Housing & Homeless Needs Assesment: Homeless Needs:
Nature & Extent of Homelessness

Persons who are homeless and living alone represent the largest percentage of those served at Iowa City's emergency shelters. As indicated in Table II.6, 42.2% of the sheltered, homeless adults counted on October 5, 1999 were living alone. Annualized data from the Emergency Housing Project (EHP) reported that 668 of the 835 (80%) persons sheltered there in FY98 were living alone. The majority of persons who are homeless and living alone are served by EHP.

Data collected during the October 20, 1994 survey suggested that 93% of the adult respondents hoped to remain in Iowa City. If this statistic is applied to the annualized data (using 1998 numbers), then as many as 777 individuals could be seeking permanent housing in our community. Shelter records show that many of these individuals do succeed in finding some type of housing, but many return to the shelter after eviction, domestic dispute, or personal crisis. Often, better developed support systems could have prevented their return.

Youth Homes, Inc. currently operates two transitional group-housing programs for unaccompanied youth. These facilities provide a stable and supportive environment to assist youth in crisis in remaining in school and managing the difficulties in their lives. In FY99 the transitional program served an estimated 20 youth. Youth Homes, Inc also operates a long-term housing for youth that houses an average of 10 youth for periods over 1 year.

Greater Iowa City Housing Fellowship operates a program through a local bank, which provides homeless people money needed for a security deposit. The deposit money comes in the form of a one-year no interest loan. There is also up to $80 available for utility deposits.

During FY98, an estimated 1,200 individuals were served by Iowa City's adult shelters; nearly 200 of these individuals were children accompanied by at least one parent. The Emergency Housing Project served 74 children

with their parents in an environment unequipped to deal with the needs of children in crisis. While historical data are not available to support a trend in families who are homeless, the data collected for this Consolidated Plan affirm the claims of providers that there are a large number of families and children arriving at the emergency shelters each year. Records kept by EHP indicate that as many as three families are turned away from its shelter each week due to lack of space.

The one-night count conducted on October 5, 1999 indicates that about 44% of all persons who are homeless were in families with minor children. Iowa City's Local Homeless Coordinating Board reported that during FY94, 143 families were served by local emergency shelters, while another 20 found shelter in cars, tents, abandoned buildings, and the streets.

Women and children fleeing domestic violence are the largest segment of sheltered homeless families. In FY98 the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) sheltered 245 women with a total of 237 children. Staff limitations at DVIP restrict the capacity to 30 (women and children) at any time although the facility capacity is 60. The DVIP shelter staff states that the actual number of women needing assistance may be higher.

The Iowa City Housing Authority is in the process of implementing a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program. Participants create a 5-year goal plan for themselves with the final goal being self sufficiency. A baseline rent is set of 30% of monthly income. As income increases rent increases to remain at 30% of monthly income. This extra rent money is placed in an escrow account which belongs to the participant after 5 years provided the participant is self sufficient, that is not on any form of public assistance. The escrow account will continue to grow up to the point when the participant earns 80% of median income. The ICHA has the discretion to extend the goal plan by two years if necessary.

The Emergency Housing Program (EHP) is the lead agency for a program that started in October. The Successful Training with Appropriate Resources (STAR) program is designed for homeless persons who are not eligible for other assistance programs. The funding for this comes from HUD in the form of a three-year, $400,000 per year, employment and training grant. EHP anticipates helping 110 individuals over the next three years with a goal of placing 85% of participants in permanent employment and stable housing. As part of this goal EHP plans to place participants in three-month subsidized internships with businesses or non-profit organizations. The goal of the internship period is to provide job skills and hopefully job references. Additionally, EHP anticipates providing funds for transportation to work, funds for daycare, substance abuse treatment and counseling through the STAR program.

The City of Iowa City and the surrounding communities have never studied the causes and conditions of rural homelessness in Johnson County. Anecdotal evidence from service providers suggests a significant problem with "doubling-up" of several families in inadequate housing. Another suspected problem is the condition of the most-affordable rural housing stock. Dilapidated, poorly maintained homes may be affordable in the summer, but left unmaintained, the expense of heating such a home in the winter drives the cost beyond affordable levels. Accessing services and support is also more difficult for those living in rural areas as public transportation is not available and travel time can be significant, especially when repeat visits to providers are needed.

Data collected from the 1994 point-in-time count of persons who are homeless found 29% of those surveyed had special needs including mental illness (13.2%), substance abuse (8.8%), substance abuse with mental illness (3.5%) or medical disability/HIV/AIDS (3.5%). These figures include responses from unaccompanied youth in the Youth Homes emergency facility. If the adult shelters are studied alone, 57.5% of the 45 respondents had service needs: mental illness (19.9%); substance abuse (22.2%); substance abuse and mental illness (8.8%); and medical disability/HIV/AIDS (6.6%).

Anecdotal evidence from EHP and DVIP suggests that on average 40% of persons using their facilities have some special needs related to mental illness, substance abuse, or medical disability. These special needs populations demand a disproportionate amount of staff time and effort to assist them in managing their needs.

While the point-in-time count did not request information on those in danger of becoming homeless, this is an important group to understand as long-range plans for homeless prevention and services are made. The annual study Homelessness In Iowa provides a glimpse into the vulnerability of persons in Johnson County becoming homeless.

Iowa State University identified eight variables associated with homelessness and ranked all 99 Iowa counties on those variables to determine vulnerability to homelessness for its 1997 Homelessness In Iowa report. The variables were: (1) unemployment rate, (2) poverty rate, (3) child abuse rate, (4) per capita income, (5) food stamp rate, (6) Title XIX enrollment rate, (7) monthly number of Family Investment Program (FIP) cases, and (8) monthly number of FIP cases where parent(s) is/are unemployed. Johnson County had a ranking of 99, meaning it is the least vulnerable county in Iowa. This is due to the many services available in Iowa City for homeless persons.

Iowa City's Crisis Center defines the imminently homeless as those who are, "one situation away from homelessness"; this definition is based on the realization that 94% of the clients to whom they supply economic assistance report incomes at or below the poverty level making it highly unlikely that those clients could survive a negative economic situation. In FY98 the Crisis Center served 2,150 households in Johnson County who fit its definition of imminently homeless.

Anecdotal evidence from both EHP and DVIP suggests that as many as 40% of the clients they serve have some form of diminished mental capacity, or substance abuse or other health concerns that contribute to their homelessness. According to EHP and DVIP, the number of clients facing compounded problems may actually be increasing. Improved access to physical and mental health care could mitigate the difficulties faced by these individuals in maintaining and retaining housing.

During FY99 there were 1,173 adults sheltered in Iowa City's emergency shelters. The racial and ethnic background of those guests is as follows:

Overall, minorities represent 42.6% of all shelter guests but only 12.8% of the population of the entire community. While this may indicate a greater incidence of homelessness within minority groups in the community, it is important to realize that 65% or more of all shelter guests are from places other than Johnson County. Therefore, no significant conclusion can be drawn.