about 10-Year Plans at monthly meetings

ICH representative presentation Discussion amongst the group

Decision from the group to develop a plan

Steering Committee assembled Volunteers from membership

Funding secured Small grant, local foundation

Lead person identified

Homeless Alliance Small Staff

Membership

Research Culture

Root Causes

VERY Limited Budget

Groundwork Background Research

Review of Other Plans

Commitment to Change

Member Buy-In

Community Support

How do we make a ten-year plan RIGHT for our community?

PreventionResources

Independence through Housing

Services

Maintenance

Enacting policies and developing services needed to prevent homelessness

Using mainstream government resources to prevent and end homelessness

Developing housing opportunities to end homelessness and aid self-sufficiency

Improving collaboration among existing service providers and filling gaps

Ensuring that formerly homeless individuals and families can stay housed

Guiding Principles Ground process in the voices of people experiencing

homeless and persons at-risk of homelessness Maintain an open and community-driven process Stay abreast of trends, policies, and best practices Ensure continuing relevance of the plan

NEW DATA! Need for comprehensive data to

inform the plan and the process

Don’t rely on census data

Can meet HUD’s required Point-in-Time count (last week of January)

Use a survey to glean the most information

Phase I: Data Collection

Street Location

Committee

Service Location

Committee

Questionnaire ConstructionCommittee

Volunteer Committee

Community-Wide

Data Collection

Phase I: Data Collection

• 24-hours

• 165 Community Volunteers

• 35 Service Sites

• Dozens of Street Locations

• 1,000+ Respondents

FindingsService/Street Respondents 65% indicated they had been homeless in their lifetime. 40% were currently homeless 92% had been homeless more than once 10% met “chronic” criteria

Shelter Respondents 53% were homeless for the first time 47% had been homeless more than once 7% met “chronic” criteria

Self-Identified Reasons for Homelessness Lack of Income Lack of Work Lack of Affordable Housing Substance Abuse

Phase II: Planning

Community Forums and Homeless Think Tanks

Outreach Committee

Environmental Scan Committee

Best PracticesCommittee

Research

Forums Activity-Based Brainstorming Problem-Solving Sharing

Expertise

Think Tanks Conversational Review of Process Sounding Board Sharing Experience

Who’s around the table? Homeless service providers (All subpopulations)

Government departments and officials

Law enforcement

Private sector (foundations, banks, business)

Universities

Concerned citizens

Phase II: Planning

Prevention

Resources

Independence Through Housing

Services

Maintenance

Committee

Committee

Committee

Committee

Committee

Written Plan

Think Tanks with Homeless Persons

Consultation with Key Players

Releasing the Plan: A Media Event!

Phase III: Plan Implementation and Progress Evaluation

Concurrent processes to both:

• cooperatively implement the plan’s recommendations community-wide, including the development of an implementation plan and community indicators; and

• provide continuous evaluation and monitoring of the plan’s progress to ensure relevance and success

PRISM ParticipantsAlcohol and Drug Dependency ServicesAssemblyman Sam Hoyt’s OfficeBack to Basics MinistriesBelmont Shelter CorporationBuffalo City MissionBuffalo Metropolitan Housing AuthorityBuffalo Urban LeagueCatholic CharitiesCazenovia Recovery SystemsCommunity Action OrganizationCommunity Services for the Developmentally DisabledCompass HouseCornerstone ManorCrisis ServicesDurham Memorial AME Zion Church/Central City CaféEden United Methodist Church Food PantryErie County Department of Environment and PlanningErie County Department of Mental HealthErie County Department of Senior ServicesErie County Department of Social ServicesErie County Office for the DisabledFeed My SheepFranciscan CenterFriends of the Night PeopleGerard PlaceGroup Ministries

Hearts for the HomelessHillside Children’s CenterHispanics United of BuffaloHomespace, Inc.Interfaith Hospitality NetworkKey BankLake Shore Behavioral Health Living Opportunities of DePaulLoaves and FishesM and T BankMental Health Peer Connection/Independent Living ProgramMid-Erie CounselingNeighborhood Legal ServicesRestoration SocietyThe Salvation Army – Buffalo Area ServicesSocial Security AdministrationSouth Buffalo Community TableSt. Luke’s Mission of MercyTransitional Services, Inc.FLARE - Teaching and Restoring YouthUB Department of Social Work UB Institute for Local Governance and Regional GrowthUnited Way of Buffalo and Erie CountyVeterans AdministrationWestern New York Veterans Housing CoalitionYWCA of Western New York

To learn more about the PRISM Project, visit our website:

www.wnyhomeless.org

Or call the Homeless Alliance of Western New York at

(716) 853-1101