Housing First Expert To Speak In Everett Next Month

The City of Everett is inviting those interested in finding solutions to problems on our streets to a community forum featuring expert Lloyd Pendleton from Salt Lake City, Utah next month. Here are the details as provided in a city-issued press release this morning.

Community members from around Snohomish County are invited to join Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson and City staff at a low-barrier housing forum on Monday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Historic Everett Theatre. Lloyd Pendleton, who led Utah’s successful Housing First effort, will be the keynote speaker.

“Our community has a broad range of housing needs, from increased shelter beds, to short-term rehousing efforts for those temporarily on the streets, to low-barrier housing for the chronically homeless,” said Stephanson. “We are excited to host Mr. Pendleton in Everett and to learn more about Utah’s success in housing many of its chronically homeless individuals.”

Last month, Stephanson announced an additional $1 million for housing, diversion and enforcement related to crime and other street issues. The proposal includes a plan to build 20 units of low-barrier housing with supportive services in Everett over the next two years.

Pendleton is one of the leaders of Utah’s massive effort to house its chronically homeless. Beginning with 17 units in 2005, state officials were able to show that low-barrier housing was not only more cost effective, but also drastically improved the circumstances for the chronically homeless.

“Because the chronically homeless have the biggest impact on the City’s criminal justice and emergency response systems, we have chosen to focus our efforts on this housing need as part of a comprehensive public safety package,” Stephanson said.

In the last 10 years, Utah officials have been able to house approximately 1,400 of the state’s 2,000 chronically homeless, and are seen around the country as leaders in the Housing First approach. Pendleton joined the state’s housing task force after holding leadership positions at the Ford Motor Company and the Latter-Day Saints church.

Pendleton will also meet with smaller work groups to discuss housing-first strategies, as well as a joint effort by the City, Snohomish County and Providence Regional Medical Center to identify Everett’s chronically homeless individuals and connect them with services. The program, known as CHART (Chronic-Utilizer Alternative Response Team), focuses on individuals who have the biggest impact on City and community resources, and who would likely benefit most from a Housing First program.

“The biggest barrier we have for this population is finding low-barrier housing for individuals who rely on the jail and emergency rooms instead,” Stephanson said.

The November event will include an update on ongoing efforts in the community to implement the recommendations of the Community Streets Initiative task force. The task force, which was convened by the City in summer 2014, released its final report and 63 recommendations in November 2014. The City recently hired Julie Frauenholtz to help coordinate the implementation work.

For more information about the Nov. 16 event and the Community Streets Initiative, visiteverettwa.gov/streetsinitiative.