HomeMy Public PortalAbout2022.02.03 2022-homelessness-reportI
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HOMELESSNESS �
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Idaho Housing and Finance Association, nonprofits,
community organizations, philanthropists, and public-private
partnerships lead a coordinated effort to address the issue
of homelessness in Idaho. With lingering stereotypes and limited
dedicated resources, as well as inflated construction and housing
costs, this work has become increasingly difficult.
It is our collective hope that this report brings greater
awareness to the experiences of those facing homelessness
as well as successful interventions and resources in place.
We hope this report inspires you to join
the fight against homelessness.
With your help, we can ensure every Idahoan
has access to a safe place to call home and to
the services necessary to remain stably housed.
See the last page of this booklet for more
information on how you can help.
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Forms of Homelessness
We often assume those experiencing homelessness are people living on the street.
While this is the reality for some, it is not for the majority of those experiencing
homelessness. The list below outlines the various degrees of homelessness.
IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS:
A person or a family who will lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days.
PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED:
A person or a family who lack a fixed, regular nighttime residence but have been
offered accommodation from friends or family for an indeterminate time.
FLEEING/ATTEMPTING TO FLEE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
A person or a family who is fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence and has
no other residence and lacks needed resources or support networks
LITERALLY HOMELESS:
A person or a family who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
Typically, this means living in a place not meant for habitation or in an
emergency shelter.
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS:
A person or a family who has experienced homelessness for at least one year
– or repeatedly – while having a disabling condition.
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Homelessness Interventions
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION:
Provides limited financial assistance (rent and utilities) to those at risk of becoming
homeless. The goal is to stabilize people in their existing homes or in alternative
housing that prevents placement in an emergency shelter or living in a place
not meant for habitation.
EMERGENCY SHELTER:
Offers temporary, basic accommodations as an alternative to living on the street
or in other places not meant for habitation. Many shelters help with connecting
to community resources, mainstream benefits and permanent housing.
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING:
Provides shelter and support services for up to two years. Transitional housing
traditionally benefits those whose barriers to permanent housing are not always
tied to income, such as youth, or people recovering from substance use
or fleeing domestic violence.
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING:
Provides households intermediate or long-term housing that is complemented by
services and support, which may include healthcare, mental health care, substance-use
treatment, life-skills classes, financial counseling, or job training and placement.
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Primary Causes of Homelessness
Domestic violence has been the leading cause of homelessness in recent years.
However, in 2022 an inability to pay rent and being forced from a place of residence
– both circumstances that are largely affected by inflated housing costs – have overtaken
domestic violence as the leading causes of homelessness. We have entered a time in
which homelessness has more to do with low wages and high cost of living, including
housing, and less to do with physical disability, mental health, substance use,
and domestic violence.
The top self-reported causes of homelessness throughout 2022 are below. This data assists
in identifying and implementing appropriate and effective homelessness programs based
on local needs.
FIRST-TIME HOMELESS
Of those using homelessness services in 2022, almost 72% did so for the first time.
This number has fallen in recent years, indicating a greater difficulty in exiting
homelessness. This is likely because of rising housing costs.
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Housing Permanency Is Paramount
The current economic climate and the housing market have made a permanent and
stable transition from homelessness more difficult for service organizations and their
clients. However, great success is still found among those who are able to exit
homelessness programs.
INCOME AT ENTRY
Of those receiving homelessness housing assistance in 2022, 48% entered their housing
program with a source of income. Fortunately, wage earners experienced greater
employment opportunity in 2022 compared to the heart of the pandemic in 2021.
* This data is reported from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Community Management Information System
(CMIS), both of which are electronic databases that gather the characteristics, service needs and program participation of those
experiencing homelessness.
POSITIVE EXITS FROM PERMANENT HOUSING
Idaho’s programs produce positive exits from homelessness housing programs of 80%,
on average. Positive exits include circumstances like a rental paid for by the client,
homeownership, or stable housing with a subsidy attached.
REMAINED HOUSED TWO YEARS LATER
Of those exiting a supportive housing program in 2020, 95% remained housed in 2022.
Of the 5% returning to homelessness within 24 months, half return within a year,
while the other half return during year two.
For more than two years, he was
forced to live in his car in a church
parking lot. An Idaho Housing
employee saw him and offered
to help.
