Although the program-by-program results for 2007 will not be compiled for several months, it is useful to reflect at this time on whether we are showing success in the key areas we are addressing.

Are we preventing people from becoming homeless?

In 2006 we prevented over 3,000 people from becoming homeless and expect similar results for 2007. We are in the process of expanding those efforts through an application for a major state grant in the range for $3 million for prevention services.

Equally important, for the first time we are coordinating our prevention efforts, as King County and the City of Seattle work to coordinate $2.55 million in funding from the Veterans and Human Service Levy, CDBG, Seattle Housing Levy and Seattle General Fund to create a coherent housing stability system, with consistent qualifications and evaluations. We expect a major grant this spring from state HGAP funding for our prevention efforts.

Are we moving people rapidly from homelessness to housing?

Even as we seek to increase our pace of production, our programs are showing incredible success.

Through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Sound Families programs, 1,487 families (4,455 individuals) in a tri-county area were served and as of June 2007:

• 64% of the families had been homeless before, some four or more times.
• Among those successfully completing the transitional stay within their program, 89% were able to secure permanent housing after exit.
• Full time employment tripled from entry to exit.
• After analyzing the data from Sound Families on families who were not successful, we have created new programs to address those families.
• Read Report (PDF)

DESC’s 1811 Eastlake took in 75 of the very hardest to serve, people who on average had been homeless 31 of the 36 months prior to moving in.

• Only 16 (21%) of those returned to the street
• Overall the project showed cost avoidance from reduced medical, jail and other emergency services, of over $2.5 million a year.
• The Metropolitan Improvement District reported a 48% decrease in alcohol related incidents and a 21% decrease in calls for the County sobering van.
• Read Report (PDF)

Plymouth Housing’s "Begin at Home" program also addressed high utilizers. This involved 20 people with at least $10,000 annual cost at Harborview or at least 60 visits to the Sobering Center.

• Only one person was evicted in a year
• The program reported acute care service cost avoidance of approximately $1.5 million in the first year.
• Read Report (PDF)

Although these are just examples of the uses to which we have put the 1,449 units we have brought on line or the 1,411 units we have in the pipeline, similar successes are shown in the other programs. We expect that when the end-of-year data is in we will have helped well over 2,500 people move from homelessness to permanent housing in 2007.

Are we increasing the efficiency of the existing system?

Yes. Our work coordinating funding has been recognized as a best practice by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Corporation for Supportive Housing. In 2007, funders coordinated $31 million through this process, with more than $15 million for homeless housing and services.

Similarly, our Landlord Liaison project combines funding from King County, City of Seattle and United Way to create a coordinated, multi-element system for accessing the private landlord market. In service delivery we are bringing together previously fragmented portions of our system as in the unified prevention work described above.

Are we building public and political will to end homelessness?

Yes. We have achieved endorsement by municipalities covering over 85 percent of the population of King County and have three additional endorsements pending.

We have a speakers bureau talking to civic and business groups. Our video has been featured on a number of web sites. We have had symposia and conferences including the Community Resource Exchange and Faith Community symposium in November.

Through direct contacts and press releases we have been able to place or inspire a steady stream of newspaper articles and editorials on the subject of homelessness in both the major dailies and in the regional papers.

The Eastside Human Services Forum has adopted a sub-regional plan to end homelessness on the Eastside, and a similar plan is being developed for South County. One of the great examples of the level of public will that exists is United Way’s undertaking to raise $25 million above and beyond all of its other fundraising to address chronic homelessness.

We created a joint advocacy agenda with a broad coalition of affordable housing advocates and homeless housing and services advocates across the state. This unified voice resulted in significant successes in the 2007 and again in the short 2008 session (of the $230 million in the supplemental budget request, $78 million was housing or homeless services).

Are we tracking success and measuring results?

The HMIS system delivered its first set of data analysis last fall, and a major upgrade is expected shortly. In the meantime we have outcome measurements in all of our programs, and are tracking advances in housing status, housing stability, employment and the like. As noted above, data summaries for 2007 should be available in late Spring.

Bill Block, CEH Project Director
Bill.Block@kingcounty.gov
Phone: 206-263-9001