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2. Homelessness task force -
vending recommendations GROUPE DE TRAVAIL SUR LES SANS-ABRI RECOMMANDATIONS |
Committee Recommendations
That Council
approve:
1. A one year pilot
permitting churches and other social service agencies providing services to the
homeless to hold craft events (including the sale of original arts, crafts and
jewellery and distribution of not-for profit newspapers supporting homelessness
issues, by homeless persons) on their private property, including the sidewalk
immediately abutting the property, to the satisfaction of the Chief License
Inspector respecting space issues, and in consultation with the local BIA and
Ward Councillor.
2. A one year pilot
authorizing the Rideau Street Business Improvement Area (BIA) to manage a
program of activities within the Rideau Street underpass such as performance
art, visual art, and live music.
Recommandations du comité
Que le Conseil approuve :
1. un projet pilote d’un an permettant aux
églises et aux organismes sociaux qui offrent des services aux sans-abri de
tenir sur leur terrain, ainsi que sur le trottoir adjacent à leur terrain, des
événements de vente, par des sans-abri, d’œuvres d’art, d’objets d’artisanat et
de bijoux originaux et de distribution de journaux à but non lucratif qui
militent pour la cause des sans-abri, sous réserve de l’agrément de
l’inspecteur en chef des permis pour ce qui est des questions d’espace et en
consultation avec la ZAC locale et le conseiller du quartier;
2. un projet pilote d’un an permettant à la Zone
d'amélioration commerciale (ZAC) de la rue Rideau de gérer un programme
d’activités, comme des événements d’art visuels et des spectacles d’art
performance et de musique, sous le viaduc de la rue Rideau.
Documentation
1. Deputy City Manager's report (Community and
Protective Services) dated 8 May 2008
(ACS2008-CPS-BYL-0020).
Community and
Protective Services Committee
Comité des services communautaires et de protection
and Council/et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par :
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint
Community and Protective Services/Services communautaires et de
protection
Contact Person/Personne ressource:
Susan Jones, Director/Directrice
By-law and Regulatory Services/Services des règlements municipaux
(613) 580-2424 x25536, susan.jones@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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Groupe de travail sur les sans-abri –
Recommandations sur les activités de vente |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the
Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council approve:
1. A one year
pilot permitting churches and other social service agencies providing services
to the homeless to hold craft events (including the sale of original arts,
crafts and jewellery and distribution of not-for profit newspapers supporting
homelessness issues, by homeless persons) on their private property, including
the sidewalk immediately abutting the property, to the satisfaction of the
Chief License Inspector respecting space issues, and in consultation with the
local BIA and Ward Councillor.
2. A one year
pilot authorizing the Rideau Street Business Improvement Area (BIA) to manage a
program of activities within the Rideau Street underpass such as performance
art, visual art, and live music.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services communautaires et de protection recommande au
Conseil d’approuver :
1. un projet pilote d’un an permettant aux églises et aux organismes
sociaux qui offrent des services aux sans-abri de tenir sur leur terrain, ainsi
que sur le trottoir adjacent à leur terrain, des événements de vente, par des
sans-abri, d’œuvres d’art, d’objets d’artisanat et de bijoux originaux et de
distribution de journaux à but non lucratif qui militent pour la cause des
sans-abri, sous réserve de l’agrément de l’inspecteur en chef des permis pour
ce qui est des questions d’espace et en consultation avec la ZAC locale et le
conseiller du quartier;
2. un projet pilote d’un an permettant à la Zone d'amélioration
commerciale (ZAC) de la rue Rideau de gérer un programme d’activités, comme des
événements d’art visuels et des spectacles d’art performance et de musique,
sous le viaduc de la rue Rideau.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report deals with vending
recommendations emanating from the Homelessness and the Safe Streets Task Force
related to the sidewalk distribution of not-for-profit newspapers by the
homeless without a license or permit; the sale of original arts crafts and
jewellery on the sidewalk by the homeless without a licenses or permit, and;
the operation of permanent street markets operated by a mix of local artists, artisans and street people.
