Blueprint Plan Detail

History
In 2002, CHIP and a group of more than 450 community stakeholders from 150 organizations completed a year-long community planning effort that produced a ten-year strategy for how we can both prevent and end homelessness in Indianapolis: the Blueprint to End Homelessness. The Blueprint's recommendations draw upon national research on effective programs and best practices and also reflect local concerns. The plan was adopted by the Indianapolis Housing Task Force, which then selected CHIP to serve as the “lead entity” to mobilize the community-wide effort to implement the Blueprint’s initiatives, to monitor progress, and to foster increased effectiveness over time and through changing circumstances.  The adoption of the Blueprint marked a milestone in our community's efforts to address a serious and persistent social problem.

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness endorsed Indianapolis’s Blueprint to End Homelessness as one of the first comprehensive local plans in the nation, stating that the city’s “plan sets the pace for cities across [the] country to develop and implement similar 10-year initiatives.”  Since the launch of the Blueprint, more than 300 communities across the country followed suit and now boast similar ten-year plans. 

What It Is
A critical strategy outlined in the Blueprint to End Homelessness is conversion to a Housing First, Housing Plus approach.  This client-focused approach emphasizes placing persons who are homeless in safe and affordable housing as an immediate response to their crisis and then ensuring that the necessary supports are in place to sustain that housing – only then can they effectively deal with the underlying causes of homelessness.  The Housing First, Housing Plus approach offers flexible, engaging and voluntary services that are based on client need.  It promotes long-term self-sufficiency by linking persons who are homeless to employment opportunities and community-based services to support their transition, while recognizing that lifelong support may be required for some to prevent the reoccurrence of homelessness.

Building on this core approach, the Blueprint focuses on the following goals:

  • Strengthening efforts to prevent people from becoming homeless;
  • Improving access to, and coordination of, housing and services;
  • Enhancing services in specific areas of need; and
  • Coordinating service systems for special populations, including families, veterans, youth and survivors of domestic violence.

Why It's Needed
At the time the Blueprint plan was finalized in 2002, it was estimated that within Indianapolis as many as 3,000 people were experiencing homelessness on any given night, and approximately 15,000 people experienced homelessness over the course of a year.

With each passing year, the total number of people found to be experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis has dropped, based on comprehensive point-in-time counts conducted by CHIP and community partners.  The two most recent homeless counts, in January 2008 and January 2009, reflected that approximately 1,500 individuals were experiencing homelessness on the night of the count, with an estimated 4,400 to 7,300 people now experiencing homelessness over the course of a year.

Based on these point-in-time counts, it appears that the total number of people experiencing homelessness in our community has declined by half since implementation of the Blueprint.  That said, the number is now holding steady and is subject to increasing with rising unemployment, evictions and home foreclosures.  Indeed, while the demographics of who is experiencing homelessness have fluctuated over the years, the most recent point-in-time count indicated a 78% rise in family homelessness since the same period last year. In addition, the January 2009 count indicated a 41% increase in the number of individuals who are staying on the street since the same period last year.

The strategies in the Blueprint to End Homelessness are aimed at addressing the pressing need for more affordable housing units. But the Blueprint's strategies focus on more than expanding the supply of affordable housing. Many services for people experiencing homelessness need to be strengthened, and the Blueprint contains recommendations to enhance and better coordinate these services and to ensure that they work together more effectively. Without more affordable housing, services such as mental health treatment and case management lack a component essential for moving people out of homelessness and toward self-sufficiency.
Homelessness can be ended in Indianapolis, but only through a much greater effort to help people experiencing homelessness find and maintain safe, decent housing they can afford.  Ending homelessness is cost effective, feasible and humane. We cannot afford to continue to watch more families and individuals lose their homes when we know how to help them.

What Works
Strategies to achieve the Blueprint to End Homelessness’ goal of ending homelessness were formulated after extensive research and input from a wide range of people in Indianapolis and elsewhere. Information to develop the Blueprint’s recommendations came from:

  • Discussions with national experts on homelessness;
  • Local and national consultants hired to assess and make recommendations concerning specific areas of need;
  • Project teams composed primarily of local providers of services to people experiencing homelessness;
  • Surveys of people experiencing homelessness at a local day service center and shelters;
  • Focus groups assembled to assess the views of people experiencing homelessness; and
  • An analysis of concerns voiced by 450 representatives from about 150 organizations and programs contacted during the development of th Blueprint plan.

