From Storage Shed to Stable Home - On The Brink of Change
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
M A R C H 2 0 1 6 · V O L U M E 2 1 · N O. 1 H O U S I N G A S S I S TA N C E C O U N C I L 4 10 On The Brink of Change Stable Home From Storage Shed to 33 What the Schools Know
2 Rural Voices
Dear Friends,
This edition of Rural Voices makes clear the complexity of rural homelessness.
Defining, much less quantifying, rural homelessness is a formidable task.
While the challenges are sobering, we are inspired by those addressing rural
homelessness across sectors ranging from education to domestic violence
to veterans’ services. We’ve brought together national experts and local
providers to share perspectives on this issue while cognizant of one constant:
affordable housing matters – and we need more of it.
Probing rural homelessness provides a stark reminder – important for
policymakers and practitioners alike – that homelessness and housing
related issues manifest differently in rural environments. Highly effective
urban solutions aimed at homelessness too often falter in rural America,
where nonprofits – not governments – often provide services and where
those who are homeless are often less conspicuous, but no less in need of
assistance. We also know that rural homelessness recognizes no geographic
boundaries. Counties with entrenched poverty deal with homelessness
regularly. But homelessness is also a constant in rural areas with popular
recreational amenities and well-heeled seasonal residents, as economic
booms inevitably lead to high rents, unaffordable to those in the service
industries, seniors living on fixed incomes, and others.
In a fast-paced world where “solutions” to complex problems are often
noted in bullet points it would be tempting to offer a slate of quick fixes
to rural homelessness in this forum. But doing so would be disingenuous Derek Mindler, Flickr Creative Commons:
as we know that addressing complex problems requires local ingenuity https://flic.kr/p/pVgE7d
coupled with sustained resources.
Rural Voices last addressed rural homelessness in 2007. Since then,
researchers from a variety of disciplines have further explored the impact
of homelessness. Their findings indicate the far-ranging human and fiscal
costs when shelter is unavailable. For example, a 2014 government report
noted that one out of every 45 children faces homelessness in a given year,
adding that experiences associated with homelessness can lead to “toxic
stress” in children linked to behavioral and developmental delays, physical
disabilities, and social emotional issues.
Perhaps in 2022, after the next seven-year interval, we can devote a Rural
Voices issue to how rural homelessness was solved. If so, we will know that
those rural voices featured in this edition deserve a part of the credit.
Sincerely,
Andrew Bias Peter Carey
Chair, Board of Directors Moises Loza
President, Board of Directors Executive Director
3
RURAL VOICES
2
4
Dear Friends
On the Brink of Change
Innovative housing solutions are possible
if everyone can work together.
An Overview of Rural
4 On The Brink of Change
6
Homelessness
Homelessness has some different causes, features, and
resources in rural places than in cities, and recognizing the
distinctions can help in crafting solutions.
10
From Storage Shed
to Stable Home
What does rural homelessness look like? A Tennessee man
shares his story of hardship and perseverance.
Farmworker Homelessness
14
in Imperial County, California
10
Factors related to the seasonal nature of their work,
their low wages, and discrimination may lead to
homelessness among farmworkers.
Moving into Housing…First
22
The Housing First approach provides housing without
preconditions or requirements relating to behavior or treatment. From Storage Shed to
With a stable home base, residents then address the challenges
that caused, or kept them in, homelessness. Stable Home
Expanding Healthcare
28
Services for Supportive Housing
Residents in Rural Areas
The Affordable Care Act can help fund services
that assist people in remaining stably housed.
What the Schools Know:
Children and Youth
33 33
Experiencing Homelessness
A national system of state and local homeless education
coordinators works to ensure the growing numbers of homeless
students have access to the resources they need.
39
What the Schools Know
HAC Facts
4 Rural Voices
A View From Washington
On the Brink
of Change
Innovative housing solutions are
possible if everyone can work together.
By Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer
5
Through winter’s bitter cold and Among other things, H.R. 3700 would:
summer’s sweltering heat, hundreds of
•A
im to ensure that veterans have
thousands of individuals sleep outdoors homelessness
fair access to housing and homeless
or in cars, tents, barns, or local homeless across our
assistance programs;
shelters, and do not have their own country is
places to call home. •A
uthorize the RHS single-family
heartbreakingly
housing guaranteed loan program
In 2015, the national rate of and inexcusably to delegate approval authority to
homelessness dropped to 18.3 homeless
high preferred lenders;
people per 10,000 individuals in the
general population. In this same •E
xtend the period for which a family
time period, 34 states saw a decrease could use a family unification housing
in overall homelessness, while 17 voucher and increase the ceiling for the
states saw an increase. Nevertheless, Family Unification Program voucher
homelessness across our country is age requirement;
heartbreakingly and inexcusably high.
•A
nd streamline requirements for the
While most Americans are fortunate to
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity
have a place to call home each and every
Program and other housing assistance
night, we have to recognize that is not
programs.
the case for everyone and we know this
issue will not be solved on its own. H.R. 3700 is a significant start, but
conversations throughout 2016 will go
When I took the gavel of the House
beyond one bill alone. The subcommittee
Financial Services Subcommittee on
will continue to conduct oversight of
Housing and Insurance, I told my
HUD and RHS to identify paths forward
colleagues and all who would listen
for innovations that strive to serve
that I wanted to work together to
Americans in need, while responsibly
accomplish more for those Americans
utilizing limited resources.
facing homelessness, knowing that the
current system isn’t built to combat the There is a renewed effort to focus
multi-layered housing problems seen on poverty in both urban and rural
throughout our nation. communities across the nation. I firmly
believe we are on the brink of making
We need to look for innovative housing
real, meaningful changes. If we can
solutions in both urban and rural areas.
continue to keep working, and keep
Last year, Housing and Urban working together, we can ensure that
Development (HUD) Secretary Julián actors in Washington help, not hurt, our
Castro visited my district in Missouri. most vulnerable populations.
