March 2021

An Environmental Scan and System

Analysis of the Homeless Response
System in St. Louis County, MN
Continuum of Care (CoC)

Prepared by:
Patty Beech Consulting
222 E Superior Street #324
Duluth MN 55802
218-525-4957; [email protected]
 Project Leadership

St. Louis County Continuum of Care (CoC):

Heading Home Governing Board

St. Louis County CoC Evaluation and Planning Committee

St. Louis County CoC Housing Response Committee

St. Louis County Housing and Homeless Program Team

Laura Birnbaum
Housing and Homelessness Programs Team Supervisor

Courtney Cochran
Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinator

Kevin Radzak
Housing and Homelessness Program Specialist

Stacy Radosevich
Senior Planner

JoAnn Solin
Housing and Homeless Unit Support

Data Collection Assistance Provided by:

Institute for Community Alliances
Table of Contents

04 Project Overview

05 St. Louis County's Homeless Response System

06 Environmental Scan

13 System Map and Housing Intervention

Assessment

20 Key Informant Findings on Resources and

Partnerships

29 Lived Experience Interview

31 Next Steps

32 Appendix: Acronyms and Definitions

I. Project Overview

The St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services division, acting as staff for the
Duluth/St. Louis County Continuum of Care (CoC) engaged Patty Beech Consulting to:

• Identify existing homeless system assets and gaps within the St. Louis CoC.
• Identify existing relationships and partnerships between organizations that
strengthen the system of services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• Identify strategies, resources and partnerships that could improve outcomes.
Research Questions
• What organizations, and resources exist to support the homeless response system?
• What are the gaps in the homeless response system?
• What organizations or systems are not engaged that could be?
• What new stakeholder connections and resources are needed?
• What are opportunities to improve the SLC Homeless response system?
Methodology
Planning was led by the CoC Evaluation and Planning Committee with input from the CoC
Housing Response Committee, Heading Home Governing Board, and key stakeholders.

Environmental Scan
Multiple data sources were collected and analyzed to document the needs of people without
housing stability, the existing resources, and the ways people experiencing homelessness
are connected to and supported by regional resources.

System Map
A system map was developed to illustrate the general participant flow through the SLC
homeless response system, the capacity of shelter and housing resources for homeless
people, key system outcomes, and important data points related to need.

Key Informant Interviews

Phone interviews were conducted with twenty-one key stakeholders to better understand the
strengths and weaknesses within St. Louis County’s homeless response system and to
assess areas of opportunity for improving the local response to homelessness.

Interviews with Persons with Lived Experience

The project team had difficulties completing interviews with persons with lived experience of
homelessness due to limitations caused by the pandemic. A phone interview was completed
with one person with lived experience whose story is included in this report. It is
recommended that input from persons with lived experience be integrated into future
planning initiatives to improve the local response to homelessness.
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St Louis County Continuum Care
Homeless Response System

Outreach: Engages with

people experiencing
homelessness on the
streets, vehicles and other
public places.

Homelessness Prevention:
Helps individuals and Emergency Shelter:
families who are about to Short-term, safe place
lose their housing to to sleep for people
remain housed where they experiencing
are or to move to new homelessness
permanent housing.
Coordinated Entry
System: Matches people
who are homeless to the
County's transitional,
rapid rehousing and
permanent supportive
housing programs.
Rapid Rehousing: With
financial assistance and
Transitional Housing: support services, helps
Temporary housing and households obtain
services for people permanent housing and
experiencing increase income so they can
homelessness. Typically remain housed on their
two years or less. own.

Permanent Supportive
Housing: Helps
individuals and families
with disabilities maintain
permanent housing with
rental subsidies and
support services.
II. Environmental Scan

Data Highlights

• Homelessness disparately impacts People of African Heritage, People who are Black
or Indigenous, and other People of Color, who make up 18% of the people in poverty
in St. Louis County but 42% of the population served in the homeless response
system.1 On the Coordinated Entry Priority List, 44% of households are People of
African Heritage, People who are Black or Indigenous, or other People of Color.2

• The total number of people who are homeless continues to increase. The number of
sheltered and unsheltered homeless people increased 25% from 2015 – 2020.3

• 46% of people counted in the 2020 Point in Time Count were unsheltered. 54% were
sheltered in Emergency Shelter or living in Transitional Housing.3

• A total of 2,188 households were served by programs for homeless people in the
County in the year ending September 30, 2020.4

• Adults without children continue to have higher rates of homelessness than families. Of
all households served by homeless programs, 82% were households without children.4

• As of September 30, 2020, there were 1,888 households experiencing

homelessness on the Coordinated Entry System (CES) Priority Lists.2

• 94 households exited the CES Priority Lists and entered permanent housing between
April 1 and September 30, 2020.2

• People without housing experience high levels of disabilities.2 Of all households on

the Coordinated Entry Priority List, 73% have a disability of long duration.5

• Multiple episodes of homelessness are common. 60% of households on the CES

Priority list meet Minnesota’s definition of long-term homelessness.2

• Financial, credit and background issues are the top challenges to securing housing.6

1 American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-year estimates; HMIS Core Report, 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020
2 HMIS Coordinated Entry Monitoring Report 4/01/2020 – 9/30/2020.
3 https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/coc-homeless-populations-and-subpopulations-
reports/?filter_Year=&filter_Scope=CoC&filter_State=MN&filter_CoC=MN-509&program=CoC&group=PopSub
4 HMIS MN Core Homeless Programs Report – All St. Louis County CoC Programs, 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020
5 See definition of disability of long duration in the Appendix, page 33.
6 Wilder Research Center, 2018 Homeless Survey Results for St. Louis County .

6|Page
Areas for Focus

• Address the root causes of homelessness and prevent more episodes of

homelessness among People of African Heritage, People who are Black or
Indigenous, and other People of Color.

• Increase emergency shelter beds or prioritize shelter beds for unsheltered people.

• Increase permanent supportive housing resources for homeless adults without

children, especially those with long histories of homelessness, disabilities, and
barriers to securing rental housing.

• Expand resources to meet the needs of households experiencing housing instability

but waiting on the CES Priority List. Expand diversion and navigation activities.7

• Increase referrals to permanent supportive housing from the CES lists.

• Reduce episodes of homelessness and returns to homelessness. This will decrease

the number of people experiencing homelessness and the number experiencing long-
term homelessness and chronic homelessness.8

Key Questions

• What do people of African Heritage, People who are Black or Indigenous, and other
People of Color identify as solutions to reducing homelessness within these
populations?

