HOUSING FIRST DEMONSTRATION PROJECT: PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE SYSTEM CHANGE IN DUBLIN

Council for the Homeless Northern Ireland 28th November 2013

Homeless

Shelter placement

Transitional housing

Permanent housing

Ongoing, flexible supports

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OVERVIEW

Why Housing First in Dublin?

Key changes within a Housing-led Approach.

The journey so far: realising Housing First principles; challenges and experiences.

Housing First but not Housing Only

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WHY HOUSING FIRST IN DUBLIN?

Adoption of Pathway to Home (2009) Integrated model of service delivery for persons

experiencing and at risk of homelessness: Prevention, Housing, Support.

Service reconfiguration and change management ongoing since 2009

Pathways to Home is an early version of Ireland’s newly adopted housing-led approach to homelessness Local approach (precedes welcome change in the

articulation and orientation of national policy) Evaluation of services – need for a systemic, cohesive

approach. Allowed (attempted) adoption of NYC Housing First

model (via skills transfer and exchange) from 2011

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LOCAL CHANGES WITHIN A HOUSING-LED APPROACH. Completed reconfiguration of services in 2013

Localisation is now complete across each Dublin Local Authority Full suite of services ranging from outreach, 24 hr supported

temporary accommodation to floating support services and accommodation with on-site support

PGH HUB: Central Placement Service for Emergency, Oversight & Allocation of Long-term Supported Housing, Housing First, Mental Health team, Health Multi-disciplinary team.

Consolidation of agencies - 5 mergers in voluntary sector

Training and accreditation via Dublin City University Case Management protocols and common assessment

tool in place

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LOCAL CHANGES WITHIN A HOUSING-LED APPROACH.

Implemented shared client support and bed management system (PASS) National roll-out of PASS now underway

Quality Standards Manual in place Now being revised for national implementation

from 2014 Evaluation Model (new approach; dedicated and

customised model for Pathway to Home services) Pathway to Home HABITACT Peer Review 2013 Available shortly @ www.feantsa.org

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DUBLIN ‘DAY TIME TAPPING’ (2009)

Original target group: known population of 23 enduring rough sleepersCriteria for HF:•Chronic experience of homelessness over a number of years •A broad range of significant support needs (mental health/ addiction)•Not engaged effectively with available accommodation or support services•Priority for rough sleepers The individual would agree to:•Participate in the project; •Accept home visits;•Pay rent.

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DUBLIN HOUSING FIRST DEMONSTRATION PROJECT: NEW GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IN

2013

Board of Directors (Legal functions)

Project Manager (DRHE)

Housing Team Support Team

Advisory Group (13 members: housing, health care and social welfare providers and academic specialist)

Independent Evaluation Programme (University of Limerick)

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Housing First Dublin- No of Participants x No of Partipants in Tenancy

No of Participants in Tenancy No of Participants

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DEMOGRAPHICSPARTICPANTS: 26

Single males: 14 Single females: 2 5 couples: 101 is in the process of moving from

PEA- held up due to refurbishmentOut of Tenancy: 1 seeking a

tenancy since early Sept (incl of custody).

4 tenancies could be described as vulnerable.

INTAKE:1 female: in custody1 male: rough sleeping9 Households on priority list

1 tenancy 17* (not incl refurb)

2 tenancies 6

3 tenancies 2

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Tenure type:

Private Rental

737%

AHB6

32%

Social Rental- LA

632%

Housing First Tenure Type

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THE JOURNEY SO FAR…EXPERIENCE

Housing Self-contained Scattered site: no more than

20% of any block of housing Mixed tenure within rental

markets: social housing and private rented housing

Full tenancy rights, in line with Irish Private Residential Tenancies Act, and governed by PRTB

New Housing Sources: LA Social Rental AHB Private Rented (BID) Leasing/Social Rental Agency

Model

Support Promoting autonomy and

respect for choice works. Intensity of support varies 9 people not previously linked

to drug/ addiction treatment services prior to housing: all now seeking Methadone. 3 went into residential detox/stabilisation.

Mental health services: local service arrangements are positive. Very, very important.

Primary Care Needs are very high.

Intensive Case Management model works: shared caseload can be confusing for clients (multiple staff)

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Securing access to private rented tenancies: market resistance to client group

Income inadequacy of tenants and restrictions on income subvention for rent payments: informal personal contribution to rents

Loss of tenancies:(a) Bank Repossession- 1 (b) rent arrears- 0 (c) Landlord Preference- ? (d) Anti-social behaviour- 6 (e) Tenant Abandoning- 1 (f) Lease not renewed - 1

Estate management issues: concerns about the client group among social housing providers (anti-social behaviour).

Allocation policy: equity issues (prioritisation)

Effective separation of housing & support functions is really important.

Role of housing allowances and ‘premium’ payment for homeless households

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Challenge of focusing on the person, not the tenancy- allowing for choice;

Accepting tenancies will fail; Underestimating how intensive

housing support needs are; Homeless Vs Community Services Managing interactions with

neighbours; Need to develop harm minimisation

responses for couples with domestic violence who stay together;

Loneliness and social isolation; (Patrick, Babby the Pek & the Staff)

Peer advocacy within HF and meaningful occupation

Staff Competency

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SUMMARY Housing First in Dublin is a Partnership (Local authority,

HSE, PMVT, DSC, FI, AL, MQI, Safetynet & AHBs (Cluid/Respond/NABCO) Progress is slow and success for housing first and

housing led approach is fragile; Tentative first steps towards required reform momentum

for rental housing sector in Ireland (standards/protections);

System change is difficult, given the supply deficiencies, but new housing-led policy coherence helps;

The de-institutionalisation of homelessness is happening but needs multi-agency approach and continued cultural change away from ‘warehousing’.

Housing First Team strongly believe that this is the single most effective way to work with people experiencing chronic homelessness.

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THANKS FOR LISTENING

Mary Hayes

Dublin Region Homeless Executive

mary.hayes@dublincity.ie

www.homelessdublin.ie