A ten year plan to end homelessness in Umatilla County Year 2

A Home for Hope
A ten year plan to end homelessness in Umatilla County
Photo courtesy of the East Oregonian
Year 2 Report - July 2013-June 2014
Prepared by the CAPECO Moving Forward Program Team, members of the Home
for Hope Coalition
Why do we have a Ten Year Plan?
By Jennifer Richards, CAPECO-MFP Case Manager, H4H member
Having a 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness in Umatilla County sounds quite ridiculous. Is it possible to truly end a problem that has existed from the beginning of time? It is certainly a lofty (and
perhaps even laughable) goal. I would argue that by making our goal the absolute ideal, namelyending homelessness in 10 years, our result will much closer to that ideal at the end of 10 years. Having
such a lofty goal is inspiring. What would our communities look like if homelessness was solved?
In 2009, each county in Oregon was commissioned by the governor and the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to develop a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. In 2012, the Home for
Hope (H4H) Coalition published its final draft of the Umatilla County 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Home for Hope Coalition continues to plot a course and work toward goals identified
in our plan. Everyone in our community stands to benefit from bettering the way we care for people
who are homeless. As we aim for the ideal, we are moving above the norm. We want to do a better
job of providing “tools” for people who are experiencing homelessness, to give them the opportunity
to change their circumstances. (One cannot pull oneself up by the bootstraps without boots). Raising the bar is the only way to move ahead.
This year has seen some challenges for our H4H group. Changes in staffing have necessitated
changes in leadership and new membership. While progress continues to be made, there has certainly been a learning curve. Normal activities, such as the Annual Homeless Summit and Project
Community Connect have been delayed. We are happy to report that both events are set to happen
very soon. PCC is scheduled in Pendleton for November 15th, 2014 and the next Homeless Summit
will be hosted in the spring of 2015. We are excited about the work that has been done and look
forward to tackling new goals in the next year.
What are our objectives?
(Specific measureable goals as outlined in 10 Year Plan)
1. Prevent people from becoming homeless (stop
discharging people into homelessness, emergency
interventions, etc.)
2. Utilize a “Housing First Model”
3. Mitigate barriers to entering and maintaining housing;
link people to community services; increase collaborative
efforts between community service agencies
4. Increase income support and economic opportunities
5. Expand data collection
6. Continue efforts to provide public education regarding
the issue of homelessness and its root causes
1. Prevent people from becoming homeless (stop discharging people into
homelessness, emergency interventions, etc.)
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
Expand Rental Education programs
that increase the likelihood that
homeless people, who obtain
housing, will ultimately be
successful and stable as tenants and
not repeat their cycle through
homelessness.
Expand the number and frequency of
Rental Education programs offered.
Number of graduates of Rental Education
programs.
Increase # of clients completing Rental
Education programs.
Numbers of graduates who ultimately
sustain permanent housing for at least one
year after exiting homelessness.
ID
1.2

