HPRP can be combined with other resources to create a set of prevention initiatives that is coordinated and strategically designed to stop high risk groups from becoming homeless. This workshop will examine how communities with a coordinated prevention strategy target resources, identify and address service gaps, avoid duplication, and measure outcomes.

1. HPRPcase studies documenting ways inCASEthe Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program is
IMPACTS: which STUDIES IN COMMUNITY CHANGE
A series of brief
promoting community change and transformation of local homeless assistance systems.
Community Profile HPRP focused this new collaborative partnership on the
need to create a single, integrated county-wide prevention
Santa Clara County, California and re-housing system. The group’s leadership agreed to
Santa Clara County includes much of Silicon Valley, the develop shared intake and assessment tools and common
City of San Jose, and numerous smaller jurisdictions, outcome measures that define HPRP’s activities and
encompassing a population of roughly 1.75 million determine its success.
people. According to the most recent homeless census,
at any point in time approximately 5,000 people are living
on the streets and 2,000 people are in shelters across the
county. Santa Clara County formulated one of the first Ten
Year Plans to End Homelessness in which homelessness
prevention was a top priority.
Prior to the implementation of HPRP, however, very few
resources were available to fund prevention services, and
assistance was most often limited to one-time interventions.
The advent of HPRP provided a valuable systems-change
impetus which produced a new county-wide service-
delivery system that now serves both households in
homelessness and households at-risk. Participating
jurisdictions and providers have adopted shared program
protocols that ensure coordinated, comprehensive, and
consistent service delivery.
Local Environment Prior to HPRP Local Systems Transformation Through HPRP
Before HPRP, the homelessness assistance service system’s
Collaborative Regional Partnerships: The City of
San Jose and Santa Clara County pooled their funding to
leadership was fragmented. The County’s Ten Year Plan
create a single HPRP program, combining the City’s $4.1
(Destination: Home) and the Santa Clara Collaborative
million HPRP award with the County’s HPRP allocation
on Affordable Housing and Homeless Issues (the local
of nearly $717,500. A coalition of providers representing
Continuum of Care decision-making body) had specific
non-entitlement jurisdictions, also received another $1.6
roles for planning and service development. The City of
million in HPRP funds from the State. Total HPRP funds for
San Jose Housing Department and the County of Santa
the County system came to just under $6 million. In order
Clara’s Office of Affordable Housing had additional roles.
to generate broad geographic support for HPRP goals and
All operated independently.
implementation, all local CoC providers in Santa Clara
HPRP brought a broad diversity of decision-makers and County were invited to help develop what would become
stakeholders to the planning table, effectively increasing shared HPRP protocols, priorities and a new collaborative
the visibility and viability of the planning work and network.
coordination of all priorities and strategies. HPRP resources
As a result of this coordination, a county-wide system
created the opportunity and impetus to bring together Ten
emerged that now delivers HPRP assistance in the same
Year Plan and CoC leadership to work directly with the City
way for every person. With each provider serving a
of San José Housing Department, and the County of Santa
different geographical region, six experienced nonprofit
Clara’s Office of Affordable Housing.
agencies now provide consistent HPRP services that
HPRP IMPACTS: CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY CHANGE Page 1

2. together comprise the County’s first community-wide assistance can be terminated, whichever comes first. If
prevention assistance system. a household does not reach this goal, assistance will be
ended at the 18-month maximum, as required, but staff
By establishing a standardized assessment process and
members will work to identify future sustainability plans
a single set of protocols, the county-wide homeless
for those households prior to termination. In addition
prevention and rapid re-housing system ensures that no
to HPRP program assessment, the self-sufficiency matrix
matter which door a household enters, they will receive
serves as both a pre- and post-assessment tool to evaluate
the same housing assistance and prevention services
program impact and outcomes.
across all of Santa Clara County.
Self-Sufficiency Matrix Used for Targeting Assessment: Centralized HPRP Coordination and Staff Training:
City of San Jose Homelessness and Housing staff ensure
A variation of the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix (SSM)
that all standard protocols are followed by the partner
is being used by all county agencies as part of the HPRP
agencies across Santa Clara County. Staff plays a critical
intake. It establishes the baseline “number” from which
neutral coordinating role for all network training,
progress is measured. The initial assessment consists of
collaboration, and quality assurance procedures. City staff
questions scored from eight primary domains: Income,
also coordinate the monthly HPRP Working Group, where
Legal, Employment, Housing, Child Care, Life Skills, Safety,
providers gather to discuss progress, challenges, successes,
and Credit History. HPRP staff calculate the total points
and lessons learned.
and ensure that all households meet the “but for” criteria
established for HPRP eligibility. Households with an SSM Key Features of Systems Change
score between 51-70% are viewed as the highest priority
Data-Driven Evaluation and Analysis: To assess
for HPRP assistance. During the household’s first 30 days
the effectiveness and efficiency of this new countywide
of enrollment, HPRP staff work with the participant to system, all clients are tracked for at least one year on a
complete the entire self-sufficiency matrix, comprised range of outcomes that go beyond basic HPRP reports.
of 18 domains. Matrix scores are used along with HPRP The following benchmarks have been established as key
eligibility determination to guide program decisions outcome measures driving systems change:
regarding duration and intensity of HPRP assistance, Housing Stability:
including the level of case management support.
• 85% of assisted households remain stably housed
Matrix Used for Re-Assessment, Termination, while receiving HPRP assistance.
Evaluation: As required by HPRP rules, households • 75% of assisted households remain stably housed for
approved for assistance must return for re-assessment and at least 6 months following HPRP.
determination of need for ongoing assistance. Households
Shelter Diversion:
receiving ongoing assistance are re-assessed every 90 days
with the self-sufficiency matrix. • 75% of assisted households will not enter or re-
enter the shelter system within one year following
All households get channeled to assistance services
participation in HPRP.
according to need. Very few Santa Clara County HPRP
households receive one-time assistance, as other network Self-Sufficiency Matrix Scores:
agencies provide it. In Santa Clara’s model, households • 75% of assisted households who complete the
successfully “graduate” from the HPRP program once they program will improve their total self-sufficiency
no longer meet HUD eligibility, or their self-sufficiency matrix matrix score by a percentage of 10% or more.
score exceeds 81% and/or a Case Manager determines
Key Lessons Learned
• Use of common assessment and case management protocols can ensure that every client
contacting the homeless assistance system at any place within a region will have access to the same
comprehensive services.
• Use of a self-sufficiency matrix can guide and evaluate the impact of systems change.
HPRP IMPACTS: CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY CHANGE Page 2