KENT COUNTYKENT COUNTYHOMELESS STUDYHOMELESS STUDY

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSCENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

FALL 2000FALL 2000

RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERSRESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS

JEFF FROMMEYER JEFF FROMMEYER –– MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK CANDIDATECANDIDATETAMMY L. HOLT TAMMY L. HOLT –– MASTER OF URBAN AND MASTER OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING CANDIDATEREGIONAL PLANNING CANDIDATEDR. REX LAMORE DR. REX LAMORE -- STATE DIRECTOR, CENTER STATE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSFOR URBAN AFFAIRSDR. JOHN SCHWEITZERDR. JOHN SCHWEITZER-- PROFESSOR OF THE PROFESSOR OF THE URBAN AFFAIRS PROGRAMURBAN AFFAIRS PROGRAM

RESEARCH ADVISORSRESEARCH ADVISORS

ROBERT SCHIRADO ROBERT SCHIRADO -- PLANNER, KENT COUNTY HEALTH PLANNER, KENT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

JAMES WINSLOW JAMES WINSLOW –– HOUSING ADMINISTRATOR, KENT HOUSING ADMINISTRATOR, KENT COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTCOUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

MICHAEL STACHOWIAK MICHAEL STACHOWIAK –– HOMELESS ASSISTANCE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SALVATION ARMYPROGRAM, SALVATION ARMY

BETTY ZYLSTRABETTY ZYLSTRA-- DIRECTOR OF BOOTH SERVICES, DIRECTOR OF BOOTH SERVICES, SALVATION ARMYSALVATION ARMY

KENT COUNTY HOMELESS STUDYKENT COUNTY HOMELESS STUDY

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

DESCRIPTION OF DATADESCRIPTION OF DATA

RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSISRESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

DESCRIPTION OF DATADESCRIPTION OF DATA

PERIOD OF DATA COLLECTIONPERIOD OF DATA COLLECTION

PARTICIPATING SHELTERSPARTICIPATING SHELTERS

CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET (INTAKE FORM)CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET (INTAKE FORM)

PARTICIPATING SHELTERSPARTICIPATING SHELTERS

CASA DE LA PAZCASA DE LA PAZ

THE BRIDGETHE BRIDGE

DOMESTIC CRISIS DOMESTIC CRISIS CENTERCENTER

GUIDING LIGHT GUIDING LIGHT WOMEN’S MISSIONWOMEN’S MISSION

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMPROGRAM

ICCF FAMILY HAVEN ICCF FAMILY HAVEN

MEL TROTTER MISSIONMEL TROTTER MISSION

RAMOTH HOUSERAMOTH HOUSE

RECUPERATION CENTERRECUPERATION CENTER

RED CROSS RED CROSS

THE SALVATION ARMY THE SALVATION ARMY

SENIOR NEIGHBORS SENIOR NEIGHBORS

WELL HOUSEWELL HOUSE

PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY (INCLUDING MISSING DATA)(INCLUDING MISSING DATA)

Yes25%

No58%

Missing17%

PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY PRIOR SHELTER HISTORY

Yes30%

No70%

RECENT RESIDENCERECENT RESIDENCE

76%

4%

7%

13%

Grand Rapids

Wyoming

Other Kent County

Outside of KentCounty

HIGH SCHOOL / GEDHIGH SCHOOL / GED

46%

54%

yesno

ATTENDED COLLEGEATTENDED COLLEGE

20%

80%

yesno

FAMILY COMPOSITIONFAMILY COMPOSITION

35%

13%

43%

9%

single femalesingle malefemale with childrenother

FAMILY SIZEFAMILY SIZE

48%

16%

16%

20%

1

2

3

4+

AGE OF PRIMARY CLIENTAGE OF PRIMARY CLIENT

Mean age was 29.2Mean age was 29.2

Youngest was 9Youngest was 9

Oldest was 87Oldest was 87

92% were younger 92% were younger than 46 yearsthan 46 years

14%

28%

31%

19%

8%

Lessthan 18

18-25

26-35

36-45

46+

GENDERGENDER

20%

80%

MalesFemales

FAMILY RACE FAMILY RACE

49%

40%

6%5%

BlackWhiteHispanicOther

SOURCES OF FAMILY INCOMESOURCES OF FAMILY INCOME

05

1015202530

Part-tim

eFull-t

ime

AFDCSocS

ecSSDI

SSIVeteranUnemp

ParentChildOtherNone

REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESSREASONS FOR HOMELESSNESSIN PERCENTIN PERCENT

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

VETERAN HOUSEHOLDVETERAN HOUSEHOLD

4%

96%

Yes

No

MOVED FROM SHELTER TO:MOVED FROM SHELTER TO:

