New Ways to Find Home

When asked to share a success story from the Scattered-Site Program, I realized that my biggest dilemma was, “Which one?”  We take pride in being a program that lives up to the organizational commitment to growth and change, but the truth is that growth and change are everywhere, whether we like it or not.  I can’t possibly feature one story without recognizing that we have become Scattered-Site PROGRAMS.

Let’s start by reflecting on the core of Scattered-Site, our program that supports housing costs and case management for individuals who experienced a year or more of homelessness prior to meeting with us.  Just a few years ago, the “program” consisted of a case manager and about six tenants.  This summer, we reached our goal of 50 participants living in their own apartments in the community.  Twenty-three of these individuals have been consistently living in housing within our program for two or more years.  I don’t know the numbers, but it makes me smile when former tenants call and report that they are also in stable housing.  That’s an incredible level of stability!

But that’s not all we do.  Last year, recognizing a need to support those living at Emma Norton Residence, the agency hired a Housing Navigator.  She created her own program, which we named Finding Home in the recognition that it was about more than searching for apartments – it was about finding homes.  Through the Finding Home Program, several residents and others have found apartments in the community, paid for with connections to other agencies.  Not wanting to see anyone left alone from there, the program helps new tenants to connect with mental health supports, Housing Stabilization Services, and other resources to ensure that they have the tools and support systems to continue living in their homes.  Finding Home has only been a program for a year, but it promises lasting impact for everyone served.

And we’ve grown even beyond that.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramsey County opened new, temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness.  Along with several other organizations, we partnered with this program to help connect these individuals with housing.  Several individuals found permanent supportive housing with our main Scattered-Site Program.  But the real story here is the work of a housing navigator who spends half of his week at one of the temporary shelters, working tirelessly to help people know what their options are.  He learns their stories, assesses their options based on background, income, and other factors, and helps them connect with the right next step for finding housing.  To place numbers on it, his impact has been in the more than a hundred people he has helped, from brief conversations of guidance through to hands-on support and advocacy during the application process.

So I guess the answer to how to describe a success in our program is: You can’t.  Our success is in that we do what we need to meet the needs of those we serve.  Some days, it’s doing the best we can to support those already in our programs.  Other days, it’s diving into new ways to help people find homes.  I take pride in each and every day, because the truth is, whether it’s helping someone find a home or helping them find a phone number they need, it’s a matter of helping each individual on their own terms.

Jennifer Stevenson
Supportive Housing Supervisor