Together we met with residents, housing
advocates, and state and local officials Editor’s note: H.R. 3700 passed the House on
charged with finding solutions for rural a 427-0 vote on February 2, 2016. The bill
housing issues. has not yet been considered in the Senate.
As a result of those meetings, and of
meetings held throughout Missouri and
in Washington, I developed H.R. 3700, Rep. Luetkemeyer, a Republican
comprehensive legislation that takes the representing Missouri’s third district, is
first step in instituting reforms to the the Vice Chairman of the House Small
programs and processes at HUD for the Business Committee and is a member of
first time in 50 years and at USDA’s Rural the House Financial Services Committee,
Housing Service (RHS). where he serves as the Chairman of the
Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
6 Rural Voices
Diógenes, Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/ndDUDf
An Overview of
Rural
Homelessness
By Nan Roman and Steve Berg
Homelessness has some different
causes, features, and resources in rural
places than in cities, and recognizing the
distinctions can help in crafting solutions.
7
maintain adequate incomes and
stability in housing; and
• higher poverty rates resulting
from the above as well as dis-
proportionate recovery from
the Great Recession.
Assistance for People
Experiencing Homeless-
ness in Rural Areas
Most big cities have a well-de-
veloped assistance infrastruc-
ture designed specifically for
people who are homeless,
supported with federal, state,
and local public funding, and
Incidence and Causes of significant philanthropic and
Homelessness affects people in Rural Homelessness faith-based contributions. This
communities throughout our na- results in a network of shelters
The best existing studies appear
tion: wealthy and poor, northern for different populations, longer
to show that people who are
and southern, urban and rural. It term transitional housing,
homeless are under-represented
is a problem driven largely by the street outreach, drop-in cen-
in the rural population relative
gap between what low-income ters, and meal programs.
to the general U.S. population.
people earn and the skyrocketing
According to the AHAR 2015 Part The concentration of those
cost of housing, often exacerbat-
1, 14 percent of all homeless experiencing homelessness
ed by unmet service needs.
people live in rural areas, where- is thinner in rural areas and
Homelessness is a constant as the 2010 Census found that 19 populations overall are smaller,
across the U.S. landscape, but its percent of the U.S. population so individual rural communities
effects on those who experience is rural. It is possible, however, rarely have the same availability
it, as well as its solutions, can that this under-representation is of shelters and other infrastruc-
vary considerably based on local due to the challenge of counting ture as big cities. As a result, the
factors. According to the Annual homeless people in rural areas percentage of homeless people
Homeless Assessment Report versus urban areas, described who are unsheltered is higher
(AHAR) 2015 Part 1, published by further below. in rural areas than in urban –
the Department of Housing and people may live in campers or
There are broad structural fac-
Urban Development, 564,708 other places not meant to serve
tors that cause homelessness
people experienced homeless- as homes.
in both rural and urban areas:
ness on a given night in 2015.
the lack of affordable housing At the same time, the problem
What does this look like when
and employment options, low of homelessness is often less
we consider the rural landscape?
wages, and insufficient services visible in rural areas. Unsheltered
According to the AHAR 2015 Part 1: for those who need them. Rural homeless people in rural areas
areas do, however, have several may be less likely to live openly
•7 8,085 people in rural areas
unique issues that may affect on the streets. Services that are
experienced homelessness on a
homelessness: available are often provided by
given night in 2015;
• 42 percent of those (approxi- •m ore substandard housing; larger antipoverty or community
mately 32,800) were people in •a cute transportation barriers development programs, rather
families; and that impede access to jobs, ser- than by programs that define
• 11.6 percent (approximately vices, and education, affecting themselves as addressing home-
9,650) were chronically home- incomes and access to afford- lessness. Because there are few
less individuals. able housing; visible reminders of this pressing
• lack of mental health, child care, social issue, other residents do
health, employment, and other not know, and may even deny,
services that would help people that homelessness exists.
8 Rural Voices
A more scattered, less under-
stood, and less visible homeless
population likely contributes to
a lack of attention and resources
to address homelessness in
rural areas.
Ending
Rural Homelessness
A combination of the causes of
homelessness, the way in which
people experience it, and the
response in rural areas may be
holding back progress on the issue.
What could be done differently to
help rural communities solve their
homelessness problems?
Many of the factors that distin-
guish rural from urban home-
lessness could in fact suggest a
path to ending homelessness in
In April 2013 Ogala Sioux Partnership for Housing moved this home from the Pine Ridge rural areas.
Reservation in South Dakota to Washington DC to bring awareness to the issue of housing
crowding on Native American Lands. First, there must be continued
These factors all feed into the improvement in the assessment
question of reliability around rural of the size and nature of rural
homelessness data. Nationally, homelessness. Administrative
homeless people are “counted” in data matching might identify
two ways: by assessing the number people who are homeless but
of people who use homeless pro- who, in the absence of homeless
grams, and by physically scouring programs, receive assistance
jurisdictions to count people who from other public systems of
are unsheltered (living outside, or care (hospitals, mental health
in cars, tents, abandoned build- services, substance abuse treat-
ings, etc.). Since individual rural First, there must ment, etc.). And enhanced and
communities have fewer homeless coordinated counting methodol-
be continued
programs, this method is less ogies could better identify those
improvement in
effective there. And covering living outdoors or in places not
the assessment meant for human habitation.
