TANF – RAPID RE-HOUSING
PLANNING FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Libby Boyce, LCSW
Homeless Coordinator
Chief Executive Office, Los Angeles County
NAEH Annual Conference – July 2013
Community Context
2

LA County
 4,000
square miles
 88 cities and unincorporated areas
 11,000,000 residents

Homeless Count 2013
 6,678

family members in 2013
TANF (CalWORKs) families
 12,000
families (different homeless definition)
Historical Context
3





Dearth of family-centered services for homeless
families
Challenges due to NIMBY and geographical
diversity
Concentration of resources in Skid Row
Significant political concern about families in Skid
Row
Section 8 vouchers as only solution to permanently
move families out of homelessness
TANF Programs Targeting Homeless
Families
4

Early 2000’s
 Homeless CalWORKS Families Project (HCFP)
 Welfare-to-Work families with mental health diagnosis
 120 days of emergency shelter or transitional housing
 Transportation
 Case management
 Access to Section 8 vouchers in the past

Emergency Shelter and Services (ESS)
 Welfare-to-Work families
 120 days of emergency shelter
 Case management
Other Past Programs
5


2006
 Skid Row Assessment Team – Homeless Prevention Initiative (HPI) funded
 Assess all families coming into area for safety
 Beyond Shelter Pilot
 City of LA Section 8 and intensive case management for 241 families
2009 – Game-Changer
 HPRP – Federal Stimulus
 Rapid re-housing
 Case management
 Move-in assistance
 Short- and medium-term rental assistance
Shift to Coordinated Entry
6


2011-12
 Family Providers Workgroup in Summer 2011 to strategize around coordinated entry
 Family Transitions Project (FTP) piloted coordinated entry for families in 2011 and 2012
 Shifted shelter resources from single adult system to family providers
 Planning for HPRP successor program funded by Emergency Solutions Grant
 Skid Row family increases – renewed interest in establishing regional coordinated entry – leveraging
County General Funds
 RFP for coordinated Family Solutions System in Fall 2012
2013
 Family Solutions System – ESG and HPI (County General Funds)
 System launch in Spring 2013 with 11 sites around County offering standardized assessment, rapid
rehousing and case management
 11 sites in Los Angeles County
 Regional model
 Coordinated entry
 Standardized assessment
 Targeted approach
 Homeless Count 2013 – family numbers reduced 27% from 2011 to 2013
7
Future
8



Family Solutions System has exposed some
duplication of services
Established County work group to examine TANF
programs and to realign resources
Enhancement of regional approach that includes
coordinated entry, rapid rehousing and targeting of
resources based on need
Future (continued)
9

Realignment of funding sources to support one regional
system for homeless families

Overarching themes/Guiding principles
 Coordinated
 Rapid
entry
re-housing
 Targeted
approach
 Economic
opportunities
Future (continued)
10

Financial Assistance

Short- to medium-term rental assistance

Security deposits, moving assistance

Utilities

Prevention assistance
Future (continued)
11

Housing Stability Services

Standardized assessment

Case management/progressive engagement

Targeting of intervention/services based on barriers
to housing retention

Goal-permanent housing as quickly as possible

Benefits acquisition
Future (continued)
12

Housing Stability Service, cont.

Access to crisis and interim housing

Landlord outreach

Housing location assistance

Permanent housing retention services

Coordination and linkages to mental health and
substance abuse support
Future (continued)
13

Community-Based Supports

Job training and placement

Education

Community-based employment/subsidized
employment
HOMELESS FAMILY SYSTEM REDESIGN
Screening: 211
Direct Referrals: SRAT, DV & Emergency Shelters
Homeless Family Regional Sites
Immediate Crisis Intervention
Standardized Assessment with Housing & Services Plan
First 5
Families w/children
Low Barrier Family
(Minimal needs)
Moderate Barrier Family
High Barrier Family
(1-2 complex needs)
(Multiple complex needs/long-term homeless)
ages 0-5/DCFS history
Interim Housing
Prevention or Rapid Re-housing
(Prevents entry to shelter/homeless system)
Rapid Re-housing
Targeted Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing
Stability Services

3-months rental assistance ; Interim housing;


Short-term case management;
Up to 9-months rental assistance; Interim housing;
Up to 12-months “bridge” rental assistance;



Housing location/landlord outreach;
Moderate case management;
Interim housing; Intensive case management;



Housing location/landlord outreach;

Prevention assistance, security deposits, utilities,
Housing location/landlord outreach;

Prevention assistance, security deposits, utilities,

Prevention assistance, security deposits, utilities,
flex funds;
 Coordination & linkage to MH services, substance
abuse treatment, childcare, primary healthcare; and
14
Prioritize for
(Rapid exit from emergency shelter/transitional housing)
 Job training/placement, education, employment.
flex funds;
 Coordination & linkage to MH services, substance
abuse treatment, childcare, primary healthcare; and
 Job training/placement, education, employment.
flex funds;
 Coordination & linkage to MH services, substance
abuse treatment, childcare, primary healthcare; and
 Job training/placement, education, employment.