HPRP- Rapid Re-housing

Can you imagine trying to maintain a job when you are homeless?  Working individuals who become homeless for the first time because they lose their housing due to the economic down turn or are coming from a transitional program must deal with challenges like not having the basic necessities, including a regular place to bathe or cook.

For many individuals who become homeless, even if they are working and can pay their monthly rents, securing housing becomes nearly impossible because they don’t have the funds needed for move-in fees such as security deposits and credit checks. That’s where the Weingart Center’s new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing (HPRP) program steps in to help.

HPRP is a short-term program that assists individuals and families who have recently become homeless with finding stable permanent housing by providing them with one-time financial assistance for move-in costs plus case management services.  The HPRP staff also establishes relationships with local landlords to locate permanent housing.

The HPRP program was established in October and operates in conjunction with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH).  The HPRP staff has screened over 200 applicants, opening 136 participant cases with 12 successful placements into permanent housing thus far!

Individuals using the HPRP program must have verifiable income—many are working telemarketing, warehouse, basic labor and security guard jobs while some receive government assistance.  All the participants using HPRP have low income, and many of the participants also have various barriers to deal with, such as poor credit or prior evictions, which make securing a place to live even more difficult.  The HPRP staff works with participants to address these issues and pre-qualify them for prospective landlords.

The fact that the HPRP program offers its participants six months of case management ensures long-term stabilization of housing for participants and helps landlords feel confident that they are renting to reliable tenants.  Participants in HPRP also have access to many of the services that the Weingart Center offers such as the Matrix substance abuse program, parenting and life skills classes and temporary housing until permanent housing is secured. HPRP participants are housed within 30-90 days. 

Some of the success of the HPRP program comes through monthly meetings with organizations in the community — churches, missions, Department of Mental Health, Department of Children and Family Services, Veterans Administration, etc. — that highlight available resources.  Operation HOPE Center has also played an integral role in helping HPRP participants clear up their credit histories.