Presentation given by Aurora Zepeda, Institute for Children and Poverty, New York City at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Rethinking Homelessness Policies", Lisbon, Portugal, 2007

1. NEW COMMUNITIES OF
OPPORTUNITY IN
NEW YORK CITY
A PRESENTATION BY AURORA ZEPEDA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
THE INSTITUTE FOR CHILDREN AND POVERTY
Presentation will be available at WWW.ICPNY.ORG
AZEPEDA@ICPNY.ORG
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

2. National Overview
• Homelessness in the United States
• Federal Spending for Low Income Housing
Assistance

3. Homelessness in the United States
National Homeless Census:
• Between 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience homelessness a
year
Family Homelessness:
• 41% of the homeless population are families with children.
• They are the fastest growing segment of the homeless
population.
• 1.3 million children experience homelessness a year
» 42% of all homeless children are under 6 years old.
Sources: http://www.huduser.org/publications/homeless/homelessness

4. Homeless Families in the United States
Some characteristics of adults in homeless families:
Female 84%
Sex Male 16%
Black non Hispanic 43%
White non Hispanic 38%
Hispanic 15%
Race/Ethnicity Other 4%
Under 25 yrs 26%
Age 25 to 45 yrs 74%
Not Married/Single 76%
Marital Status Married 23%
Less than High School 53%
Education
High School Diploma Only 21%
Attainment
More than High School 26%
Alcohol Use 18%
Alcohol/Drug/ Drug Use 20%
Mental Problem Mental Health 36%
One 50%
Number of Two 27%
Times Homeless Three 23%
Sources: http://www.huduser.org/publications/homeless/homelessness

5. 1987-2007 Federal Spending in All Low Income
Assistance by Type of Assistance
$450,000
$400,000 • The increases for
federal spending in
$350,000
low income assistance
were primarily due to
Millions of Constant 2004 Dollars
$300,000
increases in spending
$250,000 on Medicaid and other
income security.
$200,000
$150,000 • Federal spending in
low income housing
$100,000
Medicaid assistance has
$50,000
decreased from 14%
of all low income
$0 Housing assistance (1987) to
9% (2007).
7
88
92
93
04
05
89
90
91
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
06
07
8
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Fiscal Year
Housing Assistance Medicaid Social Services Food and Nutrition Other Income Security
Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition. "Changing priorities: The Federal Budget and Housing Assistance 1976-2005",
October 2004.

6. US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): FY04-FY06
Decreased Funding for Low Income Housing Assistance Programs
$0
-$30 -$30 -$22
($100)
• HUD’s funding for
($200) -$171 low income housing
programs has
($300)
Millions of Constant 2006 Dollars
-$311) decreased by a total
($400)
of 3,297 million
($500) from FY04 to FY06
($600)
($700)
($800) -$779
($900)
-$928
($1,000)
CDBG Public Housing HOME Section 8 Section 811 HOPWA Homeless
Assistance
Type of Low Income Housing Program
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Projections. " The Effects of the Federal Budget Squeeze on Low Income Housing Assistance"
February 2007
For information on each of this low income housing programs visit http://www.hud.gov/

7. New York City
Homeless Family
Shelter System Overview

8. Family Homelessness in New York City
• Since 1981 NYC has court mandated right to shelter. The city
determines eligibility for emergency housing based on need.
• The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS), is
the city agency in charge of homeless services. All families with
children apply for shelter services at one centralized intake
building.
• Families that apply for emergency housing are placed in shelter
until eligibility for temporary emergency housing is determined.
This process usually takes 10 days.
• If the family is found eligible they remain in shelter until they find
permanent housing. The average shelter stay is 325 days. Some
stay as long as five years.

9. New York City Family Shelter
Average Daily Census
Average Daily Family Shelter Census
10000 • Family census has doubled
9000 8963 9109 9021 from FY1998 to FY2007,
8623
increasing by 14% during
8000 7933
the last fiscal year
Average Number of Families/Day
7000 6985
6000
5563 • Currently an average of
5000 5029
4508
4802 8,000 families with
4000 children sleep in NYC
3000
shelters each night (15,000
children and 11,000
2000
adults)*
1000
0
FY98 FY99 FY00 FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07
Fiscal Year
Source: NYC Mayor’s Management Reports and NYC Department of Homeless Services
* Data includes families with no children; They account for only 16% of the homeless families population. The majority, 84% are
families with children.

