6.2 Smart Shelter: How Shelters Can Improve Outcomes in Housing First Systems Speaker: Devra Edelman Having supportive, permanent housing-focused shelters is a crucial piece to any Housing First homeless assistance system. In this workshop, presenters will talk about the key role shelters play in improving system performance on key outcomes and reducing episodes of homelessness in their communities.

1. Smart Shelter: How Shelters Can Improve Outcomes in
Housing First Systems
2012 NAEH National Conference on
Ending Family and Youth Homelessness
Devra Edelman
Deputy Director, Programs
Hamilton Family Center
February 10, 2012
DEdelman@hamiltonfamilycenter.org

2. Guinea Worm Eradication and
Ending Homelessness
Eradicating Guinea Clean Water Housing
Worm / Ending
Homelessness =
Root Solutions: Water filtration and infrastructure Affordable Housing (Including
(wells; piping; etc.) to provide Subsidized Housing; Shallow Rental
clean drinking water Subsidies; Permanent Supportive
Housing; etc.)
If you only implement the solution NO ~ Open wounds in watering NO ~ families and individuals may still
will the issue be addressed? holes considered sacred will become homeless for various reasons
continue to release larvae into (evictions; tragedy; health issues; etc.)
drinking water
How to Address Both the Root Protection and care of Wounds Emergency Shelter that provides basic
and the Entire Tree: Education of Villagers in Culturally needs AND
Appropriate and Sensitive Manner Focuses on life-skills training, wage &
(VBHWs) income development & sustainability,
~ Shift Culture to encourage safe and housing placement
water ~ Shift agency culture to Housing First

3. Hamilton Family Center - Overview
Rebuilding Lives ~ Ending Homelessness
The mission of Hamilton Family Center is to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
Through a Housing First approach, we provide a continuum of housing solutions and
comprehensive services that promote self-sufficiency for families and individuals, and
foster the potential of children and youth.
Hamilton Family
Emergency Center
Hamilton Family
First Avenues:
Residences
Housing Solutions Project
Potential:
Child and Youth Services
Hamilton Family
Dudley Apartments
Transitional Housing
Supportive Services
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4. San Francisco’s
Family Homeless Services System
HOMELESS
FAMILIES
Hamilton Family Providence /
Emergency Oshun / Winter
Center Shelter
Connecting Point
Centralized Wait
List for Full-Service
Raphael House
Shelter
Hamilton Family St. Joseph’s Compass
Residences Family Center Family Shelter

5. San Francisco ~ Population Snapshot
San Francisco Population ~ 805,235 (2010)
2011 Point-in-Time Count:
6,455 Homeless Persons
48% (3,106) Unsheltered
635 Homeless Persons in Families
15% (95) Unsheltered
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6. Housing First Principles:
 Homelessness is first and  Everyone is valuable and
foremost a housing problem capable of being a valuable
and should be treated as such resident and community
member
 Housing is a basic human
need and right to which all are  Residents, property managers,
entitled and service providers work
together to integrate services
 Families are more responsive into housing
to intervention and social
service support once in  Client focused services
permanent and stable housing
 Move homeless families into
 People who are homeless or permanent, affordable housing
on the verge of homelessness as Rapidly as Possible
should be returned to or
stabilized in permanent  Time-limited, home-based
housing as quickly as possible support services
and connected to resources
necessary to sustain that
housing

7. Housing First Service Delivery Components
 Emergency services that address the immediate need for shelter or
stabilization in current housing
 Housing, Resource, and Support Services Assessment which
focuses on housing needs, preferences, and barriers; resource
acquisition (e.g., entitlements); and identification of services needed
to sustain housing
 Housing placement assistance including housing location and
placement; financial assistance with housing costs (e.g., security
deposit, first month’s rent, move-in and utilities connection, short- or
long-term housing subsidies); advocacy and assistance in
addressing housing barriers (e.g., poor credit history or debt, prior
eviction, criminal conviction)
 Case management services (frequently time-limited) specifically
focused on maintaining permanent housing or the acquisition
and sustainment of permanent housing

8. Shifting Gears toward Smart Shelter:
Rapid Re-Housing Strategies
Community Needs Problem Statement
 Schwab Foundation Initiative, convenes  San Francisco is one the most expensive
Bay Area collaboration; identifies Rapid and competitive housing markets in the
Re-Housing as one of three priorities to country. Rents increased by 6% from 2010
end homelessness (July, 2004) to 2011 and vacancies have decreased
 Homeless Families Services Redesign with the average rent for a 1-bdrm apt. at
Committee: Community Stakeholders $2,300.
recommend the development of Rental  Homeless families lack the resources to
Subsidies as the Number One Priority afford market rate rent.
(June 2006)  Stock of existing affordable housing for
 SF Local Homeless Coordinating Board extremely low income families does not
identifies Permanent Housing meet demand
(subsidized according to need) as their  A Rapid Re-Housing Strategy requires a
number one priority in the Five Year systemic shift in programmatic focus,
Strategic Plan. (January 2008) resources, and goals.
 Emergency and interim housing programs
 HPRP and HEARTH Act support federal lack an assessment tool to assist in
shift in priorities and funding for determining the best housing fit
Housing First programs (2009 to  New shallow rental subsidy and
present) eviction prevention funding lacks a
strong evaluation component

