Stability Starts with a Place to Call Home Board Workshop October 2, 2018
National & State Context • Continuing growth in income inequality – Little wage growth for low income workers – Increasing rental costs straining many – Loss of social supports/safety nets • Ongoing discrimination and prior racist housing policies and practices continue to contribute to disproportionate rates of housing instability for people of color • Children, families and older residents increasing as a proportion of the unstably housed 2
Workshop Goals • Provide a comprehensive picture of housing and related services in Ramsey County – Internal (county departments) – External (Heading Home Ramsey) • Describe the implications of the system and current housing market for people without stable housing • Identify ways to increase alignment across county and community toward the shared vision of housing stability for all residents 3
Workshop Plan • Morning Workshop – Context/Overview – County efforts to address homelessness and housing instability update – Interdepartmental Council on Housing Stability findings and next steps • Afternoon Workshop – Heading Home Ramsey (HHR) update – Additional data and charts about homelessness and services in the county – HHR requests
Current Context in Ramsey County Rent Vacancy • Local rental market remains tight – 2% vacancy rate • Landlord’s market – Criminal records – Poor rental histories, previous evictions – People with disabilities • Increasing number of people experiencing homelessness – Families in cars – Encampments Source: Minneapolis Area Market, Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors Monthly Indicators, Jan 2018; Zillow; Northstar MLS; US Census Bureau 5
Affordability Gap: Lowest Cost Rental Compared to $1,600 Assistance Guidelines & Wages $1,400 3-Person Household, 250 % Monthly Incom e by 20 18 $1,299 $1,200 Poverty Thresholds, $1,100 Lowest Price Housing Costs, and Wages $1,000 20 0 % $1,039 Monthly Amounts $800 150 % $779 $774 $15.00 / Hr $12.50 / Hr $600 $645 Afford $516 $400 $200 $0 30 % of Poverty Rent+Utilities (2-BR) 30 % of Full-Tim e Threshholds Wages 6
Ram sey Point In Tim e Count, Total County of Persons by Household Type, 20 15-20 18 1000 877 900 859 775 800 707 Number of Persons 700 660 Single Adults (age 18+) 600 544 538 533 500 Families (at least one adult and one child) 400 Unaccompanied Children (age <18) 300 200 100 31 27 28 27 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 Year 7
Update: Recent Efforts to Respond to Needs Created by Housing Gaps • Redirecting Users of Shelter to Housing (RUSH) • Program to transition long term shelter users out of shelter into housing in the community • Outside-In • Coordinated effort to address unsheltered population in downtown St. Paul. • Winter Safe Space • Short term, safe shelter during the winter for single adults • Cold Weather Hotel Shelter Policy 8
Sheltered Hom eless Persons , Anytim e Over 12-Month Period, FFY 20 15-20 17 4,000 Total Count of Unduplicated Persons 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 3,8 49 3,297 3,10 1 1,500 1,000 500 0 FFY 2015 FFY 2016 FFY 2017 Year 9
Interdepartmental Council on Housing Stability • Established in 2017 Strategic Plan, continued in 2018 strategic plan; Meeting monthly since late Fall 2017 • Provides an opportunity for leadership staff from across the county to jointly increase their understanding of the county housing system and its issues, and to collaborate toward joint solutions: – Community Corrections, Community & Economic Development, Financial Assistance Services, Health and Wellness Administrative Division, Policy and Planning, Public Health, Sheriff, Social Services, Veterans Affairs, Workforce Solutions 10
% Reported as Homeless within 6 Months of Exit 35% 31.5% 31.4% 30% 2016 2017 25.0% 25% 22.6% Percent of Exits 20% 18.4% 17.0% 15% 10% 5.9% 5.4% 4.8% 5% 3.8% 0% Total Exits Child Placements Detox Group Residential Adult Correctional Housing Facility # of Exits in 2017 = 10,973 924 3,705 2,455 3,889
Toward a Fuller Picture of Housing in the County • Ramsey County and its partners are directly and indirectly involved in a wide-range of housing-related activities • A broader look provides a better understanding of where there are system gaps contributing to housing instability – This includes seeing the unintended consequences of some policies and practices at the individual resident level. • More awareness across county departments and staff of resources and needs will strengthen the county’s capacity to coordinate and assure efficiency in the services it delivers 12
County Housing & Services Inventory • Short and long term housing—voluntary and involuntary – Care facilities & residential treatment – Corrections, detention – Out of home placement – Supportive housing • Emergency response/Shelters • Safety net assistance to people at risk of becoming homeless – Cash assistance (Emergency Assistance, Emergency General Assistance, Safety Net Program, Veterans Special Needs Grant) – FHPAP community grants for rent assistance, outreach 13
County Housing & Services Inventory - Cont. • Assistance to purchase housing or expand affordable housing stock – First time home buyers – Multifamily housing development program – Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers • Services to support people where they reside – Income supplements and housing subsidies with social services to live in the community – Healthy housing programs to keep people in homes • Administrative support – Information systems, data collection, staff support & coordination 14
Homelessness risks for people returning to the community • Disruptions in their prior housing: – Lost job, income, residence – Lost social connections and support – Return home may be legally prohibited (e.g., restraining order) • Prior housing instability problems may worsen while out of their homes – Low or little income, poor or no credit history, prior evictions, behavioral health issues – Few opportunities to address these issues while out of home, depending on setting 15
Program/Bureaucratic Challenges for People Returning to the Community • Requiring people be housed at program exit may inadvertently be contributing to homelessness – People may report and have temporary housing immediately at exit (often unstable) but lose it later • Paperwork may make it difficult for people to attain housing once they are no longer associated with a service setting • Definitions of homelessness may exclude some who are actually homeless or at risk • Housing bottlenecks in some service systems keep people from moving to more independence and limit new entrants 16
Recent Initiatives Moving Upstream • Providing immediate assistance where people are in crisis – Housing Court, Housing Hotline (FAS) • Increasing resources within FAS to help families in shelter stabilize and navigate housing (case aides) • Increasing focus on FAS housing initiatives – New Program Specialist FTE • Expanding supportive housing sources capacity – State Infrastructure Grant Planning Staff FTE • Increasing attention and resources to people transitioning from county housing – State Infrastructure Grant Housing Resource Specialist FTE 17
Laying the Groundwork for Next Steps to Increase Housing Stability • Testing new ideas – Landlord assurance program proposal (with a community partner) – SPPN 2-Gen Project – More support for young adults transitioning from corrections (Pohlad grant) • Continuing to identify and develop ways to reduce bureaucratic barriers (Interdepartmental Housing Council) • Refining housing exit and other relevant county performance measures to track progress • Learning from other counties about ways to more efficiently and effectively align and revision our county’s housing resources. (Interdepartmental Housing Council) 18
Conclusion: Much Remains to be Done • Underlying issues of racism and economic inequality continue to dominate and impede progress • Housing is a foundational need that needs to be addressed. It can be transformational. • To serve all residents, housing must be affordable and accessible without barriers for those with past housing challenges • The county cannot be successful in increasing housing stability without its partners – Heading Home Ramsey and community providers 19
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