Safety off the Streets SOS Workgroup recommendations

Safety off the Streets (SOS) Workgroup recommendations

The Charge By March 2015, deliver prioritized strategies for increasing options for safety and a good night’s sleep, such that no woman, child, or disabled adult has to sleep on the streets of Multnomah County by January 2017.

What is SOS? A site provides safety off the streets if: • It is legal to sleep there • There is access to a bathroom • The facilities are kept clean • People trained to assist in creating physical safety are on site • Lighting ensures adequate visibility for safety purposes • It is dry/there is overhead shelter • There is heat/warmth

Strategies • Decrease demand (inflow) for SOS options • Increase successful transitions out of existing SOS options (outflow) • Expand SOS options

Decrease Demand (Inflow) Shelters develop and implement diversion strategies to support people in currently safe situations from getting on waiting lists: • $500, 000 in flexible client/rent assistance to divert 100 HH a year from shelter.

Decrease Demand (Inflow) Create collaborative interdisciplinary street team with necessary resources to permanently house and retain highest barrier homeless individuals. • $945, 000 to permanently house 50 highest barrier households directly from the street

Increase Successful Transitions (Outflow) Expand outreach through libraries and a mobile outreach team that goes to SOS sites not currently receiving housing placement, benefits, mental health, addiction services. • $415, 000 in staffing to offer placement and support services, leverages short and longterm rental subsidies

SOS Options - Youth Support Youth System recommendation to expand permanent housing placement capacity, provided that this leads to no turnaways from shelter.

SOS Options - Families Current Family Winter shelter capacity allows for “no turn- away. ” Meeting the charge requires maintaining this capacity year around. • $250, 000 in addition investment will keep 100+ beds open all year

SOS Options – Women Extending current winter shelter capacity for women without children to 12 months will add 115 beds in non-winter months. • $493, 550 - $987, 250 to annualize current 115 beds of women’s winter shelter

Unmet SOS Need: Women & Disabled Men If (a) current winter shelter capacity for women is made year around and (b) we are successful in reducing unmet demand for permanent housing by 50%, unmet need for year-around SOS options is still at least: • Women: 225 spaces • Disabled Men: 400 spaces

SOS Expansion Options • Facility-based shelter with light services: 100 beds: $657, 000 - $1, 095, 000 per year To meet entire need: $4 - $6. 5 million annually • Transitional Campground/Rest Area: 100 beds: $45, 000 - $70, 000 per year To meet entire need: Approx. $500, 000 annually • Safe Haven (for severely disabled individuals): 25 beds: $730, 000 per year. * Costs of site acquisition, capital improvements etc. not included

SOS – Key Policy Recommendations • Equity: Facility based adult shelters serve 35%-38% people of color; continue to increase access to and outcomes for people of color in all SOS sites • Siting Priorities: Recognize need for geographic distribution (e. g. Gresham); critical importance of access to transportation, services, other amenities • Siting Barriers: Urgent need to overcome legal and political barriers to siting SOS options • Coordinate Access: Ease access to shelter and facilitate coordination across systems (DV, anti-poverty, etc. ) • Improve Data: Shared data, evaluation, and increased transparency and accountability.