The original Homelessness Task Force report was precipitated by a protest that took place in July and August of 2004 on the Lisgar and Elgin corner of the City Hall site. The main reasons for the demonstration was to draw attention to the treatment of individuals on the street: their access to basic shelter, their treatment under the Safe Streets Act as well as their opportunities to earn additional income on the street.
Given its origins, Task Force meetings were primarily attended by homeless persons and homeless advocates with a primary objective to document conditions affecting the homeless and to make practical recommendations on how those conditions could best be addressed via new or improved services, regulations, policies and procedures.
In
considering the original Task Force report, some concern was expressed by
Councilors that the recommendations had not been appropriately vetted through
the local business and community groups and a number of the recommendations,
including the vending recommendations contained in this report, were referred
to staff with a direction to consult with local business and community groups
and report back with solutions
supported by the local community.
This report recommends a one-year pilot project to support the sale of original arts crafts and jewellery, including the distribution of not-for-profit newspapers supporting homeless issues, on the private property, and sidewalk space abutting the property of churches and other social services agencies that provide services to homeless persons. The events must be programmed to the satisfaction of the Chief License Inspector with respect to space issues, and in consultation with the local Business Improvement Area (BIA) and Ward Councillor. A second one-year pilot recommended to authorize the Rideau Street BIA to manage a program of activities within the Rideau Street underpass comprising a mix of professional artists, artisans and performers.
Le présent rapport a trait aux recommandations
sur les activités de vente formulées par le Groupe de travail sur les sans-abri
et la sécurité dans les rues relativement à la distribution sur les trottoirs
de journaux à but non lucratif par des sans-abri non munis de permis, à la
vente sur les trottoirs d’œuvres d’art, d’objets d’artisanat et de bijoux
originaux par des sans-abri non munis de permis et aux marchés sur rue
permanents exploités par une diversité de marginaux des rues, d’artistes et
d’artisans locaux.
Le rapport originel du Groupe de travail sur
les sans-abri avait été hâté par une manifestation qui a eu lieu en juillet et
en août 2004 à l’angle des rues Lisgar et Elgin devant l’hôtel de ville. Cette
manifestation avait principalement pour but d’attirer l’attention sur le sort
réservé aux gens de la rue : leurs difficultés d’accès à l’hébergement,
leur traitement sous le régime de la Loi sur la sécurité dans les rues
ainsi que leurs possibilités de gagner quelque appoint de revenu dans la rue.
Étant donné ces origines, ce sont
essentiellement des sans-abri et leurs défenseurs qui ont assisté aux réunions
du Groupe de travail, avec pour objectif principal de documenter les conditions
de vie des sans-abri et de faire des recommandations concrètes quant à la
meilleure façon d’améliorer ces conditions en adoptant de nouveaux services,
règlements, politiques et procédures ou en révisant ceux qui existent.
Au cours de l’examen du rapport originel du
Groupe de travail, certaines préoccupations ont été exprimées par des
conseillers devant le fait que les recommandations n’avaient pas fait l’objet
d’un examen approprié par les groupes de gens d’affaires et les groupes
communautaires locaux. Plusieurs des recommandations, dont celles sur les
activités de vente contenues dans le présent rapport, ont été renvoyées au
personnel municipal avec l’instruction de consulter ces groupes et de produire
un rapport proposant des solutions qui auraient l’appui de la communauté
locale.
