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Success Story
Michael moved into a CHP building this past February. He has lived in the Tenderloin off and on since 1989. He left for about five years, but as he puts it "like anyone else in the Tenderloin, I came back."
"Moving in was great - finally having my own San Francisco apartment was a goal I set for myself some time ago, so it felt great to finally have success with it."
Finding an affordable apartment isn’t the only way in which Michael has been successful lately. He has also made himself a very active part of the community, regularly volunteering at Glide and Project Open Hand and involving himself in building activities. To top it off, he is the recycling intern in his building, which "is a real learning experience for me. Sometimes it’s challenging getting folks on board with recycling, but once they become aware of how recycling can help reduce pollution and eventually help our planet, most folks get with the program."
He also plans to return to college this fall to further his studies in Social Work.
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In-House Services
CHP provides on-site services to all tenants with eight basic principles in mind:
· Services are optional and not a condition of tenancy.
· The tenant is the one who drives the process of goal setting and service delivery.
· Housing retention is our first priority.
· The harm reduction model is an effective way to address substance abuse and other issues.
· Community building and tenant involvement are key elements to helping tenants move beyond homelessness.
· Employment-related services are an important component in the effective provision of supportive housing.
· Coordination between support services and property management staff is crucial.
· Collaboration with other organizations is an important tool in helping tenants to achieve their goals.
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The CHP service model has four main components: Intake, Service Planning, Service Delivery and Exit Planning. Our peer-based support services model creates a partnership between tenants and staff This model's success is evidenced by the fact that over 98 percent of our tenants remain permanently housed.
Housing Retention Services: The development of money management and rent-payment plans designed to stabilize housing; counseling and interventions regarding behaviors that violate house rules and might endanger tenancy; and the provision of ongoing activities which offer training to tenants in various life skills.
Case Management and Counseling: Extensive support and counseling (offered individually and in groups) with a focus on mental health, physical health and substance abuse; assist tenants in accessing systems such as health care, substance abuse treatment, and applying for programs such as Social Security; and providing intensive mental health counseling on-site for tenants in need of such services.
Crisis Intervention Services: Specialized interventions that address anger management issues, domestic violence, psychotic episodes, drug addictive behaviors, medical emergencies or other crisis situations in order to insure the health and safety of tenants.
Family and Senior Services: Provision of services for families, especially in the areas of parenting, domestic abuse, referrals to childcare; on-site family support groups and counseling; on-site educational and social activities. CHP also provides specific services for seniors, in the areas of money management, health care management, benefits advocacy and linkages to mainstream resources.
Community Building/Tenant Organizing: Provision of individual and group activities designed to assist tenants in creating a sense of community in their buildings and neighborhoods; support of tenant councils; inclusion of tenants in program and policy development; election of tenant representatives to the CHP Board of Directors; and linkages with advocacy groups.
Special Programs
Our service model also takes into account the need for tenants to feel at home and have a sense of community within their building. Staff help organize coffee hours, special outings, community meetings, and holiday programs.
For children and youth who have been homeless, adapting to having housing can be particularly difficult. At CHP, we offer youth support toward academic growth, activities in the buildings to keep our youth engaged, and also take younger members of our community on special outings. These activities allow children who live in poverty the opportunity to participate in the larger cultural life of San Francisco.
Service Referrals/Partnerships
CHP is dedicated to ensuring tenants who live in our housing are well served and that their needs are being met. To best accomplish this, we utilize our own staff and form partnerships with other agencies when we believe it will best serve our constituents.
We have an active partnership with a clinical team to provide counseling and clinical case management services to tenants who are in need of mental health, substance abuse counseling or other therapeutic services.
The families who reside in CHP housing on Treasure Island are served by Catholic Charities CYO, which runs the Children's Activity Program to engage youth on the Island and form community among tenants in CHP and Catholic Charities housing.
We partner with the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco to give the youth residing in our housing outlets and activities in the community where they can meet and play with other children in a structured setting, overseen by staff who are trained to work with youth.
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