Houseless Collaborative releases 2023 annual report
From Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative:
By Tamara Kaufman
Mid-Columbia River Gorge (April 18, 2024) - Over 1,000 people at risk of eviction did not lose their housing last year with help from community partners, according to the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative 2023 annual report shared at a recent meeting held at the Gloria Center in The Dalles. The report tracks the community impact of the Collaborative work to reduce and end houselessness in the bi-state Mid-Columbia River Gorge region.
Together, in 2023, member organizations of the Houseless Collaborative helped 702 Latino community members, 512 children, 76 elderly people, and 12 Native Americans avoid eviction. It also supported another 325 people to transition from houselessness into long-term, stable housing, including 90 children, 67 Latinos, 51 Native Americans, and 29 elderly community members.
A major highlight of the report was that the Yakama Nation Housing Authority completed the development of 46 new affordable housing units dedicated to tribal members in the spring of 2023.
“It was a giant step forward to provide much-needed housing that is now known as Gorge View Estates in Wishram Heights,” said Debra Whitefoot, executive director of Nch’i Wana Housing. “Nch’i Wana Housing worked with the Yakama Nation Housing Authority to develop their waitlist to ensure the inclusion of Tribal Fisher People living in substandard conditions at in-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access sites. Being a part of the Houseless Collaborative and developing partnerships enabled Nch’i Wana Housing to do outreach and engagement with Tribal members.”
Partnership is a major theme. “The Collaborative adopted its five-year strategic plan in late 2022,” said Kelli Horvath, director of the Office of Housing Stabilization at Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC). “With over forty members supporting individuals in a range of services from housing and food stabilization to mental health support, the data is primarily supplied by MCCAC, Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP), Nch’i Wana Housing, Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC), Bridges to Health, and the Mid- Columbia Housing Authority.”
Shelter is the Collaborative’s first goal area. MCCAC now provides over 50 year-round transitional housing and shelter placements with the opening of The Annex, a former motel in The Dalles. This is in addition to 11 year-round emergency shelter placements operated by WAGAP.
In alignment with the Collaborative’s strategy of improving professional development opportunities for shelter and housing casework staff, WAGAP increased support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training and also sponsored nine staff members to go through conflict resolution training with the Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center.
“Keeping people in their homes is essential to all of our housing efforts,” said Jennifer Pauletto, associate director for WAGAP. “The Collaborative gives us a platform for partners to coordinate and amplify our messaging in support of our low-income community members throughout the Gorge.”
Services, the second goal area, kept members busy in 2023. The Collaborative held its annual Housing Stabilization Summit with a session about the rapid re-housing program. MCCAC and Bridges to Health began using the coordinated referral program Connect Oregon. Volunteer attorneys offered free monthly legal clinics with the support of PCC CLEAR.
A major push to increase accessibility of services for houseless clients was made by expanding the number of Community Health Workers (CHWs). MCCAC added 12 staff to the list of those certified as CHWs to reach more people at risk of or experiencing houselessness. WAGAP CHWs now serve over 100 clients per month. Extra emphasis was placed on Spanish language access and culturally responsive practices with Native and Latino communities.
The Lived Experience Work Group meets monthly to provide input for Collaborative partners. Last year, the group published a toolkit to help partners collect feedback and improve services and offers a conversation template to support client-led housing stabilization plans.
Housing is the third goal area. One 2023 project of note was the preservation of Rhine Village apartments in White Salmon, where 36 affordable housing units have been acquired with plans for rehabilitation. The Wishram Heights development was celebrated as a step toward increasing the supply of units that low-income households can afford to rent. The tribal community also plans to add a community center in future development at the site.
In 2023, WAGAP secured new funding with the Community Behavioral Health Rental Assistance Program offering new opportunities for highly vulnerable community members with complex behavioral health needs to live independently. Mid-Columbia Housing Authority secured new Housing Stability vouchers and partnered with MCCAC to prioritize these rent assistance resources for clients being served by culturally responsive partners at The Annex.
Managing data is a continued partner process. A wide variety of Oregon and Washington partners throughout the Columbia River Gorge participated in their respective Point in Time (PIT) Counts to help identify the number of houseless persons in the region. Collecting information and sharing stories help the Collaborative educate people and highlight the need for more housing.
Advocacy, the fourth goal, engages members to help bring more funding and policies that support the Collaborative’s strategic investments. Members participated in city, county, and state-level activities to support access to services, funding, and affordable housing development. WAGAP secured funding to add a Director of Civic Engagement to focus on community building and advocacy priorities. MCCAC hosted the 1st annual Housing Heroes fundraising event to bring awareness to the work.
“It was a busy year digging in with our members to get tangible results in our effort to reduce and end houselessness,” Horvath said. “We are committed to continue building strong partnerships and invite others to join our mission.”
The next major event will be the public formal grand opening of The Gloria Center on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at 2505 W. 7th St. in The Dalles. For more information about the event or to join the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative, contact Sarah Kellems by email at skellems@mccac.com.
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The Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative includes over 40 organizations from across Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties. The Collaborative is dedicated to improving coordinated efforts to prevent and end houselessness in the Mid-Columbia region. Learn more at www.midcolumbiahouselesscollaborative.org.
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