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Home My WebLink AboutB. COMMUNITY OF ONE PLAN 3.12.24Community of One: All In Draft Strategic Plan to Make Homelessness Rare, Brief and Nonrecurring (FY 25 -30) City Council Informal Session | March 12, 2024 This item relates to Focused Action Plan Initiative #2.14 Our Goals Today •Review of our community system to address homelessness •Highlight progress since 2017 “Community of One” plan •Present proposed goals and key strategies of updated plan •Seek Council feedback and direction on potential next steps No policy decisions are requested at this time. COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 2 We address homelessness as one community system •City-Faith-Nonprofit Partnership •Represents 30-year commitment of working together •Coalition formalized in 2009 •BEACH Governing Board is required by HUD •Three ways to access the service system: o Housing Resource Center: Day Services, Homeless Services, Health Center, Human Services o Regional Housing Crisis Hotline: (757) 227-5932 o Homeless Outreach: Unsheltered population COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 3 Our partners include… •5 Star Residential •Begin Again Foundation •BrightView Health •Community Alternatives Management Group (CAMG) •Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia •Charity Tracker •Christ Investment Corp. •Church of the Ascension •Connect With A Wish •DHS Behavioral Health •Endependence Center •Hampton VA Medical Center •Interfaith Alliance at the Beach •JCOC •LGBT Life Center •Lift Fitness •Open Alter Ministries •Sentara Health (formerly Optima) •PiN Ministry •Potter's House •Samaritan House •Senior Services of SE Virginia •Seniors Unlimited Lifestyles Inc. •Seton Youth Shelters •StandUp for Kids Hampton Roads •The Planning Council •VB Home Now •VB City Public Schools •VBCDC •VBDPH Community Development •Virginia Beach Dept. of Health •Virginia Employment Commission •Virginia Supportive Housing •Virginia Veteran and Family Support •Vision Life Ministries COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 4 Community resources include… Homeless Services: •Financial assistance •Permanent housing •Shelter •Case management Food/Meals: •Community dinners •Bag lunches •Pre-packed grocery •Food pantries Basic Assistance: •Day Support: showers, laundry, housing support •Clothing •ID/birth certificate assistance •Financial assistance •Hygiene items •Bike program •LGBTQ+ youth meetings Health Services: •Preventative medical COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 5 Our goal is to make homelessness… Rare, Prevent people from experiencing homelessness Brief, Shorten the length of time that people experience homelessness and Nonrecurring Stably house & provide wraparound support to help people leave homelessness behind COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 6 Our Philosophy & Service Delivery Approach Housing First Philosophy •Having a stable place to live is the critical platform from which people can take all the additional steps they need to thrive •About removing barriers to housing , but it does not create more housing Best Practice & Equitable Approach •Everyone who presents for shelter and housing are assessed using the same, standard tool •Limited resources are prioritized for the most vulnerable who are literally homeless •Not by first come, first served COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 7 “Community of One” •Strategic plan adopted in 2017 •Collective work of City, faith and nonprofit organizations •Path toward a future where everyone in Virginia Beach will be able to live in safe, decent and affordable housing •Seven core goals COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 8 Progress Since “Community of One” Goal 1: Transform Our Service System to Make Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Nonrecurring •Completed the Housing Resource Center (HRC) in 2018 •Expanded prevention services → Prevention of approx. 2,288 households experiencing homelessness Goal 2: Make Family Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Nonrecurring •Expanded housing opportunities → 22.5%* decrease in the percentage of homeless persons in families w/minor children Goal 3: Make Chronic Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Nonrecurring •Prioritized housing opportunities for chronically homeless households → 11% decrease in chronic homelessness * 2017 – 2023 VB PIT Count COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 9 Progress Since “Community of One” (cont.) Goal 4: Make Youth Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Nonrecurring •Expanded housing opportunities targeting homeless youth → Almost 53%* decrease in unaccompanied homeless youth Goal 5: Maintain and Increase the Supply of Permanent, Accessible and Affordable Housing •Nonprofit partners received increased Continuum of Care (CoC) → System to housed 350 VB households •Increased affordable housing opportunities (e.g. 65 Emergency Housing Vouchers funded through City American Rescue Plan Act funds) Goal 6: Increase Leadership, Collaboration and Civic Engagement in Our Community Efforts •Added new service provider partners to our homelessness response system Goal 7: Develop and Maintain Sustainable Resources to Support Our Ongoing Community Effort •VB Home Now foundation raised nearly $1.7M in private donations → $800K+ invested towards programs to help VB households in obtaining/sustaining housing COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 10 Helping Individuals Leave Homelessness Behind Returns to Homelessness Year % in 6 months % in 12 months % in 24 months 2019 11%4%4% 2020 7%7%10% 2021 6%3%4% 2022 5%4%4% COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 11 Serving the Most Vulnerable During the Pandemic Scaled up shelter and state funding towards housing opportunities. Provided 452 individuals with non- congregate shelter (March 2020 – May 2021) •40% exited to permanent housing Launched program within four days of the emergency declaration – the first in the region to do so. COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 12 What we know and what we are learning… COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 13 •Data •Community engagement •Best practices We are not seeing significant changes in our PIT numbers. Point-in-Time (PIT) Count = One-day snapshot of the literally homeless population. Between 2022 and 2023, overall homelessness decreased by 11%. 