1.4

Number of graduates who do not repeat
their experiences with homelessness.
In the last year, CAPECO has increased the offering of Better Renter classes, which provide basic tenant
education about landlord tenant law, financial management, ideas for overcoming barriers to obtaining
and maintaining housing, etc. As a part of completing the Better Renter classes series, participants are
offered the opportunity to become enrolled in a Rent Guarantee Program, if funds are available. Rent
Guarantee program funds are used in the event that an enrolled participant leaves a rental with rent
owing or damages to reimburse landlords for costs incurred up to a maximum amount. CAPECO only
had the capacity to enroll a small amount of participants and weren’t able to offer the Rent Guarantee to
every person that completed the Better Renter course, however we have reapplied for the funds and will
be able to begin enrolling participants again this next year. CAPECO has begun a new partnership with
CTUIR Housing Authority to provide education through the Better Renter Program to increase
successful tenancy for program participants.
Create a Universal Point of Referral Define the point of referral process.
for At-risk Tenancies to be used by
Provide training and communication on
service providers and landlords to
process to homeless providers.
increase alternative housing options
for at-risk tenancies.
Reduction rate to number of at-risk
households becoming homeless.
Number of households that are served by
this intervention and avert homelessness as
a result.
The Home for Hope Coalition has helped create and maintain relationships between service agencies,
increasing knowledge of housing resources at all levels of the local continuum of services for people who
are homeless. Additionally, it is standard practice for CAPECO to provide a high level of information and
application assistance for local housing programs to people who are seeking emergency housing (for
example, providing Section 8 applications and postage, help with seeking community resources and
connecting of person to community partners, connecting veteran’s to VA housing programs, etc).
Though it is “unofficial”, CAPECO is the point of referral for “at risk” households.
2.
Utilize a “Housing First Model”
ID
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
2.1
Using Housing First
model, increase
availability of rental
assistance.
CHRONIC HOMELESS SINGLES:
tenant-based rental assistance for
chronic singles linked with local
public institutions such as hospitals,
jails, and court systems to develop
programs to serve “chronically
homeless high-system users”.
Number of chronic homeless that exit homelessness as
a result of this housing opportunity.
Number of chronic homeless who retain permanent
supportive housing.
Number of chronic homeless who exit the program for
other permanent housing.

Every CAPECO rent subsidy program utilizes a “housing first” model; SSVF (Supportive Services for
Veteran Families) also uses a “housing first model”.

This year, CAPECO had the opportunity to change our designation with HUD for one of our homeless
rental assistance funds from “transitional housing” to “rapid re-housing”, which afforded us the
opportunity to request more funds from HUD. This change will likely result in a significant increase in
rental assistance dollars for use with individuals and families who are homeless in our next program year
(7/14-6/15), nearly doubling our current funds from this grant. One of our homeless grants, which is
designed specifically to serve literally homeless households in which at least one adult has a disability,
has spaces which are intended specifically for chronically homeless households.

SSVF clients who are chronically homeless receive referral to HUD VASH, a voucher-based rent subsidy
program for veterans (very similar to Section 8) operated through the Housing Authority.
Photo courtesy of the East Oregonian
2.
2.2
2.2b
2.2c
Utilize a “Housing First Model”
Create short-term
emergency rental
assistance combined
with support services
targeted to homeless
families and singles to
facilitate rapid exits
from homelessness and
create a supported
bridge back into the
private housing market.
Short-term rental assistance for
SINGLES AND FAMILIES (1-12m):
Shallow rent program to serve as a
“bridge” to provide stability and
support rapid re-housing linked to
case management and services.
Number of homeless households that exit homelessness
as a result of this housing opportunity.
HIGH-NEED FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN(1-24m): short-term
shallow rent program to serve as a
“bridge” to provide stability and
support rapid re-housing linked to
case management and services.
Number of homeless households that exit homelessness
as a result of this housing opportunity.
OLDER YOUTH (1-12m): Implement
short-term shallow rent program to
serve older youth (single adults ages
18-23) linked to case management,
education, employment,
transportation, and other supportive
services.
Number of homeless youth that exit homelessness or
avert homelessness as a result of this housing
opportunity.
Number of homeless who retain permanent affordable
housing.
Number of homeless who exit the program at 12
months for other permanent affordable housing.
Number of homeless who retain permanent affordable
housing.
Number of homeless who exit the program at 24
months for other permanent affordable housing.
Number of homeless youth that exit the program at 12
months for permanent affordable housing.

CAPECO has secured ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant) funds that are intended to serve at-risk and
homeless individuals and families in our community with 3-24 months of rent subsidy (depending on
need, eligibility and availability of funds) with the goal of stabilizing housing for the long term. ESG
program participants receive intensive case management services, including help with financial
management, goal setting, connection to community resources and tenant education to support the goal
of long term housing stability.

