Maintain percentage of clients exiting rehousing programs to permanent housing to 60% through 2025
Objective Description
Trend Analysis
The end of the Rent Moratorium in 2022 combined with decreased housing stock and increased rental costs made locating permanent housing units more difficult in FY22. Additionally, many funding sources that were distributed in responses to the Covid-19 pandemic were expended, or came to an end resulted in a decrease of funds when compared with FY21. FY21 for context: COVID-19 and corresponding policy and programs (such as eviction prevention policies) have resulted in a series of shifts in priorities and program models, accelerating progress in some areas and slowing it in others. The Coordinated Entry System shifted toward immediate safety response, including increasing shelter capacity while simultaneously instituting COVID Safe protocols. Individuals already in shelter who were at high risk of severe complications from COVID-19 were moved to non-congregate shelter (hotel rooms), as were most individuals who were living outdoors. Once clients were sheltered and safety protocols were in place, case management was re-instituted and targeted rehousing efforts for these clients were launched in Summer and early Fall 2020. Increases in exits to permanent housing resulted from increased funding and available housing choice and mainstream vouchers. Declines in prevention services were the result of fewer households seeking assistance due to eviction protections. Declines in chronically homeless clients exiting to permanent housing is attributed to clients being enrolled in other supportive programs that would lead to future exit to permanent housing. The large fluctuations in chronically homeless moves to permanent housing are due to small sample size.
Strategies
- Make accessing assistance as seamless as possible through the use of a single point of entry to the Coordinated Entry System.
- Avoid homelessness when at all possible, through diversion and prevention activities.
- Rehouse literally homeless households as quickly as possible through housing searches, financial assistance, and case management for housing stabilization.
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Source: Howard County Continuum of Care