10. FY04-FY06 Monthly Number of Family Applications and
Number of Families Found Eligible for Shelter Services
• From FY04-FY06 the
4500
number of families found
eligible for services has
Number of Family Applications For Emergency Shelter
4000
remained mostly constant.
3500
• On average, 2,552 families
3000 apply for shelter every
month and 885 (35%) of
2500
these family applications
are found eligible for
2000
services.
1500
• Families can apply for
1000 services multiple times. On
average, 23% of families
500 who apply every month are
first- time applicants found
0 eligible for services.
Jul-04
Jul-06
Jul-05
Jan-05
Jan-07
Sep-04
Sep-05
Jan-06
Sep-06
Mar-05
May-05
Mar-06
May-06
May-07
Nov-04
Nov-06
Mar-07
Nov-05
• If the underlying issues
Total Family Applications Eligible for Emergency Shelter Total Family Applications Completed
affecting these families are
not addressed, the shelter
becomes a revolving door.
*The chart represents all family applications. A family can be found ineligible and then be found eligible at a later application.
Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dhs/html/home/home.shtml

11. The Shelter as a
Community of Opportunity
A Powerful Tool to End Family Homelessness

12. Shelters and Learning:
Education Attainment of Homeless Heads of Household
• 52% of homeless heads of
household have no high school
Some
diploma.
College/Vocational
Trade Education
17% • Lack of education limits
homeless heads of household’s
potential as well as their ability
to promote their children's
No High School educational development.
Diploma
52%
High School • Shelters can become frontline
Diploma/GED
Only vehicles to support literacy
31% efforts.
• Adult education programs at the
N = 405 homeless heads of household residing in New York City shelters
shelter can also provide
homeless parents with basic
tools needed for success at the
workplace.

13. Shelters and Learning:
Homeless Children and Education
• In New York City over half
Educational Setbacks Among Homeless Children : New York City of homeless children change
schools at least once a year
Perform < Grade Level:
75%
resulting in education
Reading
setbacks.
Educational Setbacks
Perform < Grade Level: Math 54%
• Many homeless children
spend over an hour traveling
Repeat a Grade 23%
to and from school, making
it difficult to access after-
school programs.
Placed in Special Education 13%
• Homelessness causes
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Percent of Homeless Children children profound
educational setbacks as well
as health and emotional
problems
Source: Institute For Children and Poverty N= 266

14. Shelters and Learning:
The Shelter And After School Programs
Homeless Children Enrroled in After School Programs: Grade •
Improvement by Academic Subject
After-school programs
offered at the shelter can
help children make
Reading 60%
Percent of Students with Grade Improvement
significant academic gains
in less than six months.
Language Arts 58%
Success is even greater with
ongoing enrollment.
Math 56%
• Homeless children
Science 49% attending after-school
programs offered at the
shelter have higher school
Social Studies 39%
attendance rates
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Academic Subject
Source: Institute For Children and Poverty N =266

15. Shelters and Employment
Employment Status of Homeless Heads of Household Educational Attainment by Employment Category
In New York City Shelters
No High School Diploma High school/GED Some College/Vocational Trade Education
100%
3%
90% 21%
23% 21%
Currently Employed
No Work History 19% 80%
24%
70%
60% 33%
38%
50%
40%
76%
30%
45%
20% 38%
Unemployed with
Paid Work History 10%
57%
0%
Source: institute for Children and Poverty N= 421
Currently Employed Unemployed- Work History Unemployed- No Work History
• The majority (81%) of homeless heads of household are unemployed and a quarter of
them have no work history.
• 76% of homeless heads of household with no work history have no high school diploma.
• Lack of education and limited work experienced are among the top self-reported reasons
for unemployment among homeless heads of household

16. Shelters and Employment
Qualifications Needed for Public Assistance Recipients to Participate in a Typical Job Trainig Program
vs. the Typical Homeless Head of Household
The typical job training program requires that
the candidate: The typical homeless head of household:
Be job-ready Has virtually no work experience
Have a high scool diploma Has a tenth grade education
Read at an 8th grade level or better Reads at the 6th grade level
Possess basic skills, such as typing Has few employable job skills
Provide their own daycare Has limited access to daycare
Have no substance abuse history Often has a substance abuse history
Provide their own transportation Cannot afford transportation cost
Have a permanent address Does not have a permanent address
Source: Institute for Children and Poverty
Most homeless heads of household lack the basic requirements needed to access job training
programs offered to public assistance recipients. Job readiness and job training programs
offered at the shelter can target the specific needs of homeless heads of household and give
them the tools necessary to access employment opportunities.

