The Salvation Army Veterans Housing Residence is the newest addition to the work of the Salvation Army in St. Louis. Opened in November 2012 under the leadership of Divisional Commander Major Lonneal Richardson, a new multi-family housing facility with 48 apartments serves very low income veterans and other single homeless adults in St. Louis. 75% of residents will be veterans.

The Residence offers high-quality, green-certified new construction with individual apartments, community spaces, and recreational space. Round Table President Mangano recently toured the Residence with Major Richardson and Antoinette Triplett, City of St. Louis Department of Human Services Homeless Services Manager. Pictured here are (left to right): Justin Jackson, Antonio Byrd, and Ms. Triplett of DHS, Mr. Mangano, and Major Richardson.

"The new Veterans Residence provides a safe place for struggling veterans to get their lives back on track by providing them with the resources needed to gain independence, mend relationships, and finally have a home to call their own," stated Major Richardson (pictured below with Mr. Mangano).

"Too often the Salvation Army is depicted as an 'old school' provider resisting the innovations that have changed our approach to homelessness," indicated Mangano. "While there is some truth in that characterization, the work of the Army in St. Louis as a partner in the Ten Year Plan offers an evolving paradigm, as Major Richardson rightly explains their permanent housing initiatives. A shift that offers a new vision for the Army's efforts across our nation."

Many of the residents have histories of addiction and mental illness, as well as facing barriers to independence due to their employment and housing histories. The majority of residents are men, with 7-10% of units planned for women veterans. The Residence includes 24 units of furnished transitional housing and twenty-four (24) units of permanent housing.  The 24 "transitional units" are identical to the permanent housing and ready for that transition for the veteran.

A two-bedroom resident manager's unit is also included.  The 48 units include studio and one-bedroom apartments approximately 430-450 square feet in size with full bathroom, kitchen, and living/dining area.  Other facility spaces include a reception area with adjacent work area for administrative staff; a multi-purpose class and recreation room with direct access to a kitchenette; a computer lab and library; laundry facilities; staff offices; staff conference room; and an additional office for VA staff and/or for potential future use as a medical exam room or by collaborating organizations for client services. All housing units are furnished.

The Salvation Army has additional development in the same neighborhood, including affordable housing for seniors; a community center; a services center for adults; and rehabilitation of the existing Harbor Light Center.

A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE: ST. LOUIS INDEPENDENCE CENTER PROVIDES HOUSING, SERVICES, AND SUPPORTS  

In the City of St. Louis, the Independence Center offers an array of services and supports designed to support more than 1, 500 individuals with serious mental illness as they live and work in the community. The Center is an integral part of the Ten Year Plan and has long partnered with the City to achieve the goal of reducing and ending chronic homelessness. Round Table President Mangano recently visited the Independence Center while in St. Louis.

A history of the Center recounts that founders "vigorously launched a series of programs and services that would help an isolated, disenfranchised group of people become participating members of our community." Founded in 1981, the Center combines a "Clubhouse" model with practical opportunity and support. The Work Ordered Day, a key part of Clubhouse structure, provides members with the chance to help the Center and other participants through meal preparation, data collection, tours, and teaching wellness and other classes. The Work Ordered Day helps members prepare for future employment by creating workplace relationships and expectations.

In addition to both Transitional and Independent Employment programs, the Center provides a variety of employment preparation services. The EDGE program is a weeklong exercise in moving to more skilled and independent employment. Other services include instruction in resume preparation, interview training, assistance with individualized job searches, employment workshops, job development, job placement services, on-the-job training and supports, ongoing follow-up for both the employee and the employer, and lifetime job retention and upgrading services.  

COVENANT HOUSE IN ST. LOUIS PROVIDES YOUNG ADULTS WITH JOB TRAINING EXPERIENCE

Covenant House Missouri (CHMO) in the City of St. Louis provides young adults (ages 16-21) who are homeless and in crisis with a variety of supports to create stability and security as they move to independence or seek reunification with family members. Covenant House has been important to the Ten Year Plan, addressing the unique needs of the young adult population that is at risk of chronic homelessness.

Along with emergency shelter and transitional programs, GED, literacy, tutorial, and employment services, CHMO created the Garden Rangers On the Job Training Program. Garden Rangers was started in 2007 to clean up vacant properties in South St. Louis. The efforts of young adults to help pick up trash in the neighborhood of McRee Town for cash, an initiative started by job counselor Eileen Guelich, led to a working partnership with the Shaw neighborhood. Young people are paid for their work, bank half of their income for savings, learn important skills of working with others, focusing on goals, and interacting with neighbors. A young graduate of the program has a cash resource at "graduation" to support transition costs, housing, transportation, and basic needs.

In June 2012, graduates of Covenant House with new GEDs and high school diplomas learned that an anonymous donor would fund full-tuition scholarship for them to attend any university, community college, trade, or technical school. Covenant House has also established employment internships at Panera, Pelopidas, and Nex-Tech. At Panera, three interns completed 10-week training and then secured full-time jobs in the bakery-restaurant.

In 2011, 131 young people were enrolled in employment classes, and 117 secured jobs. 196 earned GEDs and 12 went on to college. The average age of youth in the program is 19 years. Young adults have also participated in the Job Alliance St. Louis, a pilot program for youth. Job Alliance is biblically-based; participants attend a series of 16 session over two weeks in career planning, job search, workplace ethics, integrity, and understanding authority with teachers from St. Louis area churches, businesses, and educational institutions.

MOVING FORWARD: ST. LOUIS CREATES TECHNOLOGY TO PREVENT AND END ENCAMPMENTS AND HOUSE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS NEIGHBORS

Ninety percent of the residents of four encampments in the City of St. Louis were successfully moved to housing, under the city's Moving Forward initiative. Importantly, the City partners captured all the details of a technology and partnership focused on planning, strategy, action, and results so that other jurisdictions can learn both how to achieve camp closure, and, equally important, how to prevent the development of encampments.

According to Antoinette Triplett (pictured here at the city summit), City of St. Louis Department of Human Services Homeless Services, 300 copies of the 77-page MOVING FORWARD - Policies, Plans, and Strategies for Ending and Preventing Chronic Homelessness are in circulation around the country. The manual, signed by Mayor Francis Slay, DHS Director William Siedhoff, and Ms. Triplett reviews the City's Ten Year Plan, based on Housing First and ACT Teams.

"If the innovation wasn't there to get the job done," indicated Round Table President Mangano in highlighting St. Louis's progress, "St. Louis created it, and that is especially true with its camp closures." The manual details a City strategy based on building meaningful relationships with camp residents, incorporating ideas from stakeholders and consumers, addressing housing barriers, instituting firm deadlines, and upholding expectations stated by the City.

Based on extensive on-the-ground work, the manual analyzes the Riverfront encampment, spells out the relocation strategy pursued by the City, including the initial effort and a subsequent successful one, and the evolution of the Transition In Place pilot program.