For those families already struggling with limited resources, the recession's impact is severe. Months of large-scale layoffs have set the stage for the highest foreclosure rates since 1972* (when rates were first recorded). Because those living in or close to poverty** are already experiencing multiple challenges, losing one’s home is a crucial barrier to becoming self-sufficient.

United Way is the largest non-governmental funder of homeless services in the Twin Cities. We're committed to ending long-term homelessness in our area by 2010, one of 10 goals in our Agenda for Lasting Change.

Rapid re-housing—a new approach to secure stable housing

In this economy, shelter stays are longer. Since there is no increase in shelter capacity, longer stays mean fewer families are served during this time of extreme need.

The key is to move homeless families out of shelters quickly and into stable housing. A timely transition stabilizes the family’s current crisis, and short-term housing help strengthens a family’s financial position for the future.

Rapid re-housing includes:

• Comprehensive screening of families to ensure success
• Support to locate and maintain affordable rental housing
• Short-term rental subsidies while families transition
• Connections to needed resources for families addressing additional challenges

Results with Rapid Re-housing

United Way is investing $300,000 to be leveraged with community partners to serve more than 400 families in our community experiencing homelessness right now.

For an average cost of $5,000, a family is provided the foundation for a new beginning during these tough times.

The overall strategy to end homelessness by 2010

Rapid re-housing is just one of several strategies used to address our community’s challenge of homelessness; much of United Way's investment is in preventing homelessness for individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless.Our strategies include:

Stabilizing people in crisis by providing food, shelter and other basic services.

• Annual, sustaining grants to six homeless or emergency shelters.
• Addressing gaps in housing services for youth and young adults by supporting 15 programs serving this population.
• Facilitating foreclosure counseling training for front-line social workers on behalf of clients at risk of foreclosure.
• Investing nearly $750,000 in foreclosure prevention and related services to stabilize housing.

Strengthening people’s ability to improve their long-term quality of life through education, income and health.

• Annual, sustaining grants to highly rated programs with the “Heading Home” initiative for prevention of homelessness. This includes housing and supportive services for individuals and families at risk of homelessness.

Streamlining systems to ensure programs and practices work together to create lasting community change.

• United Way staff serve on key committees addressing alignment of community resources and determining effective practices to eliminate homelessness. Through this collaboration, a statewide manual is in development including rapid re-housing practices, tools and resources.

How Are We Doing?

Together with our partners, United Way served over 33,000 individuals in finding housing solutions and services in 2008, exceeding our goal by 33 percent.

On June 26, we rallied the community to raise over $9,000 in nine hours to help local families move out of a shelter and into stable housing. See the event recap.

Resources

• A new video by the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) features local footage from United Way rapid re-housing efforts in the metro area.
  
  

• Learn more about rapid re-housing in our LIVE UNITED Blog.

* Delinquencies and Foreclosures Continue to Climb in Latest MBA National Delinquency Survey (press release). Mortgage Bankers Association, May 28, 2009

** Poverty is defined as a family of four living on $44,100 annually