• Are there people whose episodes of homelessness could be prevented so that more
shelter beds could be available for unsheltered people?

• What diversion, access, and/or navigation resources could be utilized to assist

people on the CES Priority List whose wait for housing is too long?

• How can more permanent supportive housing be created for singles who are hard to
house due to disabilities including substance abuse disorder and mental illness?

• What strategies are effective to keeping households housed and preventing returns
to homelessness?

• How can we ensure that strategies are culturally responsive and trauma-informed?

7 Diversion prevents homelessness for people on the CES lists by helping them identify immediate alternate housing
arrangements and, if necessary, connecting them with services and financial assistance to help them retain or return to
housing. Housing navigation is the process by which homeless clients that have entered the CES system are provided
ongoing engagement, document collection, and case management services to facilitate a match to a housing resource.
8. See definitions of long-term homelessness and chronic homelessness in the Appendix, pages 32-33.

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 St. Louis County Continuum of Care
Racial Disparities in the Homeless Response System

The information on this page compares the Race of General Population

race of the general population and the
population of people in poverty in St. Louis Native American 2%
County with the racial percentages of
Black 2%
people seeking and receiving assistance
through the homeless response system in White 92%
St. Louis County.
Other/Multi-racial 3%
Asian/Pacific
1%
Islander
Households by Race on
Coordinated Entry
Priority Lists Households by Race: Homeless Programs
American American
Indian/Alaska 19% Indian/Alaska 19%
Native Native
Black or Black or African 14%
African- 15% American
American
White 58%
White 56%

Multiple Races 8%
Multiple Races 9%

Native Asian 0.2%

Hawaiian/Pacific 1%
Islander/Asian Native Hawaiian 0.2%

Exits from Homeless

Programs to Permanent American Indian people and
People of Color are:
Destinations
22% of American Indian households 8% of people in the county
25% of households of Multiple Races 18% of people in poverty
41% of Black or African American 39% of people who are unsheltered
households
44% of White households 42% of people in the county's
homeless programs
Data Sources: CoC Racial Equity Analysis Tool 2.1: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5787/coc-analysis-tool-race-and-ethnicity/
MN HMIS Core Homeless Programs Report for St. Louis County : 10/1/2019 - 9/30/2020, Institute for Community Alliances
Coordinated Entry (CE) Monitoring Report for St. Louis County: 4/1/2020 - 9/30/2020, Institute for Community Alliances
 St. Louis County, Minnesota
Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count Overview
January 22, 2020

284 Unsheltered
People

284 Unsheltered People 328 Sheltered People

Emergency Shelter - 192
Transitional Housing 136

17 family 52 family
households households
25 adults and 61 adults and
18 children 93 children

4 unsheltered 15 sheltered
veterans veterans

612 Total Homeless People

Gender of Unsheltered People Gender of Sheltered People

64.0 %
52.7 % 46.0 %
35.6 %
0.4 % 0.3 %
0.0 % 1.0 %

Female Male Trangender Female Male Transgender

Gender Non-conforming Gender Non-conforming

The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single
night in January. It is conducted nationwide as part of HUD's requirement for receiving Continuum of Care funds.
Data Source: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/coc-homeless-populations-and-subpopulations-reports/
 St. Louis County, Minnesota
Homeless Point in Time Count Overview
January 22, 2020

Race of Unsheltered People Race of Sheltered People

8.0 % 13.8 %

23.0 % 13.8 %
47.9 %
1.2 %
61.0 %
8.0 %
23.3 %

White Black or African-American White Black or African American

American Indian or Alaska Native Asian American Indian or Alaska Native
Multiple Races Multiple Races

39% of Unsheltered People are American Indian or People of Color.

52% of Sheltered People are American Indian or People of Color.

152 people were 54 people were

chronically chronically
homeless homeless

Point in Time Count 2016-2020

1,000

500

0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Total Unsheltered Total Sheltered Total Homeless

Data Source: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/ coc-homeless-populations-and-subpopulations-reports/

Data Reporting by Patty Beech Consulting, [email protected]
 St. Louis County CoC: Core Homeless Programs Report

Data for All Programs Key Data

Organizations with HUD or State of
Minnesota funding to provide services or 3,170
housing to people who are homeless Homeless People Served
collect data in the Homeless Management
Information System (HMIS). The Core
Report summarizes all the data collected. 2,188
Households Served

Percent of Households
1,354
Households Exited
in Each Subpopulation

Disability of
38%
Long 76
Exited to a Permanent
Duration Destination
Long-Term
Homeless
52
5%
Serious Exited to Homelessness
Mental 68
Illness
Survivor of 43%
Domestic
Violence
37
Homeless at Entry
Substance
40
Use Disorder
Households by Race
Chronically
28
Homeless 1.0 %
19.0 %
0 25 50 75 8.0 %

14.0 %
Exits to Permanent
58.0 %
Destination
American Indian/Alaska Native
29% of American Indian households Black or African-American White
53% of African-American households. Multiple Races Other
51% of White households
 St. Louis Co. CoC: Coordinated Entry System Report

Coordinated Entry Key Data

System (CES) Data
CES is used to prioritize households for
vacancies in housing for homeless persons.
1,888
Households Assessed
Each household is assessed and given a score
that indicates their level of vulnerability.
They can then be referred to a housing type 541
that meets their need. CES data are Households Exited
collected in HMIS. This report summarizes
CES data from 4/1/2020 - 9/30/ 2020.
94
Households were Housed in
Percent of Households Permanent Housing
in Each Subpopulation
Disability of Housing Needs Based on
Long 73
Duration Assessment Scores
Long-Term
58 Mainstream
Homeless 2%
Benefits/Prevention
HUD Literally
Homeless
24 Transitional
Housing/Rapid 25%
Fleeing
Rehousing
Domestic 20
Violece
Permanent
Supportive 73%
First Time
19 Housing (PSH)
Homeless

Chronically
19
Homeless Households by Race
Veteran 3
56.3 %
14.2 %
0 25 50 8.6 %
19.3 %
0.4 %
1.0 %
Household Type
Singles
American Indian/Alaska Native
Black or African-American White
Families Multiple Races Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
480 1,347
Missing/Don't Know/Refused
III. System Map and Housing
Intervention Assessment

Data Highlights

• St. Louis County’s Emergency Shelters operate at full capacity.1

• Average length of time homeless is increasing.2

• Many households (48%) stayed with family or friends before becoming homeless
(defined as staying in a shelter or in a place not meant for human habitation).3

• In 2020, 751 people experienced homelessness for the first time.4

• In Duluth, the average wait time for a housing referral for households on the CES
Priority Lists is 14 months. The average wait for permanent supportive housing is
6+months. In Northern St. Louis County waits are much shorter.5

• 165 people entered shelter from an institution: jail, corrections, hospital, psychiatric
hospital, substance abuse treatment, halfway house, foster care/group home. 6

• 42% of people who exit Emergency Shelter return to homelessness7.

