Organization: First Step Housing
Mission: First Step Communities will create interim housing and emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Here they will live in safety and dignity, receive the services they require, and take a first-step away from homelessness toward self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
Activities: The Department of Housing and Urban Development has established the Housing First model calling for housing clients first and providing wrap around services. The HUD recommended emphasis remains placing homeless individuals in permanent housing and coordinating access to required services. First Step Communities continues to support this model and endeavors to develop solutions that have practical application. Unfortunately, the gap between secured funding for more affordable housing and the increasing numbers of homeless individuals persists. Our targeted populations, chronically homeless adults, prove to be the least likely to locate housing and services. The overall mission of First Step Communities continues to be to provide shelter and services to this vulnerable population. In doing this, FSC and its collaborative partners will help the target group of individuals as they move through the interim services provided. Our desired outcome remains to prepare this population for rapid rehousing programs that align with the Housing First Model and prioritize a successful transition to permanent housing.Accomplishments in 2019 include:Administered the 2018-19 Winter Sanctuary Program for Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance. Provided 100-individuals shelter beds and two meals per day at over thirty-five participating congregations in Sacramento County from November to March. Partnered with Elica Health to provide medical healthcare and other collaborative partners included Legal Services of Northern California, One Community Health, AA/NA, and others.Conducted a Pilot Test of rehousing providing case management for Winter Sanctuary Program clients by housing fifty-three individuals, proving the efficacy of the program.Opened and administered the North A Street Rehousing Service Center for clients which is accessed via outreach in the River District streets. Housed 200 + clients in 2019.Bid and won The North A Street Campus Program (Shelter and Services) to begin on January 1, 2020. Established Memorandums of Understanding with major collaborative clients including VOA, WAVE, LSNC, Elica Health, and others.
NTEE category: Housing & Shelter
Secondary category: Food, Agriculture & Nutrition