Community leaders came together in 2010 to
lay a foundation for a plan
 Consulted with National Alliance to End
Homelessness on best practices
 10 Year Plan created based on HUD
requirements and sector best practices
 Plan approved by Chester County
Commissioners, November 2011
 Official Launch, January 2013
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Mission Statement
To maximize current resources and develop new ones,
making them as efficient and useful as possible with the end
goal of preventing and ending homelessness in Chester
County
Vision Statement
To ensure a community wide network of services to prevent
and end homelessness in Chester County by shifting from a
system that manages homelessness to a system that diverts,
prevents, and rapidly re-houses.
Decade to Doorways Partnership Structure
Leadership
Consortium
Executive
Committee
Coordinating Agency
DCD
System Change Action
Team
Public Relations &
Advocacy
Permanent Housing
Action Team
Community
Networking Group
Housing Stabilization
Action Team
Results Action Team
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The role of the Permanent Housing Action
Team is to identify and develop affordable
permanent housing solutions appropriate to
the needs of households experiencing or at
risk of homelessness. Develop and support
landlord relationships.
PHAT Membership: HACC, Landlords,
Government, Service Providers, Developers,
Funders and Coatesville VA Hospital
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People who are living in a place not fit for
human habitation
People who are losing their primary nighttime
residence
Families with children or unaccompanied
youth who are unstably housed
People who are in imminent danger of
domestic violence
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Emergency Shelter- 10
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Transitional Housing- 11
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Rapid Re-Housing/Homeless Prevention- 8
Total Number of Providers- 29
Year Round Beds
 Emergency Shelter Beds- 276
 Transitional Housing Beds- 405
681 Year Round Beds
Total Number of Adults- 703
 Total Number of Children- 239
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• 0-5: 142
• 6-12: 76
• 13-17: 21
Total Number of People Served
942
* Numbers based on Emergency Shelters funded through DCD.
Homeless Prevention Agencies/Rapid ReHousing Providers-8
 791 people benefitted from financial
assistance from homeless prevention
programs.
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◦ Children: 403
 0-5: 184
 6-12: 156
 13-17: 63
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Family Size
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One: $11,670
Two: $15,730
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Three: $19,790
Four: $23,850
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Five: $27,910
Six: $31,970
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Seven: $36,030
Eight: $40,090
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Total Housing Units: 194,329
Rental Unit Vacancy Rate: 1.9%
42.9% of Chester County renters pay 30
percent or more of their income on housing
costs
19.53% of CC Homeowners pay 30 percent or
more of their income on housing costs
31,329 CC residents live below the poverty
level ($23,850 for a family of four)
Source: United States Census Bureau, Population Division, Housing Unit Estimates for Counties: July 1,
2003 to July 1, 2013, Release Date May 2014.
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In the United States, the 2014 (two-bedroom)
Housing Wage is $18.92. This national
average is more than two-and-a-half times
the federal minimum wage ($7.25hr), and
52% higher than it was in 2000. In no state
can a full-time minimum wage worker afford
a one or two bedroom unit at Fair Market
Rent. (
FMR for an area is the amount that would be needed to pay the gross rent (shelter rent plus utilities) of
privately owned, decent, and safe rental housing of a modest (non-luxury) nature with suitable amenities)
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Pennsylvania: $17.33
Chester County: $21.83
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National low-Income Housing Coalition
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($18.12 one-bedroom)
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Chester County Central Point of Intake for
Homeless Services
To connect with a Housing Specialist, please
call 1-800-935-3181
Website: www.connectpoints.org
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Partner: Housing Authority of Chester County
Function: Assist individuals and families at-risk of
or are literally homelessness to find safe, secure,
affordable housing.
Must have some income but experiencing barriers
to securing affordable housing: criminal record,
past evictions, etc.
Landlord Engagement
To post an available property contact:
RSenss@haccnet.org
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Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program
(HVRP)
Partner: Chester County Opportunities
Industrial Center
Target Population: Homeless, Unemployed US
Military Veterans
Services: Vocational Training, Resume
Preparation, Job Search, Transportation,
Clothing and Housing Assistance
Contact: 610-692-2344
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Housing Counseling For People With
Disabilities
Partner: Handi-Crafters, Inc
Target Population: People with cognitive and
physical disabilities experiencing
homelessness, not served by mainstream
resources
Services: Housing locator, case management,
information and referral and supportive
services
Contact: 610-384-6990
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Rental subsidy for families experiencing
homelessness.
Administered by the Housing Authority of
Chester County.
Homelessness Families “super preference”
Since October 2013: 100 Families housed
under tenant based Section 8 vouchers
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Partnership with HACC, HUD, the Coatesville
Veterans Hospital and the Veterans MultiService Center.
Recent 100 Vets in 100 Days Campaign
Since January 2009: 256 Vets found
Permanent Housing under the HUD Veterans
Supportive Housing Program (VASH).
Recent approval for an additional 43 VASH
vouchers
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Partner: Human Services, Inc.
Target Population: people experiencing
homelessness who have a severe, medically
determinable impairment that limits their
ability to work at a substantial, gainful level
Services: Case management, information and
referral
Contact: 610-429-3033
Partners: EDSI and CareerLink
 Persons Served: Low-income individuals who
are underemployed or unemployed and meet
235% federal income poverty levels.
 Services Provided: Job development, job
placement and job retention services.
 Applicants must be referred from approved
D2D agencies.
 Contact the PA CareerLink – Chester County®
at 610-384-9393 to determine eligibility
www.pacareerlinkchesco.org
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www.chesco.org
 www.chesco.org/ccdcd
 www.decadetodoorways.org
 www.naeh.org
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Michael Hackman
Decade to Doorways Administrator
Mhackman@chesco.org
610-344-6900