17. Shelters and Foster Care
Homeless parents with a foster care history are twice as more likely to have repeated
incidences of homelessness. They also tend to become homeless at a younger age.
Comparison of Homeless Parents: With and Without a Foster Care History
Homeless Parents Foster Care History No Foster Care History
Physically or Sexually Abused as a Child 41%* 13%
Age First Homeless 20 years* 28 years
Homeless as a Result of Violence 23%* 15%
Homeless More Than Once 47%* 24%
Age First Gave Birth 19 years 20 years
Have Not Completed High School 59% 54%
*Significant at the .05 Level
Source: Institute for Children and Poverty N=446
With a third of shelter residents having spend a part of their childhood in foster care and some
moving directly from the foster care system to the shelter system, there is a need to prevent their
children from doing the same. Using targeted programs, the shelter can help families stay together
and achieve long term stability.

18. Shelters and Teen Pregnancy
• Almost half of all homeless
Age When Homeless Women Became Pregnant
With Their First Child
mothers became pregnant with
their first child before they reach
50%
47% 18 years of age.
45%
40% • Teen pregnancy prevents some
35% homeless mothers from
% of Homeless Women
31%
30%
completing high school and
entering the labor force.
25%
22%
20%
• The shelter can offer young
15%
mothers an opportunity to
10%
complete their education and
5% access job readiness, employment
0%
training and parenting skills
< 18 yrs 19-21 yrs 22 yrs > workshops. This allows them to
Age Became Pregnant
develop the necessary skills to
Source: Institute for Children and Poverty N=323
make good parenting decisions
and manage their own lives.

19. Shelters and Domestic Violence
• Due to scarcity of domestic violence shelters, victims of domestic
violence are regularly placed in homeless family shelters.
• Domestic violence is now among the top reasons for family
homelessness, accounting for approximately 19% of all families that
enter shelter.
• Between 20 and 50% of all homeless parents have experienced
domestic violence at some point of their lives.
• The shelter gives us an opportunity to tackle domestic violence in a
safe and nurturing environment while giving these families the
services they need to address their emotional and physical health.
Source: New York City Independent Budget Office: City Spending in Domestic Violence: A Review, June 2007. Available at
www.ibo.nyc.ny.us

20. Shelters and Children’s Health
Health problems among homeless children: New York City
Among homeless children:
• 20% have asthma
• 46% experienced a decline in health with the onset of homelessness
Compared to non-homeless children, homeless children suffer:
• Three times as many gastrointestinal disorders
• Five times as many diarrhea infections
• 50% more ear infections
• Twice as many hospitalizations
Source: Institute for Children and Poverty
In New York City almost three quarters of all homeless families rely on emergency
rooms and walk-in clinics for their medical care. Shelters can provide families with the
primary care services they need for staying healthy, through offering on-site medical
services or by forming partnerships with local health providers and other community
organizations.

21. Concluding Thoughts
A National Problem with a Local Solution

22. A National Problem
• There is no national agenda to end family
homelessness.
– Available federal funding targets the chronically homeless--almost
exclusively single adults--leaving local governments with few
resources to address family homelessness.
• There is a limited supply of low income housing.
– Continuous cuts in federal funding for low income housing
assistance programs exacerbates the problem and leaves shelters as
the only affordable housing option for very low income families.

23. A Local Solution
• Shelter infrastructure should be used as a tool to address
the multiplicity of homeless family issues.
– Local government can successfully partner with the non-profit
and philanthropic sectors to target resources.
• Local government and non-profit providers must address
family homelessness as a poverty issue, not simply a
housing issue.

24. QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.