• 21% of all people who exit the homeless response system return to homelessness
within one year.7 Families return to homelessness at much lower rates.

• 90% of people who receive Rapid-Rehousing assistance exit to a permanent

destination. In Transitional Housing, 75% exit to a permanent destination.8

• 45% of people who participate in Permanent Supportive Housing exit to a permanent

destination when they leave Permanent Supportive Housing.8

• Just 34% of people served in the homeless system exited to rental housing, with or
without a subsidy. For Rapid Rehousing, 48% moved to a rental unit with no subsidy.8

1 HMIS Data SLC-FED-10-BED-239 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020

2 HUD Performance Profile MN-509: Duluth/St. County CoC:
3 Wilder Research Center, 2018 Homeless Survey Results for St. Louis County
4 HUD CoC System Performance Measures – Duluth/St. Louis County CoC 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020
5 HMIS Coordinated Entry Monitoring Report 4/01/2020 – 9/30/2020.
6 HMIS Annual Performance Report (APR) SLC Emergency Shelter 10.1.2019-9.30.2020
7 HMIS Data SLC MN-00-SAG-054 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2020
8 HMIS Annual Performance Reports: All Programs, Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, Rapid Rehousing

10/2/2019 – 9/30/2020
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Areas for Focus

• Decrease the number of people who are unsheltered.

• Reduce returns to homelessness.

• Improve rate of exit to permanent destinations for participants in Permanent

Supportive Housing.

• Reduce discharges to Emergency Shelter from jail, corrections, hospitals, substance

abuse and mental health treatment.

• Increase affordable rental housing options, including rental subsidies, for people
leaving the homeless response system.

• Maintain or increase Transitional Housing, particularly for the populations that are
successfully achieving housing stability through participation in TH.

• Maintain or expand Rapid Rehousing to increase successful transitions from the

homeless response system to permanent housing.

• Increase Permanent Supportive Housing for singles who face the highest barriers to
their physical health, mental health, substance abuse, and criminal background.

Key Questions

• To determine whether there should be a focus on decreasing the length of time

homeless (staying in an emergency shelter or transitional housing), are increased
stays increasing the number of households that move to a stable housing situation?

• Where do people go when they leave Emergency Shelter?

• Why are some participants in St. Louis County’s homeless response system returning
to homelessness? What is working to increase housing stability for families that isn’t
working as well for singles without children?

• How can more episodes of homelessness be prevented to decrease the demand for
the homeless response system?

• Can the informal shelter system (family and friends) be supported so that fewer
people leave doubled-up situations for homelessness?

• Are there ways to transition long-term participants in Permanent Supportive Housing

to other forms of affordable housing with less support, so more PSH beds become
available for people in Emergency Shelter or unsheltered?

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St. Louis County CoC
Provider Agencies
Region Served

Homeless Emergency Transitional Rapid Permanent

Prevention Shelter Housing Rehousing Housing
(Permanent Supportive
Housing & Other
Permanent Housing)

• AEOA • Advocates for • AEOA • AEOA • AEOA

Family Peace
• Bois Forte o Hotel/motel • Range • Bois Forte • Bois Forte
vouchers for
Human Transitional Human Human
persons
Services fleeing DV Housing Services Services

• Range • AEOA • Another Path

Transitional o Bill’s House LLC (Housing
Housing o Hibbing ES Support)
o Hotel/motel
North

vouchers
• Range Mental
Health Center
• Bois Forte
Human Services
o Hotel/motel • Range
vouchers Transitional
Housing
• Range
Transitional
Housing
o Hotel/motel
vouchers
Countywide (North & South)

• St. Louis • MACV • MACV • Hearth

County Connection
Public Health (LTHSSF
& Human Program)
Services

Sources: 2020 St. Louis County Housing Inventory Count (HIC), Key Informant Interviews
 • CHUM • AICHO • Center City • CHUM • AICHO
o Daabinoo’Igan DV Housing
• Life House Shelter Corp. • Life House • Center City
Housing Corp.
• Salvation • Bob Tavani • Life House • Salvation
Army Medical Respite Army • CHUM
House • Lutheran
Social • Drew Shaine
• CHUM
o Congregate
Services LLC (BDS
shelter Housing
o Family shelter • Salvation Support)
Army
• Life House • Duluth HRA
o The Loft • YWCA of
Duluth • Lutheran Social
• Loaves and Services
Fishes
o Dorothy Day
South

House • MACV
o Olive Branch
• New
• Lutheran Social Opportunities
Services (Housing
o Another Door Support)
Bethany Crisis
Shelter
• October Allen
• Safe Haven (Grace Place
Housing
• Union Gospel Support)
Mission
o Martin Inn • Union Gospel
Emergency Mission
Room
• Wolf Family,
Inc. (Housing
Support)

Total Year-Round Total TH Beds: Total RRH Beds: Total PSH & OPH
ES Beds: 199 169 101 Beds: 993

Housing Inventory Count (HIC) Reports provide an inventory

of housing conducted annually during the last ten days in
January. The HIC report tallies the number of beds and units
available on the night of the count by program type. It
includes beds dedicated to serve persons who are homeless
as well as persons in Permanent Supportive Housing.

