Supportive Housing:A Community-Based Approach

Presented by

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

San Francisco, California

Supportive Housing:A Community-Based Approach

• Agency Overview

•Community Housing Partnership Model

•Community Development Projects

•Supportive Housing Operations

Community Housing PartnershipAgency Overview

• Formed in 1990 to address an alternative to the homeless crisis in San Francisco

• CHP formed by two community based groups– Council of Community Housing Organizations– Coalition on Homelessness

• Purpose– To integrate permanent, affordable housing with

support services, economic opportunities and community organizing, offering a range of resources to help people move beyond homelessness

Community Housing PartnershipAgency Overview

• 16th Year of Operations• Seven Operating Properties

– 429 Units (313 Single; 116 Family)

• Six Properties in Development– Single Adults; Seniors; Families (435 units)

• 90 Staff (Over 50% Formerly Homeless)• Annual Budget of $6.2 million• Three major program areas:

– Housing; Tenant Services; Community Development

CHP Model: Core Values• CHP is tenant-driven

– We always include tenants in every aspects of the organization

• CHP sites are communities, not programs– Our housing is permanent and services are

voluntary– Facilities are not “clean and sober”

• CHP is professional and accountable

CHP Model: Core Values• CHP is an advocate

– We focus on client advocacy AND systemic change

• CHP maximizes economic benefits– We hire from the community & strive to create

new job opportunities

• CHP is a partnership between tenants, staff, Board and allied agencies

CHP Model: Fully Integrated

Community Development

Services

Housing

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Employment & Training

Voc/Emp Service

Plan

Intake & Assessment

Employment Services

Retention services

Training Programs

Education Services

Vocational Services

Career Advance-ment

Job Development

Job Search &

Placement

Literacy GED Community College

Job Readiness

Vocational training On-the-job training Post-secondary Ed

Economic Development

Staff the front desk Provide unit turnover, Provide temporaryof affordable housing painting services labor to other nonsites and/or and perform special profits and provideprovide temporary projects in affordable staff for communitydesk clerks as housing sites. events.needed.

based on the training program they graduated from.

Employee Recruitment (Existing Training Programs)

Other

Graduates of the programs shown above will be interviewed and hired or

Desk Clerk TrainingProgram

Maintenance WorkCrew Program

SHEC Programs(job search and

skills center)

put on a waiting list. Employees will be placed in one of the 3 jobs areas below

Community Housing Enterprises Hiring Pool

ProgramShort Terms Job

ProgramCHEFS

Employment Opportunities

Entry to employmentEntry lvl. mant. jobs

Maintenance**(on-call, part-time &

full time)*

Labor(3 crews, each with

1 ft, 1pt and 7 on-call)

Front Desk & Apartment Temporary

Customer Services

Property Mngmnt.

Entry level PM jobsfull-time)*

(on-call, part-time &

Community Organizing

Tenant councils Community events Attending ralliesTenant summit Peer recognition Testifying/SpeakingTenant input at sites Mutual self-help GOTVSolving issues at sites Community projects Precinct walking

Neighborhood issues Alliance building

Influence policyLeadership dev.

Leadeship dev. Paticipatory decisions

COMMUNITY ORGANIZINGAT

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

INTERNAL* EXTERNAL**

*Goal is to build stronger communities, help CHP run more effectively, and facilitate individual growth**Goal is to influence public policy to further the organization's agenda as developed by its stakeholders

Political Action Tenant Organizing Community Building (all stakeholders)

Leadership dev.

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

OPERATIONS

Housing Development

• Housing is developed by CHP staff, sometimes in partnership with other nonprofit developers

• Cost is approximately $300,000 per unit

• Developments take approximately 3-5 years to complete

• Funding:– 40% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (4% credits)– 33% City of San Francisco – 25% State of California (MHP)– 2% Federal Home Loan Bank (AHP)

Characteristics of CHP Housing

• Buildings should include families and singles

• Units should have bathrooms and cooking areas

• Common space is designed to meet multiple needs

• Services are available at all sites

• Tenants pay no more than 30% of their income to rent

Senator Residence

Characteristics of CHP Tenants

• Over 1,000 households on the waiting list, 1-2 year waiting period

• 98% of the tenants screened are offered housing

• Demographics– 23% are seniors– 3% are monolingual– 12% are veterans– 49% have substance abuse issues– 58% have a physical or mental disability– 100% have experienced homelessness

Property Management

• Customer Service– Staff are trained in customer service and de-escalation– Rules are clear and followed consistently– Tenants have a voice in building operations

• Property Management & Tenant Services work as a team– Weekly site meetings– Quarterly all-staff meetings– Integrated goals

• Security and safety are critical– 24hr front desk coverage– Cameras and alarm systems– Tenant involvement

Tenant Services

1Services that help tenants maintain their housing and/or move to other housing opportunities 2Includes substance abuse and mental health counseling as well as specialized services for people with disabilities 3Information distribution as well as referrals to partner agencies and mainstream resources in the community 4Includes family counseling and youth activities at sites with youth as well as specialized services for seniors at sites with seniors

Tenant Service

Plan

Intake On-Site Services Exit

Info. & Refer.

Srvcs.3

Crisis Intervention Services

Housing Retention Services1

Community Building & Tenant Org.

Employment & Training Programs

Family & Senior Services4

ANNUAL REVIEW

Case Mngmnt. & Counseling2

Site-based Staff

Executive Director

Director of Tenant Services Director of Property Management

Program Manager

Tenant Services Supervisor

Counselor Counselor

Community Org.

Mental Health Spec.Collaborating Orgs.

Property Supervisor Maintenance Crew

Site Staff

Building Manager

Desk Clerks

Assistant Manager Janitors

Other

Cost

• Property Operations:– $8,000 PUPY– 9 FTEs/site

• Tenant Services– $3,500 PUPY– 25 tenants/staff

Funding Sources

• Property Operations:– Rent Subsidies (primarily HUD): 70%

– Tenant Rents: 25%

– Other Revenue: 5%

• Tenant Services– City of San Francisco: 75%

– HUD (McKinney): 20%

– Grants: 5%

Outcomes

• Service Utilization Rate: 92%– Outcomes vary based on individual goals

• Tenant Rent Collection Rate: 97%

• Housing Retention Rate: 99.2%

Supportive Housing Operations:Lessons Learned

• Quality of housing design and operations is critical

• Property Management & Tenant Services must work as a team

• Regular, structure communication is critical

• Community-based and professional are not mutually exclusive

• Homelessness is not a pathology: community building is more important than “treatment”

For More Information

• www.chp-sf.org

• info@chp-sf.org

• 415-929-2470