Political Leadership for Ending Homelessness

Kay Moshier McDivittLancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness150 North Queen Street, Suite 610Lancaster, PA 17603kmcdivitt@co.lancaster.pa.us

Political Leadership for Ending Homelessness

The Lancaster County Experience

Before• Lancaster Interagency

Council for the Homeless

– Primarily made up of service providers,

– Often front line staff with limited organizational or community leveraging

– Largely networking with small group of “volunteers” responsible for the Continuum of Care submission

After• Lancaster County Coalition

to End Homelessness

– Combined the former ICH, the CoC planning process and the 10 year plan to end homelessness under one umbrella

– Led by a Leadership Council made up political and community leaders

– Chaired by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners

Before Model – Lancaster ICH

No political leadership nor buy in Neither the Mayor of the City nor the County Board

of Commissioners “owned” the issue Most services located in the city; those

experiencing homelessness from rural areas came into the city

Fragmented system Programs sprang up around organizational

agendas/goals rather than clear response to identified needs or strategies: Many “Silo’s

Lacked strategy on how to move persons through the system to permanency and plan for ending homelessness

CoC Submission not “owned” by lead agency Limited HMIS utilization

PREVIOUS MODELPREVIOUS MODEL

Service system that manages & shelters

homeless

Lancaster CountyLancaster County

NO.INDIVIDUALS

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1994 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

537 545 561 589

738

YEAR

707

384

Getting Local Political Leadership-The “BUY IN” of WHY

First Step… Garner community support behind “Why” Political Leadership is Important

Lancaster’s Journey 2004: United Way partnered with ICH to conduct

community impact study on “Housing and Homelessness”

2005: United Way issues the “Community Impact Report on Housing and Homelessness in Lancaster”• Established the framework for the 10 Year plan• A System Shift with a “housing first” philosophy

Getting Local Political LeadershipThe “BUY IN” of WHY (cont.)

Community Impact Steering Committee recognized need for political champion to make “shift” happen• “Champion” - has trust and respect of the

community– “if they believe this matters, then I do”

• Political Leadership - critical to bringing together a fragmented system and shift toward common goal

• Committee Chair was key– Local business leader with “clout” who could engage the

political leader(s)

Lancaster’s Journey

PREVIOUS MODELPREVIOUS MODEL

Service system that manages & shelters

homeless

NEW APPROACHNEW APPROACH

System of: Prevention Diversion Rapid re-housing Permanent Housing

Goal: To provide the opportunity for a full and dignified life in the community for every resident of Lancaster City and County through a comprehensive, coordinated effort to prevent and end homelessness in the next decade.

Lancaster CountyThe System Shift

Lancaster CountyThe System Shift

Identifying the “right” political champion

What do you need to affect change?

Solution: Sought support from County Commissioners who could garner rural support that would create county wide change

Issue: Needed buy-in and strategies to address homelessness in rural areas of community as well as in the City of Lancaster

Who has the largest circles of influence?

Identifying the “right” political champion

Issue: Need for leadership from commissioner level, how do we “get it.”

Solution: Look for person(s) who can influence that political leader

– One person can lead to another person.– Sell to that person you can first influence

who can influence the next person etc.9

October 27, 2008October 27, 2008

Lancaster County Making the Shift

Lancaster County Making the Shift

Identifying the “right” political champion

The result: A “system” change

2009: Commissioners established the Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness resulting in:

– The Continuum of Care, the Homeless Service Provider Network (former ICH ) and the 10 Year Plan in coordinated and collaborative effort

– The LCCEH Leadership Council of key community leaders invited personally by the Commissioners to serve - they said “yes”

Leadership Council for the Lancaster County Coalition to

End HomelessnessCo-Chairs:

Lancaster County Board of CommissionersPhil Wenger – CEO Isaac’s Restaurants & Deli

Community leadersChairs of Action Teams

Continuum of Care Planning Committee

Chair: Community Homeless AdvisorAction Team Chairs

Organizations receiving funding

Housing FirstAction Team

Chair: Bob Thomas

(Tabor)

Advocate in community & obtain community support

Champion plan Monitor progress Provide resources & assistance

as needed Remove roadblocks Endorse new strategies

Implement Heading Home plan Implement current strategies & action

steps

Communicate progress Engage community for additional

resources

Identify new strategies, action steps and outcomes

Accomplish Outcomes

Permanent HousingAction Team

Chair: Ken Smith

(Community Basics)

Transitional HousingAction Team

Chair: Jennifer Powell (Clare House)

Serv. to Chron. Home.Action Team

Chair: Jere Shertzer

(WSM)

EmploymentAction Team

Chair:Lori Rank

(CareerLink)

PreventionAction Team

Chair: Susan Eckert (United Way)

Communication & PRAction TeamLisa Riggs

(James St. Imp. Dist.)

Hold public forums

Service Provider Network Meeting

Facilitator & co-facilitator

Annual HUD grant process Sharing & networking Identify gaps Identify new strategies

Coordinate Action Team strategies

Evaluate/implement ideas from networking meetings

Heading Home PlanAction Team Leadership

Chairs & vice-chairs

= Communication Key:

Identifying the “right” political champion

The Result

We are talking “to each other” instead of about each other

Working as a system towards common goals

Bipartisan support of the Board of Commissioner keeps the issue on the front lines Commissioners used a system wide

alignment of HPRP funding with 10 year plan goals

Identifying the “right” political championThe Benefits

Established a county office as the first “official lead agency”, for the CoC process

HMIS now overseen by the county’s lead office• Data vastly improved

Providers sitting at the same table creating system wide strategies and tools (Including faith based)

Resolutions passed:• All proposed affordable housing projects seeking

funding must set aside 10% of units • All strategies and funded services must align with

HEARTH Act goals and Open Doors Plan

Identifying the “right” political champion

The Benefit

2010 Point in Time Count

2% decrease overall

7% decrease in family homelessness

FIRST overall decrease since beginning the count

In spite of 3% increase in unemployment during same period

Final Thoughts

Identify the “right” Political Champion Identify the “right” Community Champion to help

obtain commitment Key strategies for engagement

– Coordinate all systems under one umbrella– Strong communication strategy– Keep political leadership informed of all issues

Be prepared for challenges Success breeds success

THANK YOU