This document summarizes FACETS, an organization that helps the homeless in Fairfax County, Virginia. It discusses FACETS' mission to help those in need access housing and break the cycle of poverty. It outlines FACETS' programs in prevention, housing, and community development. It also describes Fairfax County's 10-year plan to end homelessness, and FACETS' role in diversion and case management to help shelter those at risk of homelessness. Finally, it discusses lessons learned around using resources for prevention and the need for intake redesign and coordinated services.

1. Using Diversion to Reduce
Homelessness
The Beginning Steps
presented by Amanda Andere
National Conference on Ending Homelessness
July 14, 2011
Washington, DC

2. FACETS:
Opening Doors for People in Need
• MISSION: FACETS opens doors by helping
parents, their children, and individuals who
suffer the effects of poverty in Fairfax County.
• VISION: FACETS envisions a day when
everyone in Fairfax County has access to
adequate and affordable housing and nobody is
homeless. We seek to engage and educate our
community in providing long-term solutions and
resources to break the cycle of poverty for our
neighbors in need.

3. Our Programs
• Preventing and Ending Homelessness
• Supportive Housing
• Education and Community Development

4. Fairfax-Falls Church Ten-Year Plan to
Prevent & End Homelessness
• Adopted in 2008
• 8-10 Core Nonprofit Partners, Government, Business,
Faith Communities, Volunteers
• Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH)
funded by Fairfax County Government and Foundations
• OPEH Governing Board
• Foundation
• Affordable Housing Blueprint*
• Housing Opportunity Support Teams (HOST)
• Housing Locator Network

5. Our Front Door
Coordinated Services Planning:
• Information, referral, linkage, and advocacy to
public and private human services available to
Fairfax County residents
• Most assistance through partnerships with
community based organizations
• Established 15-20 years before Ten-Year Plan

6. FACETS’ Unique Role
• Primary focus is diversion and prevention,
not emergency shelter – homelessness to
permanent housing
• Partnership with 4 family shelters
• Primary provider of case management to
Shelter Waitlist
• Major shift of goals in 2009

7. Fairfax County:
The Rent Is Too Damn High
• Average housing cost in United States $600-$800
• Fairfax County $1,100 - $1,400 for 1- or 2-bedroom
• Average childcare cost in United States $110 a
week
• Fairfax County $190-$300+ a week
• First data snapshot in FY10 showed provided
services to over 3,000 people in homeless system
compared to Point in Time numbers of just under
1,600

8. Shifting to Diversion:
Just the Beginning
• Went from shelter preparedness to
prevention and diversion
• Focus on assessment and housing
targeting tools*
• Housing Locator Network and Website
• Focus on services
• Change in the way resources are used

9. Lessons We Are Learning
• HPRP and TANF – Need resources but
must have services, coordination to match
• Changing language means everything
• Partnership model is the key
• Now time for serious Intake Redesign

10. Our Impact
• Starting to see results of focus on
prevention and diversion
• Efforts have brought to light need, leading
to tools for advocacy