Sources: 2020 St. Louis County Housing Inventory Count (HIC), Key Informant Interviews
Available Intervention Types

There is a broad range of services available to individuals experiencing or at risk of

homelessness in St. Louis County. These include programs and projects that offer temporary
and permanent housing, as well as a variety of services. This section briefly describes the
available resources in the community but is not intended to be comprehensive as additional
resources are continually being added1. Intervention types include:
Outreach and Engagement – Existing outreach efforts include outreach staff and programs
targeted to adults and youth countywide – providing ongoing outreach, engagement,
assessment, and connections to housing and services. Outreach models differ in the North
and South regions of the county because of the differing geography, needs, and resources
that exist between the rural and urban areas. Outreach is a critical step in connecting
households to CES and other resources that can support their housing stability. There have
been continued efforts to expand outreach, and new outreach positions were recently added
in two Duluth agencies.
Emergency Shelters – There are eleven (11) shelter providers in St. Louis County. Eight (8)
providers serve the South (Duluth) and three (3) providers serve North St. Louis County. This
includes two (2) domestic violence shelters, one (1) medical respite house, and one (1)
shelter for youth ages 15-19 in the South. There is one (1) site-based shelter located in
Virginia, MN, and the remaining shelter options in the North are primarily voucher-based
services that temporarily shelter persons experiencing homelessness in hotels or motels.
There are approximately 199 year-round emergency shelter beds available throughout the
county.
Transitional Housing – There are eight (8) transitional housing providers in St. Louis County.
This includes one (1) provider who serves veteran households. It also includes a Safe Harbor
program in the South that serves underage victims of sex trafficking and other forms of
commercial sexual exploitation and a young mother’s program
This includes a program for survivors Additionally, there is one (1) transitional housing
provider who specifically targets veteran households.
There are approximately 169 TH beds available throughout the county.
Rapid Rehousing – Rapid rehousing provides homeless individuals and families with a short
term rental subsidy, after which they take over responsibility for paying their own rent.
Services include help locating housing, as well as time-limited case management focused on
maintaining stability in housing. Currently, there are six (6) rapid rehousing (RRH) providers
in St. Louis County, which includes one (1) RRH provider in the North, three (3) providers in

1 Data on providers and beds comes from the Duluth/St. Louis County 2020 Housing Inventory Count. It
reflects providers and beds in the inventory as of the last week of January 2020.

17 | P a g e
the South, one (1) countywide veterans provider, and one (1) provider on Bois Forte
Reservation.
There are approximately 101 RRH beds available throughout the county.
Permanent Supportive Housing & Other Permanent Housing – Permanent supportive
housing (PSH) helps individuals and families with disabilities maintain permanent housing
with rental subsidies and ongoing support services. It is designed for households with the
most severe service needs, particularly those who are chronically homeless and/or have
significant behavioral disabilities.
St. Louis County’s Other Permanent Housing (OPH) provides similar programming through
support services and rental subsidies with broader eligibility requirements. The region’s OPH
inventory is largely made up of Long Term Homeless (LTH) Housing Support programs2.
There are eighteen (18) PSH and OPH providers in the region. This includes four (4)
providers in the North (including one (1) provider on Bois Forte Reservation), twelve (12)
providers in the South, and two countywide providers.
There are approximately 993 PSH and OPH beds available throughout the county.
Homeless Prevention – Homeless prevention programs and strategies are designed to
assist households to avoid becoming homeless and entering the homeless response
system. St. Louis County currently has seven (7) prevention providers, which includes two (2)
providers in the North, one (1) provider on Bois Forte Reservation, three (3) providers in the
South, and the County Public Health and Human Services who serves both regions.
Additionally, St. Louis County provides funding to Legal Aid Services of Northeastern
Minnesota through their FHPAP and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) programs to provide
countywide eviction prevention services for households who are facing eviction.

2 Housing Support, formerly known as group residential housing (GRH), is a state-funded income supplement
for housing (room and board) and housing supports (supplemental services) for eligible seniors or adults with
disabling conditions. In order to prevent and/or reduce homelessness or institutionalization, this funding
provides financial support for rent, utilities, household needs, and, under some circumstances, food and/or
services for eligible individuals. (St. Louis County PHHS Housing Support Program Supportive Housing Program
Provider Manual)

18 | P a g e
 EMERGENCY SHELTER
New ES beds coming in
199 year-round beds 2021 through a Housing
1 Support cost neutral
Utilization Rate
transfer of approx. PREVENTION & DIVERSION
Duluth: 103% $1.8 million
North SLC: 138% 580 prevention clients
1 90% exited to a permanent destination
1095 people served
1 21% who exit the
961 people left ES PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE homeless response
16% exit to a permanent HOUSING PSH ACCESS system return w/in 1
1 799 people entered PSH 1
destination year1
549 PSH beds 59% entered PSH from homeless - 31% of households w/o
situations1
1172 people served1 children return to home-
Coordinated Entry lessness1
AT RISK OF 45% exit to 1a permanent Avg. wait time for CE referral:
HOMELESSNESS Access: 2-1-1 Duluth: 6+ months4 4 - 4.5% of households
destination North SLC: 2+ months
with children return to
751 people experienced Central Access Point CE WAIT TIME
1 homelessness1
homelessness for the first time to Regional 1,888 people on CE lists4
Top reasons for homelessness: Homeless Avg. wait-time: Duluth: 14+
1.Eviction or lease not renewed Programs months4; North SLC: 3+ RAPID RE-HOUSING
2.Couldn’t afford rent or house months4
RENTAL HOUSING
101 RRH beds/slots
payments Vulnerability4: 73% High (PSH); 32% of people served
494 people served1
2
25% Medium (TH/RRH); 2% exited to rental housing
3.Lost job or had hours cut 393 people exited1
Low (Mainstream)4 with (17%) or without
90% exit to a permanent destination1 (15%) a subsidy1

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
169 TH beds
STREET 267 people served1
OUTREACH 124 people exited1
75% exit to a permanent destination1 1
UNSHELTERED/LITERALLY 9% of all exits return to homelessness
HOMELESS DENIED SHELTER ENTRY OR EXITED
612 were homeless (sheltered 25.4% of people were turned away MEETING THE NEED
or unsheltered)3 in a from a shelter because there was no
one-day count space available.2
46% (284 people) were
unsheltered 3

The places people stayed when they

lost their last regular housing were:
1. With friends or family in
WARMING CENTERS
regular housing they had – 48%
2. In an emergency shelter – 16% 2 warming centers available during LOT = Length of Time

3. Outside or some other open place, winter months in 2020—2021 as

2
including camping – 15% alternatives to shelter

Data Sources: 1. HMIS data 10/1/2019—9/30/2020, 2. Wilder Homeless Survey 2018, 3. Point-in-Time Count 2020 4. CE HMIS Data 04/01/2020—09/30/2020
Note on CE vulnerability: Vulnerability indicated by VI-SPDAT scores: High = 9+ families, 8+ singles/youth; Medium = 4-7 singles/youth, 4-8 families; Low = 0-3 singles/ System Map design provided by: Technical Assistance Collaborative
youth/families. Prepared by: Patty Beech Consulting
IV. Key Informant Findings on
Resources and Partnerships

Interview Themes:
Collaboration
• There are multiple strong collaborative efforts with many partner organizations that are
effectively meeting the needs of people without housing and expanding resources.

