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as its common assessment tool. This tool provides a score for each
<br />assessed individual; this score is then used to determine what
<br />specific intervention should be offered to that person, and their
<br />prioritization on the centralized waitlist (CWL). For single adults, a
<br />VI-SPDAT score of 8+ will place them on the CWL for permanent
<br />supportive housing, while a score of 4-7 will place them on the CWL
<br />for a rapid re-housing intervention.
<br />The coordinated entry system was established in 2015; since then,
<br />1,493 assessments have been completed (as of 6/30/18). Of these
<br />completed assessments, 76 percent of persons assessed were
<br />single adults.
<br />Through its CE policies and procedures, Lane County requires
<br />that assessments be updated every six months or the assessment
<br />will “expire” and the household will be removed from the CWL.
<br />Since available housing resources are limited, a large portion of
<br />people who are assessed will not be offered a resource within this
<br />timeframe, and may become disconnected during this period.
<br />Since CE was implemented, 709 singles adults have been removed
<br />from the CWL list, 549 of which were due to an expired assessment.
<br />Forty-three percent of people assessed (both single adults and
<br />families) have been removed from the CWL without ever being
<br />referred to a housing resource.
<br />The current system design presents a number of challenges.
<br />First, it “wastes” resources of the assessing agencies and gives
<br />some people in need of a housing intervention “false hope.”
<br />Second, not all homeless resources participate in CE, specifically
<br />PSH and Transitional Housing units. In addition, while the CE
<br />system incorporates some mobile outreach doing assessments,
<br />there is no fully dedicated CE outreach team to do assessments
<br />system-wide. There also is no “walk-in” capacity as most
<br />assessments require an appointment, which means the person
<br />in need will have to “follow up” with an appointment at a later
<br />time. Finally, given the number of people who are experiencing
<br />homelessness and are living on the streets or in shelters, there is
<br />insufficient assessor and navigator capacity.
<br />5. DAY CENTERS/ACCESS CENTERS
<br />Day shelters or access centers in Lane County provide emergency
<br />and basic needs assistance including food, clothing, laundry
<br />and shower facilities, supplies, telephone and internet access,
<br />housing location services, advocacy, and transportation assistance.
<br />Currently there are three day shelters/access centers within Lane
<br />County. One access center, Service Station, is designed to provide
<br />basic assistance for single adults.
<br />6. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
<br />TH is a temporary model of housing, the purpose of which is to
<br />facilitate the movement of homeless individuals and families
<br />into permanent housing within 24 months. Transitional housing
<br />can be a necessary part of a CoC’s homeless assistance portfolio,
<br />especially where services offered actually match the needs of
<br />people experiencing homelessness. This type of housing should
<br />be reserved for those populations who need this particular
<br />type of intervention, rather than being used for those who
<br />need permanent supportive housing or who need less intensive
<br />interventions.
<br />There are currently 47 transitional housing beds for single adults
<br />within Lane County. The majority of these beds are targeted to
<br />Veterans and youth populations. Based on TAC’s analysis, the
<br />existing TH beds available do respond to a need in the community,
<br />and at 92 percent, have the highest utilization rate of all programs.
<br />However, some performance improvements might be needed.
<br />Of particular note is that 19 percent of households who exit TH
<br />to permanent housing return to homelessness within 2 years.
<br />
<br />7. RAPID RE-HOUSING
<br />RRH is an intervention, informed by progressive assistance and
<br />a housing first approach, that is a critical part of a community’s
<br />effective homeless crisis response system. Rapid re-housing quickly
<br />connects families and individuals experiencing homelessness
<br />to permanent housing through a tailored package of resources
<br />that may include the use of time-limited financial assistance and
<br />targeted supportive services. Rapid re-housing programs help
<br />families and individuals living on the streets or in emergency
<br />shelters solve the practical and immediate challenges to obtaining
<br />permanent housing while reducing the amount of time they
<br />experience homelessness, avoiding a near-term return to
<br />homelessness, and linking them to community resources that
<br />enable them to achieve housing stability in the long-term.
<br />There are 50 units of RRH dedicated to single adults. These units
<br />are administered across five different programs in Lane County.
<br />These programs do not operate or interact in a systematic way,
<br />but are instead siloed within the different agencies that administer
<br />the programs. In addition, the RRH system resources – mainly the
<br />resources dedicated to staff positions, navigators, housing search
<br />workers, and landlord engagement liaisons – are underfunded,
<br />thereby limiting the effectiveness of this component. Currently, at
<br />74 percent, RRH resources have the lowest utilization rate system-
<br />wide. This may be due to the challenges providers face in locating
<br />housing and quickly moving households out of homelessness.
<br />8. PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
<br />PSH is a housing model designed to provide housing assistance
<br />(project- and tenant-based) and supportive services on a long-
<br />term basis. PSH is considered a best practice.
<br />Lane County currently has just over 400 PSH units for single adults.
<br />This number is inadequate to serve the number of homeless
<br />households who are eligible for, and would benefit from, the
<br />resources of PSH, and it presents a sizable gap in the PSH system.
<br />In addition, of these 400 PSH units, 223 are Veterans Affairs
<br />CURRENT HOMELESS SYSTEM FOR SINGLE ADULTS
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<br />May 13, 2019, Joint Work Session – Item 1
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