The Erie County Sheriff's Office Reentry Housing Program

Erie County Sheriff’s Office seeks funding for the Erie County Kinship Reentry Housing Program (Kinship), a reentry program which that is the result of collaboration between Erie County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO), Peaceprints WNY (Peaceprints), and the Osborne Association (Osborne) and is a replication of Osborne’s New York City-based Kinship program. Many people who return to the community in Erie County have families who are excited to welcome them home but may lack the financial resources to do so, or who need support to navigate the reentry process. Furthermore, Erie County is currently experiencing a shortage of affordable housing stock, especially for those returning from incarceration. The Kinship program aims to address three intertwined challenges for people returning from incarceration and their families: accessing safe and stable housing, reunification with loved ones in the community, and emotional and financial stability.
The program’s three partners: ECSO, Peaceprints, and Osborne will operate the program with the following process of responsibilities. ECSO will administer the grant and oversee all activities. As part of the Project Blue intake process, Peaceprints will identify individuals who may be eligible for participation in Kinship using 4 specific criteria and coordinate enrollment of families into the program. Once families have been identified and enrolled, Osborne will take responsibility for the administration of the program and services provided therein.
Based on the kinship foster care model that allows relatives who are fostering children to receive the same support that unrelated foster parents receive, Kinship addresses the underlying challenges that discourage families from offering people coming home from prison a safe place to land. The objectives of the Kinship Reentry Housing model are to 1) prevent homelessness, 2) provide financial support, 3) promote long-term success and well-being, and to 4) increase public safety. To accomplish these objectives, Kinship’s services for families include $500 monthly cash assistance payments for up to 12 months, case management and counseling, home visits and advocacy for families, financial literacy education and financial planning services, and service coordination with Peaceprints, the formerly incarcerated person’s reentry services provider.
The program intends to serve 40 families over the life cycle of this grant, providing each family with a full 12 months of support and services.