Shelter Planning Task Force — Portland, ME
Date: 2015-07-22

Shelter Planning Task Force
 July 22, 2015
 9 – 10:30 am

 AGENDA




1. Welcome and updates

  Oxford Street lease update – expires June 2016, no indication from
 landlord of any interest not to renew

  Update provided to City Council’s Public Safety, Health & Human Services
 Committee July 7; requested extension until October 13

2. Components of adult emergency shelter services model

3. Next steps

 a. Next meeting: Weds 8/12, 9-11, rm 24 City Hall

 b. Topic: Shelter Eligibility




389 Congress Street / Portland, ME 04101 / www.portlandmaine.gov / tel. 207•756•8363 / tty. 207•874•8936 / fax. 207•874•8669
 Components of Adult Emergency Shelter Services – Portland
 DRAFT 7/21/15



Component Best Practice Current Status Desired change(s), if any
Coordinated Entry Designated points of entry where clients Statewide Homeless Council/both All such providers would need to
 are assessed with a brief, standardized Continuums of Care/MaineHousing drafting adopt the same assessment tool and
 tool to determine if literally homeless or a full process. protocols.
 at-risk; connections made to available City now using VISPDAT.
 emergency shelter, prevention Referrals happen because of long-standing
 resources, or other appropriate relationships and partnerships among
 resources as a next step. agencies in Portland.
Emergency Shelter Low-barrier, 24-hour services are City provides emergency shelter services to
(including day available for those who need them (and men and women at the Oxford Street
services, meals) are eligible). Shelter. Preble Street, with some pass-
 through funding from the City/
 MaineHousing, provides day services and
 2-3 meals/day.
Housing Shelter consumers are assessed using a Oxford Street Shelter staff use quantitative Will benefit from increased supply
placement standardized, quantitative tool to data to indicate the longest-term stayers of affordable housing. Although
 determine prioritization for housing for housing placement prioritization. OSS there is an adequate supply of rental
 placement as well as the type of staff and the ESAC group (Shalom, subsidies for the current list of
 placement that is the best fit, whether Milestone, Frannie Peabody Center, Long-Term Stayers, future targets
 Rapid Re-Housing or Housing First, as Amistad, OA, Preble Street, CHOM, PHA) will require additional rental
 well as which rental assistance program. collaborate to ensure that these clients are subsidies.
 successfully housed and receive ongoing
 support.
Support services All clients placed in Housing First and OSS and the ESAC group collaborate to Concerns about ongoing availability
 other housing arrangements receive ensure supportive services are delivered so of supportive services especially for
 adequate support for success in their that people remain housed successfully. those without MaineCare
 housing placement. reimbursement for such services or
 vouchers which cover them.
Prevention Services are easily available for those This is a much lower priority than working Consider ways to expand primary
 who are at risk of homelessness. from the longest stayers to the next and secondary prevention around
 longest. With most people passing possible evictions.
 through shelters very rapidly, we won’t
make much of a dent by hoping to prevent
the multitude of people nearly homeless
from becoming homeless. When our
longest stays are less than 30 days, we can
begin to retool toward this end.
 Shelter Planning Task Force
 Rev 7/15/15


