The Housing Collective Inc

THE HOUSING COLLECTIVE WORKS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH COLLECTIVE IMPACT. BY SERVING AS THE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION, IT ALIGNS RESOURCES AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES IN COLLABORATION WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS ACROSS CONNECTICUT TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS AND IMPROVE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDE OPENING DOORS, CENTERS FOR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, AND THE HOUSING INNOVATION LAB, WHICH TOGETHER DRIVE DATA-INFORMED SOLUTIONS TO ACHIEVE SYSTEMS CHANGE AND ADDRESS HOUSING INSTABILITY.

THE CORPORATION IS THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CONNECTICUT RAPID RE-HOUSING PROGRAM ("CTRRP"), A STATE-WIDE INITIATIVE FUNDED BY THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING. CTRRP IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS AS THEY QUICKLY MOVE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH THE PROVISION OF TIME-LIMITED HOUSING SUPPORTS AND STRATEGIES WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF HOUSING STABILITY. CONTRACTING WITH THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL PROVIDERS: OPERATION HOPE (GREATER BRIDGEPORT AREA), HOMES WITH HOPE (GREATER NORWALK AREA), INSPIRICA (GREATER STAMFORD AREA) AND THE ASSOCIATION OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES; THE CORPORATION ENSURES THAT RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES ARE SEAMLESSLY IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE REGIONAL COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK AREA.

THE CORPORATION SUPPORTS OPENING DOORS FAIRFIELD COUNTY, THE REGIONAL HUD DESIGNATED CONTINUUM OF CARE SYSTEM THROUGH FUNDING BY HUD'S CONTINUUM OF CARE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DESIGNING AND CARRYING OUT A COLLABORTIVE PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPLICATION TO HUD; EVALUATING THE OUTCOMES OF PROJECTS FOR WHICH FUNDS ARE AWARDED; AND DEVELOPING A REGIONWIDE PROCESS INVOLVING THE COORDINATION OF MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS FOR ENDING HOMELESSNESS.THE CORPORATION PROMOTES CROSS SECTOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE REGION'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD ("THE WORKPLACE INC.") AND THE AREA'S PROMINENT HOMELESS PROVIDERS THAT INCLUDE ALPHA COMMUNITY SERVICES/CCCYMCA AND NEW REACH, NEW HAVEN. THE GOAL OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES ("SSVF") IS TO HELP VETERAN FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, QUICKLY REGAIN STABILITY IN PERMANENT HOUSING. IDENTIFYING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, THE CORPORATION ENSURES SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS EMPLOYMENT/HOUSING MODEL.THE CORPORATION IS A SUBCONTRACTOR OF OPERATION HOPE WHO RECEIVES FUNDING FROM THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTION SERVICES TO OPERATE THE BRIDGEPORT HOUSING FIRST ("BHF") PROGRAM, A SUCCESSFUL LOCALLY DESIGNED MULTI-AGENCY INITIATIVE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FUNDED UNDER A THREE-YEAR FEDERAL GRANT. UNDER THE BHF PROGRAM, THE CORPORATION FUNDS A TEAM LEADER AND PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAMMING SUPPORT TO OVERSEE THE OPERATION OF HOUSING CHRONICALLY HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN THE GREATER BRIDGEPORT AREA.

THE CORPORATION ALSO SERVES AS THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR FAIRFIELD COUNTY'S COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK THAT IS FUNDED FROM THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING. THIS FUNDING ALSO INCLUDES AWARDS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD). ADDITIONALLY, THE CORPORATION IS A SUBCONTRACTOR OF THE CONNECTICUT COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS ("CCEH") TO SERVE AS A FIDUCIARY AGENT FOR THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK FOR COORDINATED ACCESS SUPPORT. CCEH RECEIVES THIS FUNDING FROM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ACT.

THE CORPORATION IS THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE TOWN OF WESTPORT'S SMALL CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE CT DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING THROUGH THE STATE'S ALLOCATION OF HUD FUNDING. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF DIVERSION SPECIALISTS WHO EMPLOY STRATEGIES TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM BY HELPING PEOPLE IDENTIFY IMMEDIATE ALTERNATIVE HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS AND, IF NECESSARY, CONNECT THEM WITH SERVICES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM RETURN TO PERMANENT HOUSING.