SSVF can provide rapid-rehousing services with case management for homeless and at-risk veteran
households for up to 90 days (potentially longer depending on need and availability of funds) with the
goal of stabilizing housing and community resource connection. SSVF clients receive intensive case
management services and are linked to necessary resources in the community to support stability.

ESG and SSVF can serve participants from all three of the above mentioned demographics.
2.
2.3
Utilize a “Housing First Model”
Create a Risk Mitigation Pool
of funding that can be
accessed by landlords to cover
property damage caused by
tenants.
Apply at State Level for rent
guarantee funds for those who
graduate a renter’s education
course.
Number of housing units that are
preserved in the homeless inventory and
not lost when landlords cease their
participation due to property damage.

As mentioned previously, Better Renter Program participants are offered the opportunity to become
enrolled in a Rent Guarantee Program, if funds are available. Rent Guarantee program funds are used in
the event that an enrolled participant leaves a rental with rent owing or damages to reimburse landlords
for costs incurred up to a maximum amount. CAPECO anticipates receiving these funds again to renew
this program.

With the recent changes to CAPECO’s homeless funds, the program will be able to provide some funds
to help cover the cost incurred by landlords when tenants served by the program exit with rent or
damages owing.
2.4
Cultivate cooperative and
stable relationships with
landlords to enhance capacity
of existing private housing
market as “housers” of
formerly homeless people.
Landlord Forums (2/yr)
Mailings/Brochures
Number of landlords participate as
“housers” of homeless people.
Investigate/discuss a possible
Number of units brought into the
county/city tax exemption
homeless inventory increased.
program for landlords who choose
to be a “houser” of homeless
people.

In July 2014, CAPECO partnered with Fair Housing Council of Oregon to provide education to local
landlords about changes to Fair Housing law in regard to Section 8 vouchers.

CAPECO has recently developed landlord outreach materials, which will be distributed soon, which
offers information about CAPECO housing programs, Fair Housing law, Housing Quality Standards
inspections, etc. in hopes to better our current relationships with local landlords and to encourage new
landlords to participate in our housing program.
3. Remove barriers; link people to services; increase
collaborative effort between community service agencies
ID
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
3.1
Create a unified assessment
system that refers families and
singles to appropriate housing
and service programs based
on need and ability to become
self-sufficient.
Define partnerships.
Complete system plan/policy.
Develop intake system and
universal assessment criteria.
Number of homeless households that are
matched with the most appropriate
services and housing resources are
increased.
Develop systems change policy
and educate community on
process.
Implement systems change to
include new programs being onboard.

3.5

From the last Homeless Summit event, a “Coordinated Care Team” was created. The concept was to provide wrap
-around services to homeless individuals and families to connect them with other service providers in a round table
format. The service was offered to all community partners in the larger Home for Hope group, however, we
discovered that the Coordinated Care Team was not utilized and unneeded because the connections between our
community providers already exists. For example, if a case manager at DHS wants to connect their client with a
mental health provider, housing provider, drug/alcohol provider, etc. they already have a working relationship
with staff at these programs. Another meeting was not needed to make these connections.
Implement the 211info.org
system in Umatilla County.
Establish fund and 0.5 FTE
position for management of the
local information.
Number of homeless and at-risk
individuals and families who resolve
homelessness through participation in this
resource.
The 211 system went live in Umatilla County in 2013, providing a local registry of service programs and
resources via phone and online at 211info.org. The 211 liaison for our local area is Kricket Nicholson at United
Way.
3. Remove barriers; link people to services; increase
collaborative effort between community service agencies
3.2
Improve and expand
Homeless Outreach and
Engagement with Services/
Housing for homeless and
sheltered singles and families.
Develop outreach partnerships and Number of unengaged, hard-to-reach
secure funding.
homeless people who are brought in to the
service and housing network and engaged
Implement a street outreach
with supports that will help end their
program with a permanent
homeless status.
housing component.
3.3
Create an efficient and
effective system for service
linkage for people who are
homeless to include
emergency shelter beds for
single adults. Ie., Warming
Stations in Pendleton and
Hermiston.
Define funding and sustainability
plan.
Number of homeless individuals who
resolve homelessness through
participation in this resource.
Develop One-Stop Resource center
that includes: Interim housing
Number of homeless individuals who
beds for homeless singles who are access emergency shelter bed services.
awaiting placement in permanent
Number of homeless individuals who
housing.
maintain engagement with supports while
Day-Center services (meals,
awaiting housing placement.
showers, laundry, US mail service,
Number of homeless individuals who
mainstream resources, e-mail and
access services at the “one-stop” resource
internet access for employment
event.
search).
Expand services provided at
Project Community Connect.

