Causes: Homeless & Housing, Homeless Shelters, Homeowners & Tenants Associations, Housing & Shelter, Housing Development, Construction & Management

Mission: Community housing innovations, inc. (chi), founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization serving five new york state counties. Chi's mission is to "provide low and moderate income families and individuals with the housing and human services that enable them to achieve the greatest social and economic independence at the lowest cost to society. "

Programs: Suffolk county department of social services and nassau county department of social services. Through the suffolk county department of social services and the nassau county department of social services, chi operates 5 transitional permanent houses (tph), 8 congregate supervised family residences (sfrs), 4 congregate supervised singles residence (ssr) one which is licensed by new york state and the resource center (trc). Sfrs and ssrs have staff available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Tph has intensive care management and serves 31 singles. Through on-site case management and referrals to community services, the homeless persons are assisted in becoming personally and economically self-sufficient. The search for permanent housing is the primary goal for all shelter residents and chi promotes and assists them with the housing search. Parents, single individuals and children are provided with a safe home and access to educational, vocational, employment and other community services based upon the goals they set for themselves. This also includes referrals to resources for those with mental illnesses, histories of substance abuse, physical disabilities and other specialized needs. Chi has implemented a tutoring initiative for parents working towards a ged as well as homework tutoring for children. The supervised family residences serve only families and are located in large homes in residential communities and one large hotel. The licensed ssr program serves 31 males while the three other locations serve 29 single men. During the past year, the program served over 2,000 individuals including children in 609 families. 85% are female headed households; 10% are male headed households all of whom all single parents; and 5% identified themselves as two parent households. Majority (38%) ranged in ages 21 to 30; 14% in the next age range of 31 to 40; and 15% in the age range of 41 to 50 years. Children made the other 33% of the population with 45% of that group are preschoolers aged 1-5. 62% identified themselves as african american and 34% as white/caucasian. Trc is not a shelter but it provides intensive care management and served over 50 homeless sex offenders (hsos) and 77 non-hso singles. With the constant, intensive case management and supervision by highly qualified social workers and other staff, shelter residences are helped to secure their permanent housing or other appropriate residence if they are determined to have special needs. Parents are counseled and children are encouraged to attend school and complete homework. Workshops are frequently provided offering guidance in areas such as nutrition and parenting. The services provided during the shelter stay are designed to assist participants with finding and retaining their permanent housing. Chi moved 151 families and 137 individuals into secure stable permanent housing with an average length of stay of 80 days. Approximately 20% of our emergency clients are employed while residing in emergency housing. All are under 125% of the poverty guideline with about 95% below the poverty guideline of $19,000 for a family of three.

the us department of housing and urban development. The us department of housing and urban development (hud) awards funding to agencies for the acquisition, rehabilitation, operations and provision of supportive services for homeless families and individuals. All of the participants must have a disabling condition as part of their eligibility. The shp program is a valuable tool in the effort to end homelessness. Chi is the largest provider of the shp programs in long island, covering both nassau and suffolk counties. Some grants are in partnership with other agencies. These partnerships draw on the expertise of chi and other agencies to provide supportive services while chi acts as the housing developer and property manager. During the past 18 years, chi has been awarded $19 million by hud for the acquisition, rehabilitation, operations and provision of supportive services. Private lenders committed mortgages of $3. 5 million to augment the costs of acquisition and rehabilitation. Additional funds have been obtained at various times through the nassau and suffolk county offices of community development for rehabilitation and maintenance of the housing. Using this model, chi's bi-county shp programs created permanent housing for singles and families who were formerly homeless. The housing permanency and supportive services have enabled them to develop personal and economic growth and independence. During the past year, these homes have served 160 people with 32 families and 53 singles. On average, 46% of the residents have a mental health or dual diagnosis, 47% have a history of chronic substance abuse, and 6% have a developmental disability and remaining 1% a broad spectrum diagnosis. The majority of the tenants are not married. 42% describe themselves as white or caucasian and 52% as black or african americans. 4. 5% indicate that they are veterans. 54% of the participants report having either a high school diploma or ged and 14% post-secondary education. There is little turnover in these units where tenants pay no more than 30% of their adjusted gross income. 8 households have lived in shp housing for over 15 years; 19 have lived with chi for over 10 years; and 53 households have lived with chi for less than 5 years. For persons with serious disabilities and who have been unable to secure gainful employment, maintaining permanency is a success.

westchester county department of social services. In westchester county, chi's emergency housing apartment program (ehap)provides scattered-site temporary housing in traditional apartments located throughout the community. These settings provide families with stability and the opportunity to become self-sufficient, with assistance provided by chi's case managers. Chi manages these transitional housing units for homeless families under contract with the westchester county department of social services. During 2014, chi-managed 60 transitional housing units located in four different cities in westchester. In 2014, the programs served 228 unduplicated individuals including children in 85 families. 90% of those are female headed households; 5% are male headed household all of whom are single parents and remaining 5% are identified as two parent households. The average family size was 2. 7 people. Children make 60% of the population, 20% under the age of 5 years. Majority of adults (18%) ranged in ages 21 & 30; 11% in the next age range of 31 to 40 years and 7% in the age range of 41 to 50 years. 67% identify themselves as african american; 10% as white and 23% as hispanic. Chi ehap moved 13 families (15%) into secure stable permanent housing with an average length of stay of 3. 3 years. Approximately 30 % of adults who comprise chi's emergency clients were employed while residing in emergency housing. All are under 125% of the poverty guideline with about 95% below the poverty guideline of $25,112 a year or $2,092 a month for a family of three.

chi operates other smaller programs to help low to moderate income individuals and families achieve greater self-sufficiency.