2024 PIT numbers are still being verified. # of individuals identified as homeless during PIT 349 245 260 319 348 352 313 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 14 How people enter and exit our system helps us to better understand the full scope. Real-Time System Data for 2023: 1,656 households were literally homeless •Almost 48% became inactive •32% were housed (based on our system capacity) •3% exited to other destinations •Almost 17% remained on prioritization list and rolled over to 2024 COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 15 The length of time people are homeless is increasing. There are 176 total year-round shelter beds in VB. The average number of days people are staying in shelter and transitional housing has almost doubled in the last few years.60 75 111 115 67 89 114 112 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 2019 2020 2021 2022 Length of Time Homeless (Avg. Days) Emergency Shelter (ES) ES/Transitional Hsg. COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 16 Exits to permanent housing are not happening at a rate that shortens the length of time people are homeless. There are 818 total housing units in our homeless service system. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” housing solution for everyone. Our ability to significantly reduce homelessness is ultimately determined by how much permanent housing is available and suitable to meet the needs of all who experience homelessness. 43% 38% 57% 41% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 2019 2020 2021 2022 Exits to Permanent Hsg. COVID-19 Assistance COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 17 The number of people experiencing homelessness and connecting with our system for the first time is increasing. 456 525 532 537 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 2019 2020 2021 2022 First Time Connecting with Homeless System Top 4 Reasons Households are Experiencing Homelessness: 1.Loss of housing, not evictions (could not afford to renew lease due to rent increase) 2.Evicted 3.Relational Issues 4.Insufficient Income COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 18 Unsheltered homelessness remains a top community concern. 150 unsheltered households in VB at any given time: Small subset live in encampments: •Approx. 75 people •21 encampments known to Outreach “Othering”: •Presence of unsheltered individuals in places people would rather not see them •Not considered a part of the community Misperception about Homeless Outreach Team’s role: •Not an enforcement authority •About building trusting relationships •“Navigators” with focus on connections to housing and resources COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 19 There are emerging challenges in addressing encampments. Primary reasons people are resistant to shelter: •Do not want to leave belongings or pets •Concerned about communicable illnesses •Want autonomy •Prefer housing or non-congregate setting Encampment residents were offered first opportunities for placement in expanded HRC shelter – none chose this option. Addressing this issue involves balancing: •Health and safety of surrounding community •Our shelter and housing capacity •Compassion •Personal choice and service resistance •Property ownership •Legal precedents COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 20 “Community of One: All In” Draft Strategic Plan (FY 25 -30) •Reaffirmation of our community’s commitment to work together •Maintain and enhance what’s working •Rallying call to fully invest in partnerships and resources towards effective solutions that addresses challenges and significantly reduces homelessness COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 21 Three broad goals… Goal 1: Create safe and healthy neighborhoods by reducing impact of unsheltered homelessness •Increase year-round shelter beds •Increase access to basic need services •Convene providers across service sectors •Increase access to mental health and substance abuse recovery services Goal 2: Increase system capacity to address primary causes of homelessness •Ensure adequate supply of affordable housing for low- income households •Ensure access to livable wage employment for able-bodied adults •Eliminate disparities in access, services and outcomes Goal 3: Preserve and increase prevention and permanent housing programs to meet demand •Target prevention resources to most vulnerable •Ensure adequate supply of housing for all homeless populations COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 22 …shaped by listening and learning. •BEACH workgroup meetings •Food and Feedback Forum for individuals with lived experience •Public meeting and unsheltered homelessness panel discussion •SpeakUp VB online survey •Homelessness consultant 251 survey participants; 173 comments •Goal 1: 85% Support •Goal 2: 77% Support •Goal 3: 83% Support Key themes: •Prioritize mental health/substance abuse •More assistance for families •Address affordable housing issues •Need for more public education •Does not address safety and crime •Concerns about costs to implement plan COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 23 Goal 1: Create safe and healthy neighborhoods by reducing impact of unsheltered homelessness Strategy 1.1 -- Increase the number of year-round shelter beds •Keep all shelters open and allow participants to stay in the room during daytime hours •Increase non-congregate sheltering opportunities for unsheltered families and seniors when year-round shelter beds are full •Ensure all shelters are low barrier and welcoming, utilizing trauma-informed care practices •Utilize available space in the HRC to create a small overflow shelter program from April to November (similar to the winter shelter) --Input from Food & Feedback Forum COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 24 Goal 1: Create safe and healthy neighborhoods by reducing impact of unsheltered homelessness Strategy 1.2 -- Increase access to basic need services •Expand HRC day services