Le présent rapport recommande que soit approuvé
un projet pilote d’un an permettant les activités de vente d’œuvres d’art,
d’objets d’artisanat et de bijoux originaux ainsi que de distribution de
journaux à but non lucratif militant pour la cause des sans-abri sur le terrain
des églises et des organismes sociaux qui offrent des services aux sans-abri,
ainsi que sur le trottoir adjacent à leur terrain. Ces activités devront être
organisées avec l’agrément de l’inspecteur en chef des permis pour ce qui est
des questions d’espace et en consultation avec la Zone d'amélioration
commerciale (ZAC) locale et le conseiller du quartier. Un deuxième projet
pilote d’un an est recommandé qui permettrait à la Zone d'amélioration
commerciale de la rue Rideau de gérer un programme d’activités, sous le viaduc
de la rue Rideau, regroupant divers artistes professionnels, artisans et
amuseurs publics.
BACKGROUND
At its meeting of May 24, 2006 Council received a report from the Homelessness and the Safe Streets Act Task Force that contained 30 recommendations focused on three key areas: Housing\Shelter; the Safe Streets Act (SSA), and; Employment Opportunities. The report included 3 recommendations respecting vending as set out below:
The report contained recommendations relating to
vending activities that were referred to staff as set out below:
17.
That Council amend or enact all appropriate and
applicable By-laws to allow the on-sidewalk distribution of not-for-profit
newspapers distributed by the homeless, without a business license or
designated space permit provided that the person does not remain at a
particular location while distributing the newspaper.
18.
That Council amend or enact all appropriate and
applicable By-laws to allow homeless persons to sell original arts, crafts and
jewellery on the sidewalk without a business license or designated space permit
provided that the person selling the original arts, crafts and jewellery does
not remain at a particular location while selling the articles.
19.
That City land be used to create several permanent
sites for street markets to be operated by a mix of local artists and artisans
and street people.
The recommendations were referred
to staff to consult with local community stakeholders and the Business Advisory
Committee to find solutions that the business and local community could support
to respond to the needs of the homeless community with a report back to
Community and Protective Services Committee.
Staff was directed to ensure that the process include an analysis of the panhandling/homeless population in order to distinguish between the poverty, begging, and addiction issues.
Given that the vending solutions
are focused on the downtown core of the City, staff met with representatives of
the Downtown Ottawa Coalition for a Safe Community (which included, at the
meeting, representatives of the Shepherds of Good Hope, Ottawa Police Service,
Downtown Rideau Business Improvement Area, ByWard Market Business Improvement
Area) as well as the Bank Street Promenade BIA. Given the range of options examined, staff subsequently met with
representatives of the Knox Presbyterian Church (120 Lisgar Street), First
United Church (347 Richmond Road); Church of St John the Evangelist (154
Somerset Street West).
Details of the
recommended options are provided in each of the sections to follow.
DISCUSSION
Recommendation 1 - Sale of
original Arts, Crafts and Jewellery & Distribution of Not-For-Profit
Newspapers
Task Force Recommendation
17: That Council amend or enact all
appropriate and applicable By-laws to allow the on-sidewalk distribution of
not-for-profit newspapers distributed by the homeless, without a business
license or designated space permit provided that the person does not remain at
a particular location while distributing the newspaper.
Task Force Recommendation 18: That Council amend or enact all appropriate and applicable By-laws to allow homeless persons to sell original arts, crafts and jewellery on the sidewalk without a business license or designated space permit provided that the person selling the original arts, crafts and jewellery does not remain at a particular location while selling the articles.
Distribution of Not-For Profit
Newspapers
At the time that this
recommendation was considered by Committee, members were advised that the
distribution of not-for-profit newspapers being offered for donation constitutes
vending that would normally require purchase of an itinerant’s license and
designated space vending permit. The
Committee was further advised that although no specific exemption exists in
Ottawa vending regulations, the By-law and Regulatory Services Branch has
adopted a "non enforcement" standard with respect to offering
newspapers focused on the homeless for donations.
Representatives of the Downtown Ottawa Coalition for a Safe Community in attendance included representatives of the Shepherds of Good Hope, Ottawa Police Service, Downtown Rideau Business Improvement Area and By Ward Market Business Improvement Area and the Executive Director of the Bank Street Promenade BIA was also in attendance. Those present at the meeting expressed some concern that the activity tends to be concentrated in one high traffic area and the recommendation to formally exempt the activity on the sidewalk was not supported – though it was supported within the context of the pilot program described in the following section.
