# Presentation: 225594

## Homeless Assistance Rental Program (HARP)

**DESIGN OF SALT LAKE COUNTY**
** ****JAIL PILOT**

## Challenges

- Approximately 70% of the people in the Salt Lake County jail have a substance abuse problem
- The waiting list for a substance abuse residential treatment bed is 3 months
- 10% of the county jail population is homeless (approximately 200 people)

## HARP Assumptions

- There are people in the jail and in residential treatment programs who could be better served in the community
- It is less expensive to provide housing with supportive services rather than in jail or residential treatment
- Use existing housing inventory (private sector) to house people leaving jail or residential treatment programs
- Provide supportive services

## Partners in HARP

- Salt Lake County Housing Authority
- County Divisions of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Youth Services, and Criminal Justice Services
- Fourth Street Clinic – Homeless Clinic
- LDS Humanitarian Services
- State Department of Workforce Services

## SALT LAKE HOUSING AUTHORITY

- Identify scattered site housing
- Enter into agreement with landlords – Master Lease
- Process applications for HARP
- Place HARP clients on other housing lists (e.g., Section 8)
- Report regularly on HARP clients

## COUNTY DIVISIONS

- Provide case management services
- Arrange for treatment services
- Liaison with the Housing Authority and landlords regarding clients

## Fourth Street Clinic

- Provide health services to HARP clients

## LDS Humanitarian Services

- Provide bed frames and mattresses for HARP clients
- Provide vouchers for HARP clients to be used at Deseret Industries

## State Workforce Services

- Provide staff members to assist HARP clients in securing employment and other public assistance programs

## Eligibility for the Program	

- Must be homeless
- 50% must have been booked in the jail or in residential treatment
- Cannot be on sexual offender registry
- Cannot be convicted of manufacturing drugs
- Must have a case manager

## Case Manager Responsibilities

- Identify clients to participate in the program
- Assist clients in completing application forms
- Obtain a signed release of information form
- Develop a client case management
- Visit the client at least weekly

## Funding

- Federal HOME funds
- County general funds

## HARP Governance

- Monthly meeting with case managers and Housing Authority
- Review clients in program, challenges
- Clarify policies and operation of program
- Plan future activities

## What’s Happened in HARP

- Contract with County Housing Authority
- Program began January 1, 2006
- As of June 30, 2006, 53 leaseholders in the program
- Residing in 25 different sites throughout the county
- Waiting list of 16 individuals/families

## Who Is Being Housed (June 30, 2006)

- 27 male, 26 female leaseholders
- 56 adults, 22 children
- Youngest leaseholder (18)
- Oldest leaseholder (59)
- 30 leaseholders (57%) placed by substance abuse agencies

## Client Profile

- Male, 28 years of age
- Drugs of choice are opiates and methamphetamine
- Been arrested 30 times on drug-related charges
- Spent time in prison for parole violation
- Struggles with depression

## Client Profile

- Female, 21 years of age with an infant daughter
- Grew up in foster care and aged out of system
- Has had substance abuse problems since age 17
- Drug choice is meth
- Diagnosis of bipolar disorder

## Outcomes

- 32 leaseholders are paying more than minimum rent ($50/month)
- 22 children living with parent(s)
- As of June 30, no clients have returned to jail
- Jail cost is $2,310/month; HARP cost is $1,050/month

## Jail Experience of Lease Holders(Sample of 51)

- 42 had been booked into the county jail (2000–2005)
- Booked an average of six times
- One man and one woman each booked 15 times
- Spent >7,338 days in jail or just >20 years
- One man served 798 days; one woman 612 days

## Homeless Shelter Experience

- 26 of 51 had requested services from the Road Home
- Seven were housed by The Road Home
- 960 nights of shelter provided to seven leaseholders since 2000

## State Corrections Experience

- 28 had involvement in the State corrections system
- 10 had served time in the State prison

## State DWS Experience

- 3,369 months of public assistance (12 programs) had been used by the 51 leaseholders
- An average of 66 months of assistance per leaseholder
- Priority use of assistance was Food Stamps, Medicaid, FEP (TANF)

## What’s Next

- Evaluation of HARP by University of Utah
- Obtain resources for other client needs
- Seek additional funding for housing