the massive rural geographies to
count those not in programs, an of the size and
The fact that rural areas have rel-
unfunded activity, is prohibitive. nature of rural atively less investment in shelters
In addition, in both rural and urban homelessness and other temporizing measures
areas the counts do not attempt to can, in some places, allow more
measure the much larger number flexibility to spend available funds
of low-income people who are to help people escape homeless-
“doubled up” or in substandard ness immediately. Funds could
housing, even those who are be used to more directly house
eligible for homeless programs people who become homeless,
due to the instability or danger of employing the “rapid rehousing”
their situations. As a result, it is model, thus eliminating the need
quite likely that the extent of rural for shelters where none exist. As
homelessness is underestimated. the number of literally homeless
9
people decreases, rural areas be placed in a CoC with a nearby
Summary
could use improved data to en- city, with the city commanding
hance their ability to predict who most of the resources. What The causes, nature,
will become homeless, and invest works well to coordinate services and mechanics of
more resources in prevention by within the confines of a city may solving homeless-
providing services that help peo- The causes, not work so well across the much ness are different in
ple maintain housing and increase nature, and larger geography of a state. The rural than in urban
housing affordability. Homeless Emergency Assistance areas. Our failure to
mechanics
and Rapid Transition to Housing appreciate this has
Other variations in usual practice of solving
Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act) gave created obstacles
may be indicated. At present, homelessness HUD the ability to rationalize when it comes to
federal funds are often targeted
are different in this system, but the agency has solving the problem
to permanent supportive hous-
rural than in not yet done so. in these communi-
ing for people who are homeless
ties. Despite that,
for long periods of time and dis- urban areas The HEARTH Act established
it is likely that
abled – “chronic homelessness.” the Rural Housing Stability As-
rural areas could
This makes sense in urban areas, sistance program to replace the
end homelessness
but chronic homelessness is regular Continuum of Care pro-
more, not less,
rarer in rural areas, while many grams in rural areas that choose
quickly than their
of the challenges there are more to do so with flexible funds and
urban neighbors
closely linked to barriers such as broader eligibility for people
if given good data
transportation, lack of adequate needing assistance, linked to a
and the ability to
services, low wages, lack of commitment to solve the most
address the issue in
jobs, and a shortage of quality severe housing problems in the
the most effective
affordable housing. While rural rural community. To date, how-
manner.
communities as well as urban ever, this program has not been
areas should be accountable for funded so rural communities are
meeting standards for effective- still operating under the same
ness and reaching the worst-off structure as urban areas.
residents, more flexibility would
be helpful when it comes to as-
signing federal homeless funds
to support programs and ser-
Nan Roman is President and CEO of the National Alliance to End
vices that meet their particular
Homelessness. Steve Berg is Vice President of Programs and Policy
needs. While recent changes to
for the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
HUD’s homelessness programs
have moved in this direction,
opportunities remain, as noted
below regarding the Rural Hous-
ing Stability Assistance program.
Finally, the largest federal
homelessness program, the
Homeless Assistance Grant Pro-
gram at the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), quite properly requires
communities to coordinate ser-
vices in order to receive funding.
The unit of coordination is the
Continuum of Care (CoC). In
most states, each large city or
county in the state constitutes
a CoC. The rest of the state be-
comes a Balance of State CoC(s).
In other states, rural areas can
DualD FlipFlop, Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/cj2CC3
10 Rural Voices
From
Storage
Shed to
Stable
Home
By Ashley Gooch
I scheduled a meeting with
What does rural two formerly homeless men to
talk about their experiences,
homelessness look like? and what I got was a raw and
A Tennessee man shares intimate conversation between
case worker and client who had
his story of hardship and much in common. Columbus
perseverance.
“Billy” Helton had experience
with homelessness here in
west Tennessee. Mike Smith,
a caseworker at Tennessee
Homeless Solutions, was also
once homeless. Hearing the two
of them interact, I knew they
connected on a deep level of
understanding that I would never11
it hard to find a job because
he had breathing difficulties
and many places that would
hire him would soon let him
go, fearing that they were
doing more harm than good
by letting him work in his
poor condition. All at once he
found himself sleeping on an
old army cot in a tent in the
wooded area of Adamsville,
Tennessee. On colder nights
he would sneak into a nearby
storage unit, owned by
someone else, and pray no one
would catch him so that he
might get a good night’s rest.
Our case worker Mike related
to Billy, telling him many
nights he would wake up so
cold that he could not go back
to sleep and would be sore from
shivering all night. Billy agreed
that, he too, had experienced
nights so cold his teeth would
chatter and he would find
himself piling all the clothing
he owned on top of him for
some kind of comforting
warmth.
Nights so cold
his teeth would Billy suffered through
know, so I sat back and listened
chatter and homelessness in Adamsville
as they recounted stories of
for about a year, doing the best
hardship, pain, and solitude. he would find
he could to get by. He often
Billy Helton was once a very himself piling all washed himself in nearby
successful and hardworking the clothing he lakes or creeks, and told us
man working in construction owned on top of that, at times, it was warmer
and traveling all over the U.S. him for some kind in the water than it was out
doing professional painting. of the water. He remembered
of comforting
As he recounts it, his downfall standing out in the cold to
into homelessness began after warmth dry off since he did not have a
his divorce. Once able to think towel and did not want to soak
quickly on his feet, he found the clothing he would have
himself suddenly unable to do to wear. Billy did not have a
that under the stress that comes car; he walked and bicycled
with divorce in addition to his everywhere that he needed to
declining health. Billy found go around town, often going12 Rural Voices
to the dollar store to pick up
some ramen noodle cups,
filling them with cold water
and letting them sit until they
were edible. He laughed as he
remembered putting anything
he had available – such as
bacon, black pepper, and salt
– in them to make them taste
better.
I asked Billy if he ever felt
like giving up when he was
homeless. He sat silently for
a time, then told me he had
contemplated suicide for only
a moment before praying for
strength and courage to make
it through. On one particularly
dark night in the woods, Andy Arthur, Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/efqhLub
Billy’s tent was surrounded by
coyotes. He heard their hungry The view might be beautiful, but this lake shore in Appalachia is no place to spend a
winter night.
howling from far off, drawing
nearer until he knew they hotel and instructed him to call
surrounded him completely. “Everyone asks Tennessee Homeless Solutions’
Laughing, he told me, “I knew for help and hotline after finding out that he
it was either me or them, and was once in the United States
asking does not
I didn’t care which way it went National Guard. Billy told me
make you any less
at that point.” All he had with that he was so full of pride,
than anyone else. he did not want to put anyone
him was a small pocketknife
and a mini LED flashlight. He There are good else out and he certainly didn’t
turned on the flashlight, got people out there. want to ask for help.