Sale of original Arts, Crafts and
Jewellery by Homeless Persons
The Task Force report clarified that the terms “distributing” and “selling” meant seeking donations, selling or giving away original arts, crafts and jewellery, and; “sidewalk” did not include sidewalks abutting areas zoned “residential”.
Representatives of the Downtown Ottawa Coalition for a Safe Community in attendance plus the representative of the Bank Street Promenade BIA were not supportive of by-law regulations that would permit “wide open” vending of arts crafts and jewellery.
Members in attendance noted the
success of the Designated Space Vending program (reviewed by the Community and
Protective Services at its meeting of November 15, 2007), which has
successfully ended the proliferation and congestion of street and sidewalk
vending within the downtown core while eliminating altercations between
vendors, by establishing specific vending spaces for specific vendors.
Concern was raised that vending should not be opened up for one type of vending when it has been successfully regulated with respect to street and sidewalk vendors who pay annual licenses and permits. It was noted that in previous attempts to regulate “arts and crafts” sales, the ability to define “original art” and “homeless persons” was problematic. A means test would have to be developed to confirm that vending was actually being undertaken by homeless persons as well as some sort of process to confirm that arts, crafts and jewellery are original.
Finally, concern was raised respecting the “unintended consequences” of the proposed policy. Members felt that the recommendation was well intentioned, but given the high incidence of drug and alcohol addictions and mental illness suffered by some homeless people, a policy that provides a quick source of money on the street – without appropriate training and supports – could “exacerbate” the problems identified in the Bank Street, ByWard Market and Rideau Street areas and would be “the exact wrong” strategy for helping homeless persons.
Street to Home Initiative
The Downtown Coalition submitted materials on the New York “Street to Home” project that focuses on moving homeless persons into housing, combined with supportive housing, rather than falling back on outreach measures and other solutions, like the vending recommendation cited above, that:
“sustain people in homelessness [and] often undermine efforts to connect homeless people with homes by creating the sense that they can survive and be cared for on the street.”[1]
As previously reported by staff (ACS2007-HOU-0004) the Street to Home approach[2] uses a targeted, strategic process to: identify and prioritize the most vulnerable individuals on the street; assess and negotiate housing options with those individuals, then house and work to retain those individuals in their permanent housing by ensuring access to appropriate treatments and supports.
The Department also submitted a follow-up report to Committee in November 2007 outlining the Cost of Responding to Homelessness in Ottawa (ACS2007-CPS-HOU-0013). The report provided an Ottawa analysis and included a summary of findings from four major Canadian cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax) as set out below.
The findings confirmed that it is far more cost effective to provide affordable, supportive housing than to treat the daily crisis caused by the lack of supportive housing. The main gap is lack of adequate supports to help people stay in their homes and out of emergency rooms and shelters.
Leadership Table on Homelessness
In Ottawa, a Leadership Table on Homelessness was established in March, which brings business leaders (chaired by Janet Yale, from Telus) together with community leaders to focus attention and resources on ending chronic homelessness. This Leadership Table recognizes that the cost of not ending homelessness is greater than the cost of doing something and also recognized that a networked, collaborative model with community participation is critical to achieving results. The Leadership Table is focused on chronic homelessness, which in Ottawa means the 1,200 people (in 2007) who were in shelters for more than 60 days. The goal is to get the necessary housing and necessary supports into the system within next ten years to keep these people housed.
Viable Vending Options
While making the point that a strong Housing First strategy should be the priority, the Downtown Coalition indicated, with respect to viable vending options, that service providers such as the Shepherds of Good Hope indicated that they do provide arts and crafts programs and support craft sales, from time to time, where crafts are sold from private property. These events are planned and managed with the support of the event organizer as opposed to the wide-open concept contemplated by the Task Force recommendation.
