1.3 Rapid Re-Housing for Survivors of Domestic Violence Speaker: Linda Olsen Rapid re-housing is being adapted by domestic violence providers to respond to the housing needs of the women and families they serve. This workshop will examine how rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention strategies are being used to serve survivors of domestic violence. Presenters will share their service models and lead a discussion on how to assist survivors in finding and maintaining safe, permanent housing.

1. HOUSING FIRST
FOR DV SURVIVORS
“It’s not just housing; it’s a sense of
identity.”
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2. WHAT IS IT?
Domestic Violence Housing First seeks to
eliminate housing as a reason for survivors
to stay in an abusive relationship.
It does this through advocacy and a flexible
approach to services and financial
assistance.
This gives survivors the freedom to choose
how best to rebuild their lives.
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3. WHOSE DOING THIS?
13 domestic violence programs in Washington
State: four in urban areas and nine in rural
areas
Technical assistance is provided by the
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic
Violence
Project funding is from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation and the Empire Health Foundation
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4. HOW DID IT START?
In 2009, four agencies were funded to try
an experimental, completely flexible
approach to housing for DV survivors.
Due to promising results, an additional
nine programs were funded in 2011.
New programs are primarily culturally
specific: tribal, farmworkers, immigrants,
and small rural communities
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5. HOUSING FIRST PRINCIPLES
Housing is a right.
People who are homeless or on the verge of
homelessness should be returned to or
stabilized in permanent housing as quickly as
possible
Issues that may have contributed to a
household’s homelessness (including domestic
violence) can best be addressed once they are
housed.
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6. DV HOUSING FIRST
Safety is central to advocacy
Survivor-Driven/Centered—Mobile
Advocacy, Voluntary Services
Sensitive to impacts of abuser sabotage
and trauma history (including historical
trauma of community)
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7. WHAT HAS EVOLVED?
Survivor-centered advocacy is the heart and
soul
Only eligibility is presence of domestic violence;
program participation may be limited by
program and community resource capacity
Flexible, temporary financial assistance
Assistance with housing search
Strong partnerships with PHAs, private
landlords, housing/homeless organizations
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8. PROMISING PRACTICES
Prevention: 40% of Cohort 1 participants had
permanent housing at program entry in 2009-10
and were able to retain
Rapid ReHousing: 53% of Cohort 1 participants
accessed new permanent housing in the same
time frame
56% of these participants needed only “light
touch” services (simple, discrete needs that are
met quickly)
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9. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
198 Households served in 2 years
Early evaluation was qualitative, so two of
the four agencies were not prepared to
track longer term client outcomes (171 HH)
97% (86 HH) retained housing at 6 months
85% (62 HH) retained housing at 12 months
Of those still in the program and tracked at
18 months, 100% (6 HH) are still in housing
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10. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?
116 new program participants during Oct.-
Dec. 2011 Quarter: 17 from Cohort 1 & 99
from Cohort 2
41% had permanent housing on program
entry
76% in permanent housing (point of time)
42% were higher needs program
participants
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11. CHALLENGES
Employment stability; reliable income
Shortage of subsidized and affordable housing
Substandard Housing
Private landlord screening criteria: criminal
history, evictions, bad or no credit, past debt
Discrimination
Immigration Status
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12. SUCCESSES
Restored dignity
Ability to focus on other needs, such as
employment, financial skills,
transportation, legal issues, and “healing”
New relationships with landlords, housing
authorities, and permanent supportive
housing providers
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13. Ending Homelessness For Families
and Youth, 2/9-10/2012
Linda Olsen, M.A., M.S.W.
Housing Program Coordinator
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic
Violence
linda@wscadv.org
206-389-2515, x 205
www.wscadv.org
(what we do/our projects tab)
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