The Blueprint outlines strategies to end homelessness through:

  • Strengthening efforts to prevent people from becoming homeless;
  • Improving access to, and coordination of, housing and services;
  • Enhancing services in specific areas of need; and
  • Coordinating service systems for special populations, including families, veterans, youth and survivors of domestic violence.

Strengthening Prevention Efforts
Becoming homeless is not only traumatic and destabilizing for people in need, but it is also expensive for taxpayers. Preventing homelessness is crucial, both to reduce the high cost of providing crisis care and to eliminate the disruption that results when people become homeless. Prevention is particularly important as a means of keeping families together and protecting children.

Historically, prevention efforts have included emergency financial assistance from township trustees and community centers, and case management and services from community centers or social services agencies and programs.  The Blueprint recognizes prevention efforts as critical.  Indeed, a recent survey by family shelter providers indicates that 80% of their clients previously received financial assistance to avoid their homelessness. The Blueprint calls for two specific actions to improve prevention efforts:

  • Develop a neighborhood homeless prevention initiative that provides rental subsidies and other services to vulnerable populations; and
  • Provide supportive housing to people at risk of becoming homeless upon leaving the criminal justice system, treatment institutions and the foster care system.

Several community initiatives have helped to expand prevention efforts and resources for people on the edge of homelessness, including the Low Income Housing Trust Fund, new rental assistance collaborations, and www.IndianaHousingNow.org.  For details, see the Blueprint Progress Report 2009.

Improving Access to, and Coordination of, Housing and Services
For many people experiencing homelessness, simply gaining access to affordable housing is not enough. Many have the greatest success remaining housed when they live in “supportive housing.” Supportive housing is the cornerstone for improving our fight against homelessness and reducing the wide range of social problems it causes. It has been repeatedly documented that supportive housing can help even our most long term and seemingly hopeless, homeless individuals to get off the streets and to begin rebuilding their lives as productive citizens.

The Blueprint calls for several specific actions to overcome barriers and better coordinate housing and services, including:

  • Coordinate housing and services through case management that is well structured, strength based, and responsive;
  • Enhance access to current information and referral services;
  • Conduct outreach that emphasizes moving people off the street and into shelter or housing; and
  • Develop a temporary shelter or “engagement center” for people who are homeless and publicly intoxicated, and provide them with access to treatment.

Several community initiatives have helped to expand access to housing and services, including Indy Homeless Connect, planning for an Engagement Center, new housing models such as Transition in Place and Sustainable Social Services Model, several multi-agency collaborations, the Handbook of Help resource guide, the Advocacy Council, and the Homeless Management Information System. For details, see the Blueprint Progress Report 2009..

Enhancing services in specific areas of need. 
The Blueprint recognizes that while many services can be strengthened by improving access and coordination, others must be enhanced.  The Blueprint calls for enhancing services in five areas:

  • Increase employment opportunities;
  • Establish a crisis response team and stabilization programs to help people with mental illness and chronic addictions keep their housing;
  • Help homeless service providers, including shelters and day centers, to implement client-centered services to address immediate needs of the clients they serve;
  • Improve education services to help homeless children and youths succeed academically; and
  • Improve legal services.

Several community initiatives have helped to expand services in the above areas of need, including the Hospitality Certification Program, the Threshold Program, programs that train volunteers to mentor adults and tutor children, and collaborations among schools to better serve homeless children and youth.  For details, see the Blueprint Progress Report 2009.

Coordinate services systems for special populations.
The Blueprint recognizes that within the Indianapolis community there are a number of organizations separately serving special groups of homeless, such as families, veterans, children, youth HIV/AIDS, survivors of domestic violence, and the mentally ill and addicted.  The Blueprint identifies four strategies to better coordinate the efforts of these organizations.

  • Coordinate service systems to promote family stability;
  • Coordinate services for veterans with the Veteran’s Administration and other agencies that serve homeless veterans;
  • Coordinate housing and services for survivors of domestic violence; and
  • Identify the special needs of young people living on their own and connect them to housing and appropriate services.

Several community initiatives have helped to expand services for special populations, including the SOAR Initiative, a collaboration among shelter and mental health providers, Connected by 25, the National Guard Seamless Transition Program, and the Transition in Place housing model.  For details, see the Blueprint Progress Report 2009.