Word composite

Recently, CitySquare enjoyed working with INSPIRE on a strategic thinking exercise.  The entire process was provided on a probono basis.  We will begin working on action steps in the very near future to activate our new learning about how to better do our work in the city.

During the process, the INSPIRE team interviewed many of our team members and customers to gain insights into our organization.  One of the more fascinating outcomes of this impression tour was a "word composite" of the impressions people reported about CitySquare.

The first image below maps the responses to the prompt, "What are 3 words that best describe CitySquare?"

The second image maps answers to the question, "What are 3 words that best describe your specific program?"

Reactions?

Wanna buy a house?

Three years ago, the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation convened a group of organizations involved in providing housing and support services for the homeless population of Dallas.  CitySquare and the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation received invitations to join the consortium.

We began working hard and, after about a year, we had a plan and a concept.

The Cottages at Hickory Creek is to be a planned community of 50 small, highly efficient cottages in a secure environment that will provide homes for 50 of the "most expensive," chronically homeless persons in Dallas County.

By "most expensive" we mean those folks who consume the most emergency medical services, the most ER and public hospital expenses, the most in psychiatric services and the most in criminal justice costs for this part of our population.

We even have a list of 250 names of these "most expensive" homeless persons.  The average cost per person to the county, not including non-profit costs from organizations like CitySquare, is $40,000 annually!  And, that is to keep a person out on the streets of the city.

Once inside one of the cottages of our conceived project, we estimate the costs would be under $15,000 annually.

We've worked now for 3 years.

We still don't have the funding worked out to take advantage of the Caruth Foundation's generous matching challenge--for every $3 we raise, the foundation will contribute $1.

Recently, the group recommitted to the process of seeing these homes built.  The Central Dallas CDC (i. e. John Greenan) is working on public funding.  CitySquare is working with churches and asking congregations of faith to "buy a home" for a neighbor.

Each cottage will cost $50,000, all in, to build.

So far the church outreach is gaining momentum.

Once built, CitySquare will provide the community development, concierge services and a medical services presence.  Metrocare (MHMR of Dallas County) will staff a psychiatric clinic daily.

Would your church or faith community be interested in buying a house? 

If so, I'm eager to talk to you.

After the homes are complete, the underwriting congregations will have an opportunity to "connect'" with the residents.  That's when the magic will break out, I guarantee you!

Let me know.  214.303.2116

Dallas coming around? Housing the chronically homeless. . .cost effective

We've been repeating the same message for years: providing permanent supportive housing for the homeless reaps millions in savings. My hat is off to the City of Dallas and to people like homeless Czar Mike Rawlings for promoting the development of more PSH units.

I believe you'll find this WFAA Channel 8 report instructive and encouraging. After you watch, tell me what you think.

To house or not to house

Kim Horner reports news for The Dallas Morning News.  She holds down a big piece of the human and social services beat for the region.  Over the past several months Kim has published stories on homelessness in Dallas.  The latest in what she calls "an occasional seriers," appeared in last Sunday's paper. 

Here's how the report begins:

Unwelcome mat out for project to house chronically homeless
12:26 AM CST on Sunday, December 13, 2009
One in an occasional series By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News
khorner@dallasnews.com

Developer Larry Hamilton has been working for months to turn the empty Plaza Hotel south of downtown Dallas into homes for the homeless. But it's been much tougher than he imagined.

Hamilton and other developers complain of roadblocks even as they try to carry out the city's goal of opening 700 apartments for the homeless by 2014. The housing, which would come with mental health and addiction services, is considered the most effective way to clear the streets of the hard-core homeless.

But Dallas has lagged behind other major cities in creating the units. Public financing, neighborhood cooperation and political will are all in short supply in a city that has been able to raise millions for arts projects, a convention center hotel and Calatrava bridges over the Trinity River.

"They have this aspiration to do 700 units, but I think it's going to be hard to do any," Hamilton said. "I don't see how it's going to get done."

To read the entire story click here.

Read Kim Horner's entire series on homelessness here. 

Lots of work to do both in development and community education. One fact our community must face:  more public funding must be found and a deepened public commitment must be nurtured.

Permanent Housing: Cost benefit clear

Set aside the moral and humanitarian aspects of developing permanent housing for the homeless.

Go to the bottom line. That is an approach everyone in Dallas will understand!

Denver can teach us. As a matter of fact, we could go to school on a number of cities in the United States in this regard.

But, let's just stick with Denver for now.

A recent study of Denver's "housing first" program reveals some very interesting results.

The program is now two years old.

The strategy is clear and determined. The most hard-core homeless persons have been placed in permanent housing and steered toward treatment for mental illness and addictive behaviors.

During the two years prior to entering the program, these men and women cost the city $43,239 each in city services provided, including trips to hospital emergency rooms, inpatient treatment in a city hospital, trips to detox centers and nights in jail. In addition to this, prior to obtaining housing of their own, participants spent an average of 274 nights in the city's homeless shelters at a cost of $25 per night, per person.

During the two year period after they received housing of their own, the tab billed to the city per person fell to $11,694.

The per person cost of the Housing First program to the city came in at $13,800 and included both housing and treatment/social services expenses.

City officials project a net cost savings of $3.4 million over a two year period if all of the hard-core, chronically homeless in Denver were enrolled in Housing First.

Study after study from across the nation report similar findings.

Philip Mangano, Executive Director of the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, reports that, ". . .we're learning the cost of housing the chronically homeless and providing services are less expensive than letting these folks remain homeless and ricochet through services." Mr. Mangano said basically the same thing yesterday here in Dallas when he spoke during groundbreaking ceremonies for our city's new Homeless Assistance Center.

Mangano noted that a study out of San Diego reported that 18 chronically homeless persons cost the city $3 million over a 18 month period.

"They could have rented ocean-side condos with sweeping views and provided them with concierge services for that amount of money," he concluded.

Cities like Dallas need to work smarter.

Permanent housing doesn't cost as much as on-going, intensive social and community services.

Housing is a sound community investment.

Housing is what we need. And we need it now.