Task Timeframe
I. Organizational
  A. Create project plan with clearly defined scope and principles for decision- Julie Apr 3
 making
 1. Proposed scope: The Shelter Planning Task Force is charged with Julie, with approval
 recommending a model of emergency shelter services for adults that from Sheila
 is feasible within available funding sources, uses resources as
 efficiently and effectively as possible, and serves in the best interest of
 people experiencing homelessness and the city as a whole.
 2. Proposed decision-making principles: The task force will strive for Julie, with approval
 consensus at each decision point and when finalizing the from Task Force at
 recommendations. When consensus cannot be achieved, majority first meeting
 and minority stances (5 people may constitute a minority stance) will
 both be noted. Individuals may also append a minority stance to the
 final recommendations. Final decisions regarding implementation
 rest with the City Council.
  B. Determine project stakeholders and technical experts Julie, with approval Apr 3
 from Sheila and
 Dawn
 1. Proposed stakeholders:
 a. Kimberly Cook, off-peninsula rep, Deering Center
 b. Peter Driscoll, Amistad
 c. Nicole Evans, United Way of Greater Portland
 d. Bob Fowler, Milestone Foundation
 e. Jim Hanley, Chamber of Commerce rep
 f. Angela Havlin, City of Portland, Oxford St Shelter Director
 g. Bill Higgins, Homeless Voices for Justice
 h. Sean Kerwin, Bayside Neighborhood Association
 i. Dave MacLean, City of Portland, Social Services Div Director
 j. Norman Maze, Shalom House
 k. Cindy Namer, MaineHousing
 l. Claude Rwaganje, refugee communities
 m. Cullen Ryan, CHOM
 n. Melissa Skahan, Mercy Hospital
 o. Jenny Stasio, Co-Chair, Region 1 Homeless Council
 p. Dawn Stiles, City of Portland, HHS Dept Director
 q. Mark Swann, Preble Street
 r. Mike Tarpinian, Opportunity Alliance
 s. Dana Totman, Avesta
 t. Dory Waxman
 2. Proposed technical experts: COP Zoning, COP Police, COP Fire, HUD
 C. Set target deadline for presentation to PSHHS Committee: September 8, Julie, with approval Apr 3
 2015; Revised to October 13 from Sheila and
 Councilor Suslovic
II. Services, structure and finances
 A. Assess current practices
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Task Timeframe
 1. Detail what services are provided at OSS, and what services are Angela Havlin, Apr 29
 provided through linkages with other agencies Mark Swann, Bob
 Fowler
 2. Analyze what works well and what would need to change (added, Task Force May 13, 27
 modified, removed) among these services
 3. Review revenue and expenses for OSS, relevant programming from Angela, Mark, Bob May 13, 27
 Preble Street and Milestone
  B. Review best practices June 10
 1. Identify 3-5 similar municipalities with publicly- or privately-run adult Julie, Rob Parritt
 emergency shelters; lists from MeSHA, HUD
 2. Examine their structure, scope of services, funding, governance
 3. Review national funding trends and program/policy best practices
 C. Review relevant local initiatives to understand how they fit with the Task Cindy Namer, June 24
 Force’s charge – ESAC longest-term stayer initiative, Statewide Homeless Cullen Ryan
 Council’s coordinated entry process
III. Components of adult emergency shelter services model July 22
  A. What’s working well, what needs more/change - sustainability
 1. Coordinated entry – screening and assessment for services needed
 2. Housing placement
 3. Support services
 4. Emergency shelter – including day services, meals
 5. Prevention – eviction risk, etc
  B. Shelter eligibility Aug 12
  C. Estimate of emergency shelter bed need Aug 26
IV. Finances Sept 9
  A. Examine all available sources of emergency shelter funding – City, State,
 Federal, private
  B. Assess requirements of various funders
  C. Determine conservative estimate of funding available for emergency
 shelter services
V. Logistics by various approaches Sept 16
 A. New facility or not
 B. Shelter provider(s)
 C. Location(s)
VI. Draft recommendations Sept 23
VII. Review draft recommendations Sept 30, Oct 7
VIII. Present to PSHHS Oct 13




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 MEMORANDUM

TO: Public Safety, Health and Human Services Committee, City Council
FROM: Julie Sullivan, Acting Chief of Staff
DATE: July 7, 2015
RE: Shelter Planning Task Force update



The Shelter Planning Task Force is charged with recommending a model of emergency shelter services
for adults that is feasible within available funding sources, uses resources as efficiently and effectively as
possible, and serves in the best interest of people experiencing homelessness and the city as a whole.


To that end, the task force began meeting twice a month starting April 29. The work plan/timeline is
attached for your reference, which also includes a list of task force members.


The task force began its work by:
  Assessing current services, structure and budgets for adult emergency shelter services at the
 City’s Oxford Street Shelter (OSS), overflow at Preble Street and the Social Services office at 195
 Lancaster Street
  Reviewing national best practices in program and policy as well as funding trends (attached)
  Discussing relevant local initiatives, including the Statewide Homeless Council’s coordinated
 entry process and the Portland Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee’s support for housing
 OSS’ longest-term stayers


At the next meeting (tomorrow), the task force will examine all currently available sources of adult
emergency shelter funding, requirements of these funders, and come up with a conservative estimate of
funding available.


During the upcoming meetings, the task force will:
  Discuss shelter eligibility
  Determine components of the adult emergency shelter services model (including coordinated
 entry, housing placement, support services, and emergency shelter) and estimate the shelter bed
 need
  Identify who should provide shelter services, in what location, and with which service partners
The task force is currently scheduled to present its recommendations to the Committee on September
8. To ensure adequate time to discuss the complex issues remaining, the task force is requesting an
extension to the October or November Committee meeting.