out his knife, unzipped his Go find them.” Once he called the Tennessee
tent, and waited for what was Homeless Solutions’ hotline
to come next. Maybe coyotes he was set up to work with a
have compassion, maybe they case worker, which is where
were too afraid, or maybe this Mike came in. Mike, knowing
was some divine intervention, how it truly feels to be cold
but when Billy awoke the next and hungry, told his family
morning, there were no coyotes about Billy’s situation and
in sight. They had left him they delivered food to his
untouched. hotel room. Billy went into
One fateful day, the gentleman Tennessee Homeless Solutions’
that owned the storage shed Supportive Services for Veteran
in Adamsville found Billy Families program and was
staying there. This kind man soon moved into Tennessee
pointed Billy in the right Homeless Solutions’ long term
direction, towards a local Supportive Housing Program,
charity that put him up in a13
where he has a place to call his
own, a warm bed to sleep in,
and good food to eat. Billy’s
new case worker, Amy, checks
on him often and has helped
him secure some constant
income so that he may able to
support himself and stand on
his own two feet again.
The last question I asked Billy
was what he would say to
others that were going through
the same struggles now as he
once did. Without missing a
beat he replied, “Lay down
your pride. There are people
out there that want to help you.
Everyone has to ask for help
sometimes. When people want
to buy a house they have to go
to the bank to ask for help, and
the bank asks people to bank
with them so that they remain
successful. Everyone asks for
help and asking does not make
you any less than anyone else.
There are good people out
there. Go find them.”
We agree with Billy on this one.
If you are reading this right
now and you are struggling
with homelessness, there are
people out there that do want
to help you. Know that you
do matter to someone and
that there is a reason to keep
clinging to hope.
Ashley Gooch is Hotline
Operator/Office Manager at
Tennessee Homeless Solutions,
a nonprofit homeless assistance
agency serving West Tennessee.
Columbus “Billy” Helton (right) and caseworker Mike Smith of Tennessee Homeless Solutions.14 Rural Voices
Farmworker
Homelessness
in Imperial County,
California
By Ilene J. Jacobs and Patrick Saldaña
Factors related to the
seasonal nature of their
work, their low wages,
and discrimination may The seasonal nature of agricultural labor,
combined with a shortage of affordable housing
lead to homelessness in rural communities, frequently results in
homelessness among farmworkers. The 2014
among farmworkers. American Community Survey (ACS) estimates
that there are 386,724 agricultural workers in
California, with median earnings of $18,733.
The ACS estimates, however, are likely to
reflect the historically significant undercount
of farmworkers, whose population has been
estimated by experts to be between 545,0001 and
as high as approximately 1 million individuals.2
The ACS estimate of 5,501 farmworkers employed
in Imperial County probably is significantly lower15
Female-only
shelters often
impose
Faris Algosaibl, Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/nsEPLz age limits on
male children,
resulting in
teenage
than the true number during the work season fluctuates between 20 and 30 percent, means
male children
and does not include their dependents. California that farmworkers earn the bulk of their annual
Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) estimates that it is income during a small portion of the year and being unable to
closer to 8,000 workers. receive little income other than unemployment stay in shelters
insurance benefits during the remainder of the with their
Affordable Housing Shortage year. Unexpected expenses, such as medical
mothers.
The peak of the agricultural season in Imperial bills, have the potential to wipe out any savings,
County is during the winter months, with leaving many individuals unable to afford rent
significantly less farm work available outside and resulting in eviction.
this main season. Most farmworkers have low
Farmworkers who find themselves evicted
incomes by virtue of industry rates, with median
often have a difficult time obtaining affordable
annual wages in 2015 of $18,656 per year in
replacement housing or even shelter. There is
Imperial County.3 The limited farming season,
typically a shortage of beds in homeless shelters
combined with a county unemployment rate that
in more remote rural communities, such as16 Rural Voices
Their low
wages
frequently
leave
farmworkers
unable Pink Sherbet Photography, Flickr Creative Commons:
to afford https://flic.kr/p/7ZYLSW
housing even
during the
Imperial County, as well as a shortage of shelters These individuals face further hardships related
peak of the
equipped to accept mixed-gender families. Male to lost public benefits. They are ineligible for food
agriculture stamps and Medi-Cal if they move to Mexico. This
and female shelters often are located in separate
season. towns, and female-only shelters often impose highly vulnerable population is thereby placed
age limits on male children, resulting in teenage in the unenviable position of choosing between
male children being unable to stay in shelters homelessness in the United States, where they
with their mothers. Female-headed households might receive food stamps and healthcare, or
have to choose between splitting up the family to Mexico, where they can afford housing but will
stay in available shelters or remaining together have no health insurance if an emergency arises.
and staying with friends and relatives, in
The border crossing wait into the United States
substandard residential hotels, or on the streets.
during the peak of the winter harvest can be
Low, seasonal wages and a lack of affordable upwards of two hours, and an individual crossing
housing force many farmworkers in Imperial the border can be sent to secondary inspection
County to live across the border in Mexicali, Baja for any reason. A worker might not make it to
California and to commute to work every morning. their pickup site on time, so the work bus leaves
Housing in Mexico is significantly less expensive without them, and they run the risk of losing their
than in Imperial County, so many individuals job, not just a day’s work. A temporary homeless/
choose to move to Mexico in order to avoid farmworker tent shelter is assembled in a park in
homelessness. Some of the individuals crossing Calexico, a town on the U.S. side of the border, and
the border for work each morning are United many farmworkers who cannot afford housing
States citizens and lawful permanent residents in Imperial County sleep in this park during the
who cannot afford to live in the United States. harvest, when the weather is coldest.17
Poor Quality Housing
Their low wages frequently leave farmworkers resorting to litigation. Our El Centro office
unable to afford housing even during the has sent numerous demands for relocation
peak of the agriculture season. This leads to benefits over the past years, and has had only
exploitation of farmworkers by unscrupulous one landlord provide payment in response to a
landlords, who rent severely dilapidated and demand letter. The former tenants in every other
substandard properties to these individuals. case have had to proceed to small claims court to
These properties often are crowded and occupied enforce this right.
