Smart Reentry Housing: HOPE for Housing

Purpose. The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Reentry Partnerships (ORP) seeks funding to help the formerly incarcerated access safe, quality housing upon reentry by providing housing stipends to initially secure housing as well as subsidizing up to 50 percent of rental costs for the first year, while also bolstering participants ability to sustain their housing long-term through supportive services such as workforce training, provided through established intensive case management services. Primary activities. ORP will conduct a planning period that will include compiling an analysis of existing housing needs for individuals’ pre-release, conduct asset-mapping exercises for zip codes with a high population of post-release individuals, develop a housing assessment that includes a variety of housing needs and goals, and identify any service gaps to support individuals’ post-release. A task force will be direct resources to the appropriate areas and identify policy and process challenges that individuals face in accessing housing. ORP will engage individuals pre-release to determine the level of service needs, and case managers will complete assessments to identify key services in supporting them post-release. Case Managers will then notify a Housing Specialist when individuals are identified as housing insecure through the screening process, who will determine their eligibility within existing housing programs, including the specific initiative funded through this grant. Supportive services will be offered to help stabilize participants, including workforce training, trauma-informed mental health supports, healthcare services, public benefit enrollment support, and financial literacy education. Non-profit partner Eddie’s House will help assist with housing searches, prepare and support participants for living and managing independently, and provide referrals for further financial assistance to sustain housing. Expected outcomes. ORP anticipates that 20 individuals will receive dedicated housing program enrollment support and housing stipends to access private market housing, and as many as 100 additional returning citizens will also receive services through the program. Service area. The program will serve individuals returning home to the City of Philadelphia, first recruiting from State Correctional Institution (SCI) Chester and one jail to be identified during the planning period. Intended beneficiaries. This project will benefit formerly incarcerated individuals ages 18+ from communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality.