Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Purpose Do shelter serving individuals and families who are homeless work? What happens to families served by an intensive case-managed shelter up to five years after services have ended? Which families, if any, recycle and become homeless again? Can we differentiate those who are able to maintain stable housing from those who suffer from residential instability? This project looked at data pertinent to these and related questions in attempting to assess the effectiveness of shelter systems in helping people who are homeless. Methodology Out of 875 total families served during the period of interest, 450 families who had resided at the shelter were selected as eligible members of the initial target population to be located and interviewed in a cross sectional survey research project. Searches through state databases, city and county housing offices, and telephone directories produced a pool of 256/450 families in the general metropolitan area deemed eligible for contact for interviewing. Of these 256 families, 201 (78.5%) were interviewed at place of current residence. Findings Data from the 201 field interviews showed an average time since leaving the shelter of 1294 days (median 1331 days), or about 3.5 years. Approximately 64% (129) of the former shelter families who were interviewed resided in Section 8 housing at the time of the interview, 17% (35) were found in private rental or purchased units, 2% (4) were found in homeless shelters in the city, and the remainder were located in other publicly-assisted residential settings. Approximately 37% (76) reported that they were living in permanent residences. Approximately one third (37%) of those interviewed reported living in only one residence since leaving the shelter. The mean number of different residences for all cases was 2.28. Reasons for selecting current residences included 34% (68) who said they had no other option, 17% (35) who cited quality of the housing unit, and 12% (24) who indicated size of the housing unit. In response to questions about unmet housing needs, approximately 57% (114) of those field interviewed expressed continuing housing needs, including 23% (27/114) who indicated need for furniture or appliances, and 22% (26/114) who sited the need for a larger housing unit. Other housing needs included help with utilities, maintenance/repairs, lower rent, and difficulties in the neighborhood. Of the 201 interviewed families, 33 (15%) indicated they had been homeless one or more times since leaving the shelter. A number of factors were tested against this outcome, and the most powerful predictor of additional homeless episodes was the presence of Section 8 housing support. Only 6% of those families receiving a Section 8 certificate when they left the shelter became homeless again, whereas 34% of those not receiving a Section 8 certificate became homeless again. Implications Discussed are strategies and approaches to serving the multiple and complex needs of homeless families as well as policy to support effective intervention.