21%

11%

13%15%

28%

12%

another shelter

friends of family

independent

last residence

unknown

other

RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSISRESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS

QUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESSQUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESS

OVERALL INCIDENTSOVERALL INCIDENTS

LENGTH OF STAYLENGTH OF STAY

RECIDIVISMRECIDIVISM

DEMOGRAPHIC CROSSTABSDEMOGRAPHIC CROSSTABS

WAYS OF QUANTIFYING WAYS OF QUANTIFYING HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

Incidents Incidents -- indicated by intake formsindicated by intake forms•• Single person or a familySingle person or a family

•• Unique incident or recidivismUnique incident or recidivism

Unique ID’sUnique ID’s

Length of stay: date leftLength of stay: date left--date entereddate entered

BedBed--Nights: (family size) x (length of stay)Nights: (family size) x (length of stay)

MEASURES OF HOMELESSNESS INMEASURES OF HOMELESSNESS INTHE FIVE YEAR PERIODTHE FIVE YEAR PERIOD

11,132 incidents in five years11,132 incidents in five years•• 5,104 unique incidents5,104 unique incidents

•• 2,005 individuals were recidivists2,005 individuals were recidivists

•• 6,028 repeated incidents6,028 repeated incidents

Family size mean = 2.2Family size mean = 2.2

Length of stay averaged 9.5 daysLength of stay averaged 9.5 days

Average incident used 20.9 bedAverage incident used 20.9 bed--nightsnights

226,803 total bed226,803 total bed--nightsnights

INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESS INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESS INVOLVING CHILDRENINVOLVING CHILDREN

66% of the incidents involved children66% of the incidents involved children•• 37%involved children under age 637%involved children under age 6

•• 32% involved children aged 632% involved children aged 6--1717

•• 15% of the incidents were single children 15% of the incidents were single children under age 18under age 18

There were 14,211 children involved in There were 14,211 children involved in homeless incidentshomeless incidents

129,240 bed129,240 bed--nights were used by childrennights were used by children

INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSINCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSBY YEARBY YEAR

2526 2553

2113

1709

2122

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99

BEDBED--NIGHTS BY YEARNIGHTS BY YEAR

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

1st Qtr 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99

LENGTH OF STAYLENGTH OF STAY

Average length was Average length was 9.5 days9.5 days

Most frequent (18%) Most frequent (18%) was 1 daywas 1 day

61% stayed less than 1 61% stayed less than 1 weekweek

8% stayed more than 4 8% stayed more than 4 weeksweeks

61%

31%

8%

Lessthan 1Week

1 to 4Weeks

Over 4Weeks

LENGTH OF STAY (DAYS) LENGTH OF STAY (DAYS) BY REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSBY REASON FOR HOMELESSNESS

0 5 10 15 20 25

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

DAYS

LENGTH OF STAY LENGTH OF STAY BY SHELTER GROUPBY SHELTER GROUP

0 10 20 30 40

Intake/Assessment

Motels

Special Populations

Men

Women andChildren

DAYS

INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSINCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSBY SHELTER GROUPBY SHELTER GROUP

38%

3%26%

29%

4%

Women and ChildrenMenSpecial PopulationsIntake/AssessmentMotels

REPEATED INCIDENTS OF REPEATED INCIDENTS OF HOMELESSNESSHOMELESSNESS

Of the 11,132 incidents, Of the 11,132 incidents, 46% were one timers46% were one timers

20% were persons 20% were persons who had two incidentswho had two incidents

15% had 5 or more 15% had 5 or more incidents of incidents of homelessness in the homelessness in the five year periodfive year period

Number of Incidents

1

2

3

4

5 plus

USE OF HOMELESS SHELTERS IN USE OF HOMELESS SHELTERS IN BEDBED--NIGHTS BY RECIDIVISMNIGHTS BY RECIDIVISM

41%

22%

13%

9%

15%

1

2

3

4

5

PERCENT OF RECIDIVISM BY PERCENT OF RECIDIVISM BY REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESSREASONS FOR HOMELESSNESS

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Other

Recuperation

Fire/Disaster

Mental Health

Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Runaway

Domestic Violence

Financial

RECIDIVISM BY GENDERRECIDIVISM BY GENDER

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1 2 3 4 5+

Men

Women

RECIDIVISM BY RACERECIDIVISM BY RACE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