Staff presented an option for a pilot whereby church and other service agency administrators could organize craft events on their own properties including a portion of the sidewalk abutting their private property subject to:
There was general consensus at the meeting that such events are consistent with activities presently undertaken and within the context of a supportive environment.
City staff subsequently met with representatives of the Knox Presbyterian Church (120 Lisgar Street), First United Church (347 Richmond Road), and; Church of St John the Evangelist (154 Somerset Street West) to discuss the special event concept.
The church representatives were generally
supportive of the concept as described but indicated a desire to be supported
by the City to promote the pilot project to encourage involvement by other
service groups and ensure that the events were set up properly with respect to
congestion and safety issues.
Representatives noted that success would rely on local community
involvement. Members also agreed that the local Ward Councillor and BIA should
be consulted in anticipation of the special events.
Recommendation
2 - Permanent Street Markets
Task Force Recommendation
19. That City land be used to create
several permanent sites for street markets to be operated by a mix of local
artists and artisans and street people (for example the area under the Terry
Fox underpass known as the “Bridge”).
The Vendors on Highways By-law
currently prohibits vending on sidewalks and roadways except from designated
areas specified pursuant to the Designated Space Programme By-law.
When the Designated Space Program
was originally implemented in the early nineties, approximately 12 vending
spaces were designated in the area of the Rideau Street underpass. Over time, through a process of attrition,
all of those spaces were vacated by the original vendors and the vending spaces
were removed from the Designated Space Programme By-law.
Consistent with the position articulated in the previous recommendation, concerns were raised respecting the unintended consequences of simply establishing vending spaces for homeless persons without supervision or support.
Members
of the Downtown Coalition reiterated the concept of planned and managed events
as described in the previous section and the Rideau Street BIA proposed a
concept whereby the BIA would program events at the Rideau Street Underpass to
help animate the space – creating an active, safe and inviting urban space –
while ensuring the space is managed and monitored.
It is proposed that space
would include space for performance art, visual art, busking, live music and
vending that would be planned and programmed by the Rideau Street BIA. The Rideau Street BIA indicated that the
site had previously been used to showcase performance by festivals
including: Canada Dance Festival, Magnetic
North Festival and Ottawa Fringe Festival and could be expanded to include
similar groups to showcase multimedia art, visual art, film, performance art,
live music, fashion shows, athletic demonstrations, etc.
The Rideau Street Management indicated that programming could include particular events hosted by service providers, such as the Shepherds of Good Hope, in support of the homeless or homelessness issues.
Analysis Of The Panhandling / Homeless Population
Staff
were tasked to include an analysis of the panhandling / homeless population in
order to distinguish between the poverty, begging, and addiction issues.
A
presentation by community agencies to the Leadership Table for Ending
Homelessness in Ottawa (dated January 10, 2008) indicated that there are an
average of 950 persons in shelters each night with approximately half a dozen
individuals living on innercity streets year round with the number rising to
between 30-40 during the summer.
On
an average night in the shelters there are:
546 single men; 127 single women; 28 young men and women and 78 families
(including 150 children). It is
conservatively estimated that 40% + of singles have mental health issues and 60% +
of singles have addiction issues; many of those with concurrent disorders.
Importantly, at least 30% of the men and women staying in the singles shelters at any given time could move to housing with supports, if the supportive housing were available.
It should be noted that the summary profile of shelter clients does not necessarily reflect a profile of panhandlers who may or may not be homeless or be shelter clients.
While not dealing with the issue of panhandling, the Leadership Table for Ending Homelessness in Ottawa agrees that increasing the supply of affordable with supports, as needed, is the top priority for ending homelessness in Ottawa.
