Transitional Housing Program "Opening Doors to Independence"

 

Housing v Subsidized apartment living for up to two years	Case Management v Client centered planning and guidance to help rebuild lives
Training for Life Using CLI’s Family  Learning Center adults  prepare for a better life though developing computer skills, English literacy, money management, job search and general life skills	The Future v By focusing on after school tutoring enrichment, and summer recreational services for our children we hope to prevent another generation of homelessness and poverty

Programmatic Overview 

Mission
Since its founding in 1987, the mission of Community Lodgings, Inc (CLI) has been to provide an opportunity for independence for families at-risk for homelessness in the Alexandria community.  At the heart of its mission is the “Door to Independence” Transitional Housing Program, which provides two years of low-cost, subsidized housing to families at risk for long-term homelessness and identified as having the commitment and potential to succeed with intensive intervention and support. CLI is committed to preserving low income housing in our community.

Background and Governance
CLI was founded by the Episcopal Churches of Alexandria.  It has an eleven member Board of Trustees made up of community business and civic leaders, representatives of Episcopal, Methodist and other churches and others with particular interest in issues of children, housing and homelessness. 

Since 1987, CLI has served over 120 homeless families and individuals.  CLI has continually developed and strengthened the program, adding features such as group therapy, volunteer budget and employment mentoring, and, in 1998, the Fifer Family Learning Center, offering residents a comprehensive computer, employment and life skills training program.  Currently, 80% of the families in CLI’s program complete their two-year commitment and graduate to self-sufficiency.

The Urgent Need – and CLI’s Unique Approach
 Homelessness remains high, with over 550 homeless individuals identified in Alexandria alone last year.  Transitional assistance, which offers housing for a pre-determined period of time while a homeless person gets “on his feet” is extremely rare, especially for families, and most available help is limited to shelters and other such facilities.  The large majority of families who find themselves in this terrible situation need longer, more intensive and more comprehensive care to help rebuild their lives after a period of homelessness.  CLI’s program offers that comprehensive answer to our families multiple needs.  We serve their immediate, urgent physical need for shelter, we provide an environment for them to learn marketable skills and we also, so importantly, counsel them and guide them to their own self awareness of value, of independence and of strength.  These are the values that they learn to model for their children, and that their children never forget!

Services Provided by CLI
When a family is selected for the CLI program, we make a long-term commitment to them.  Depending on size, our families are placed in one of our subsidized one, two or 3 bedroom units located in one of the two apartment buildings CLI owns and operates on Notabene Drive in the Arlandria section of Alexandria.  They are required to pay 30% of their income as their portion of the rent, and CLI pays the remainder.  These two fees combine to equal the rate required to maintain the properties, including providing utilities, maintenance and repairs to residents at no cost.

Once moved in, residents begin an intensive program including case management by a CLI social worker, personal and parental counseling, and other emotional and logistic support to help them work fully through their challenges and achieve long-term success.  In addition, through CLI’s Family Learning Center they receive computer and basic training skills to equip them for better, self-supporting jobs.  CLI also provides each head of household with their own computer and monitor that they may install in their home, and keep after graduation.  CLI assists with placement and 100% of our graduates increase their salaries an average of 40-90% after completing the full program.

In additional to providing housing, CLI offers a number of services to the children of our residents.  Currently, there are 18 formerly homeless children in our Program, aged two to sixteen years.  Through a partnership with DC Cares, our children go on field trips every other week to enjoy events and attractions throughout the Washington area.  Additionally, we have an annual holiday party for them, co-sponsored by the International Monetary Fund. The children also have the opportunity to use the computers at the Fifer Family Learning Center, where they can gather informally after school to do homework and hone computer skills in a safe, supportive environment. 

The Resident’s Responsibility
Our families sign a two-year commitment contract with CLI upon admission to the program.  In this contract they promise to be drug and alcohol free and to attend all workshops, meetings and activities that will help them maintain financial stability and improve employability.  They commit to maintaining their properties and to paying 30% of their salary as their contribution to the rent.  They commit as well to serving as a role model for their children.  They are required to attend counseling sessions, to review their monthly budget with mentors, to go to computer classes twice a week and to meet
regularly with CLI staff.  What we find is that our residents grow into a close, mutually supportive community and often stay in touch, encouraging and supporting each other, and celebrating each other’s successes long after leaving the program.

An Investment at Many Levels
 The housing, services and support that philanthropic support provides to our CLI families represents an investment – one that pays off in transformed lives, as families become self-supporting, contributing members of the community.  Funding in support of CLI’s work is also an investment in families’ futures and the future of this diversified and prosperous community.

 Private support is particularly critical at this time.  We are actively working to expand our partnerships in the local corporate community, and to increase our visibility with individuals and with institutional and organizational resources in Alexandria and beyond.  We view the years of service we have been able to provide as a demonstration of the power of private institutions and private partnerships in opening the door to long-term success for our resident families.