REGGIE'S PATH
TO HOME
Now Reggie has an apartment
to call home and is getting
the medical treatment he needs.
He is full of hope for the future.
Reggie moved to Twin Falls to attend
the College of Southern Idaho, but had
to drop out because of medical issues.
Despite working, he was unable to
cover his medical bills,
With the Emergency Housing
voucher program Reggie
secured a safe place to live.
Brighter Future
Scan to see
Sufi story
or visit:
wwwyou tube.com/watch?v-GuSW1 -p4AQ
Annual Unsheltered Count
The Point-in-Time count helps determine the number of those experiencing
homelessness in unsheltered environments. The annual count occurs on one night
in January and can fluctuate from year to year based on several factors, including
count locations, weather and the number of volunteers surveying.
* This data is reported from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Community Management Information System (CMIS),
both of which are electronic databases that gather the characteristics and service needs of those experiencing homelessness.
Extent of Homelessness
The extent of homelessness is quantified in two ways: 1) continuously entering services
delivered into a reporting system, and 2) performing an annual single-night count of
people who are unsheltered. The first provides a picture of the number of individuals
served while the latter demonstrates trends among those not receiving shelter or
housing services.
THOSE SERVED IN
The total count of those who received homelessness services in 2022 jumped
significantly (2021: 8,814). This is likely because of an increase in those experiencing
homelessness and an increase in the homeless network’s capacity to serve more
people because of additional funding.
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TYPES OF HOMELESSNESS TYPES OF HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE PROVIDERSASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
Homeless Management
Information System
Homeless Prevention
Emergency Shelter
Rapid Re-housing
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive
Housing
*** Sources reflect matching funds required by federal grants and state, local and private funding. Organizations may have generated or received other
funding to support homelessness assistance activities not included here.
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
511,931 4,572
FEDERAL FUNDING
$5,891,520
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$5,560,662 $11,967,506
Access Point:
Our Path Home
REGION7
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
178,022 1,191
FEDERAL FUNDING
$327,651
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$1,841,553 $2,933,988
Access Point:
Aid for Friends
REGION5
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
210,983 1,071
FEDERAL FUNDING
$1,071,718
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$1,847,091 $2,911,365
Access Point:
South Central Community Action Partnership
REGION4
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
255,767 639
FEDERAL FUNDING
$658,691
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$612,568 $706,914
Access Point:
Club, Inc.
REGION6
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POPULATION* HOMELESS**
265,384 743
FEDERAL FUNDING
$2,200,900
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$2,198,470 $3,002,569
Access Point:
St. Vincent De Paul of North Idaho
REGION1
Resource Distribution
Resources for homelessness service providers come from a variety of sources: federal,
state and local; grants administered and donations provided by Idaho Housing;
and other private funding sources.
The following lists resources identified in each region as well as homeless assistance
services offered.
* All county population data is from United States Census Bureau.
*** The number of people experiencing homelessness is reported from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Community
Management Information System (CMIS), both of which are electronic databases that gather the characteristics and service needs of those
experiencing homelessness. The total also includes data from providers who do not participate in the HMIS or CMIS systems. The total is not
representative of data from all providers and should be considered a minimum baseline.
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
366,278 1,863
FEDERAL FUNDING
$1,240,689
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$2,461,033 $8,635,125
Access Point:
CATCH of Canyon County
REGION3
POPULATION* HOMELESS**
112,381 972
FEDERAL FUNDING
$15,000
IHFA FUNDING OTHER FUNDING***
$1,469,778 $2,693,431
Access Point:
Sojourners’ Alliance
REGION2
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* This data is reported from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Community Management Information System
(CMIS), both of which are electronic databases that gather the characteristics and service needs of those experiencing homelessness.
Characteristics of Homelessness
The path to safe, stable housing must meet the unique needs of each person
or family. To accomplish this, we must have a clear picture of the characteristics
and circumstances of those who are unhoused. By doing so, we help ensure
homelessness is a rare, brief, and nonrecurring experience.
Each data point below has remained fairly consistent over the past five years with
the exception of the chronically homeless and veterans. Both have dropped by
at least 7 percentage points in the past three years as resources have been
targeted toward these populations.
This data assists in identifying and implementing appropriate and effective
homelessness programs based on local needs.
Need for Additional Housing
LENGTH OF TIME HOMELESS
The length of time homeless refers to all time spent between becoming homeless and
being permanently placed in a housing project, including time in a homeless shelter.
