S.F. plans to move entire homeless encampments into housing (xpost from GD)

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-plans-to-move-entire-homeless-encampments-6117833.php

Greg Fairrer lay facedown on the sidewalk in the Mission District on Thursday while one block away San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee was trumpeting what could be Fairrer’s salvation — a homeless-aid Navigation Center designed to move entire homeless encampments from sidewalk to permanent homes in just 10 days.,,,

The Navigation Center is one of the most innovative homeless-help experiments being undertaken in the U.S. — meaning that when it opens the week of March 16 at an old high school at 16th and Mission streets, it will be watched not just by every homeless camper in the vicinity, but by aid agencies around the nation....

One-stop help centers exist all over the U.S. — in San Francisco, there’s Project Homeless Connect, a 10-year-old effort to refer the homeless to job training, substance-abuse counseling and other programs that can pull them off the streets.

But what has never been tried is moving full encampments under one roof — dogs and couples and tents and all — and housing them there until permanent housing is found. The Navigation Center will be doing this as a pilot project for eight to 18 months, depending on its success.

Now let's get one in San Jose!

[pinto]

1. This is a growing trend being discussed in many CA communities.

Going under various names - I've heard "Housing First" - it's meant to provide a more comprehensive, coordinated approach to all the issues related to homelessness starting from the obvious definition, lack of housing. Current service / support models rely on a well meaning, committed yet often disjointed array of public and private agencies. The current system's results leave gaps, redundant services and a hit 'n miss bottom line.

Housing First looks to address the immediate need - short term (most models target a year) stable housing - and are set up to bring all the various support services in to play in a set location. The goal is long term, independent housing.

I've heard pros and cons about the approach. But if done right I think it's a good one.

[daredtowork]

2. Next step

Lift the terror from those in imminent danger of losing their housing through long term unemployment. Most if not all rent aid programs in the Bay Area require a person show where future rent will come from. This basically dooms people who will have to wait forever to get on SSI or be somehow nudged toward employability again on the State's "slower than a glacier" approach to social programs. How are you staying housed while you are establishing to SSI you can't hold down a job? There is a big "terror of homelessness" gap that still needs to be filled even if the current victims of the social grindstone are peeled off the street.

[mackerel]

3. There are some who will never adjust to permanent housing

but I think this is a great idea.