In our community, there are several point of initial contact with households who are literally homeless,
including local meal sites (Salvation Army, Open Table), shelters (warming stations, Domestic Violence
Shelters, Martha’s House), emergency service providers (Helping Hand, Neighbor to Neighbor
programs), etc. Staff at these programs are knowledgeable about housing resources and are a part of our
larger Home for Hope network.

Project Community Connect is an annual outreach event designed to provide on the spot services and
connection for at-risk and homeless households to the continuum of local social services available in a one
-day event. This year, the 5th annual PCC will be held on November 15th, 2014. The event continues to
grow and evolve as new service providers attend and local needs change. This year’s event (as with last),
a Veteran’s Stand Down event will be included to provide connection specifically for veterans to available
services for their unique needs.

Neighbor to Neighbor had a Day Center available during the last program year in Pendleton, providing
breakfast, local resource information, clothing and computer access. Neighbor to Neighbor is creating a
plan to reopen and expand the Day Center during this program year.

As previously mentioned, the Pendleton Warming Station is actively seeking funds and exploring the
feasibility of having a staff person to provide “case management” services. This staff member would
connect guests with local services to encourage transition from homelessness to stable housing. Other
local shelter programs such as Domestic Violence Services and Martha’s House regularly provide this
service to guests housed by their programs, including connection to housing resources through
CAPECO and other housing programs.
3. Remove barriers; link people to services; increase collaborative
effort between community service agencies (continued)
3.6
Expand homeless services
systems collaboration with
the Veteran’s Administration
and community-based
agencies to increase access
and utilization of federal VA
resources by people who are
homeless.
Develop local Veteran program to Number of homeless veterans who resolve
include housing, case management, homelessness through participation in this
and employment.
resource.
Offer resources to Veterans to
include Veterans Industries and
other programs.

Through connection with the SSVF (Supportive Services for Veteran Families) program, many homeless veterans
and their families have been able to receive rental assistance to stabilize housing in our county. The presence of a
local SSVF staff has helped create partnerships with other local service and housing providers. Zach Knight, the
case manager for the SSVF program sits on the Home for Hope Coalition. His presence in addition to other local
county reps from the VA has increased the ease of access to information about and connection to mainstream VA
resources, employment programs and housing stabilization assistance. Additionally, CAPECO has implemented a
way to screen people who are seeking assistance with rent subsidy who are veterans to provide a referral to SSVF.

As mentioned previously, for the second time, Project Community Connect will include a Veteran’s Stand Down
event, including local, regional and state reps from VA programs to connect our local at-risk and homeless veteran
households with needed services.
3.7
Establish closer links between
housing, energy assistance,
weatherization and food and
nutrition programs.
Identify housing sites with target
populations of low-income and
formerly homeless persons and
expand programs to reach these
populations.
Number of homeless households for whom
emergency needs are met through access
to these resources.

Participants on CAPECO’s Moving Forward Rent subsidy program who are served by our CoC homeless grants
have a preference for weatherization. Many homeless people who are served by the program have received
weatherization for the home they rent, benefitting both the renter and the owner. Additionally, all participants in
CAPECO rent subsidy programs are automatically linked to energy assistance.