• St. Louis County leadership has helped build strong partnerships, brought in new
funding, and improved processes for connecting clients to county resources.

• Tribal services have been left out of the CoC for long time. They are still catching up.

• Culturally specific service providers are engaged in planning but are spread thin in their
ability to be in spaces to advocate for policy and systems change. Engagement and
support should be focused on including more American Indian people and People of
Color in planning to address homelessness.

• More involvement in preventing and ending homelessness is desired from the following
sectors: mental health, medical, schools, chemical health, and jail/corrections.

Homeless Response System

• Street Outreach conducted by CHUM and HDC is critical and more outreach staff would
help to reach the growing numbers of people who are unsheltered.

• Emergency Shelter is one of the most impactful resources in the homeless response
system. It opens doors to other resources that require that people meet homeless
eligibility criteria.

• Emergency Shelters are overfilled, and more beds would reduce the numbers of people
sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation.

• Permanent Supportive Housing is one of the most valuable resources for persons
experiencing homelessness. More units would better address the high demand.

• Housing Support (GRH) beds are increasing and meeting a need, especially for single
adults with little or no income. Program expansion is welcomed.

• Additional housing and shelter options for people actively using alcohol or drugs are
needed. San Marco units rarely turn over for new residents.

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• Case management is essential to guide people through all stages of the homeless
response system. Current case managers are stretched thin and their case loads are
overwhelming. Additional housing navigators would alleviate this pressure.

Racial Equity and Cultural Responsiveness

• More outreach to is needed People of African Heritage, People who are Black or
Indigenous, and other People of Color.

• People of African Heritage, People who are Black or Indigenous, and other People of
Color face higher barriers to accessing employment and market rate housing.

• Service providers should reflect the population being served in the homeless system.

• More culturally specific service and housing providers are needed.

• Training would help to build more culturally responsive and culturally relevant services.

Coordinated Entry
• The Coordinated Entry System is improving and has created stronger partnerships and
collaborations between service and housing providers.

• More units are needed for households who are waiting on the CES Priority Lists.

• The Coordinated Entry System is designed for funders and organizations that provide
housing that serves people without housing. It is not user friendly for participants.

Affordable Market Rate and Subsidized Rental Housing

• Property Management rules and policies vary by property and can limit access to people
who need affordable housing. The appeal and accommodation processes are time-
consuming for housing advocates, navigators, and case managers.

• Advocacy and relationship building with rental property owners has been a successful
method for overcoming barriers to access to market rate rental housing.

• The most common reasons for housing denials include criminal backgrounds, bad credit,
and lack of references.

Resources
• Transportation is a huge barrier for people without housing, especially in Northern SLC.

• Many key resources are in short supply: mental health treatments, dental care, and
domestic violence resources. In Northern St. Louis County, there are not enough mental
health care providers. Getting into substance abuse treatment can take too long in St.
Louis County.

• Maintaining employment is difficult due to transportation, housing instability, and mental

health.
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 St Louis County Key Informant Themes

Areas of Racial Disparities

Property Build Trust Create Stronger
Employment Management with St. Louis Connections with
County Corrections

Gaps
Housing
More Sober Culturally Staff who for
Street Living Specific look like Singles
Outreach Options Services People with High
Served Barriers

Substance More
Abuse Dental Utility Transportation GRH/
Treatment Care Deposits Housing
- shorter
waits Support

Furniture Non- More

phone engagement
and based
Address Create a
with Tribal
Storage generational Collaborative
services Homelessness Culture service
for for DV providers
Donations Survivors

Bottlenecks
Resources
Housing for
Mental for Vets with
Property people with
Health CES less than
highest
Management Honorable
Services barriers
Discharge
Successful Strategies and Initiatives:

Key informants identified the following strategies and initiatives as working well to prevent
and address homelessness in the region.

Coordinated Entry System (CES)

A key aspect of St. Louis County CoC’s regional homeless response is the Coordinated Entry
System (CES). CES is the pathway to regional homeless assistance programs and has
centralized and streamlined how individuals and families can access transitional housing
(TH), rapid rehousing (RRH), permanent supportive housing (PSH), and other permanent
housing (OPH).
Households who are experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of
homelessness can access CES through a central access point (2-1-1), eliminating the need
for households to go to multiple agencies and retell their stories to apply for programs. CES
utilizes standardized assessment tools and referral practices to ensure those with the most
severe service needs are prioritized for homeless programs. Households are added to the
CES priority list in the South, North, or both, depending on where they want to live.
Strong partnerships are key to the success of CES in St. Louis County. Homeless program
staff collaborate during weekly case manager meetings to identify the best available
resources to meet the needs of households on the CES Priority Lists.
The St. Louis County CoC has continued to expand the capacity of CES through strategic and
creative investments of federal and state resources. HUD CoC funding supports two CES
Manager positions, one in each region, who oversee CES referrals, policies, marketing, and
education. The St. Louis County CoC has also leveraged state funding, such as Housing
Support for Adults with Serious Mental Illness (HSASMI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD),
Community Living Infrastructure, and Long Term Homeless Support Services Fund (LTHSSF),
to support outreach and navigation for households to access CES, collect needed eligibility
documents, connect to resources, and identify housing.

Landlord Incentive Program

St. Louis County was one of only a few pilot projects for the Minnesota Housing Landlord
Risk Mitigation Fund that started in 2016. The Landlord Incentive Program provides
landlords with access to an insurance fund to incentivize renting to households with high
housing barriers (poor rental or credit histories or criminal records) who they may otherwise
have not rented to. Insurance funds can be used to cover costs related to lease termination,
eviction, and damages to the property if the rent does not abide by the terms of the lease.
This expands opportunities for housing for high barrier populations in a tight rental market.

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Renters also have access to case management and supportive services to help maintain
stability in housing.
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs also has a similar incentive program that is
available to veterans. The Homes for Veterans Housing Incentive Fund offers financial
incentives and risk protection for landlords who rent to Veterans currently experiencing
homelessness.

