Employment Supports/Asset Building: Housing/Economic Development

MA Department of Transitional Assistance - Homelessness Program
MA

Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
State TANF Agency

Clientele/Population Served:
Homeless individuals

Mission/Goal of the Program:
Shift the DTA's response to family homelessness from heavy reliance on motels to an approach that moves families back into housing more rapidly.

Programs/Services Offered:
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Commissioner John Wagner has led the department through a shift in its response to family homelessness from heavy reliance on motels to an approach that moves families back into housing more rapidly.

DTA, which is responsible for administering the TANF program in Massachusetts, spent over $20 million of the Commonwealth’s Emergency Assistance program funds in fiscal year 2003 to house families in motels when shelters were full. In August 2003, 500 families in Massachusetts were residing in motels at a cost of $3,000 per month for each family. Determining that this approach was unsustainable, DTA implemented a series of changes and, within one year, ended its reliance on motels.

The changes included moving families out of homelessness more rapidly, reducing the strain on the existing shelter system, and strategically increasing the supply of family shelter beds. With the substantial cost savings, DTA has invested in new initiatives to foster progress in ending family homelessness. These initiatives include a Shelter to Housing pilot that provides $6,000 to private agencies that successfully re-houses working families residing in shelters. DTA has also partnered with the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide up to 100 families with transition-in-place housing and with the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership to provide services and housing assistance to families with self-identified mental or behavioral health problems.

Camille's Boutique
Houston, Tx (Harris)

Type of Agency/Organization Coordinating/Operating the Program:
Community-based Organization

Funding Sources:
Corporations, Private donors

Clientele/Population Served:
Homeless Men and Women (eventually children)

Mission/Goal of the Program:
Our Mission is to provide homeless men, women and children with a stepping-stone of faith and to equip them with a spirit of confidence that will continue to strengthen them as they face new challenges. We provide job coaching skills, and educational, training and development tools for individual that are in between employment and provide housing for those that are either homeless or in transitional period with either emergency shelter or affordable housing.

Programs/Services Offered:
Train at least 3-5 women a month with retail management, customer service marketing and inventory management skills. Provide job readiness skills that will include, GED (if needed), interview techniques, basic computer skills, ESL, Anger Management, and Life Skill etiquette Workshops. Assist in Job placement through qualified agencies and local corporations. Manager Trainee Certification will be given upon completion. Donate Clothing for interviews.

Results and/or Performance Measures:
We have been in existence for over two years. Have trained over 15 women with a 60% rate of employment. Have housed over 45 men and women with transitional housing. Expanded our training program and moved into a bigger facility to conduct more educational classes such a GED, ESL and ABE

For more information:
http://www.renewedinnovations.org