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Upcoming Events
Educate, Advocate, Housing Rights Matter: A Delaware Public Town Hall
The DE CoC’s Racial Justice & Equity and Advocacy & Policy Committees hosted a public town hall on 9/28/22, to shed light on the Housing Crisis in the state of Delaware.
They welcomed the community to participate in a public conversation and opportunity to learn more about how Housing Instability and Racial Injustice are rapidly affecting Black and Brown communities throughout the state.
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“Our goal is to create a platform that addresses the complex and enduring issue of housing insufficiency and inequality which has plagued our communities for far too long. We are working toward creating a pathway to housing that is fair and equitable, as affordable housing is crucial to strengthening individuals, families, and communities. We invite everyone from all walks of life to be a part of facilitating ongoing solutions to promote and improve housing accessibility."
- Kim Ellis, CoC Racial Justice and Equity Committee Chair & CoC Board Member
The Town Hall was open to anyone interested in housing and homelessness in Delaware. Attendees included landlords, business owners, renters, homeowners, students, teachers, and homeless individuals concerned with the condition of housing in Delaware. Attendees also heard from community-based organizations, the general public, and members from both the state Senate and House of Representatives’ Housing Committees. The event concluded with a panel discussion from individuals with expertise in housing and homelessness who discussed solutions for housing instability and held our elected officials accountable for making affordable-equitable housing a priority this year and the years to come.
Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) Discussion
This meeting provided information on the Emergency Housing Vouchers made available to Delaware through HUD and solicit feedback on the local plan to administer them. EHVs will be used to assist individuals and families who are:
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homeless
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at risk of homelessness
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fleeing, or attempting to flee domestic violence dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking
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who were recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability
Rapid Re-Housing Workshops
Working With Landlords to Locate Housing
Engaging landlords is and essential and difficult task in any housing program. This session will focus on how to engage landlords, building a landlord bench for possible placements, identifying benefits to landlords in participating in your program and how to describe your program to potential landlords.
Coordinating with Landlords to Help Tenants Maintain Housing
Teaching tenancy skills to support the sustainability of housing is the goal of all housing programs.
This session will discuss the landlord and services role in supporting tenancy, teaching tenancy skills and resolving conflicts between the partners. Specific examples around lease violations, eviction, confidentiality, and recognizing good tenancy will be discussed.
Pathways to Housing PA
These trainings were provided by Pathways to Housing PA’s Housing First University. For more information on the Housing First University, you can visit: https://pathwaystohousingpa.org/housing-first-university.
The recorded training guide provides tips for viewing and sharing these recorded trainings with staff.
Housing First
Housing First Parts 1 and 2 dive into the philosophy and guiding principles of the Housing First model, as well as the overlap with harm reduction and other evidence-based practices. Attendees will explore the importance of interdisciplinary staff, trouble-shoot common behavioral concerns, and learn about the importance of advocating for housing as a human right as a member of the social work profession.
Assertive Engagement
This training will present an overview of best practices for engagement and initiation of services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Facilitators will discuss the goals of engagement, tips for building rapport, creative strategies for those facing barriers to care, and relevant evidence-based practice skills.
Harm Reduction
This training provides an introduction to harm reduction practice as it applies to working with individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use, poverty, and other bio psychosocial stressors. Harm reduction is an evidenced-based approach that minimizes the potential harms of high-risk behaviors through practical and effective solutions.
Crisis Intervention & De-escalation
An introduction to crisis management and strategies for effective de-escalation of clients experiencing acute mental health distress. Content will address common physical, psychological, and environmental factors precipitating the onset of crisis and provide intervention strategies for low and medium stress cycles to prevent further escalation.
2021 Fair Housing Training
The DE-CoC partnered with the Community Legal Aid Society, Inc of Delaware to offer a Fair Housing Training on February 3, 2021. This training provided information for both case managers who assist clients with fair housing issues and housing/service providers required to meet fair housing standards.
2020 Housing, Homelessness, and Emerging Issues During and Beyond COVID-19 Virtual Candidates Forum
COVID-19 continues to raise economic, public health, and racial equity concerns and considerations in Delaware. The ask to stay at home or shelter in place when you do not have a home or are living each day with the specter of homelessness are both problematic and unacceptable.
This forum engaged local elected officials and candidates for office on the issues of housing and homelessness through conversations with Delawareans with lived experience and questions from the DE CoC membership
