Hartford Shelters House 178 Households in 100 Days

Seven Hartford area emergency shelters celebrate the end of the 100-day housing challenge where they housed 178 households. Shelters saw a 56% increase of households housed since the Emergency Shelter Learning Collaborative (ESLC) began meeting in February.

12/12/18

HARTFORD – Seven Hartford emergency shelters housed 178 households in a 100-day housing challenge which concluded on December 12, 2018. Shelters saw a 56% increase of households housed since the Emergency Shelter Learning Collaborative (ESLC) began meeting in February.

In August, the ESLC set out to increase the number of households exiting to permanent housing. Shelters began shifting to the evidence-based approach of Housing First which states that people experiencing homelessness deserve housing first, without any preconditions, and that people are more likely to succeed when no longer in crisis. Shelters achieved this by refocusing their mission statements, policies, and messaging, lowering barriers to entering and staying in shelters, leveraging resources and partnerships, and engaging board leadership. Shelters shifted away from long lists of rules to short lists of expectations with one shelter going from 19 pages of rules to only 5 pages of expectations.

“South Park Inn is proud to have shared the experience of the Hartford ESLC with our shelter provider partners,” says Heather Flannery of South Park Inn. “We know that the lessons we’ve learned will help to better use timely data to ensure positive housing outcomes for clients experiencing homelessness in our community.”

The ESLC consisted of seven Hartford shelters select by the Connecticut Department of Housing: Community Renewal Team’s McKinney and East Hartford Family Shelter, Immacare, The Open Hearth, The Salvation Army-Hartford, South Park Inn, and YWCA-Hartford.

“Because of the hard work Hartford shelters underwent these past 100 days, 178 households have a place to call home during this cold weather and holiday season,” says Richard Cho, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH).

The ESLC was led by the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Kay Moshier McDivitt and Ben Cattell Noll in partnership with CCEH. Journey Home, the backbone organization for the Greater Hartford area, will be continuing this work with the emergency shelters to maintain the momentum and sustain the progress made. CCEH hopes to replicate this learning collaborative throughout Connecticut contingent upon funding as other shelters are already expressing interest.

The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, in partnership with members and communities throughout the state, creates change through leadership, advocacy, and building the capacity of members and the field to prevent and end homelessness in Connecticut. Learn more by visiting cceh.org.

For Immediate Release:
Julia Minchew
Program Development Coordinator
jminchew@cceh.org
860-721-7876 x101 (Office)