# Presentation: 765023

## New York State’s

- Tier II Family Shelter System

- Jeff Barnes
- October 7-8, 2004

## TANF Funding

- New York has used family assistance money (AFDC / TANF) to fund the family shelter system for nearly 2 decades

## Tier II Model

- For families
- Tier II shelters: service-rich shelters designed to facilitate return of homeless families to permanent housing
- Housing search assistance, child care, employment services, independent living planning
- Case management by shelter staff

## Tier II Model

- Onsite case management by shelter staff
- Individual rooms with cooking facilities

## Tier II History

- First codified in New York State regulations in 1986
- Developed in response to several perceived needs

## Original Tier II Rationale

- Per diem reimbursement was needed
- Welfare hotels became dangerous
- Homeless families needed life skills
- Services will reduce recidivism
- Reward for progress
- Over 4,500 families were homeless

## Slide 7

## Slide 8

## NYC

- 83% of New York State’s homeless families reside in NYC shelters
- Homeless family caseload was 8,726 as of August 2004

## Rest of State

- In recent years, some districts outside of New York City reported increases in family caseload; most districts remained stable or declined slightly
- Approximately 1,920 homeless families in rest of State
- Westchester, Suffolk, Nassau, and NYC = 95%

## Family Homelessness

- Statewide homeless family caseload approximately 11,000
- Gross annual expenditures for family shelters of $300 million

## Statewide Long-Term Homelessness

- 6,090 families have been in shelter for 6 months or more
- Comprise 55% of State’s homeless family caseload

## Slide 13

## Long Term Homelessness

- In NYC, long-term sheltered families will use 68% of shelter resources

## Long-Term Homelessness

## State Managed, Locally Administered

- In New York, homelessness is addressed by 58 local social services districts
- Each district chooses its own mix of shelters, hotels, and scatter-site apartments
- Tier II shelters are the best way to control case duration

## Slide 17

## Current Rationale for Tier II System

- _Current Rationale for__ Tier II System_

## The Tier II System

- 65 shelters in New York City
- 7 shelters in districts outside of NYC
- Total bed capacity 14,368
- Individual shelters range in size from 20 to over 300 families
- Average reimbursement is approximately $90 per night

## Where Do Tier IIs Make Sense?

- Localities with long–term cases
- Localities with high hotel costs
- Localities where transportation is difficult

## Key Ingredients 

- Service philosophy that stresses transition
- Start what needs to be started
- Independent living planning
- Assessment in first 48 hours
- Biweekly meetings

## Key Ingredients

- Site appropriate service mix
- Onsite services to fill gaps
- Onsite services and specialty shelters for populations like domestic violence survivors
- Child care
- Site appropriate
- Separate licensing for onsite programs

## Key Ingredients

- State certification and inspection program
- Begins with operational plan specifying services and staffing
- Annual inspections
- Progressive improvement model

## Key Ingredients

- State–approved per diem reimbursement
- Powerful quality control mechanism
- Method for managing local district occupancy rates
- Well-defined regulatory structure