| Name | Wendy |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Winters |
| Home Address | 5943 Amber Valley Ln Chattanooga, TN 37343 United States |
| Organization Name | Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Executive Director |
| Organization Address | 600 N. Holtzclaw Ave Chattanooga, TN 37404 United States |
| Website | https://homelesscoalition.org |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4237101502 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4238029046 |
| Email Address | wwinters@homelesscoalition.org |
| Alternate Email Address | msmith@homelesscoalition.org |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | As the recognized lead of the local homeless response, the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC) exists to coordinate and strengthen efforts to prevent and end homelessness. We have built a unified system of care that knows we can best accomplish our goals by working together; however, a central location for this collaboration is missing. The collective, local homeless response has long identified a centralized, “hub,” location as a need. It is something that has been talked about for 20 years or more. Previous mayors and City officials have also recognized this need and vocalized support, but the resources to make it happen have never been committed. This unique funding opportunity we have now can finally make that dream of a homeless service hub a reality. It will be a physical space accessible to all in which the work to help people exit homelessness will be occurring every day. It will be an access point for our coordinated assessment and referral system. It will be a meeting space for our region’s homeless response to gather. Education opportunities will occur in that space to ensure consistency around shared values such as the importance of following a Housing First, Low Barrier and Racially Equitable approach to the offering of services. These values are the same as what the current Mayor’s office has indicated guides their approach towards addressing issues related to homelessness. In fact, the City’s Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (OHSH) has indicated that they are interested in sharing an office space with the CRHC. Other partners in the homeless response would be invited to also share the office space with the CRHC at an affordable rental rate. The common areas would be open to the public at no charge. Currently collaborative efforts, such as the homeless response’s Advisory Board, Regional Outreach Collaborative, the Young Adult Action Board, the Racial Equity Cohort, Healthcare and Homelessness Initiative, and more, occur at various locations. The homeless response depends on the kindness of our faith based partners to allow us to utilize their space when it is available. None of these options are permanent. The availability of these spaces come and go, and though we do our best to be accessible to all, the lack of a central, permanent location is a barrier to participation in the homeless response for our partner agencies and those in need of a referral to appropriate services. A well-known, visible hub would also help the homeless response’s efforts to bring in new partners to help us tackle some complex challenges that will require cross-sector collaboration; challenges such as the affordable housing crisis we are facing. It will also be a place where resources are shared, innovative ideas are born and collaboration occurs that is needed to ensure that episodes of homelessness in our community is rare, brief and nonrecurring. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | We believe that housing is a human right and support the One Chattanooga goal of ensuring that accessible, safe, and quality housing options are available to every Chattanoogan in every part of our city. One of the eligible uses of ARP funds is "to respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality." The lack of affordable housing in our community has reached a crisis state and is definitely impacting households negatively as we saw last year an 80% increase in those experiencing unsheltered homelessness in our community. Furthermore, we believe that Housing is Healthcare, as achieving positive health outcomes is nearly impossible while experiencing homelessness. Stable housing can make all the difference for accomplishing goals. |
| Where would your project take place? | The location will be inside City limits. Bringing back to life a property that is in need of remodeling would be preferred, but it may be determined that building new is more cost efficient. Ideally the property would be on a bus route in order to be more accessible. Adequate parking will also be necessary. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 2000000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | We consulted other nonprofits that have recently went through a similar process, both remodeling older buildings, and we estimate the cost will be around $2 million. We will be prepared to pay for overages, whether it comes from current cash reserves or a capital campaign. Furthermore, some expenses, such as updated office supplies that may be needed (furniture, technical supplies, etc.), can be covered by our current federal and state grants. Of course, ongoing operating costs will be covered by existing or new funding from other sources or program revenue. Support for ongoing expenses is not needed from this funding opportunity. |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | We are asking for funds to physically build the homeless service hub, and we estimate that expense will be 85% of the total cost. |
| If funded, when would your project start? | July 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | 2 years |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Of course the completion of a physical, shared space for the local homeless response will be the number one indicator of a successful project. Other anticipated outcomes as the result of finally having this homeless service hub include but are not limited to: the adoption of shared goals by our existing partners due to education opportunities available to them in the space evidenced by an increased satisfaction by consumers of the system, the recruitment of new partners needed to address complex challenges like the affordable housing crisis evidenced by an increase in units available to low or no income individuals and families, services being offered equitably to all experiencing homelessness due to having access to a well-known, visible, central location for program referrals evidenced by improved system performance outcomes related to racial and other disparities, new systems of care being innovatively designed to address the needs of specific populations with unique challenges such as youth experiencing homelessness evidenced by improved housing outcomes for those populations |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition is the lead agency of what is called a Continuum of Care (CoC), and we serve in that role because we have been continually elected by our community’s homeless response to do so. The homeless response is a coordinated system of homeless assistance options as opposed to programs and funding that operate independently of each other. In accordance with the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards, we measure the community’s performance as a coordinated system and report to the CoC’s membership, made up of service providers, local government officials and concerned citizens. In fact, in addition to federal oversight provided by HUD, we answer to three local governing bodies that include the agency’s Board, the CoC’s Governance Council and the general CoC membership Board. Lastly, as a current recipient of state and federal grants, we are very familiar with compliance and audit requirements typical of government grants and do well in those reviews conducted by our funding partners. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | In order for our city to be "One Chattanooga," all individuals and families need access to affordable housing and services necessary to thrive in our community. Housing stability or the lack of housing affects one's success with everything else. Only housing solves homelessness, and our homeless response, as well as the general public and elected officials, have to come together to address this affordable housing crisis. A shared, homeless system hub is where that work is going to take place. Furthermore, having a well-known, visible, central location will make assistance more accessible and equitable for all experiencing homelessness, and more affordable housing and access to assistance will make homelessness in our community rare, brief and nonrecurring. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Through discussions with our key stakeholders and a general public marketing campaign, we will effectively communicate that this investment is necessary to pave the way for a coordinated, sustainable, accessible, and equitable homeless response system. As mentioned earlier in this application, the need for a homeless hub has long been identified. Furthermore, we will engage our many community partners that make up our area's Continuum of Care (CoC), including the faith based community and representatives of minorities/subpopulations (BIPOC, LGBTQ, Youth, etc.), to let them know that they are safe and welcome in this accessible space we are building for all. |
| Name | Ellie Hill, Board Chair |
| Contact Information | 4239919757 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | We have been impressed with this Mayor's office for their recognition of the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC) as the lead of the local homeless response. As mentioned earlier in this application, the government has mandated that federally funded projects collaborate together as a Continuum of Care (CoC), and the CRHC has been continually elected by the membership of that CoC to serve in that leadership role. We appreciate the Mayor's office working with us rather than duplicating efforts. This collaboration leads to more effective and efficient delivery of services, better outcomes for those we serve and improved access to a coordinated system of homeless assistance options as opposed to programs and funding that operate independently of each other. A shared space for this collaboration is all that is missing, and this unprecedented funding provides the perfect opportunity to finally build a homeless system hub. |