As Idaho’s unsheltered homelessness count grows (see page 8), so does length of time
homeless. Despite an increase in units and resources (e.g., COVID funding) in recent
years, the economic environment is forcing households into homelessness at a rate
not seen before in Idaho. The average homeless household now spends more than
a year experiencing homelessness.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS
Permanent supportive housing (PSH) provides long-term housing stability, along
with service supports. PSH is traditionally reserved for households with fixed-incomes,
disabilities, or other long-term service needs. Idaho has steadily increased the PSH bed
count across the state, leading to a decrease in chronic and veteran homelessness.
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REMAINING IN HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMS
The number of households remaining in the program that ended their homelessness
at the end of each year has been on the rise. With a large number of households
experiencing income growth while participating in programs, this appears
to be attributed to a lack of affordable housing options to move in to.
RETURNS TO HOMELESSNESS WITHIN ONE YEAR
Once a household has exited homelessness, less than 3% return to homelessness
within one year. Current housing and service providers are finding success in
their programming.
Length of time homeless is increasing while permanent supportive housing units have
increased. The housing market is causing program participants to stay in programs
longer. Programs are successfully preparing those who have exited homelessness
for permanent stable housing arrangements. Additional investments in unit creation
and services are needed to reverse the trend of increasing homelessness.
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Watch the heartwarming video documenting the transformation
of this house into a home.
Scan or visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCHBSL3962Q
Success Story
RENEWED HOPE FOR A BOISE FAMILY
A Boise family that had been living in a local shelter now has a fully furnished home
to call their own, thanks in part to the Avenues for Hope campaign and Treger Strasberg,
the founder of a national nonprofit organization called Humble Design.
Althea, a grandmother who is taking care of her 6-year-old grandson, worked with
CATCH to find a place to live after being sheltered for months by Interfaith Sanctuary.
Their new home was empty except for a pair of mattresses on the floor and bags
of clothes.
That’s where Humble Design came in. The nonprofit furnishes the homes of people
exiting homelessness in an effort to keep them housed. Humble Design worked
with volunteers from Idaho Housing and Finance and Micron as part of the 2022
Avenues for Hope campaign to furnish the home.
“We’re not here to help a family move in,” Strasberg said. “We’re here to help
them move forward with the hope, the pride and the dignity that they deserve.”
Since 2009, Humble Design has transformed the lives of more than 8,000 people
throughout the country. According to a study published by the National Institute
of Health, 50 percent of families return to homelessness within a year of securing
housing. However, less than 1 percent of families helped by Humble Design have
returned to the shelter system.
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* Figures represent program impact from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
Emergency Rental Assistance
The 2022 calendar year marked the third year of COVID-19 response programs.
Although unemployment rates improved, inflation on everyday goods, gas, and housing
caused financial strain for tens of thousands of Idahoans. Fortunately, federal Emergency
Rental Assistance funds remained available to support Idaho renters unable to pay
rent or utilities. An unprecedented amount of assistance was distributed to keep
our rental housing crisis at bay. Still, we saw record numbers of homelessness in 2022.
Because of limited funding, all Emergency Rental Assistance in Idaho is expected
to be exhausted in the first half of 2023.
FUNDS DISBURSED* HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTED* $79,000,000 18,800
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Home Partnership Foundation
The Home Partnership Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by Idaho Housing
and Finance to help communities meet their most pressing housing needs. For more
than 17 years, the foundation has received charitable donations from employers,
the private sector, developers, local governments, financial institutions and others
to help sustain and grow affordable housing opportunities directly and through
supporting Idaho nonprofits. Since its inception in 2005, the foundation has
invested more than $15 million to help address housing needs in Idaho.
To learn more, visit idahohousing.com/foundation.
AVENUES FOR HOPE
The Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge is a unique fundraising campaign created
by the Home Partnership Foundation. The goal of the annual campaign is to strengthen
housing-related nonprofits throughout Idaho by encouraging individual donations
to help prevent homelessness and improve affordable housing options. Over the past
12 years, the campaign has raised $12 million for housing nonprofits.
To learn more, visit avenuesforhope.org.
'HOW CAN YOU HELP
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to our valued partners who contributed
information and data presented in
this year's report.
Idaho Housing
and Finance
Association