Homefront: Expanding Housing Options





In this Newsletter
Expanding Housing Options for Seniors
Aligning Housing and Health
The Bridge to Stability
Building Supportive Housing Capacity in LA
Housing for Familiar Faces in New Jersey
Improving Health Outcomes: Diabetes Care
Eagerly Awaiting the Passage of Prop 2
Connecticut Collaborative for Race Equity
Ohio Peer Recovery Specialist Training
Effectively Managing Housing with Services


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Expanding Housing Options for Seniors

Our valued partner, the New Jersey Foundation for Aging, has released a report that includes recommendations for policymakers to expand the amount of affordable housing available to seniors in the Garden State. It is clear from our hands-on work in NJ and across the nation that our seniors are facing a real crisis in affordability," said Kristin Miller, Metro Director for CSH. "The stories of older adults experiencing homelessness because they cannot find affordable, supportive housing are growing and heart-wrenching, and likely to get worse in the coming years. There is no way around it, we must find ways to create more affordable, supportive housing for those who want to age with dignity in their own communities."

Aligning Housing and Health

CSH, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) and UnitedHealthcare Community & State are launching a joint cross-sector project: "Improving Health by Aligning Housing and Health Systems." This initiative, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides the impetus for local and national project members to work together to improve health outcomes of Medicaid beneficiaries being served through managed care and living in publicly assisted housing, including units within Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). Five communities -- Columbus and Akron, Ohio; Houston and Austin, Texas; and Seattle, Washington -- have been selected to receive assistance with one-year planning to design and develop local interventions to align health and housing resources at the person, program and system levels.

The Bridge to Stability

It takes a village to see a supportive housing development through to the ribbon-cutting. We are honored to be a part of "the village" of Melrose Common, a new supportive housing residence in the Bronx providing stability and homes to Veterans and vulnerable individuals. When The Bridge approached CSH about a $400,000 predevelopment loan to help cover a variety of costs at the earliest stages of the project, it was an easy yes. For 15 years, CSH has been a lender to The Bridge. Our relationship transcends lender and borrower. We are truly partners in advancing supportive housing as a platform for improving the lives of New York City's most vulnerable residents. 

Building Supportive Housing Capacity in LA

Our commitment to expanding supportive housing capacity in Los Angeles continues this week with this year's second installment of the CSH Los Angeles Supportive Housing Institute. Thanks to the generous support of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a new cohort of development teams is beginning a seven month, interactive, guided project-planning forum designed to ensure high-quality supportive housing production and implementation. We are grateful to JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Institute co-funder, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, for their shared investment in proven solutions like supportive housing. 

Housing for Familiar Faces in New Jersey

NJ Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, also Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), along with officials in Hudson County, announced a local Housing First pilot program in partnership with two hospitals, Jersey City Medical Center and Hoboken University Medical Center. Referred to as "Familiar Faces", the program is based on Hudson County's Frequent User (FUSE) Initiative, modeled on the CSH national blueprint, and aims to break the cycle of repeat use of hospitals, jails, shelters and other costly crisis systems by providing supportive housing solutions. "These are the cutting-edge partnerships that effectively end homelessness and reduce healthcare costs for all of us," said Kristin Miller, CSH Director of programs in the NY-NJ Metro area. "CSH is the national champion of the FUSE model and we hope every state and county will show the same initiative as New Jersey and Hudson County."

Improving Health Outcomes: Diabetes Care

CSH and the National Health Care for Homeless Council are providing free training and technical assistance through our Learning Community to supportive housing serving tenants with unmanaged diabetes, one of the leading causes of death in the nation. In addition, research shows higher medical expenditures are associated with those diagnosed with the disease than those without it. Housing, coupled with quality, integrated health care and culturally-responsive health education, is integral in reducing the burden of diabetes for the most vulnerable individuals with complex care needs.  Supportive housing providers interested in applying to participate in this Learning Community should complete this survey by October 19

Eagerly Awaiting the Passage of Prop 2

Rising housing costs are leading to more vulnerable individuals and families unable to attain housing stability than ever before. It has California and San Diego, in particular, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. That light is "No Place Like Home," a $2 billion bond to be placed on this November's ballot as Proposition 2 (Prop 2). It would fund capital projects that include supportive housing for homeless individuals and families with serious mental illness, at a price point they can afford. Read more about this critical ballot measure in our Pipeline News blog

Connecticut Collaborative for Race Equity

The Collaborative is a collective learning, listening, and design process to build a race equity framework to advance equitable access to housing resources and services for homeless and high-need individuals and families across Connecticut. Through the generous support of the Melville Charitable Trust and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, CSH is seeking a cohort of community ambassadors to work together on a three-phase project from November 2018 through May 2019, which includes Race Equity Learning Series, Community Listening Sessions and Equity Framework Design Workshops. Applications to participate in the Collaborative are due by September 30.

Ohio Peer Recovery Specialist Training

CSH is excited to offer free, in-person training for individuals new to their role as Peer Recovery Specialists and also experienced Specialists looking for professional development to enhance their skills. Our full-day curriculum will cover the housing and services continuum available to help people who face substance use disorders. Attendees will learn about fair housing practices, eviction prevention tactics and tools like assertive engagement and motivational interviewing. Space is limited at both the 9/25 training in Cleveland and the 9/27 training in Dayton. RSVP to Leah Werner at leah.werner@csh.org or 614-228-6263 X 224. 

Effectively Managing Housing with Services

CSH is partnering with Delivering Innovations in Supportive Housing to deliver a 3-part webinar series covering the nuts and bolts of effectively managing supportive housing properties. The courses include: Driving Success through Collaboration, Preventing Evictions Through Lease Enforcement, and Creating Your Property Management Dream Team. Register for one course or all three. Full details are available by clicking here.