White Black Other

One Time

Two or More

RECIDIVISM BY FAMILY RECIDIVISM BY FAMILY COMPOSITIONCOMPOSITION

55.3

39.5

60.9

42.438.8

50.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Sing

leFe

mal

e

Sing

leM

ale

Fem

ale

&C

hild

ren

Mal

e &

Chi

ldre

n

Cou

ple

Cou

ple

&C

hild

ren

RECIDIVISM BY WHERERECIDIVISM BY WHERECLIENT MOVED TOCLIENT MOVED TO

More Likely to Repeat Homeless EpisodeMore Likely to Repeat Homeless Episode•• Another shelterAnother shelter

•• Substance abuse treatmentSubstance abuse treatment

Less Likely to RepeatLess Likely to Repeat•• Out of townOut of town

•• Returned to last residenceReturned to last residence

•• VA facilityVA facility

NUMBERS OF HOMELESS PEOPLENUMBERS OF HOMELESS PEOPLEBY RACE AND GENDERBY RACE AND GENDER

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Whites Blacks Other

Males

Females

PERCENT OF HOMELESS MALES AND PERCENT OF HOMELESS MALES AND FEMALES BY RACEFEMALES BY RACE

48

33.637.6

56

14.410.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Whites Blacks Other

Males

Females

RECIDIVISM BY RACE AND GENDERRECIDIVISM BY RACE AND GENDER

39.3

49.6

40.6

64.7

37.1

51.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Whites Blacks Other

Males

Females

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM

CHILDREN AS CUSTOMERSCHILDREN AS CUSTOMERS

REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSREASON FOR HOMELESSNESS

PARTNERSHIPSPARTNERSHIPS

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM

TRAINING FOR INTAKE WORKERSTRAINING FOR INTAKE WORKERS

EDUCATIONAL LEVELEDUCATIONAL LEVEL-- ENTER HIGHEST GRADE ENTER HIGHEST GRADE COMPLETEDCOMPLETED

PRIMARY REASON FOR STAY CATEGORY PRIMARY REASON FOR STAY CATEGORY --SPECIFY WHAT “OTHER” MEANSSPECIFY WHAT “OTHER” MEANS

SIZE OF FAMILY CATEGORY SIZE OF FAMILY CATEGORY -- REPLACE WITH THE REPLACE WITH THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING SHELTERACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING SHELTER

INTAKE FORMINTAKE FORM

INCLUDE A CATEGORY FOR REFERRING AGENCY, INCLUDE A CATEGORY FOR REFERRING AGENCY, WALKWALK--IN, POLICE DROPIN, POLICE DROP--OFF, ETC.OFF, ETC.

FAMILY COMPOSITION FAMILY COMPOSITION --COMPLETE A SEPARATE COMPLETE A SEPARATE INTAKE FORM FOR EACH ADULT SEEKING INTAKE FORM FOR EACH ADULT SEEKING SHELTERSHELTER

CHILDREN AS CUSTOMERSCHILDREN AS CUSTOMERS

66% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDREN66% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDREN

37% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDREN UNDER 37% OF INCIDENTS INVOLVE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 6YRS.THE AGE OF 6YRS.

HOW DO THESE CHILDREN PERCEIVE THEIR HOW DO THESE CHILDREN PERCEIVE THEIR HOMELESS EXPERIENCEHOMELESS EXPERIENCE

REASON FOR HOMELESSNESSREASON FOR HOMELESSNESS

FINANCIAL FINANCIAL -- RECIDIVISMRECIDIVISM

DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE -- RECIDIVISMRECIDIVISM

TANF TANF -- TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES FAMILIES

LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS BEING LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS BEING PRODUCEDPRODUCED

PARTNERSHIPSPARTNERSHIPS

YOU CAN’T GO IT ALONEYOU CAN’T GO IT ALONE

NEED FOR A PATH TO STABLE HOUSING NEED FOR A PATH TO STABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION (IF UNITS ARE AVAILABLE)PRODUCTION (IF UNITS ARE AVAILABLE)

STRONG COOPERATION WITH DOMESTIC STRONG COOPERATION WITH DOMESTIC ASSUALT, MENTAL HEALTH, AND LAW ASSUALT, MENTAL HEALTH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIESENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

KENT COUNTYKENT COUNTYHOMELESS STUDYHOMELESS STUDY

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRSCENTER FOR URBAN AFFAIRS

FALL 2000FALL 2000