Blueprints for Partnering to

House Homeless College StudentsJess Thompson, Tacoma Housing Authority

Pave the Way Conference

December 11, 2019

Tacoma Housing Authority902 South L StreetTacoma, WA 98405

(253) 448-2795

Introduction

Jess Thompson

Project Manager – Post Secondary Education

Tacoma Housing Authority

Why Educational Outcomes?

▪ Except for the school district and the public assistance agency, we serve more poor children than any other organization in Tacoma.

▪ We house about 1 of every 7 Tacoma Public School students and 1 out of every 4.5 low-income students.

▪ Our mission is to help people succeed not just as tenants but also as parents, students, wage earners and builders of assets who can live without assistance.

▪ We want clients’ time with us to be transforming and temporary.

Tacoma Schools

Housing Assistance

Program (TSHAP)

College Bound

Scholarship Enrollment

Children’s Savings

Account (CSA)

College Housing

Assistance Program

(CHAP)

College Housing Assistance Program (CHAP)

▪ We house or budget to house nearly 300 homeless enrolled students at Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington at Tacoma.

▪ Housing voucher: We provide TCC students with 60+ of housing vouchers for students. The subsidy lasts up to a five-year period or until a student graduates – whatever comes first.

▪ Property Based Subsidy: We partner with property development groups to “buy down” affordability of units that are set aside for CHAP students. THA currently has 125 PBS units.

The Struggle to Stay in College

▪ Students report they do not have enough money for living expenses (housing, transportation and food) compromising college success

▪ Nationally, homeless students have a greater likelihood of exiting college

▪ TCC students reported homeless rate is 27%, UWT students homeless rate is 10%, national average is reported as 14%

▪ Prompted partnership between TCC, UWT and THA to remove these barriers and retain students

▪ Early outcomes of partnership showed 60% of participants remained enrolled or graduated, compared to 16% of homeless/near-homeless students who did not receive assistance

CHAP Students

(Voucher holders)

Majority are extremely low income

Many are single parents (mostly mothers)

Average household size is 2.1

Overrepresentation of students of color

Majority are non-traditional students

General Overview of Roles & Responsibilities

Housing Authority

Provide the housing dollar

Education Partner

Provide resource navigation and

wraparound supports

Property

Prioritize renting to eligible students

Housing

Authority

Property

College

Administer subsidy

Technical assistance

Project management

Program evaluation

Development

Comply with contract

Notify college of vacancies

Income verification

MOU

Program Manual

Data Sharing Agreement

MOU for Referrals

Contract for Dedicated

Units

Student is housed with appropriate wraparound

supports

Outreach

Intake and referral

Lease up support

Resource navigation

Wraparound supports

Compliance tracking

Data reporting

Challenges & Opportunities

With the housing subsidies, students still face challenges:

Challenge Opportunity

Cost of leasing up Emergency assistance fund

No/poor rental history Renter Readiness workshop

No/poor credit reportLandlord mitigation fund/Operating reserve

Compounding factors related to housing insecurity

Resource navigation and case management

Lack of affordable housing Property based subsidyShared Housing partnership

Partner

Housing Authority, DeveloperNon-profit Org

Grant from the city

THA & landlords

Housing Authority, Property Developer, Philanthropic Org

Resource navigator/case worker (MSW/LICSW)

Collective Impact Non-profit, HE persistence programs/projects

Challenges are opportunities for partnership.