Staff met with representatives of the Downtown Ottawa Coalition for a Safe Community (which included, at the meeting, representatives of the Shepherds of Good Hope, Ottawa Police Service, Downtown Rideau Business Improvement Area, ByWard Market Business Improvement Area) as well as the Bank Street Promenade BIA. Staff also met with representatives of the Knox Presbyterian Church (120 Lisgar Street), First United Church (347 Richmond Road); Church of St John the Evangelist (154 Somerset Street West). Comments received from those representatives have been incorporated directly in this report.
The recommendations of this report were presented to
the Business Advisory
Committee (BAC) at its meeting of May 6.
The BAC supported the two pilot programs with a request that an
evaluation of the pilots be submitted to the Advisory Committee and CPS
Committee.
A Notice of the Community and Protective Services Meeting appeared in the three (3) dailies (Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit and The Ottawa Sun on …...
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications associated with the
recommendations of this report.
CITY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
City Strategic Priority E. Sustainable
Healthy and Active City, Objective 6:
In cooperation with federal and provincial partners, end homelessness in Ottawa in 10 years.
Document 1 – The Street to Home Method – Common Ground – Times Square Alliance
Subject to approval of this report, the Community and Protective Services Department will report back to the Business Advisory Committee and the Community and Protective Services Department on the results of the pilot projects.
Document 1
The Street to Home Method –
Common Ground – Times Square Alliance
87% reduction
in street homelessness in Times Square
“Long bouts with mental and
physical illness, involvement with drugs, and run-ins with the law left him
homeless, and hopeless, until three years ago. That’s when he found a home, and
hope, in supportive housing at Times Square provided by Common Ground.”
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Ending
Chronic
Homelessness in New York City, June 23, 2004
The Street to
Home Method
Ending Street
Homelessness One Neighborhood at a Time
Until recently, the 20 block Times Square neighborhood had one of the
highest densities of street homelessness in New York City. For years, even on
the coldest nights of winter, an average of 55 people made the streets and
sidewalks of Times Square their home. Common Ground’s Street to Home,
working side by side with the Times Square Alliance, changed all this, reducing street homelessness by 87% over two years.
Other urban neighborhoods are achieving similar results—results so
dramatic that the City of New York adopted our approach as a citywide strategy.
Boston, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, DC—have also introduced
Street to Home in their communities.
Street to Home focuses on securing housing for those who have been
living on the street the longest and need housing the most. Street to Home
replaces the random “first come, first served” approach with a targeted,
strategic process: identify and prioritize the most vulnerable
individuals on the street, assess and negotiate housing options with
those individuals, then house and retain.
Identify and Prioritize Our proven methods rely on prioritizing for housing
those who have slept outside the longest and need housing the most. The process
starts by partnering with your BID’s public safety officers or community
outreach workers who—because they are on the front lines every day—have a
thorough knowledge of the people continually living on their streets. We can
train these same ambassadors to introduce clients to a housing team that will
help them to secure housing. We’ve developed a simple tracking tool that will
enable you to differentiate between those who are consistently in the targeted
area and those who are transients. By targeting the former, you will be able to
create a “tipping point” in your community and begin to see an exponential
impact from your efforts.
We prioritize the most vulnerable, the most chronically homeless, and
target services to the people who need housing most. Our research-based
Vulnerability Index takes the guesswork out of outreach and offers a rational
system for prioritizing the most vulnerable homeless for housing.
Assess and Negotiate Most people who have lived on the streets for a long
time are suffering from multiple disabilities and are usually eligible for some
form of housing subsidy. We will teach
your service providers how to assess for eligibility for housing, services, and
benefits, and share helpful tips on expediting this process. Street to Home
uses techniques derived from Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Care
in working with clients to negotiate placement into housing.
House and Retain Common Ground helped more than 175 adults—who had been homeless an
average of 9.9 years—move from the streets directly into permanent housing
since the start of Street to Home. Once inside, 90% of our clients are able to
maintain their housing. Most
individuals who have lived on the streets for long periods don’t wish to live
in a shelter; but want and are successful in their own homes. Moving inside
begins their reintegration into society. Some clients of Street to Home have
re-established relationships with family members. Many are working or have
returned back to school.