by multiple families, and may be infested with
CRLA’s offices throughout the state assist
vermin such as mice, bedbugs, and cockroaches.
farmworkers and other low-income individuals
These conditions seriously threaten farmworker
in obtaining and maintaining access to safe,
health and well-being.4 Retaliation, including
affordable housing. Our offices participate in
termination of utility services by landlords, and
local housing planning efforts to ensure that
threats are common against tenants who speak
rural communities allow for the development
out regarding living conditions, so tenants are
of affordable housing, and defend tenants who
afraid to seek outside assistance.
are threatened with termination of subsidized
Health and building departments in small housing for alleged lease violations. We also have
communities suffer from a lack of resources, and brought numerous habitability cases against
often are ill-equipped to handle local slumlords.5 landlords and mobile home park owners who rent
CRLA has observed a variety of responses from substandard properties, with great success. This
local code enforcement agencies in these cases. advocacy is essential to preventing homelessness
Some tenants have been incorrectly told by among farmworkers and their families.
enforcement agencies that a residence cannot
be inspected without a landlord’s consent or
without prior payment of an inspection fee by
the tenant. Inspectors in other communities
in the county have been overzealous in
condemning properties, resulting in tenants’
immediate homelessness. Some communities
have provided written warnings to property
owners and demanded repairs, while trying
to avoid condemning properties or initiating
code enforcement proceedings against the
owner. Each of these strategies largely has been
ineffective in improving the living situations of
tenants in these properties.
A tenant living in a property that is condemned
by code enforcement is entitled to relocation
benefits under California law. Landlords almost
universally refuse to pay these benefits, however,
and cash-strapped communities typically are
unwilling to advance the payments to tenants
and place a lien against the property, despite
having the right to do so. Displaced tenants
consequently become homeless, do not receive
the funds that the state legislature believed
would help them obtain alternate housing, and
are afraid to contact code enforcement again
in the future. CRLA has had limited success in
obtaining these benefits for tenants without
Bob Nichols, United States Department of Agriculture: https://flic.kr/p/fEiYqs18 Rural Voices
Discrimination
Farmworkers often face housing discrimination a number of Spanish-speaking tenants and
because they are farmworkers, or because of regularly provide community presentations
their national origin or race. Our office often discussing the rights of LEP tenants. We have
provides assistance for farmworkers who cannot been able to negotiate the development and
obtain access to decent, affordable housing adoption of language access policies by local low-
due to discrimination. We frequently bring fair income housing providers.
housing cases against housing providers who
The housing situation is further complicated for
have engaged in housing discrimination, and
LGBT farmworkers, for whom rural communities
we assist many disabled former farmworkers
Farmworkers like Imperial County typically have few
with making reasonable accommodation and
often face resources available. Discrimination against LGBT
reasonable modification requests. Through this
farmworkers is rampant, both on the job and in
housing work we have been able to prevent evictions as
the community. Our El Centro office recently
discrimination well as obtain relief for clients who have faced
provided assistance to a transgender individual
discrimination.
because who had been denied admission to several
they are We have also been working to ensure that low- homeless shelters. Each shelter was a single-
farmworkers, income housing providers that receive federal gender facility, and the client, who identified as
funds are complying with their duty under Title female, was questioned regarding the specifics of
or because of
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide her transition, denied admission to each of the
their national language access services to Limited English women’s shelters, and referred to a male-only
origin or race Proficient (LEP) individuals. We discovered that shelter which also denied admission because
many subsidized housing providers in Imperial she physically presented as female. Our office
County, including those operating farmworker was able to resolve this case by contacting each
housing within mere blocks of the Mexican shelter and explaining the law on this issue,
border, were providing leases and notices to and each women’s shelter agreed to update its
Spanish-speaking tenants in English only, and admissions policies and provide training to staff
using these English documents to terminate regarding the rights of transgender applicants.
the tenancies of monolingual Spanish speaking We were also able to obtain admission to a shelter
tenants. We have since made language access for our client, where she was provided with a
advocacy a local priority, and have represented private unit.19
1. Edward Kissam. Census Enumeration of Immigrant
Communities in Rural California: Dramatic Improve-
ments But Challenges Remain, Published online in
Proceedings of the Conference on Survey Methods for
Hard-to-Reach Populations, American Statistical Asso-
ciation, December, 2012.
2. Akhtar Khan, Philip Martin and Phil Hardiman,
“Expanded Production of Labor-intensive Crops
Increases Agricultural Employment.” Cal Ag California
Agriculture 58.1 (2004): 35-39. See also Brandon
Hooker, Philip Martin, and Andy Wong, “California
National Farm Worker Ministry, Flickr Creative Commons: Farm Labor: Jobs versus Workers in 2012”, State of
https://flic.kr/p/aoWfyy California Employment Development Department,
November 25, 2014.
Solutions
3. Detail Occupational Guide - Farmworkers and Laborers,
The first solution to address many of the Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in Imperial County. State
homelessness issues faced by farmworkers would of California Employment Development Department,
be funding and construction of decent, affordable n.d. Web, January 5, 2016.
housing, in a variety of types to provide housing
affordable to farmworker families, complex
households, and unaccompanied farmworkers, 4. T.A. Arcury, I.J. Jacobs and V. Ruiz, “Farmworker
in rural agricultural communities like Imperial Housing Quality and Health”; S.A. Quandt, C. Brooke,
County. Next would be expanded and appropriate K. Fagan, A. Howe, T. K. Thornburg, and S. A. Mc-
funding for enforcement of fair housing laws curdy, “Farmworker Housing in the United States
and enforcement of applicable health and safety and Its Impact on Health”; B. Marsh, C. Milofsky, E.
codes, designed to require repair of substandard Kissam and T. A. Arcury, “Understanding the Role of
housing conditions, to prevent retaliation and to Social Factors in Farmworker Housing and Health,”
require relocation assistance when displacement NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupa-
is the only alternative. Finally would be the tional Health Policy 25.3 (2015).
creation of additional shelters, particularly
mixed-gender shelters. Many communities resist
the idea of building additional shelters and low- 5. A. Moss Joyner, L. George, M. L. Hall, I. J. Jacobs, E.
income housing. Kissam, S. Latin, A. Parnell, V. Ruiz, N. Shadbeh, and
J. Tobacman, “Federal Farmworker Housing Standards
The creation of affordable housing in rural
and Regulations, Their Promise and Limitations,
farmworker communities must become a
and Implications for Farmworker Health,” NEW
priority, or our society will continue to be one in
SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational
which too many of the individuals who harvest
Health Policy 25.3 (2015): 334-52.
the food on our tables are unable to afford a roof
over their heads.