Assistance conditioned on academic progress

Connect to community initiatives re persistence

Preliminary Outcomes

Active Graduated EOP All

Average GPA 2.77 3.27 2.44 2.79

Years on program 1.5 1.3 1.1 1.4

Average credits earned 77 147 109 102

Average household size 2.2 2.7 2.0 2.3

Single Parents 42% 46% 57% 48%

N= 52 24 29 105

Of students who have exited program, 45% graduated (TCC graduation rate is around 23%)

Tenant Based Vouchers: Fall 2014 – Winter 2019

Potential Housing Partners

Public Housing Authority

◼ Move to Work flexibility

Tacoma, King County, Seattle, and Vancouver

◼ Project Based Vouchers

Come with more intensive services

Housing Non-Profits

◼ Overlap in target population and outcomes

Property Developers and Local Landlords

◼ Incentivize renting to student population

◼ Tenant supports

◼ Mitigation funds

Implementation & OngoingPlanningInitiation

Identify available housing/ subsidies

Define eligibility

College

Housing Partner

Identify need

Ensure compatible with Fair Housing and

other policies

Ensure compatible with academic

reality and available supports

Ensure end of assistance/housing

follows tenant laws/policies

Develop support and intervention

strategies

Lease up supports

Develop outreach strategies

Develop intake,

screening, and

referral process

Program development

Develop tracking and reporting

protocol

Define program

requirements

Involve ALL support staff and relevant offices/programs Identify Communication Protocol

Conduct outreach, intake,

and screening

Manage waitlist

Refer student to housing provider Data

collection and program

evaluation

Resource navigation

Academic supports

Develop relationships

with landlords

Nurture relationships

with landlords

Project management

Program Development and Implementation

“We’re not a housing authority.”

The importance of colleges developing relationships with landlords and property owners:

◼ Nurtures commitment to serving your students.

◼ Promotes and expands the program.

◼ Many interested in housing students but may not consider doing so through a housing authority.

◼ Mitigates concerns by knowing there’s a point person to reach out to or offer mediation (referral to mediation).

Layers of Support for Homeless College Students

Lease up support/security deposit assistance

Develop landlord mitigation fund

Partner with housing non-profit or housing authority

Dedicated housing/resource navigator

Partner with landlords that offer affordable housing

Limited/

One-time

Community Partnership

Ongoing Campus

Dedicated Program

Program Changes & Student Voice

Important to involve students when designing program/making program changes to ensure you are meeting their needs.

▪ Recent and upcoming CHAP changes:

▪ Extend time limit to 5 years

▪ Allow transfer from TCC to UWT

▪ Income building year for students who earn a credential or transfer to non-participating school/apprenticeship

▪ Allow part-time enrollment

▪ Allow time off from school

Reducing Barriers

▪ Limit criminal screening for CHAP participants

▪ Expanding assistance for other pathways

▪ Flexibility in enrollment requirements

▪ Recommendation to end assistance – shift accountability

▪ “Student has not demonstrated satisfactory academic progress and has been unresponsive to referrals for academic”

▪ Expanding to include “students intending to enroll”

▪ DOC-CHAP

▪ McKinney-Vento unaccompanied high school seniors

Questions for Consideration

▪ What mechanisms do you have in place to identify student needs and barriers?

▪ Are there community partnerships can you develop to improve housing opportunities for students facing housing insecurity?

▪ How can the eligibility criteria, program requirements, and application forms create or eliminate barriers to housing assistance?

▪ How do you ensure program requirements do not create inequitable experiences and outcomes?

Questions?

jthompson@tacomahousing.org

Heads up!

Next two slides are handouts to accompany the presentation.

Case Management & Resource Navigation

Completes screening

application

Program staff determine eligibility

Student completes rental

application

Notify school of vacancy

Not Eligible

Eligible

Deny, notify school and student in writing

Add to waitlist

College

Student

Housing Partner

Appeal process

Assist with lease up expenses

Sign lease

Remove from

waitlist

Notify student of vacancy

Review application

Approve

Case Management & Resource Navigation

Provide Housing Subsidy

College

Student

Housing Partner

Submit quarterly report to notify

housing authority/property of changes in

academic/enrollment status

Sign lease

Track and report on progress and

compliance

Maintain enrollment and

academic progress

Earn post-secondary credential

Not Compliant

Outreach

Not responsive

Notify student of recommendation to

end assistance

Appeal process

Transfer to non-participating institution

or apprenticeship

Provide up to additional year of subsidy

Notify student of remaining time of assistance