opinion

Housing First approach is helping ease Coachella Valley homelessness

Just a couple of weeks ago, hundreds of volunteers spanned out across Riverside County to connect with people who, for different reasons, don’t have a home. Some had just moved to the Coachella Valley but had lost their jobs and owned little more than a sleeping bag. Others created makeshift shelters out of cardboard. And at least one had served his country but slept in a tent behind a local shopping center, unaware of the veterans’ services that are immediately accessible.

The annual count gives us must-needed data about our valley’s homeless population. But outreach is occurring all year round, thanks in part to the new Coachella Valley Housing First program.

Modeled after successful efforts nationwide, the housing first concept is a holistic approach to providing services to the homeless population. It is based on the philosophy that if someone knows they have a stable housing situation, they can instead focus their attention on issues like maintaining steady employment, addressing addiction or keeping their family together.

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Without question, it’s been a mind shift — for us, and for the other elected leaders who join us on the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ Homelessness Committee. For years, we had invested in providing emergency, overnight shelter beds at Roy’s Desert Resource Center in north Palm Springs. But contributions never kept up with the demand for services, forcing us to reduce available beds. And when the shelter’s operator decided they didn’t want to renew their contract, we saw an opportunity to get people in homes and not just temporary shelter.

There have been impressive successes in the first six months since CVAG hired Path of Life Ministries to operate the Housing First program. Even with the need to ramp up services, we’ve ended homeless situations for 30 people in the Coachella Valley, including 12 children, through leveraged Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing. We’ve opened offices in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs; created a resource hotline that has kept 71 individuals out of shelters; and provided 1,191 nights through our Crisis Stabilization Housing program.

CVAG may have inked the contract, but the credit for the program’s success is widely shared. Six of the valley’s cities, decided they were “all in” and committed $103,000 to the program. Riverside County contributed about $360,000. The Desert Healthcare District has ensured the program will exceed initial expectations. Not only did the District make its own $103,000 contribution, but it provided a dollar-for dollar match for similar contributions to bring the total budget to more than $1.7 million.

Some cities have been consistent supporters of regional homelessness programs. But the change in approach also was an incentive for first-time contributors. And even though our own respective cities have dramatically different budget situations, we’ve got the support of our fellow council members to ensure Palm Desert and Desert Hot Springs are supporters.

Coachella Valley Housing First is off to a strong start, but we’ll continue evaluating its successes and adjust when needed. This is just the beginning of what we can accomplish together.

Palm Desert Mayor Sabby Jonathan and Desert Hot Springs Councilman Joe McKee are the Chair and Vice Chair of CVAG’s Homelessness Committee. Email them at sjonathan@cityofpalmdesert.org and joemckeedhs@yahoo.com. Those needing services can reach Coachella Valley Housing First at (760) 601-5424.