Jobs

The Best Defense Against Homelessness

October 13, 2011

From the desk of USICH Deputy Director Anthony Love

Woman at employment center researching jobs

The best defense against homelessness is a job that pays enough to afford a place to live. Unemployment, under-employment, and low wage employment are frequent causes of homelessness. The loss of a job leads to homelessness when tenants fall behind on their rent and homeowners fall behind on their mortgages-- ultimately leading to eviction and foreclosure. Millions of hard-working, responsible families are at risk of losing their homes as a result of job losses, reductions in working hours, or lower wages. While the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program has successfully kept over one million people from experiencing homelessness, it is essential to ensure that individuals and families have the opportunity to earn a decent living.

By unveiling the American Jobs Act, President Obama made it clear that his first priority is to put Americans back to work and put more money in the pockets of working people, including Americans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Specific to homelessness, the proposed legislation would create a new Pathways Back to Work Fund that would, among other things, build on the success of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund by supporting subsidized employment opportunities for unemployed low-income individuals.

One of the five themes in Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness is to increase economic security for people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. USICH stresses the importance of two strategies to reduce the financial vulnerability to homelessness: increase meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities and improve access to mainstream workforce and income support programs.

This newsletter showcases programs from the Department of Labor that improve access to employment for job seekers especially those at-risk of homelessness. We also highlight programs in Washington State that are effective because they take into consideration transportation, child care, child support, domestic violence, criminal justice history, disabling conditions, and age appropriateness. In addressing the needs of citizens who are homeless and seeking employment, Opening Doors encourages improved coordination and integration of employment programs with homelessness assistance programs, victim assistance programs, and housing and permanent supportive housing programs.

- An update on advancements over the last year

On October 18th, USICH's Deputy Director Anthony Love and the Department of Labor's Chief Economist Adriana Kugler will be hosting a webinar on what the American Jobs Act would mean for low-income Americans including those at-risk of homelessness.

- Register now

Advice from Experts in the Field

Two leaders in developing and implementing employment programs for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness share insights and lessons learned

USICH interviewed Mark Putnam the Director of Consulting and Technical Assistance for Building Changes, about the characteristics of successful employment programs for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and Marléna Sessions, the Chief Executive Officer of the Workforce Development Council in King County, WA about the importance of coordinating resources across multiple systems. They both shared actionable advice for service providers, local government, workforce investment boards, private business, and others interested in helping people experiencing homelessness gain meaningful employment.

- An interview with Mark Putnam

- An interview with Marléna Sessions

Building Changes recently released a paper, "Silos to Systems: Connecting Vulnerable Families to Work and Incomes to Prevent and End Homelessness" which gives a thorough background of what we know about successful employment programs for families at risk of homelessness.

Partnership in Focus

The Department of Labor's employment programs for people at risk of homelessness

Partnership in Focus

The Department of Labor's employment programs for people at risk of homelessness

The Department of Labor is the primary federal agency charged with improving the quality and accessibility of employment opportunities for American workers. In December 2010, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis became the 14^th Chair of USICH. Upon receiving the gavel, she noted, "The bottom line is that the best defense against homelessness is a job that pays. That is why the Department of Labor is leading efforts to prevent and end homelessness with job training and employment services for this underserved population." The Department of Labor oversees a variety of programs that are either directly targeted to people experiencing homelessness or to populations with increased risk of homelessness:

In addition, as a part of the Workforce Investment Act, the Department of Labor works with communities all over the country to generally improve access to employment through Workforce Investment Boards.

Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) are made up of local business, education, and labor leaders, and members also include representatives from community organizations, economic development, and other related systems. WIBs coordinate and direct workforce development programs, including reports on local needs and opportunities. WIBs oversee One-Stop Career Centers that provide a wide array of job training and employment services to jobseekers. About 2,900 One-Stop Career Centers operate across the country.

- Learn more about WIBs and One-Stop Career Centers

A Good Job Provides the Key to Stability for a Single Mother

Doreen worked with the Housing and Employment Navigator Program to get a better job and improve her prospects

Doreen, a 21 year-old single mother of a two year-old boy, has a high school diploma and a Medical Assistant certificate. She was living in transitional housing, encumbered with significant bills and student loan debt, and working the graveyard shift at minimum wage with no benefits. Due to her work schedule, she found it difficult to attend job fairs and to network effectively with potential employers. Eventually, she became frustrated at her schedule and at the low wage and lack of benefits. She was receiving TANF and food stamps to help make ends meet.

Doreen was receiving housing case management as well as employment services as part of the Housing and Employment Navigator (HEN) program, a partnership funded by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County and Building Changes. Doreen's employment case manager helped her weigh the pros and cons of taking an unpaid internship where she could build her administrative skills and which would allow her to have a typical daytime schedule so she could schedule meetings with potential employers and attend job fairs.

Doreen decided to quit her job and began an internship. With her new schedule, she was able to attend more meetings with her employment worker as well as to attend job fairs where she met with a representative from Paychex. She received an interview and was hired as a Payroll Specialist earning $13.40 an hour with a competitive benefit package. According to a company representative, Doreen has been a great employee and is a great example of how partnership in support of clients is a win-win. Since starting the job, Doreen has volunteered to speak with other participants in the HEN program to offer support and encouragement and to act as a peer mentor.

Save the Date: Transitional Jobs Network Conference

The Heartland Alliance's Transitional Jobs Network is hosting their annual conference in Baltimore April 12-13. Registration information will be posted on their website in the near future. They are also developing a community of practice around employment programs for ending homelessness, Working to End Homelessness.

- Visit the Transitional Jobs Network website

Federal Interagency Reentry Council Meeting Addresses High Barriers to Employment for Reentering Individuals

Two weeks ago, Attorney General Eric Holder convened the Federal Reentry Council, a group of Cabinet-level leadership and other federal stakeholders dedicated to improving outcomes for people returning to society following incarceration. The council seeks specifically to improve employment outcomes and to help people who have previously been incarcerated overcome the high barrier to employment that a criminal history can be.

The Reentry Council has released a series of MythBusters about this population tackling some of the common misperceptions about access to benefits and employment and housing opportunities.

- Read the Reentry MythBusters

Table of Contents

Introduction by USICH Deputy Director Anthony Love

Advice from Experts in the Field: Mark Putnam and Marlena Sessions Share Tips about Successful Employment Programs

Department of Labor's Programs that Help People Experiencing Homelessness Secure Employment

A Personal Story: a Good Job Provides Stability for a Single Mother

Save the Date: Transitional Jobs Network Conference

Wheels to Work: Overcoming the Transportation Barrier

Wheels to Work: Transportation is Critical to Employment

The Homeless Employment Committee in Sacramento completed a survey of over 100 people experiencing homelessness in the region and realized that one of the common barriers to locating and maintaining stable employment was a lack of transportation. The committee developed an innovative program that provides access to employment search services and transportation known as Wheels to Work.

Wheels to Work addresses the transportation barrier by providing a connector shuttle to help people secure the items they need to attain and keep steady employment: a social security card, clothes for an interview, job search access, application help, and a driver's license. The employment search van is equipped with workstations and computers and is a mobile job resource site. Staff help people experiencing homelessness build their resumes, apply for jobs on-line, and develop a working employment search file.

Wheels to Work: Driving to End Homelessness is the product of a unique collaborative effort between Paratransit, Women's Empowerment, the Sacramento Housing Alliance, Sacramento Steps Forward, the Department of Human Assistance, the California Department of Rehabilitation and more than a dozen homeless and housing service providers.

- Learn more about this program