Shelter Partnership Inc

COLLABORATIVELY SOLVING HOMELESSNESS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

MATERIALS ASSISTANCE - SINCE THE SHELTER PARTNERSHIP S. MARK TAPER FOUNDATION SHELTER RESOURCE BANK'S INCEPTION IN 1989, ROUGHLY $300 MILLION IN PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED.DURING OUR MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR, THE S. MARK TAPER FOUNDATION SHELTER RESOURCE BANK SECURED $22.7 MILLION IN NEW PRODUCTS. WE DISTRIBUTED $23.8 MILLION IN NEW PRODUCTS, AT NO CHARGE TO 290 AGENCIES/PROJECTS SERVING THE HOMELESS, FOSTER YOUTH, AND HOUSEHOLDS LIVING IN POVERTY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED GOODS TO EMERGENCY SHELTER SITES SET UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, DISTRIBUTING NECESSITIES LIKE FACEMASKS AND PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS. GOODS INCLUDED THOUSANDS OF PIECES AND PAIRS OF NEW CLOTHING, PAJAMAS, SWEATERS, DRESS AND ATHLETIC SHOES, AND SOCKS TO MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, TODDLERS AND BABIES; THOUSANDS OF BARS OF SOAP; CLEANING SUPPLIES, SUCH AS BLEACH AND DISHWASHER DETERGENT; HOUSEHOLD GOODS; PAPER PRODUCTS, INCLUDING DIAPERS; COMFORTERS, PILLOWS, PILLOWCASES AND BLANKETS; TOYS AND ARTS AND CRAFTS KITS; FURNISHING ITEMS FOR TODDLERS AND BABIES INCLUDING STROLLERS, HIGH-CHAIRS; AND CAR-SEATS AND SO MUCH MORE. THESE ITEMS ASSIST THE AGENCIES IN MANAGING THEIR OPERATING COSTS AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, AND HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING POVERTY. ANNUALLY, THE S. MARK TAPER FOUNDATION SHELTER RESOURCE BANK HOSTS 300-400 VOLUNTEERS AT THE WAREHOUSE WHO HELP OPEN AND SORT MASSIVE CLOTHING DONATIONS. BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO HOST THESE VOLUNTEERS. OUR SMALL, DEDICATED WAREHOUSE STAFF WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE RECORD SETTING DISTRIBUTIONS DESPITE THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE. TO AUGMENT THE LOSS OF VOLUNTEERS, THE WAREHOUSE PROGRAM ENGAGED MORE TEMPORARY STAFF THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. THE WAREHOUSE MADE SUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS TO GO "GREEN" BY RAISING FUNDS TO PURCHASE ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS AND PHASING OUT THE USE OF GASOLINE POWERED MACHINES.

PUBLIC POLICY/TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - SHELTER PARTNERSHIP'S EXPERTISE AND GUIDANCE TO PUBLIC AGENCIES AND NON-PROFIT PROVIDERS RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DESIGN OF SYSTEMS OF CARE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL PROGRAMS SERVING HOUSEHOLDS WHO EXPERIENCE OR ARE AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. SHELTER PARTNERSHIP WORKS TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS FOR VARIOUS POPULATIONS, SUCH AS OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES, VETERANS, FAMILIES, YOUTH, PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS. SHELTER PARTNERSHIP CO-FACILITATED THE WORK OF THE LOS ANGELES CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD, A GOVERNANCE BODY REQUIRED UNDER THE FEDERAL HEARTH ACT TO OVERSEE THE FUNDING, OPERATIONS, AND EVALUATION OF THE COC PROGRAM LOCALLY. THIS WORK INCLUDED EDUCATING BOARD MEMBERS ON TRENDS AND NEEDS IN REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AND HOW THE HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEM IS PERFORMING. IT ALSO INCLUDED REGULARCONVENING OF WORK GROUPS TO SET PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR COC-FUNDED PROJECTS, ESTABLISH FUNDING PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE PROJECTS TO ADDRESS SERVICE GAPS, AND STRATEGIZE ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE THE COC'S COMPETITIVENESS IN THE NATIONAL FUNDING COMPETITION. THIS WORK NORMALLY ENTAILS HELPING THE LOS ANGELES HOMELESS SERVICES AUTHORITY (LAHSA) TO WRITE AND SUBMIT THE $160+ MILLION COC PROGRAM APPLICATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, BUT DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC, HUD CANCELED THE 2020 COMPETITION. THE POLICY AND PLANNING TEAM ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH LAHSA TO PURSUE AND/OR DEVELOP NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES BENEFITTING HOMELESS YOUTH AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAHSA, SHELTER PARTNERSHIP WORKED WITH YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS TO DESIGN AND CARRY OUT A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING FOCUS GROUPS OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, AND THEN PRESENTED THE FINDINGS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS PART OF A GRANT APPLICATION UNDER THE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM (YHDP). SHELTER PARTNERSHIP ALSO ASSISTED LAHSA TO COMPETITIVELY PROCURE NEW HOUSING PROJECTS THROUGH A LOCAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) PROCESS, WHICH RESULTED IN LAHSA AWARDING ITS FIRST EVER CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM GRANT BENEFITTING SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL NEW HOUSING PROJECTS SERVING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS. SHELTER PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN PLAYING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ONGOING OPERATIONS OF THE LOS ANGELES AGING POLICY ACTION TEAM (PAT), A COALITION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS, HOUSING DEVELOPERS, HEALTHCARE AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PAT IS TO COLLECTIVELY IDENTIFY AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICY CHANGE THAT WILL IMPACT OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS AND TO BRING A UNIFIED VOICE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS AT POLICY FORUMS ACROSS LA COUNTY. PAT MEMBERS WORKED DURING THE YEAR TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE ASSISTED LIVING WAIVER PROGRAM (ALW) WHICH PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (E.G., EATING, BATHING, DRESSING, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT) TO MEDI-CAL ELIGIBLE ADULTS, INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS, TO DIVERT THEM FROM INTUITIONAL PLACEMENT. PAT ALSO ADVOCATED FOR THE LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION OF COVID-19 HOUSING RESOURCES, INCLUDING NON-CONGREGATE SHELTERING IN MOTELS, TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS. SHELTER PARTNERSHIP, ALONG WITH THE CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (CSH), LAHSA, AND THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER LA, CONVENED A SERIES OF WORKGROUPS OF HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDERS AND SENIOR SERVICES PROVIDERS IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF LA COUNTY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SECTORS AND DEVELOP PILOTS TO ADDRESS OLDER ADULT HOMELESSNESS. THE GOAL OF THESE WORKGROUPS WAS TO DEVELOP MODELS THAT COULD BE REPLICATED COUNTYWIDE.SHELTER PARTNERSHIP ASSISTED IN DESIGNING THE GUIDELINES AND REVIEWED PROPOSALS' SERVICE PLANS FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC FUNDING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY'S AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM AND NO PLACE LIKE HOME AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM, VETERANS HOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM, NO PLACE LIKE HOME, AND HOUSING FOR A HEALTHY CALIFORNIA. EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDES CAPITAL FUNDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCLUDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR VARIOUS HOMELESS AND AT-RISK POPULATIONS. SHELTER PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED TO SERVE AS THE LEAD SERVICES CONSULTANT TO THESE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, HELPING TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN HOUSING AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.