Ilene J. Jacobs is Director of Litigation, Advocacy &
Training and Patrick Saldaña is El Centro Directing
Attorney at California Rural Legal Assistance.The Complicated (& largely unknown)
Picture of Rural Homelessness
Homeless Estimate by State
Estimate of Homeless Persons in Each State
Washington
19,419
Maine
Montana North Dakota
1,709 1,305
2,372 Legend
Minnesota
Oregon 7,546 VermontNew Hampshire Estimate of Homeless Pe
13,226 Idaho 1,523
1,966 1,445 798 - 4,499
Wisconsin
South Dakota New York Massachusetts
6,057
1,036 88,250 21,135 4,500 - 9,999
Wyoming Michigan
Connecticut
798 10,516
4,047 Rhode Island 10,000 - 14,999
Iowa Pennsylvania New Jersey 1,111
Nebraska
15,000 - 34,999
3,081 15,421 10,098
2,744 Ohio 35,000 - 115,738
Nevada Utah Indiana 11,182 Maryland Delaware
Illinois
8,743 3,025 5,863 8,390 953
Colorado 13,177 West Virginia
California
9,953 1,835
115,738 Kansas Virginia
Missouri
2,588 6,482 Kentucky 7,001
4,538
North Carolina
Tennessee 10,685
Oklahoma 9,123
Arizona 3,777
9,896
New Mexico Arkansas South Carolina Estimate of Homeless Persons
2,629 2,560 5,354
Mississippi Alabama Georgia 798 - 4,499
1,983 3,970 13,790
4,500 - 9,999
Texas
Louisiana
Alaska
23,678
4,081 10,000 - 14,999
1,956
Florida 15,000 - 34,999
35,900
35,000 - 115,738
Hawaii
7,620
Homeless Estimate by Continuum of Car e, 2015
Estimate of Homeless Persons by Contiuum of Care
Source: Housing Assistance Council (HAC) Tabulations of HUD 2015 Point in Time Homelessness Estimates
Homeless Estimate by
Continuum of Care, 2015 Balance of State Continuum of Care
Estimate of Homeless Persons by Continuum of Care Percent of Homeless in Balance of State CoC
Legend
Homeless Estimate % Homel
9 - 999 0 (No
1,000 - 1,999 0.1 -
2,000 - 4,999 29.8 -
5,000 - 9,999 50.0 -
10,000 - 75,323 100 (S
No Data
Homeless Estimate % Homeless in Balance of State
9 - 999 2,000 - 4,999 10,000 - 14,999 0 (No Balance of State CoC) 29.8 - 49.9 100 (Statewide CoC)
1,000 - 1,999 5,000 - 9,999 No Data 0.1 - 29.7 50 - 99.9HUD Estimate of Homeless HUD Estimate of Homeless Persons –
Persons, 2007-2015 Balance of State CoC 2007-2015
660,000 110,000
640,000
82,500
620,000
600,000
55,000
580,000
560,000
27,500
540,000
520,000 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Total Homeless Estimate Balance of State CoC Estimate
How many homeless persons Homeless Shelter unsheltered
homeless
are in rural America? Status, 2015 30%
It’s nearly impossible to estimate the level of homeless- Unsheltered Homeless
ness in rural areas. HUD’s “Point in Time” survey is the Sheltered Homeless
data source most often used to enumerate homeless
estimates. The Point in Time’s “Balance of State CoC”
estimates are frequently used as proxies for rural
homelessness. However, they are not an optimum, or
sheltered
even accurate measure of homeless persons for various homeless
methodological reasons. In short, we need a better way 70%
to count and understand rural homelessness.
IN 2015 THERE WERE BALANCE OF STATE CoCs, 2015
AN ESTIMATED
564,708
Homeless persons in the
United States
45,463
Homeless Individuals
Of the total homeless estimate
78,085 32,622
Homeless People
in Families
Or
14% 6,858
were located in balance of state CoCs Homeless Veterans22 Rural Voices
Moving into
Housing…First
By Patricia Mullahy Fugere
The Housing First approach provides housing
without preconditions or requirements relating
to behavior or treatment. With a stable home
base, residents then address the challenges that
caused, or kept them in, homelessness.23
He walked the streets of our neighborhood, proudly sporting his FBI
sweatshirt. Many days, he’d wear a surgical mask to hide where the cancer
had slowly chipped away at his face. I could watch him from my office
window, grateful that his finding an apartment just a couple of blocks away
allowed us to stay connected. We would know if he decided to abandon his
housing…again.
Mr. J, who had slept rough on the streets for nearly two decades and had been
an on-again off-again client for nearly as long, had secured housing through
the local Housing First program. He was assessed to be a high priority for
the program because of his various maladies…for once something positive
HUD defines a
coming out of his deeply rooted struggles. He was assigned a case manager
chronically
who worked closely with his legal aid attorney to find housing that Mr. J
homeless person as
would deem acceptable. This was not a task for the faint of heart. He rejected “either (1) an unaccompanied
many apartments because of real or perceived safety concerns, finally leasing homeless individual with a
disabling condition who has been
a small unit across town just as the weather began to turn cold. Because he’d
continuously homeless for a year
been on the streets for so many years, we were skeptical that he’d transition or more, OR (2) an unaccompanied
well to life indoors; sadly, Mr. J fulfilled our expectations, returning to rough individual with a disabling condition
who has had at least four episodes
living at the end of the winter. of homelessness in the past three
years.”
