5) Description of housing product/service offering: The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) is the largest service provider for the homeless population in Vermont. Housing costs in Burlington, the largest city, are 44 percent above the national average. With a rental vacancy rate of less than 2 percent and the cost of a modest two- bedroom at $1,015, there are limited housing opportunities for homeless individuals, especially those with poor credit histories and complex mental health, substance abuse and severe disabilities. COTS opened the Smith House program, a nationally recognized housing model, in 2002 to provide chronically homeless individuals with a housing opportunity designed to prepare the “hardest to house” individuals for permanent housing. The Smith House operates as a residential program and provides chronically homeless individuals with the chance to establish “housing readiness” over a 4-6 month period. Seven single occupancy rooms are available to chronically homeless individuals willing to participate in the program. For this population, the large dormitory-style shelter of our 36-bed emergency shelter is overwhelming and many leave before receiving case management services or finding permanent housing. Each participant in the Smith House program has a COTS case manager and must work on an Individual Service Plan (ISP). Length of stay is negotiated weekly based on participants progress in meeting ISP goals, saving money and attending recovery meetings. An overnight staff person who has experienced homelessness lives on the premises and is able to provide peer support and encouragement to the residents. Additional incentives, such as YMCA passes and movies passes are used to reward individuals as they make progress towards their goal – permanent housing.

6) Description of innovation: The innovation is that two low-income apartments attached to Smith House provide the majority of the funding necessary to support an additional seven chronically homeless individuals with no where else to turn in a housing program with intensive support services. Many of these individuals in the program are not eligible for other residential programs because they simply do not meet the stringent criteria and are not mental ill or developmentally delayed "enough" to qualify, yet they do not have the life skills yet to maintain permanent housing. This program provides these individuals with a single occupancy room, onsite support and a community of individuals working towards the same goal. Residents pay a weekly program fee based on their income with a maximum of $55 and can be asked to leave for inappropriate behavior. This allows us to enforce strict guidelines, such as a savings requirement, weekly case management attendance and sobriety, and the ability to release someone from the program who will not comply with rules rather than engaging in the often lengthy and expensive eviction process. An overnight staff person who has experienced homelessness lives onsite and is key to providing residents with the support necessary to gain independence.

7) Benefits to clients: Sixty-five percent of the chronically homeless individuals who went through Smith House were placed in permanent housing. This is remarkable given the fact that many of these individuals with complex mental health issues and poor credit histories would never have even been considered viable tenants by local landlords before Smith House. COTS uses a continuum of care model taking care of people’s basic needs first through emergency shelter, than providing support and services to help them overcome barriers with the goal of moving them into permanent housing. Individuals that might benefit from the Smith House are identified while staying in emergency shelter. The Smith House model prevents recidivism by preparing people with complex issues for permanent housing. By providing a supportive housing community and teaching individuals in crisis essential life skills, COTS has also been able to change local landlords' perceptions of individuals that used to be disguarded as too hard to house.

8) Key operational partnerships: COTS key partnerships include the Burlington Housing Authority, the State of Vermont and the Veterans Association who provide building maintenance support and individual

resident assistance. Local community organizations such as Safe Harbor, Howard Mental Health and Champlain Drug and Alcohol provide onsite and offsite support services for individual program residents.

9) Financial model: Two low-income, Section 8 apartments attached to Smith House provide the majority of the financial support necessary to operate the program. These two Section 8 vouchers that typically support a total of 8 family members or 2 families (average of 4 per family) support an additional 7 individuals in the residential housing program. While residents pay a weekly fee up to $55 per person, it does not exceed 30 percent of their income, allowing them to save for permanent housing.

          • Costs as percentage of income: na

          • Financing: While the program in not profitable, it is financially self-sustainable. As previously mentioned, the two, low-income family apartments attached to the program building pay for the majority of operating costs. Since the building was donated, there are no mortgage payments.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: One hundred individuals have benefited from the Smith House program over the last 4 years since it opened. Sixty-five percent have successfully moved into permanent housing.

          • Number of clients in past year: Last year 20 chronically homeless individuals participated in the Smith House program.

          • Percentage of clients that are poor or marginalized: 100

          • Potential demand: With a national homeless population of 2-3 million, expansion of the Smith House model could prevent recidivism and provide a housing alternative for millions of people. Locally, a Smith House model for families could provide over 50 families each year with a housing options that will ultimately prevent recidivism and help obtain permanent affordable housing.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: Based on the increase of homeless families over the last few years with complex mental health issues, severe disabilities and poor credits histories who simply cannot find affordable housing or are not ready, COTS would like to expand this model for families. The recently released Homeless in America Part Two: A Statistical Reader (completed by Institute for Children and Poverty and Homes for the Homeless) found that a surprisingly large number of families, 31% of those surveyed, lose their housing again after having recovered from their initial period of homelessness. A Smith House model for families could prevent recidivism by providing homeless families with the support, skills and opportunity to save necessary to secure and retain permanent housing.

12) Origin of the initiative: In 2001, COTS responded to the rising needs of the chronically homeless population with nowhere to turn by turning a donated building in much need of rehab into the Smith House Program.

Contact Information:
Rita  Markley
Executive Director
Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS)
(NGO)
P.O. Box 1616, Burlington, VTO 05402
United States
Tel: 802-864-7402 x106
Email: markley@cotsonline.org
Website: www.cotsonline.org