Innovative Use of Existing Funding Resources to Meet Gaps

St. Louis County utilizes existing funding sources in creative ways to meet regional gaps in
the homeless response system. As stated above, HSASMI and SUD funding provide outreach
and navigation services to people experiencing mental health or substance use issues.
Mental health and substance use have been identified as some of the largest barriers to
housing stability by community partners. St. Louis County also utilizes Family Homeless
Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) funds to support eviction prevention efforts
through Legal Aid services, preventing households from having to access limited available
homeless resources.

Housing Support Cost Neutral Transfer

St. Louis County partnered with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to
facilitate a cost neutral transfer of Housing Support base rate and supplemental service rate
beds that expands available shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness
within the county. Through this cost neutral transfer, a total of $1,760,218 will be
distributed to AEOA, American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO), Bois Forte,
CHUM, Life House, and Safe Haven. This steady funding stream will fill gaps in staffing and
increase capacity to fund vouchers and expand available shelter beds for people
experiencing homelessness. Examples of activities funded through this initiative include
increased emergency shelter beds in the North and the South, including shelter for youth,
single women, domestic violence victims/survivors, and Bois Forte band members. Funding
will also be used to support CHUM’s efforts to assist clients transitioning from shelter,
increase operations of CHUM’s Health and Wellness Center, provide overnight winter
warming center staff, and expand food services. Safe Haven will utilize these funds to add
additional crisis advocates and case managers, increase access to shelter services via Crisis
Advocate phone support, and expand their Self-Sufficiency Program to support
victims/survivors of domestic violence.

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Areas for Focus :
• Support partnerships that are having a positive impact on preventing homelessness
and increasing housing stability. Ensure that these partnerships have adequate staff
and administrative capacity to be successful.

• Build a homeless response system that is focused on efficiency and convenience for
people interacting with the homeless response system instead of providers.

• Incorporate culturally responsive and person-centered approaches.

• Expand resources for navigation to help people experiencing housing instability to

move through the system. Navigators help people collect documents, complete
forms, look for rentals, and connect to available resources. They maintain contact
with people in need of homeless services and find them when there are openings.

• Create more permanent supportive housing for singles with high barriers: criminal
records, substance abuse history, chronic homelessness, and mental illness.

• Reduce barriers to accessing housing through housing authorities and property

management companies.

• Increase mental health crisis management resources.

• Support staff working directly with people experiencing homelessness. Increase wages
for case managers, assessors, and navigators. Employ more street outreach workers.

Key Questions:
• What is needed to replicate and expand successful partnerships and bring in new
resources to support them?

• What suggestions do People of African Heritage, People who are Black or Indigenous,
and other People of Color have to recruit service providers who better reflect the
people being served in the homeless system?

• What steps should be taken to diversify homeless planning bodies?

• How can systems that are already stretched (mental health, substance abuse,
medical and criminal justice) participate in collaborative efforts to expand resources,
prevent homelessness, and better meet the needs of people without housing?

• What are options for training and support to incorporate culturally responsive and
person-centered approaches into all aspects of the homeless response system?

• What steps can be taken to continue to improve CES and to make it more friendly
and accessible for people being served in the homeless response system??

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St. Louis County Partnerships that Address Needs
of People who Experience Homelessness

Key Informants and individuals who participate in the SLC CoC identified the following
partnerships that specifically focus on reducing homelessness or address other needs of people
who experience homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. There are many other
collaborative relationships, not listed here, that also improve the homeless response system
and the lives of people who receive housing or services as a result.
Partnership Descriptions

Coordinated Entry System Substance Use Disorder

CES SUD
Coordinated entry is a process developed to ensure The SUD Project's goal is to link homeless persons
that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair experiencing substance use disorders to services
and equal access and are quickly identified, assessed and and to expedite the process for this population
for, referred, and connected to housing and assistance to access and maintain safe housing.
based on their strengths and needs. All people
without housing can access the system by calling 211.

Housing Supports for Adults Family Homeless Prevention

with Serious Mental Illness and Assistance
HSASMI FHPAP
HSASMI grants provide supportive services for FHPAP prevents homelessness , minimizes the
adults with serious mental illness who are number of days homeless and eliminates repeat
homeless or who are exiting institutions, and who episodes of homelessness. Funds are used for
have complex needs and face high barriers to direct assistance or services to households who
obtaining and maintaining housing. are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.

Clarity Community Intervention Group

CIG
Clarity is a community-based initiative to
address gaps in the mental health continuum CIG is a partnership that includes: Duluth Police
with a goal to improve individuals' access to Department, courts, Center for Alcohol and Drug
quality and appropriate mental health and Treatment, hospitals, County , Human Development
substance use care at the right time and place Center, and Corrections. The purpose is to reduce
and in so doing decrease crisis recidivism. contact with law enforcement and corrections (i.e. help
decriminalize homelessness) and to provide appropriate
pathways to improved stability and well-being.

Long Term Homeless Assertive Community Treatment

Supportive Services Fund ACT and T-ACT
LTHSSF
An Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team
The Northeastern Regional Project is a delivers services in a collaborative team model to
collaboration among counties, bands, individuals with histories of hospitalizations and
government and service agencies offering services diagnosis with psychosis who have personal goals
and affordable housing to people with long of living in the community. A T-ACT team focuses
histories of homelessness and complex barriers to on teens.
health, housing and stability.
 Partnership Descriptions

Health and Wellness Clinic Continuum of Care

CoC
The CHUM Health and Wellness Clinic, staffed by a The St. Louis County Continuum of Care (CoC)
Registered Nurse (RN) 20 hours per week, provides is a coalition of organizations governed by the
basic health screenings, referrals to community health Heading Home Governing Board that
providers, and health education. Through a coordinates the County's homeless response
relationship between the U of M Duluth Schools of system and HUD CoC funding for programs for
Medicine and Pharmacy, CHUM hosts the HOPE Clinic homeless families and individuals.
for CHUM clients without medical insurance.

