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 Local Systems Transformation Through HPRP
Worcester, Massachusetts Collaborative Regional Leadership: A Regional
Leadership Council comprised of the CoC lead agency,
Worcester is the second largest city in New England. nonprofit providers, funders, State agencies, police, faith-
With 175,454 people, the City is one quarter the total based, community, and consumer members was established
population of Worcester County, where local utilization of as a collaborative decision-making body, charged with
HPRP resources have helped to swiftly advance a county- meeting Three Year Plan goals. HPRP funds were used
wide rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention to advance the fulfillment of these goals. The City of
system. Propelled into full implementation by HPRP Worcester was allocated $1.9 million in HPRP funding as
funding, Worcester’s transformation to a regionalized an entitlement city, and an additional $2.5 million in HPRP
housing/service delivery system involved coordination funds was awarded by the State to Worcester County. HPRP
among several community “plans to end homelessness”; thus brought over $4 million to the County’s regionalized
a state-wide mandate to regionalize homeless services; system change process.
reliance on political leadership in closing a large downtown
shelter; and a commitment to institutionalizing the Housing Distribution of all HPRP funds came under the management
First approach. of the City, which empowered the Regional Leadership
Council with responsibility for resource distribution and
Local Environment Prior to HPRP oversight of the county-wide effort.
In early 2009, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
established regional networks across the state, awarding Worcester County, Massachusetts
$10 million across ten regions with the intent of replacing
emergency shelters with innovative housing and prevention
service systems. Designated by the State as a regional
network, Worcester County’s model was built upon state-
supported Three Year Plans to End Homelessness which
shared the following goals:
• System-wide shift to a Housing First approach
• Expansion of homelessness prevention
• Improved service delivery strategies
• Siting of housing and services equitably across
Regionalized Access to Housing: Worcester’s regional
neighborhoods throughout the region system now incorporates both the City of Worcester and
communities across the County. As such, it coordinates more
• Enhanced City oversight and accountability
effective triage and rapid housing placements both inside
HPRP funds quadrupled the level of housing assistance and outside City limits. Political support for this regional
and staffing resources available to this already-emerging plan is maintained through assurance that assertive efforts
commitment to systems re-design. The HPRP Regional are made to distribute housing placements equitably across
plan set a target of re-establishing housing stability for 500 City and County neighborhoods.
homeless households, including both single adults and
families. Expanded Landlord Networks: The advent of HPRP
and its focus on rapid re-housing revealed that the existing
network of partnering landlords was too small. Community
agencies are working in concert to recruit additional
HPRP IMPACTS: CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY CHANGE Page 1

2. landlords into the program to meet a surge in demand for staffing positions deemed necessary to attain systems
housing placements that exceeds existing options. Housing change goals (e.g., shelter diversion, triage, and housing
resources are now shared by all regional partners. stabilization).
Improved Tracking / Housing Placement Mapping: Key Features of Systems Change
HPRP funds are also used to expand the tracking of housing
placements through a system-wide inventory of both the
• Strategic Leadership and Alignment: Worcester
County’s Regionalized Leadership Council incorporates
types and the levels of service supports provided by each
a broad diversity of leaders with “seats at the table”
organization for all individuals and family households served. and a mutual investment in planning, allocating, and
This new tracking system affords the network of providers monitoring Three Year Plan and HPRP outcomes. All
a county-wide view of all possible housing opportunities, CoC renewals and new programs are now required
aligning household need with appropriate levels of housing to align with Three Year Plan goals to qualify for
and service assistance. An individualized housing plan is endorsement for continued funding.
developed for every household in the system, and progress • Philosophical Alignment: In 2007, the Three Year
is tracked from intake through housing placement and Plan to End Homelessness embraced a Housing First
stabilization. philosophy for all City and County efforts. As area
organizations and programs move towards adopting
With buy-in from all partners, the new tracking system is
a Housing First commitment, promoting housing
now merged onto a single shared site with HMIS software. stability has become the key focus of local strategy for
Information on apartment locations, unit size, and service preventing and ending homelessness.
support utilization is now centralized and accessible in the
• Political Opportunity: In the context of state-
same HMIS system that tracks progress and status for all
mandated regionalization, political will for broader
households using HPRP and other resources. This real-
systems change was heightened by the closing of the
time data system maximizes regional/community resources deteriorated downtown shelter. HPRP funds provided
and evaluates success. additional housing resources to make shelter closing
an attainable reality.
Creating New Housing Opportunity from Old
Resources: Through this ongoing placement-planning • Network Collaboration: In the past, individual
system for all chronic, near-chronic and non-chronically agencies in Worcester competed for community
homeless households, members of Worcester’s cross- funding. Regionalized coordination, allocation, and
agency system are able to increase access to both existing monitoring have re-focused attention on the needs
and priorities of the entire regional network. The
permanent supportive housing slots and new ones by
role of the City of Worcester as a neutral convening
moving people who no longer need intensive supports out of
agency brokering new cross-agency partnerships
long-term housing -- creating case management efficiencies has been fundamental, with HPRP agencies forming
and real cost savings. The influx of HPRP resources also a collaborative network accountable to City
made a regionalized tracking system possible, motivating management and Leadership Council oversight.
partner buy-in as HPRP funds could then be strategically
• Use of Data: Worcester County’s success is driven
focused on homeless households that need less intensive by targeted, short-term objectives set by the Three
case management assistance. Year Plan. System-wide progress in meeting goals is
Regional Integration of Funding: Combining HPRP closely monitored using data-based tools.
funding with other resources across a regionalized system • Sustainability: Local leaders believe savings from
has also allowed for flexibility of short- and medium-term community systems change can and will be re-
subsidies for housing support, as well as creating new directed to support continuity of regional strategies.
Key Lessons Learned
• Governmental leadership and “buy-in” are critical in cultivating cross-systems integration.
• HPRP resources, when strategically targeted in alignment with comprehensive community plans, can help
to catalyze broad housing systems change.
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