hours to include weekend hours •Build partnerships to provide storage of personal items for unsheltered individuals who are working toward housing •Enhance outreach to encampments by investing in a tool to map and track sites and improve opportunities to provide targeted services and support (Show the Way app) •Provide employment opportunities for two individuals with lived experience to provide peer support outreach --Input from Food & Feedback Forum COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 25 Goal 1: Create safe and healthy neighborhoods by reducing impact of unsheltered homelessness Strategy 1.3 -- Convene providers across the service sector to address the needs of our unsheltered residents •Develop multi-departmental strategy to ensure compassionate, client-centric approaches to the clearing of encampments that present health and safety issues •Partner with pet agencies to provide pet support for pet owners experiencing homelessness •Educate businesses and community associations about resources for unsheltered population --Input from Food & Feedback Forum --Input from unsheltered homelessness forum COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 26 Goal 1: Create safe and healthy neighborhoods by reducing impact of unsheltered homelessness Strategy 1.4 -- Increase access to mental health and substance abuse recovery services In 2023, 41% of those who presented as literally homeless indicated dealing with mental health challenges. •Increase staffing and hours of mental health and peer recovery street outreach to support individuals challenged with severe mental illness and/or substance addiction •Provide access to a non-clinical mental health support group focusing on coping strategies at the HRC COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 27 Goal 2 – Increase system capacity in Virginia Beach to adequately address the primary causes of homelessness Strategy 2.1 – Ensure adequate supply of affordable housing targeting low-income households (up to 30% AMI) •Research opportunities to simplify and streamline the permitting and review process to allow for an increased density of affordable housing •Provide incentives for housing developers and landlords to set aside units in existing projects for individuals experiencing homelessness “Cost-burdened households with extremely-low income (30% AMI and below), and severely cost-burdened households with very-low income (50% AMI and below), are at risk of homelessness due to housing unaffordability.” -- 2024 VB Housing Study Report Top Reasons Households are Experiencing Homelessness: 1.Loss of housing, not evictions (could not afford to renew lease due to rent increase) 2.Evicted COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 28 Goal 2 – Increase system capacity in Virginia Beach to adequately address the primary causes of homelessness Area Median Income of Literally Homeless Households (2020-2023) Top Reasons Households are Experiencing Homelessness: 4.Insufficient Income Strategy 2.2 – Ensure all able- bodied adults experiencing homelessness have access to livable wage employment •Partner with agencies to develop customizable employment programs targeting households who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness •Partner with businesses interested in offering programs to increase the technical and soft skills of individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 29 Goal 2 – Increase system capacity in Virginia Beach to adequately address the primary causes of homelessness Race Strategy 2.3 – Eliminate disparities in access, service provision and outcomes in overrepresented subpopulations in the homeless system of care •Coordinate a racial equity committee under BEACH to review and analyze data and assessment tools, to ensure equitable outcomes for BIPOC (black, indigenous and other people of color) households Demographics of Literally Homeless Households (2020-2023) COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 30 Goal 3 – Preserve and increase prevention and permanent housing programs to meet the demands of households who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in Virginia Beach Strategy 3.1 – Ensure prevention resources are targeted to households who are most vulnerable to homelessness Top Reasons Households are Experiencing Homelessness: 3.Relational issues •Invest in family mediation training for diversion specialists to provide support to host families that house relatives at risk of homelessness COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 31 Goal 3 – Preserve and increase prevention and permanent housing programs to meet the demands of households who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in Virginia Beach Strategy 3.2 – Ensure an adequate supply of housing that meets the needs of all populations experiencing homelessness Exits to housing in 2023 was 32%. -- Based on prioritization list •Collaborate to implement plans that address permanent housing needs and funding for youth aging out of foster care and returning citizens (formerly incarcerated) to prevent homelessness •Increase the supply of Rapid Re-Housing for the general population of homelessness COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 32 Measures of Progress & Success 25% reduction in the number of households entering the homeless service system 30% increase in the number of households exiting the system to permanent housing 40% reduction in the number of households experiencing unsheltered homelessness Functional end to chronic homelessness by 2027 We will also be evaluated by HUD’s metrics. COMMUNITY OF ONE: All IN 33 Key Takeaways •VB is a caring community. •We can’t do this work without our partners. •Council and City leadership support is making an impact. •We’re making progress. •We cannot significantly reduce homelessness without more housing. COMMUNITY OF ONE PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS 34 Next Steps Staff will request Council approval of draft plan next quarter. Thank You Your questions and comments More Information: Ruth Hill, Director (757) 385-5752 | RDHill@VBgov.com Pam Shine, Homeless Services Administrator (757) 385-6349 | PShine@VBgov.com www.VirginiaBeach.gov/Housing www.BEACHCommunityPartnership.org 35