What are some of the common ways people become homeless?

What comes
next? How do they get to stable housing?
o Utilities get turned off unemployed and had a cycle of poverty many
come from generational poverty
o Children often are put out (LGBTQIA+), domestic violence (unsafe at
home runaways),
o When they get to us: we assess their need (how did they find
themselves in this situation?) What level of service do they need
to get stable housing? (Job Training, Substance Help, GED,
counseling, etc?)
What does a typical day look like for a homeless person?
o Shelter might close at 6:30, the person has to leave and do something
with the rest of their day some have medical services, jobs, etc. But
others just find somewhere to be. Thats why there are people in
locations like park benches.
o Classes high school and equivalent education courses, child service
program
o Variation: subpopulations families, individuals, etc. all do different
things.
o Two ways to define homelessness:
Living in a place that doesnt meet living standards
Moving around, staying with family and friends, temporary
places.
Common theme: movement, bouncing around
Whats a COC? Does everyone county have a COC? How many are there?
o COC continuing of care.
o Number of agencies in an area determine the size of COC
STL has a lot of agencies that provide service, so its a large COC
o HUD funnels all the grant money through the COCs.
o Opportunity to coordinate services for the homeless.
o Depends on region:
Ex. Stakeholders and service providers
Others are made of community stakeholders and some
representatives
Up to discretion of community
o Community stakeholder: people who have a vested business interest in
communities where homelessness is present (ex. civicprogress)
o A COC is an organization some are staffed (by volunteers), structured
with board of directors, etc.
Some communities money goes through the government
agencies, who subcontract to COCs. (COCs arent all legally
recognized)
o Close to coordinated entry a way to get into a housing agency in
the past, theres always been a hotline.
o What are the guidelines to comply with a COC?

The data we collect is determined by HUDs data collection

standards most recent update was 2014. (find this on the HUD
exchange)
Each October 1st there is an update.
o Information is shared through the HMIS system
o Any PC is used to enter data.
o HMIS has to have a password to comply with policy
What if ___ isnt given?
o Pseudonyms are OK names must be provided, if one isnt helped then
o Background checks are necessary to check individuals that will not be
given help (e.g. pedophiles)
o People can still be helped if they dont provide SSN
How many people have phones?
o At least half of adult males, a majority have younger ones of smart
phones
o Text-only is best for older population
How does content work?
o Its a need-based system see whos in most need and they will get
priority
How long do you keep the data? What about repeat customers?
o Five years
o You provide services as many times as necessary

Problem 3 specific questions:

One person came to a shelter from a previous shelter with proof. Can you
digitize that?
o Called a residency letter provided because people might need that
for a library card, shelter care voucher, etc. If a person goes to a
shelter within the COC, that agency can look at the persons service
record and see their electronic record of what services that individual
has received.
o People get services through the hotline: it refers them to the agency
currently, there is a delay (theyll get referred but they show up late /
dont show up a place has to be held.)
What happens if youre full for the night?
o We have an opportunity to provide cots. If those are full call around
the city and see who has an open bed.
o If they come late at night give them a seat and give them food/drink
for the night.
o Police drop-offs we have cots that they put them on.

Problem 4 specific questions:

What are the most successful programs? What COC members are successful?
Where does that stand right now?
o Dashboards metrics and outcomes are important we set budgets
and goals based on those things a visualization (like a snapshot) is

helpful to see whats happening what glitches in the system /

problems in the process and figure out what to fix/replicate. Right now,
the data that we get through the HMIS system (only through HUD)
doesnt tell the whole story for certain agencies.
Panel:

How hard is it to get access to free wifi for the homeless?

o For those looking to get employed, its essential because a majority of
job applications are online nowadays. Fairly easy if you have a
smartphone.
How big is the scale of faith-based organizations?
o There is coordination under one central office