By way of partnership through the Home for Hope Coalition, other housing and service providers who work with
homeless participants are apprised of how to connect clients with energy and weatherization programs., updates on
eligibility for new and existing programs at DHS, SSVF, and all other resources through participating agencies.
All housing programs (or other programs) that include case management services or advocacy provide connection
to mainstream benefits, such as food programs, energy programs, etc.

CAPECO has also had funds to do outreach to underserved populations for SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (formerly “Food Stamps”) in our community.
4.
Increase income support and economic opportunities
ID
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
4.3
Reduce barriers in accessing
SSI/SSDI (Supplemental
Security Income/Social
Security Disability Income)
benefits for people who are
homeless.
Identify SSI/SSDI point of contact Number of homeless households that
per agency that will complete
increase their income and access Medicaid
applications and receive ongoing
making it more feasible to exit
training provided by SSA.
homelessness.
To improve efficiencies in filing
applications, resulting in a
reduction of appeals and delay in
benefits, working OR-DHS to
provide SSI/SSDI Outreach,
Access and Recovery (SOAR/
BEST) training to service
providers in Umatilla County.

Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) is an agency that deals specifically with the needs of
people with disabilities that can assist with the application process of SSI/SSDI, resource and referral to disability
specific programs and connect with long term housing solutions. Clearview Mediation, in Pendleton, can also
provides assistance with SSI/SSDI information, medical supplies and other necessary resources for people who are
homeless with disabilities.

The Department of Human Services has a program for families who are receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families, a cash assistance program) who may qualify for SSI/SSDI in which the family receives help
with the application process with Social Security.

Additionally, there are several housing programs specifically for people with disabilities, including Oregon
Housing Opportunity Program, Terwilliger Plaza in Pendleton, and CAPECO’s CoC Permanent Supportive
Housing funds for rent subsidy. Applicants that have a documented disability have a preference on the Section 8
waiting as well.
Photo courtesy of the East Oregonian
5.
Expand data collection
ID
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
5.1
Expand the # of Homeless
Management Information
System (HMIS) users to
ensure a comprehensive data
compilation of homeless
persons accessing services.
Implement requirement that all
projects associated with strategies
outlined in this plan participate in
the Umatilla County HMIS.
The range of compliance with this
requirement.

CAPECO rent subsidy programs and SSVF both utilize HMIS to track client data and to provide data to funders
and national reporting.

CAPECO has provided funds to cover the cost of license for HMIS for volunteers at both the Pendleton and
Hermiston Warming Station.
5.3

Increase US Congressional
awareness of local
homelessness through
participation in national
reporting efforts to include
submitting local data for use
in Annual Homeless
Assessment Report (AHAR)
Participate in AHAR.
Brief on AHAR data analysis.
The range of compliance with this
requirement.
The AHAR report is compiled via our local HUD Continuum of Care called Rural Oregon Continuum of Care
(“ROCC”). By providing data in HMIS regarding local programs, which will now include the warming stations
and completing steps requested by the ROCC, our county participates in the compilation of the AHAR.
Photo courtesy of CAPECO
6. Implement public education on homelessness
ID
Task Name
Methods
Measures of Impact
6.2
Provide annual update on 10Year Plan to End
Homelessness activities,
outcomes and homeless data
trends to local governments
and make available to the
public.
Post on county website.
Extent to which reports are produced and
disseminated on schedule.

6.3

Present to Home for Hope
Coalition and share with
community partners.
Annual reports are provided to local municipalities. The 10 Year Plan and annual updates will be provided to the
necessary person at the county to post online. The 10 Year Plan and annual updates will also be posted to
CAPECO’s website.
Continue public awareness of
homeless issues and it’s root
causes.
Conduct annual homeless summit
meetings and roundtable
discussions with elected officials
and leaders of the community.
Number of public events and level of
participation.
Through various outlets, Home for Hope members are a part of staring information with the public by way of
Project Community Connect, participation in other local coalitions, municipal meetings.
Photo courtesy of CAPECO