2011 Annual Report - How-Inc.org

July
Homelessness Prevention Program
HOW’s Homelessness Prevention Program is designed to prevent people who need short-term temporary assistance from having
to enter Chicago’s emergency shelter system. In partnership with The Emergency Fund, federal dollars are made available in the
form of stipends that can go towards rent, utilities, moving expenses and storage fees. This assistance enables clients to maintain
their housing and consequently stabilize their lives. Since its inception two years ago, HOW has taken 465 referrals from Chicago’s 311
call center, enrolled 345 households and successfully placed 293 households, adding up to more than $600,000 worth of assistance.
Additionally, HOW staff successfully assisted 134 of those placed to maintain their homes, relocated 159 clients and developed more
than 300 landlord relationships. “This program is meant to help people get back on their feet from the recession, and that is just what
we are doing as nearly 84 percent of those we have worked with have remained stably housed” stated Fred Maclin, HOW Homelessness
Prevention Director. HOW’s Homelessness Prevention Program also participated in the 100,000 Homes Campaign, providing temporary
assistance to chronically homeless individuals waiting for a permanent subsidy to become available. Moreover, the prevention staff
assisted 41 families outside its formal referral system and also placed clients transitioning from HOW’s Permanent Supportive Housing
Program into independent housing. Since this is a three-year pilot program, Maclin and his team are working with other city organizations
and the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness to advocate making homelessness prevention a permanent part of the homeless services
landscape in Chicago and across the nation.