Most individuals who have lived on the streets for a
long time want housing. Partnering with these individuals on the mutual goal of
housing radically changes the dynamics of street outreach. Most are suffering
from multiple disabilities and are therefore eligible for some form of income
and housing subsidy. Street to Home assesses each individual’s eligibility for
subsidized housing and income benefits and walks each person through the
process of obtaining permanent housing—registering for disability or income
support benefits, completing medical and psychiatric tests, and finding an
apartment that fits the person’s needs.
THE PROOF IS IN
THE NUMBERS
Þ
In the last year alone, Common
Ground’s Street to Home moved 54 people from the streets directly into
housing.
Þ
In September, 2007, they City of New
York adopted Street to Home as the Citywide strategy to reduce street
homelessness by 2/3rds within three years.
Common Ground will direct all efforts on the streets of midtown
Manhattan and throughout the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.
Þ
Denver identified the 65 most
chronically homeless individuals in its downtown area and raised $1,000,000
from local business leaders to place these individuals directly into housing
Þ
Chicago discovered that while 94
people panhandled in the downtown corridor, only 24 actually slept outside on a
regular basis. In less than three months from the project launch, 10 of the
most chronic and vulnerable homeless were permanently housed.
Þ Atlanta, with the help of BID ambassadors, identified the 18 most
chronic homeless individuals in the downtown area; 7 were housed within the
first two weeks of the project.
Common Ground
Our mission is to end homelessness through innovative programs that transform people, buildings, and communities. Common Ground is one of the nation’s largest developers of supportive housing. We have created more than 2,000 units of permanent and transitional housing in New York City, Connecticut, and upstate New York. We plan to create 4,000 additional units by 2015.
The Common Ground
Institute
The Common Ground Institute brings hands-on technical assistance and field
support to cities across the country and around the world in their efforts to
end homelessness. In each community, we pursue four main objectives: create
housing, build knowledge, test and model innovative solutions, and champion
creative, effective practices. For more information, please contact our
Institute Director, Lori Girvan, at lgirvan@commonground.org.
Times Square Alliance
The Times Square Alliance (formerly the Times Square Business
Improvement District), founded in 1992, works to improve and promote Times
Square so that it retains the energy, edge, and distinctiveness that have made
it an icon for entertainment, culture, and urban life for almost a century. In
addition to providing core services with 50 Public Safety Officers and 50
Sanitation associates, the BID promotes local businesses, co-coordinates
numerous major events in Times Square (e.g., New Year’s Eve and Broadway on
Broadway), manages an Information Center, and advocates on behalf of its
constituents with respect to a host of public policy, planning, and
quality-of-life issues.
Common
Ground’s Breakthrough Series provides BIDs and local service agencies with the
guidance, techniques, and resources to implement Street to Home in your
community, and produce substantial and long-lasting reductions in street
homelessness. From an initial two-day immersion in our process taught by a
faculty of housing placement workers and BID public safety officers who have
themselves successfully implemented the program, through six months of
follow-up, we offer a comprehensive approach to reducing street homelessness in
your community.
You receive access to our online community where best
practices and lessons learned are shared by professionals with track records of
effectively reducing homelessness in their cities. You learn how to connect
those living on the street with housing and employment opportunities and to
engage the business and philanthropic communities in the effort. We teach your team how to assess individuals
for housing, services, and benefits, and share helpful tips on expediting this
process. Street to Home uses techniques derived from Motivational Interviewing
and Trauma Informed Care to engage individuals on the street and negotiate
their placement into housing.
The Street to Home process provides those living on
the street with the help they need to establish and maintain a stable and
healthier life. In the process, you will help transform your community.
Find pdf of document at:
http://www.commonground.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/BID_email.pdf