Fortunately, the Housing First program was designed for folks like Mr. J; the
https://www.hudexchange.
fact that he abandoned his first apartment would not disqualify him from info/resources/documents/
securing another unit, should he decide to give stable housing another try. DefiningChronicHomeless.pdf
And thankfully, that’s just what he did. Before we turned our calendars to
another winter, we were apartment hunting with Mr. J once again. He found HUD defines permanent
an acceptable unit just up the street, and we became neighbors. supportive housing as
permanent housing with indefinite
That Mr. J was welcomed back into the Housing First program after having
leasing or rental assistance paired
once walked away was somewhat revolutionary, a reversal of many years with supportive services to assist
homeless persons with a disability
of programming in the homeless services world. Revolutionary, and a vital
or families with an adult or child
element of the program’s unprecedented success. Putting success rate data member with a disability achieve
aside, however, what his return to Housing First really meant in human housing stability.
https://www.hudexchange.info/
terms was that Mr. J could live out his final years, and ultimately die, in the
programs/coc/coc-program-
dignity of his own home. Since last spring, I’ve missed seeing him from my eligibility-requirements/
office window. Losing a neighbor is always a difficult thing.24 Rural Voices
What is Housing First?
According to the U.S. Interagency Housing First dutifully taking his or her meds or
Council on Homelessness (USICH), seeing a psychiatrist, in order to be
has flipped
“Housing First is a proven approach “ready” for housing, or to remain
decades of
in which people experiencing housed.
homelessness are provided with “housing
The Housing First approach was
permanent housing directly and with ready” practices
initially piloted by a psychiatrist in
few to no treatment preconditions, on their
New York City who grew frustrated
behavioral contingencies, or
head, making at seeing patient after patient
barriers.” In somewhat simpler
the bold languishing on the streets, being
terms, it provides people who are
declaration that offered opportunities to de-tox or
experiencing chronic homelessness
medicate or to secure placement
with exactly what they need: everyone can
in conventional shelters, instead
housing. It places them in such be ready for
of being offered what they
housing…first. It does not require
a safe, stable really needed, a key to their own
a resident to be clean and sober,
affordable place apartment. Dr. Sam Tsemberis
compliant with a treatment plan,
to call home. founded Pathways to Housing in
1992 to test his belief that “Housing
ends homelessness…It’s that
simple.”
Housing First has flipped decades of
“housing ready” practices on their
head, making the bold declaration
that everyone can be ready for a
safe, stable affordable place to call
home. With Housing First, there
is no paternalistic third-party
assessment of whether someone
has complied with all of the rules
and is therefore ready to move into,
or retain, his or her own place.
This was a dramatic change from a
homeless services system that gave
significant power to providers to
control outcomes for their residents.
In that system, providers of shelter
held the key to housing’s front
door. Some dangled that key as an
enticement to encourage obedient
behaviors. They made the decision
about whether one could move from
shelter into housing. In that system,
providers of permanent housing
controlled a resident’s security
in his or her housing. They made
the decision about whether that
resident was able to remain.
Lance Cheung, Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/biHz5D25
How is Housing First
different from other
Permanent
Supportive Housing?
Housing First “unbundles” housing
and services. A resident’s ability
to remain in his or her housing
is wholly de-coupled from one’s
receipt of, or refusal to accept,
services. A resident loses his or
her housing only for the reasons
that anyone else might lose his
or her housing: failure to pay rent
(Housing First rents are typically
subsidized to keep rents affordable,
so this is seldom an issue) or
failure to comply with a lease…but
not failure to comply with house
rules or treatment plans. Other
permanent supportive housing
programs link a resident’s tenure
in housing to his or her compliance
with rules, which often include zero
tolerance regarding alcohol and
drug use.
From the place of stability that Is everyone on
Housing First provides, residents board with Housing First?
are then able to address the
various challenges that caused, or While study after study has shown rewarded for refusing to comply
kept them in, homelessness. The Housing First to be successful and with societal norms regarding
chances of successful recovery, the while it is a favored approach of playing by the rules. There
ability to stay on top of one’s health the federal government in ending should be punitive, not positive,
needs, the likelihood of completing homelessness, Housing First is not consequences for such behavior,
a treatment program or securing without its detractors. Critiques the critics urge.
employment are all far greater typically come from providers who
To be sure, “clean” housing does
when one has a place where she or want to control the environment
work for, and is preferred by, some
he can keep track of appointments, in their programs and favor the
people who have experienced
store medication that needs “housing ready” approach to
homelessness. When my city
refrigeration, and focus upon the Permanent Supportive Housing,
began to develop its Housing First
tasks of daily living. It’s far easier as well as from those who believe
program nearly a decade ago, we
to build a relationship of trust that, by housing people who have
surveyed our clients and other
with a caseworker who will help not achieved sobriety or who have
shelter residents to find out what
to navigate such challenges when other negative behaviors, Housing
these community members saw as
that caseworker doesn’t have the First spends scarce resources
important elements of permanent
authority to take away one’s shelter on the “undeserving poor.”
housing. While a significant
bed or housing as a punishment for These community members,
majority of respondents described
non-compliant behavior. the argument goes, are being26 Rural Voices
Austin Valley, Flickr Creative Commons:
https://flic.kr/p/bpoXuM
housing that aligns with Housing costly public services (including
First, there were some who emergency room visits, 9-1-1 calls,
expressed an interest in housing jail time and the like), a relatively
that would provide a supportive It has been small investment in housing will
environment for their recovery, shown to make such other expenditures
where other residents were be more unnecessary…and it will be far more
similarly struggling to maintain effective in ending homelessness.
economical to
sobriety and where alcohol and
house people The simplicity of this approach –
drug use would not be tolerated.
who have housing ends homelessness – has
Putting such moral arguments been satirized exactly because
experienced
aside, Housing First does make good it is so simple and obvious. The
financial sense for communities and chronic Daily Show aired a segment, “The
thus has gained favor with many homelessness Homeless Homed,” which explored
fiscal conservatives who might than to keep how Salt Lake City was able to
otherwise oppose the expenditure them unhoused. end chronic homelessness. More
of public funds on these community than anything, the segment was
members. It has been shown to be an indictment of decades of failed
more economical to house people and expensive approaches that
who have experienced chronic sought to manage people in their
homelessness than to keep them homelessness instead of providing
unhoused. Because those who are the very thing they needed most – a
chronically homeless consume a home. As Dr. Tsemberis of Pathways
disproportionally large share of to Housing reminded us, “housing
ends homelessness.”27
How can a community
implement a Housing
First approach to ending
homelessness?