Health Care and .Housing Access Coordination

Homelessness Committee Housing Access Coordination allows The Arc
This Committee includes CHUM, Essentia Minnesota to assist adults with disabilities who are
Health and St. Luke’s. This group’s goal is to currently receiving an eligible waiver (such as Brain
improve the quality and coordination of care for Injury Waiver, Community Alternative Care
people experiencing homelessness, especially Waiver, Community Alternatives for Disabled
at transitions of care between CHUM and the Individuals Waiver, or the Developmental
health care providers Disabilities Waiver) in finding and moving to
independent homes of their own

Medical Respite Landlord Incentive Program

The Duluth Family Medical Residency Program, The Salvation Army and AEOA operate this
CHUM and Loaves & Fishes provide a safe program that gives incentives to landlords for
shelter at the First Covenant Church renting to tenants with criminal backgrounds.
parsonage for people experiencing Landlords can be reimbursed to cover the cost
homelessness and acute medical conditions. of lost rent, damages to their property, or other
expenses

South St. Louis County Lake Superior Diversion and

Veteran's Treatment Court Substance Use Response Team
This a special program designed to assist This program improves community outreach to
veterans involved in the criminal justice system overdose events by expanding outreach efforts to
who are diagnosed with a mental health or those with amphetamine-related substance use
substance use disorder. The court promotes disorders and those who experience
sobriety, recovery, and stability through a amphetamine-related overdoses. An Opioid
coordinated response. Technician provides outreach and advocacy for
people who are suffering from addiction.
IV. Lived Experience Interview

The project team had difficulties completing interviews with persons with lived experience of
homelessness due to limitations caused by the pandemic. It is recommended that input
from persons with lived experience be integrated into future planning initiatives to improve
the local response to homelessness.

One phone interview was completed with an individual who has experienced homelessness
in St. Louis County. Her input has been incorporated into this report and her story is included
below.

A Mother’s Journey through the St. Louis County Homeless

Response System.

Ericka (not her real name) is a St. Louis County resident who has experienced homelessness.
Ericka was stably housed in market rate housing with her partner, but she faced a housing
crisis when the relationship ended and she wasn’t able to afford rent on her own. Inability to
pay rent combined with ongoing issues with property management led to her eviction during
the holiday season. She leaned on Legal Aid for help fighting the eviction in court, but
ultimately was ordered to pay her past due rent and court costs. Ericka wasn’t aware of
financial assistance that could have helped prevent her homelessness, but she said this may
have helped her stay in her home at the time.

Throughout the next four years, Ericka faced homelessness while battling with addiction.
During this time, she said she wasn’t really looking for housing or assistance. Everything
changed when Ericka found out that she was pregnant. She slept on her mom’s floor and got
sober, and she reached out for help.

Loaves and Fishes is credited as one of the most helpful supports in Ericka’s housing journey.
She stayed in their shelter throughout her pregnancy while searching for a place to call her
own. “Loaves and Fishes gave me a place to bring my son home to. They were so kind and
amazing. They just let me do my thing.” The “amazing people” at Loaves and Fishes have “a
lot of knowledge,” and they helped connect Ericka to Coordinated Entry.

Ericka completed a Coordinated Entry (CE) assessment and was placed on the CE priority list
for homeless programs. She shares that it’s hard to explain the next steps in the process after
completing the CE assessment and that there’s no way of knowing how long the wait might be

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before you get housing. She said she wasn’t willing to wait around for her name to come up.
She was actively calling any housing or programs that she might qualify for and asking for
applications. After a total of five years of homelessness and five months after her CE
assessment, Ericka was referred to a transitional housing program. About a year-and-a-half
after that, she moved into subsidized housing where she still lives with her son.

Ericka says that her knowledge, persistence, and networking skills are the strengths she built
on to get stable housing. She also credits her “amazing support system,” which includes
Loaves and Fishes, and most of all, she credits her son. “I do it for my kid. That’s where my
strength comes from. I have a kid who relies on me, and if I don’t do it, no one’s gonna do it
for him. I can’t let him fall through the cracks.”

Her suggestions to improve the homeless

response system include stronger agency
collaboration and streamlining the process for
people who need the services. Resources should
be under one roof, and the response to
homelessness should be a team effort among
agencies, so that a person who is struggling with
homelessness doesn’t need to worry about how
they’ll get to the resources they need. “I would
want to have to only go to one spot. It would be
way more helpful with one or two places to go
instead of like five.”

Now Ericka is an advocate for others who face housing instability in St. Louis County.

“When people think of people who are homeless, they think of that guy who’s dirty with a
scruffy beard or the bag lady. I lived in my car for a winter one time. I made sure my car didn’t
look like I lived in it. Normal people experience homelessness. It’s not always because people
are lazy. There’s so much more to the story. I really wanted to be part of making the connect
between the actual person and the people on the other side.”

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VI. Next Steps

1. Build on current strengths in preventing and ending homelessness in St. Louis County:

• Strong and dedicated partners

• Successful outreach, shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, permanent
supportive housing, and affordable housing program.
• Multiple, effective partnerships for planning, implementing, and expanding resources
to prevent and address homelessness.
• Expanding resources dedicated to preventing homelessness and increasing housing
stability.

2. Share the information in this report broadly with a range of stakeholder groups including
people who interact with the homeless response system, Communities of Color, Indigenous
people, government and Tribal partners, and housing and service providers. Seek input and
suggestions on areas for improvement in the following areas:

• Reduce racial disparities in homelessness.

• Decrease unsheltered homelessness.
• Expand permanent supportive housing for single adults with high barriers to housing
stability.
• Improve system performance, particularly in the areas of returns to homelessness,
and exits to permanent destinations.
• Support continuous improvement in the Coordinated Entry System, including the
expansion of housing navigation and assessment resources.
• Increase engagement of sectors that intersect with the homeless response system:
criminal justice, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and health.

3. Analyze existing homeless response system funding from HUD, State of Minnesota, and
local sources. Identify any areas where funds can be better aligned to meet homeless
system performance goals and address high priority needs as identified by the community.

4. Use data from the Environmental Scan, System Map, and Key Informant Interviews, along
with broad community input to develop specific goals and strategies to improve St. Louis
County’s homeless response system. Adopt a plan at the Heading Home Governing Board to
guide the St. Louis County Continuum of Care (CoC)’s planning efforts.

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Appendix: Definitions and Acronyms

Extent of Homelessness by Minnesota’s Definition: The State of Minnesota defines as

homeless “any individual, unaccompanied youth or family that is without a permanent place
to live that is fit for human habitation.” Doubling-up is considered homeless if that
arrangement has persisted less than 1 year.

The State of Minnesota defines an individual, unaccompanied youth or family as “Long-Term

Homeless” if they are without a home for a year or more OR have had at least four (4)
episodes of homelessness in the past three (3) years. Any period of institutionalization or
incarceration (including transitional housing, prison/jail, treatment, hospitals, foster care, or
refugee camps) shall be excluded when determining the length of time the household has
been homeless.

