Cleveland’s Housing First response to homelessness is getting people housed fast
It has been a little over a year since Cleveland adopted the Housing First model into its response to ending homelessness.
Since then, Cleveland has launched the Home for Every Neighbor (H4EN) program. A program that starts by getting homeless individuals into housing before addressing any other issues or needs. This gives people a stable place to look into employment, legal issues, and/or any addiction or mental health treatment plans. NEOCH and many other organizations across the country have called for a Housing First approach to ending homelessness and now we can check on the progress of H4EN.
Since the program’s launch in 2024, H4EN has housed 200 individuals. NEOCH outreach members and navigators have been a big part of this program. Krista Winningham (she/her), a NEOCH H4EN Navigator, is one of the many case workers making the program work. Krista shares a success story from the H4EN program:
Krista tells a story about her client, Jane Doe*, running away from a domestic abuse situation to only be met with more violence at every turn. From the shelter to the streets, her client could not find a safe escape. When H4EN was able to meet with Jane, she was scared of any other alternatives and taking opportunities from people who might need it more than her. After working with Jane, Krista helped Jane move into her apartment. Sharing a tearful hug, Jane told Krista that this was the first time someone had ever been this kind to me.
Krista says, “What stuck with me is she knew she was safe and no one could hurt her anymore.”
Krista and Jane were excited to explore the basement of Jane’s new apartment. Both were overjoyed at the small details of a safe new home. From a cow bell over a doorway to an aged pin-up photo hanging with an untold story.
H4EN can help those who are not helped by shelters or other programs. It helps those who have slipped through the cracks of our systems. It takes time to find people in need, connect them with willing landlords, and get them moved in with needed IDs, furniture, and support.
Now the program wants to shift from slow to rapid response. The first program participants in 2024 took six weeks to be rehoused. Now people can be housed in 11 days. The goal is to cut the time down even more so no one will need to pitch a tent.
The existing struggle in this program has been to find landlords willing to work in the program and to find enough rental units for those in need. The city held trainings and built relationships with landlords.
Case workers visit weekly for the first two months, then slowly taper visits monthly. This is to help new tenants connect with services, create plans on moving after the 12-month subsidy ends, and rebuild their independent living skills. NEOCH can also help with repayment of past utility bills to start the tenant on fresh footing and help tenants get needed forms of ID. This way, people are able to apply for housing assistance, get employment, and get any benefits they may have missed. It is important to support tenants in their transition away from homelessness to long-term housing.
This program and approach have taught us that the humane response to homelessness is the winner. We have proven that addressing the root of the problem is far better than criminalizing homelessness. We can be proactive and proud of the progress that we have made but look towards the future. We need to create lasting relationships with landlords and property owners to slot future participants into homes that meet their needs. We need to check in on our past participants and ensure that they are still on the road to success. And we need to continue to push for Housing First in other cities across the country.
For more information, please read
From tent to house in 11 days: A close look at Cleveland’s new response to homelessness
Cleveland’s A Home for Every Neighbor effort has helped 200 people leave the streets since 2024. Is it sustainable? By Shelterforce https://signalcleveland.org/from-tent-to-house-in-11-days-a-close-look-at-clevelands-unsheltered-homelessness-plan/
*Name of client was changed for her safety and privacy