9. Shifting Gears toward Smart Shelter:
Rapid Re-Housing Strategies
Influential Factors
 Schwab Foundation funds a Shallow subsidy pilot program (January 2005)
 Hamilton Family Center redirects $500,000 in emergency shelter resources toward
Housing First initiatives (July 2006)
 SF Mayor & Advocacy Groups support Housing First approach (2005)
 Homeless Family Redesign Recommendations from community stakeholders results
in $2.3 million in new Shallow Rental Subsidy funding for homeless, at-risk, and
doubled-up families (February 2007)
 The ARRA provides $8.75M to San Francisco for Homelessness Prevention and
Rapid Re-Housing (Sept 2009)
 Salesforce.com Foundation and SF Mayor’s Homeless Assistance Fund allocate
$3M to rapidly re-house families from SF Shelter Waitlist of over 250 families (Dec.
2011)
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10. Shifting Gears toward Smart Shelter:
Rapid Re-Housing Strategies
Outcomes
 Fund shallow rental subsidies, eviction prevention assistance
and move-in support for homeless, at-risk, and doubled-up
families in San Francisco.
 Develop family shelter services to focus on: Connections to
Mainstream Resources (including Childcare); Wage & Income
Development & Sustainability; and Housing.
 Develop Housing Assessment Matrix (HAM) Tool to identify
best housing fit.
 Increase the number of families Rapidly Re-Housed from the
family shelters to permanent housing.
 Increase the number of families for whom homelessness is
prevented and who are diverted from shelter.
 Develop services that follow families into housing and focus
on income development and housing stability
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11. First Avenues Rental Subsidy Entries &
San Francisco Family Shelter Waitlist
300
250
200
Total First Avenues Medium
150 Term Rental Rapid Rehousing
Entries
Shelter Waitlist Average
100
50
HPRP Begins
0
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12. Lessons Learned ~ Key Components of
Smart Shelter
 Housing Assessment as early as possible upon entry into
system and incorporated throughout programs.
 Housing Advocate Case Managers at entry points
Connecting Point & Emergency Shelter
 Collaboration between Shelter Case Managers and
Housing Case Managers weekly Exit Planning meetings
 Aftercare case management post housing to strengthen
roots in new home and community
 Systems Level Collaboration and Partnerships: Shelter
Consortium; Family Eviction Prevention Collaborative;
HPRP Workgroup; Rapid Re-Housing Network; etc.
 Implement systemic processes in programs that are
geared toward periodic review of progress toward
employment and housing Team reporting on rapid
re-housing, employment and increased income.

13. Housing Assessment Matrix (HAM) Tool:
Strategically targeting resources to maximize opportunities for homeless families
Housing Assessment Matrix:
http://hamiltonfamilycenter.org/
Videos & News / Evidence Based Practice

14. Housing Assessment Matrix ~
Options & Indicators
Assessment Indicators include:
• Housing Assessment Matrix (HAM)  Income level
tool used at all entry points:
• Emergency Shelter Intake  History of Homelessness
• Transitional Housing Referral /  Housing options
Application  Lease History
• Housing Subsidy Program  History of Evictions
Application  Age of Primary Caregiver
 Mental Health History
• Housing Options / “Fit” May be:  Substance Use
• Market Rate Housing  Criminal Justice Barriers
• Short-term Rental Assistance  Temporary Financial Strain
• Medium-term Rental Assistance  Recent Trauma
• Affordable Housing  Child Welfare History
• Deeply Subsidized Housing  Education Level
• Transitional Housing Program  Work Experience
• Permanent Supportive Housing  Work Inhibiting Disabilities
 Income Plans
 Family Composition
 Transportation Barriers
13  Child Care Barriers
 Income Sources

15. Cultural Shift to Smart Shelter
Agency-wide Cultural Shift to support Core Philosophies of:
 Harm Reduction: Motivating change in a collaborative, empathic
environment; policies based upon behaviors; explore options with clients
and encourage to identify own needs
 Trauma-Informed Services: adopting a holistic view of care and
recognizing the connections between housing, employment, mental and
physical health, substance abuse, and trauma histories; and
 Provide Effort Based Support: moving from a model of Social Services
to Social Support
While focusing on STABLE HOUSING FIRST at all times!
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16. Questions???
Contact:
Devra M. Edelman
Deputy Director, Programs
Hamilton Family Center
415-409-2100 x122
dedelman@hamiltonfamilycenter.org
www.hamiltonfamilycenter.org