Cut in Federal Prevention Resources Causes Growing Concern, Stresses Local Homeless System

CINCINNATI, OH – August 11, 2014 – Strategies to End Homelessness today released its second annual “Progress Report on Ending Homelessness.”  As the leader of a coordinated system of care for the homeless in Cincinnati/Hamilton County, Strategies to End Homelessness uses data to track trends and identify solutions, which drive strategic planning in the homeless services system.

The report provides comprehensive data, educates the community on the complex social issue of homelessness and describes the impact of efforts to  prevent people from becoming homeless, provide high-quality, cost-effective assistance to people who are homeless, and offer solutions to homelessness through housing.  This year’s report also includes a timeline for how the Homeless to Homes plan is taking shape.

Any discussion of the number of people experiencing homelessness must specify who is being counted as homeless.  In this report, a person is considered homeless if during the course of the year, he/she 1) slept in a place not meant for human habitation (such as on the streets, under a bridge, etc.), or 2) were a resident of an emergency shelter.

Federal Prevention Cuts Taking a Toll

  • Due to significant cuts in federal funding the number of people served in homelessness prevention programs decreased by 50% from 2012 to 2013.
  • In 2013, our community saw a 38% increase in the number of homeless people who spent time on the streets or in places unfit for human habitation.
  • In fact, the 1,531 unduplicated people counted on the streets in 2013 was the largest number since such data became available in 2006.
  • In 2013, the total number of people on the street and in shelters in Hamilton County was 7,062, an increase of less than 1% from the previous year, a number that would have likely gone down if prevention resources  had not been reduced.
  • Only 30% of families that reached out for either emergency shelter or homelessness prevention services received such services. It is unclear where most of these families turned for assistance, as the vast majority were not encountered on the streets.

“We need to find a way to replenish funding for prevention services, because if we don’t, our community could experience a significant increase in homelessness,” said Kevin Finn, president and CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness.  “With a 92% success rate and well documented cost-effectiveness, homelessness prevention programs are on the front line of our community’s efforts to end homelessness,” he said.

 Other Report Highlights:

  • Overall, 22% of the local homeless population was encountered living on the streets at some point during 2013.
  • In contrast to the number of people on the streets, in 2013 the number of people who resided in emergency shelters decreased by 3%. Overall, 91% of the local homeless population resided in an emergency shelter at some point during 2013.
  • From 2012-2013, the number of people served in Rapid Re-Housing programs increased by 410%, from just 253 people in 2012 to almost 1,300 in 2013.  Rapid Re-housing is a nationally recognized best-practice in ending homelessness, and its dramatic increase was  accomplished by moving resources away from other, less high-performing housing types..
  • The number of people served in all types of supportive housing for the homeless has increased by 100% since 2007. This includes transitional housing, Rapid Re-housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing.
  • In 2013, 97% of persons in permanent housing programs remained successfully housed: 78% maintaining their current housing and 19% exiting to other permanent housing.

Through an integrated network of 30 homeless service organizations, the system that Strategies to End Homelessness coordinates has become a national model, providing a coordinated system of care through a centralized emergency shelter hotline, homelessness prevention, street outreach, emergency shelter and housing services, all working together to eliminate homelessness.

“The benefit of having a coordinated homeless services system is that we can increase the impact of the resources available. We are working to maximize systemic effectiveness and efficiency, analyzing outcomes data, and setting clear goals and expectations so that we can measure our progress toward ending homelessness in our community,” said Finn.

For information about how to get involved, donate or volunteer with one of the 30 partner agencies, call 513-263-2798 or visit www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org.