Shelter Planning Task Force
 July 22, 2015
 Meeting Notes

Attendees:
Mike Tarpinian Opportunity Alliance Nicole Evans United Way of Greater Portland
Dana Totman Avesta Housing Angela Giordano City of Portland, HHS, Social Services
 Division, Oxford Street Shelter
Peter Driscoll Amistad Dawn Stiles City of Portland, Health & Human
 Services Dept
Melissa Skahan Mercy Hospital Bill Higgins Homeless Voices for Justice
Cullen Ryan Community Housing of Maine Rachel Talbot Ross City of Portland
Sean Kerwin Bayside Neighborhood Assn Jim Hanley Chamber of Commerce
Dave MacLean City of Portland, HHS, Social Bob Fowler Milestone Foundation
 Services Division
Cindy Namer MaineHousing Claude Rwangje New Mainer communities
Norm Maze Shalom House Julie Sullivan City of Portland, staff to Task Force



 1. Welcome and updates

  Oxford Street Shelter lease update – expires June 2016, no indication from landlord of any
 interest not to renew
  Update provided to City Council’s Public Safety, Health & Human Services Committee on
 July 7; extension to October 13 granted

 2. Components of adult emergency shelter services model – please see the attached document
 with a matrix showing each best practice component, what we currently do, and what we may
 want to do differently. The attached has been revised to reflect the discussion during the
 meeting.

  Coordinated entry
 o Insufficient outreach to those who are camping out
  PATH-funded staff supposed to visit them on site, but are too centralized
  Cullen will follow up with DHHS
 o What does coordinated entry look like? Would clients have to physically go to Preble
 Street? No, any point of entry is supposed to be able to direct to resources.
 o What about intoxicated/impaired people? How assess? It’s only a brief, 5-question
 basic triage using standardized tool.
 o Supportive services play a critical role – when part of this process? Could be more
 involved on-site at Oxford Street


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 o How do hospitals fit in to coordinated entry? Should they use the VISPDAT?
 Hospitals are a critical point of entry, and could use the brief 5-question triage tool.
 o Important to identify the most appropriate resources. Local availability is a major
 issue –most of the resources here in Portland, continues the burden on Portland.
 Would be far more effective if GA statewide required to do the 5-question screening
 and serve people in their home area.
 o Perhaps with the eventual change that folks can’t just come to Portland and hang out
 – we are going to house you – would make a difference.
 o What about culturally competent services? Those are almost entirely in Portland –
 other places need to provide them as well.
 o City needs to expand service locations outside of Bayside – keep providing more
 services and locating them all in the same neighborhood.

 Emergency shelter
 o Not required to provide 24-hour services, 3 meals
 o MaineHousing homeless rule change
 o 55% of shelter consumers gone within 2 weeks; 80% within 2 months. Goal is 100%
 gone within a month.
 o Long-term stayer (LTS) initiative down from 70 to 45 people
 o Averaging 214/night at Oxford Street and overflow at Preble Street. Overflow not
 always full now. Warming center not needed this month at all, 1 day per month in
 each of the last two months.
 o Why is this number not lower given all the progress with LTS? Numbers were
 increasing, so would have risen without the LTS efforts.
 o 214 (current average/night) minus the 45 LTS = 160, which fits at OSS without
 needing any overflow
 o Also need better triage/diversion at check-in at OSS
 o Bishop St – 30 units – will break ground in September, ready for occupancy a year
 later. Targeted at those who are medically compromised, which further frees up
 shelter space since they required cots instead of mats.
 o Amistad and Milestone also have State funding to provide meals and day services

 Housing placement
 o Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee (ESAC) Long-Term Stayers (LTS) group
 continues to be very effective.
 o Sustainability concerns are mitigated by each organization finding resources to
 serve those who are not MaineCare-eligible – everyone is playing a key role to
 ensure that everyone can receive the supportive services they need.
 o How can this model be institutionalized?
 o Sustainability guaranteed as long as agency commitments remain
 o Critical to continue to have enough rental subsidies and housing/support services

 Support services
 o Warm hand-offs to case management once person is housed is critical

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 o Lack of reimbursement for these services is concerning; in the short term, we are ok
 o Need to communicate with foundations the need for funding these services
 o Model may be sustainable because so many agencies are involved; the burden is
 spread widely.
 o Need to market and communicate better to the community about how housing first
 programs work
 o Huge need for advocacy – the resources needed to succeed with this are all external
 to Portland – eg, federal HUD vouchers, MaineCare reimbursement for support
 services.

 3. Wrap up and next steps

  Our new City Manager, Jon Jennings, would like to better understand the various task
 forces underway and ensure that the work is both useful for the City and a good use of task
 force members’ time. He has asked that we hold off on our August meetings and plan to
 come back together after Labor Day.

  So, tentatively, our next meeting is Wednesday, September 9, 9-11 a.m.

  All documents, agendas, meeting notes, etc. can be found at:
 o www.portlandmaine.gov/1512/Shelter-Planning-Task-Force
 o User name: taskforce
 o Password: portland15


Julie Sullivan
Acting Chief of Staff
207.756.8363
jas@portlandmaine.gov




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