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OHS reports staffing, partnerships and nearly 389 low-barrier units coming online; Housing First conference spurs follow-up work
Summary
Office of Homeless Services (OHS) staff reported hiring and partnership efforts, voucher utilization rates (EHV 99%, VASH 82%) and a pipeline of roughly 387–389 low-barrier units. Staff and CAB members summarized the recent Housing First and NAEH conferences and flagged follow-up work to translate conference takeaways into implementable steps.
Dr. Marvin Trotter, assistant director for the Office of Homeless Services, updated the Homelessness Planning Council on staffing, partnerships and operational activities. He said OHS is recruiting for a public-information/PIO position and outreach and landlord-engagement staff, is coordinating encampment cleanups (Old Tent City scheduled for the 29th) and is exploring partnerships with United Way and Built for Zero for prevention and diversion work.
On voucher utilization, staff reported the following rates: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) at 99 percent, VASH at 82 percent, Family Unification Program (FUP) at 59 percent, Shelter Plus Care (SPC) at 98 percent and Mainstream at 78 percent. OHS staff also listed projects bringing low-barrier units online, with an initial tally around 387–389 units across several developments. "Currently, we have several low barrier units coming online," an OHS presenter said, and staff committed to follow up with final counts and supportive-services planning.
Allison Lisonbee, head of OHS planning and research, reviewed the Housing First community conference held March 7 and said the event drew a broad mix of providers, people with lived experience and new community participants; the packet includes the slide deck and attendee materials. Lisonbee said the conference aimed to surface local needs and implementable ideas and announced forthcoming trainings (weekly, 2-hour sessions over seven weeks) to retool coordinated entry (CE) tools and assessment processes.
Kanitha Patterson and other CAB members described sessions emphasizing lived-experience leadership and peer support. Kanitha said the conference generated many ideas but requested staff assistance to synthesize actionable steps that could be implemented in 90 days, six months and one year.
Allison also summarized technical-assistance work with Cloudburst (HUD TA) to review CoC structure, coordinated-entry tools and HMIS/HIPAA data compliance, and she reported progress on the collaborative-applicant transition and governance charter revisions. The charter committee plans to release a draft for public comment and will later bring the document to the CoC general membership for a vote.
Council members thanked staff and asked for follow-up on timelines for units coming online and on building capacity for supportive services to match new housing placements.