For Housing First to be effective,
there must be a commitment to
working collaboratively among
all stakeholders, as well as a
commitment of local resources to
supplement federal funding.
To assure that the adopted approach
is truly a Housing First approach,
the USICH offers this simple test:
1. Are applicants required to have
income prior to admission? The USICH and others
2. Are applicants required to be
provide a number of
“clean and sober” or “treatment wonderful resources to
compliant” prior to admission? guide a community’s
3. Are tenants able to be evicted efforts to develop a
for not following through on their Housing First program:
services and/or treatment plan?
HUD – Housing First in
If the answer to any of these Permanent Supportive
questions is “yes,” the program is Housing Brief,
not Housing First. https://www.hudexchange.info/
Our experience at the legal clinic resource/3892/housing-first-
where I work tells us that the most in-permanent-supportive-
important ingredient is the belief housing-brief/
that all members of the community Nicholas A. Tonelli, USICH – Housing First,
are worthy of a decent, affordable Flickr Creative Commons:
https://www.usich.gov/
https://flic.kr/p/7ZYLSW
place to call home – a place to live, solutions/housing/housing-
and someday die, in dignity. first/,
particularly Implementing
Housing First in Permanent
Supportive Housing,
https://www.usich.gov/
resources/uploads/asset_library/
Implementing_Housing_First_
in_Permanent_Supportive_
Housing.pdf
Patricia Mullahy Fugere is Executive
Director of the Washington Legal Clinic National Alliance to End
for the Homeless. Homelessness – Housing First,
http://www.endhomelessness.
org/pages/housing_first
Community Solutions –
100,000 Homes Campaign,
http://100khomes.org/28 Rural Voices
Expanding
Healthcare
Services
for Supportive
Housing
Residents
in Rural Areas
By Eva Wingren and Brian Byrd
Supportive housing proponents
are fond of the phrase “meet
The Affordable Care Act people where they are.” One
can help fund services challenge that rural service
providers face is how to do
that assist people in exactly that. Low population
densities, linguistic and
remaining stably housed. cultural isolation, lack of public
transportation, and a shortage
of service providers mean
that rural homeless service
providers have had to get
creative in going to their clients.
Expansions in coverage under
the Affordable Care Act hold29
promise, however, for funding more likely that services will
the services that people need to be effective; services, in turn,
remain stably housed, and rural help people maintain housing
areas are no exception. stability. Supportive housing
has been effective at ending
Supportive housing is
homelessness in all kinds of
affordable rental housing
communities.
with the option of intensive
wrap-around case management Health services are usually
and services designed to help a major need for supportive
people stabilize their lives housing clients. Rural
despite complicated, interacting communities tend to have
factors such as health issues, Health services fewer health care providers,
criminal justice backgrounds, are usually a which can be a hurdle to proper
lack of knowledge of healthy major need care since supportive housing
and productive behaviors, for supportive residents sometimes require
substance abuse disorders, and frequent visits to manage
housing
more. The services are tailored chronic conditions, substance
to the individuals’ needs and clients. Rural abuse disorders, or permanent
are available when they want communities disabilities. Several recent
to seek them out. Ideally, the tend to have innovations make it easier to
barriers to housing are as low as fewer health address the health care needs of
possible, rather than providers people in supportive housing.
care providers.
deciding when clients are
Thanks to improvements in
“ready” or keeping housing
mobile technology and rural
as a reward to be “earned.”
internet connectivity, mobile
Housing is the foundational
anchor that makes it much30 Rural Voices
health vans and tele-health
programs can bring health
care providers right to people’s
doorsteps or even into their
homes. In addition to reducing
transportation burdens for
low-income people, tele-health
saves providers money because
it allows for more effective use
of specialists’ time and reduces
transportation and office visit
costs borne by health systems.
The Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services sees
telemedicine as a cost-effective
alternative to face-to-face
care and is encouraging states
to pursue innovative payment
methodologies that take
advantage of tele-medicine
technologies.
Veterans in North Louisiana
have seen that distance does
not have to be a barrier to the
medical, mental health, and
Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas
social service assistance they
encompassing approximately
need. Volunteers of America
31,400 square miles and
North Louisiana promised to
reaching 154,000 veterans living
bring the VA to them. Through
in rural communities.
a grant from the VA’s Office
The Center for
of Rural Health, Volunteers Volunteers of America has
Medicare and
of America North Louisiana expanded the mobile clinic idea
operates a Rural Vets Mobile Medicaid Services to the other populations the
Clinic, which provides tele- sees telemedicine organization serves in northern
health connectivity to VA as a cost-effective Louisiana, such as those
providers. A registered nurse with chronic mental illness.
alternative to
travels with the clinic to provide Volunteers of America already
face-to-face care
health assessments, patient passed one major hurdle,
education, and other medical becoming a Medicaid biller.
services, while case managers States can reimburse equipment
provide in-home visits and costs by incorporating them
intensive case management, into the fee-for-service rates
including resource management or covering them separately as
and referrals for veterans. The administrative costs; however,
case managers and nurse work they must be linked to approved
together to offer a holistic Medicaid services. Since the
approach to ensure each client’s mobile clinic can visit multiple
physical, social, and mental affordable housing providers,
needs are met. The mobile residents can get health
clinic’s coverage area includes services without transportation
44 parishes and counties across challenges and each providerYou can also read