HUD homeless definition: HUD Funded Program- HUD established four categories of
Homelessness.

Literally Homeless: An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
nighttime residence, meaning:

1. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for
human habitation;
2. Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary
living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and
hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and
local government programs); OR
3. Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who
resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation
immediately before entering that institution.

Imminent Risk of Homelessness: An individual or family who will imminently lose their
primary nighttime residence, provided that:

1. Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless
assistance;
2. No subsequent residence has been identified; AND
3. The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain
other permanent housing.

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 Homeless Under other Federal Statutes: Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or
families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless as defined
above, but who:

1. Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statues;

2. Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent
housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application;
3. Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during
the preceding 60 days; AND
4. Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time due to
special needs or barriers.

Fleeing/Attempting to Flee DV: Any individual or family who:

1. Is fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault,

or stalking;
2. Has no other residence; AND
3. Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

HUD Chronic Homeless Definition: A chronically homeless individual is defined to mean a

homeless individual with a disability who lives either in a place not meant for human
habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter, or in an institutional care facility if the
individual has been living in the facility for fewer than 90 days and had been living in a place
not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter immediately
before entering the institutional care facility.

To meet the chronically homeless definition, the individual also must have been living as
described above continuously for at least 12 months, or on at least four separate occasions
in the last 3 years, where the combined occasions total a length of time of at least 12
months. Each period separating the occasions must include at least 7 nights of living in a
situation other than a place not meant for human habitation, in an emergency shelter, or in
a safe haven.

Disability of Long Duration: (1) a disability as defined in Section 223 of the Social Security
Act; (2) a physical, mental, or emotional impairment which is (a) expected to be of long-
continued and indefinite duration, (b) substantially impedes an individual’s ability to live
independently, and (c) of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable
housing conditions; (3) a developmental disability as defined in Section 102 of the
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act; (4) the disease of acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome or any conditions arising from the etiological agency for
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; or (5) a diagnosable substance abuse disorder.

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Physical Disability: A physical impairment which is (a) expected to be of long-continued and
indefinite duration, (b) substantially impedes an individual’s ability to live independently, and
(c) of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions.

Developmental Disability: A severe, chronic disability that is attributed to a mental or

physical impairment (or combination of physical and mental impairments) that occurs before
22 years of age and limits the capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
Accepted forms of documentation include written verification from a state-licensed
professional, such as a medical service provider or a health-care provider, the Social
Security Administration, or the receipt of a disability check (i.e., SSDI check or VA disability
benefit check).

Chronic Health Condition: A diagnosed condition that is more than three months in duration
and is either not curable or has residual effects that limit daily living and require adaptation
in function or special assistance. Examples of chronic health conditions include, but are not
limited to, heart disease (including coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack and any
other kind of heart condition or disease); severe asthma; diabetes; arthritis-related
conditions (including arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia); adult onset
cognitive developments (including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic distress syndrome,
dementia, and other cognitive related conditions); severe headache/migraine; cancer;
chronic bronchitis; liver condition; stroke; or emphysema.

Mental Health Problem: May include serious depression, serious anxiety, hallucination,
violent behavior, or thoughts of suicide.

Recent Institutional History: Definitions for some options:

• Drug or Alcohol Treatment Facility: Includes inpatient treatment and detox.

• Foster Home: This term applies to youth only.
• Group Home: Includes all facilities for people with disabilities (cognitive or physical);
may also be used for corrections clients. Includes adult foster care. Placement done
through social services or corrections departments.
• Half-way House: Includes placement for corrections clients after jail or prison OR for
clients after chemical dependency treatment.
• Mental Health Treatment Facility or Hospital: Includes regional treatment centers (state
hospitals), Intensive Residential Treatment Services (IRTS), crisis residences, and
psychiatric inpatient units at local hospitals.
• Residence for People with Physical Disabilities: Includes nursing homes, long-term care
facilities, and rehab hospitals.

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 Acronym List
Acronyms
AHAR Annual Homeless Assessment Report MFIP Minnesota Family Investment Program
APR Annual Progress Report MTC Minnesota Tribal Collaborative
ARD Annual Renewal Demand MOU Memorandum of Understanding
CE/CES Coordinated Entry/Coordinated Entry System NOFA Notice of Funding Availability
CH Chronic Homeless OEO Office of Economic Opportunity
CoC Continuum of Care, Federal program OPEH State Office to Prevent and End Homelessness
stressing permanent solutions to housing
Con Plan Consolidated Plan P&E Performance & Evaluation Committee
CPD Community Planning & Development (HUD PBRA Project Based Rental Assistance
office of)
DHS Department of Human Services PIT Point in Time
EA Emergency Assistance PRN Pro Rata Need
EGA Emergency General Assistance PSH Permanent Supportive Housing
ESG Emergency Solutions Grant (Emergency RFP Request for Proposals
Shelter Grant; previous name)
FHPAP Family Homeless Prevention & Assistance RHSP Rural Housing Stability Program
Program
FMR Fair Market Rent RHY Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
GIW Grant Inventory Worksheet RRH Rapid Re-Housing
GRH Group Residential Housing S+C Shelter Plus Care
HDX HUD Exchange (online data submission tool SAGE Portal to enter annual progress reports for all
for reporting to HUD) HUD COC funded programs
HEARTH Act Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid SHP Supportive Housing Program
Transition to Housing
HHA Heading Home Alliance SOAR SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery
HIC Housing Inventory Count SPMI Serious and Persistent Mental Illness
HMIS Homeless Management Information System SRO Single Room Occupancy
HOPWA Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS SSI/SSDI Social Security Income / Disability Income
HPRP Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing SSO Support Services Only
program
HQS Housing Quality Standards SuperNOFA HUD’s consolidated approach to issuance of
Notice of Funding Availability
HRE Homelessness Resource Exchange TANF Temporary Assistance for Need Families
HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban TBRA or Tenant Based Rental Assistance
Development TRA
ICA Institute for Community Alliances (HMIS TH Transitional Housing
administrator)
IHS Indian Health Services VASH Veteran’s Affairs Supportive Housing
LSA Local System Administrator Veteran's Veteran's Grant and Per Diem program
GPD
LSA Longitudinal Systems Analysis Veteran's Supportive Services for Veteran's Families
SSVF
LTH Long Term Homeless VI SPDAT Vulnerability Index (VI) & Service Prioritization
Decision Assistance Tool
LTHSSF Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services
Fund