Rapid Re-Housing with DV Survivors: Approaches that Work by Kris Billhardt from the workshop Providing Rapid Re-housing for Victims of Domestic Violence at the 2014 National Conference on Ending Homelessness.

1. NAEH Ending Homelessness Conference
July 2014
Kris Billhardt,VOA Oregon – Home Free
kbillhardt@voaor.org

2. DV/sexual assault history (and trauma impacts) a
significant contributing factor to chronic
homelessness in women
92% of homeless women have experienced severe
physical or sexual abuse in their lives; 63% were
victims of domestic violence
Homeless women may seek the perceived safety of
a new partner and become the victim of survival
sex and other coercive control
Among homeless families, over 40% are homeless
due to DV
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3. DV shelters lack capacity; often prioritize the
highest degree of current DV danger
(regardless of street danger)
Over half of the survivors who identify a need
for housing services upon fleeing abusive
homes don’t receive them
Survivors often faced with choice of return to
abuse or coping with chronic homelessness
with little hope of housing
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4. Housing considerations are a huge part of
deciding what to do when DV becomes part of
living situation
For many survivors, fleeing DV means losing
their housing and becoming impoverished
Fears and uncertainty about how they will
make it on their own, where they can live result
in many survivors staying – especially when
there are children
In cases where abuser exits the shared
housing, survivors may lack resources to
sustain costs
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5. “The availability of safe, affordable, and stable
housing can make a critical difference in a
woman’s ability to escape an abusive partner
and remain safe and independent. Without
viable housing options, many battered women,
particularly those already living in poverty,
are forced to remain in abusive relationships,
accept inadequate or unsafe housing
conditions, or become homeless and perhaps
increase their risk of sexual and physical
violence.”
-Anne Menard
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6. Housing instability is associated with poorer
outcomes above and beyond survivors’ level
of danger due to DV
Increased housing stability a significant
predictor of improvements in many areas of
life:
• Increased safety, decreased vulnerability to
abuse
• Lower levels of PTSD and depression
• Higher quality of life
• Increased ability to sustain employment
• Improvements in children’s outcomes
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7. Some survivors need confidentially-located
shelter
Some face considerable housing barriers & may
need long-term subsidy or master-leasing
Others can safely return to/remain in previous
housing once abuser vacates
Many want to avoid systems involvement and
quickly establish themselves in new housing
Rapid Re-Housing is an important part of
responding to a continuum of housing needs
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8. Trauma impacts (survivor and children)
Ongoing legal issues
Fears about child custody, deportation
Isolation from social supports
Stalking-prone abuser
Interrupted/sabotaged employment history
Criminal record
Chemical dependency
Bad credit, inexperience with handling money
Pets often part of the household needing safety
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9. Safety considerations should be embedded in all
aspects of services provision, including housing
location
Remember: Barriers/issues a result of trauma,
compromised ability to control own life – not
defect or disorder
Know the federal and state laws that provide
protections and recourse to survivors
Use what we know about DV and trauma to tailor
services and policies
Seek partnerships to bring in additional supports
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10. Unintentionally re-victimizing or increasing danger
through policies intended to increase safety (ex.
requiring a protective order)
Forgetting to partner with survivors as experts;
deciding for them what is best
Expecting survivor to “control” abuser’s behavior
(ex. showing up at unit, drawing police presence,
etc.)
Failing to conduct honest assessment of rules
and policies (necessary? respectful? effective?)
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11. Can’t deny otherwise eligible individual on basis of
being victim of DV, dating violence, sexual assault,
or stalking
“Actual or threatened” DV, dating violence, sexual
assault or stalking can’t be used as “good cause”
for eviction or termination
Victim may terminate lease based on safety
concerns without losing the voucher or housing
subsidy
Leases may be bifurcated to retain victim but evict
perpetrator
Housing agencies must develop model emergency
transfer plans for victims
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12. Federally funded programs (VAWA, HUD) have statutory
requirements protecting survivor confidentiality
Advised practice: Afford survivors basic privacy
safeguards regardless of statutory requirements
(ex. Release of Information)
Examine all programmatic aspects for breaches of
confidentiality – use of technology, sharing paperwork,
using personally identifying info., etc.
When in doubt, ask survivor. Which info is OK to share? Is it
OK to leave a message? Should we have a code word?
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13. Safety planning is a process, not a one-time event
or check list.
Safety planning is tailored to the survivor’s life and
daily activities—each day may even be a little
different.
Ask the survivor what the abuser’s power and
control tactics are.
Listen to the survivors and ask what s/he needs.
Survivor activities and abuser’s tactics will guide
the safety planning process.
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14. Trauma:When external threat overwhelms a
person’s coping resources
Recent federal report: 80-90% of women seeking
services report histories of violence
SHARE Study: Over 94% experienced PTSD;
average score equal or higher to that of returning
veterans of combat
Important not to mistake trauma impacts for apathy,
opposition, unreliability, or deeper mental health
issues
Shaming or negative experiences with systems
reduce help-seeking behavior and reinforce
abuser’s message:“No one cares about you, no one
can help you.”
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15. SAFETY (Physical and emotional) – Safety planning
as an ongoing process
TRUSTWORTHINESS – Transparency, clarity,
consistency, and healthy boundaries
CHOICE – Support survivor’s autonomy, rights to
make own choices and have control of her/his plan
COLLABORATION – Avoid hierarchy; work as
partners and share power
EMPOWERMENT – Build on strengths, help with
connection to community/natural supports rather
than creating dependency on your program
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16. “I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it
feels to spend the bulk of my time being
helpful to people in a way that they
determine they need help! I no longer
spend a significant portion of my day
having conversations with people that were
awkward for me and must have felt
humiliating and defeating to them.”
- Home Free Advocate
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17. “Our program doesn’t expect people to
live in a way that we wouldn’t live our
own lives. It seems to be a fairly radical
concept in a lot of circles.”
- Home Free Advocate
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18. Scattered-site model staffed by mobile
advocates
Earmarked funds for rental subsidy and
flexible financial assistance
Capacity: 55-75 households/yr
Usual duration of services: 6-9 months
financial assistance (step-down), up to two
years advocacy
“Light touch” support also provided
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19. Broad eligibility*
Tailored, survivor-driven services
Mobile advocacy and home visits increase
accessibility of services
Strong emphasis on working across systems to
address DV-related and other barriers
Long-term support to better ensure true stabilization
Trauma-informed
Rental agreements held by survivor
*Increasingly challenging depending on funding source
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20. Danger Assessment, ongoing safety planning
Systems navigation and accompaniment
Housing search, advocacy with landlords
Employment access support
Rental subsidy and other financial assistance
Links to civil legal and immigration law services
Direct services for children, parenting support
Financial empowerment and job search support
Emotional support around trauma, DV issues
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21. > 90% stably housed 12 months post-exit
> 70% reach Milestone 5 (sig. gain in self-
advocacy skills)
> 95% increase coping skills/self-sufficiency
Self-Assessment:
> 95% increase ability to stay safe
> 95% increase ability to make informed
choices
> 95% increase knowledge of resources/how
to access them
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22. We’ve built systems to help survivors GET to safety;
our next emphasis must be on helping them
SUSTAIN it
With flexible dollars, our responses can support
survivors in the variety of circumstances they may
face as they seek stability
Eviction prevention funds less available with
increasing emphasis on rapid re-housing; most
SHARE study participants would not qualify for many
housing programs
Supplementing housing dollars with unrestricted
funds enhances ability to address survivors’ myriad
economic challenges
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