Reflections on the intersections of domestic violence and housing and homelessness.
Hello again! This is Abby, the Domestic Violence Housing System MSW Intern for the 2023-2024 school year. In my final few weeks in this role, I am continuing to reflect on the role of community and connection in social work. As part of this reflection, I’ve been meeting with program supervisors of Domestic Violence housing services to learn more about what this looks like for front line staff.
I recently met with Kevin, the Housing Stability Program Manager at Lifewire, and we had a great conversation about LifeWire’s Rapid Re-Housing Program, the current landscape of social services in King County, and the impact of capitalism on this work in general.
Lifewire’s Rapid Re-Housing Program follows the Housing First model, a paradigm based on the idea that access to safe, stable housing is a necessary prerequisite for physical, behavioral, mental, and other needs to be met. Survivors are referred to this program through the Domestic Violence Coordinated Housing Access Point (DVHCAP), which is coordinated by the Coalition. Kevin said that the referral process can be challenging for advocates, as there are often many more referrals than program openings. Referrals are made based on a variety of prioritization factors, but the reality is that the need for services still far outweighs the capacity.
Kevin explained to me the general Rapid Rehousing program model, which is based off a loose timeline that allows a year of financial support after program enrollment. Kevin noted that survivors are often coming straight out of crisis when they are referred, and that they will often help get survivors into a hotel and allow some time for them to breathe before beginning the case planning process. Kevin stated that they then begin to establish a timeline for survivors’ needs, based on what they will need in the next week, month, year, etc. Once needs are identified, the work begins establishing how these needs are going to be met. The Housing Stability team likes to start with a list of 5 goals to avoid overwhelm. The hopeful timeline is that individuals will be housed within 30 days and have income within 90 days. Kevin acknowledged that due to survivors’ varied needs and circumstances, this timeline is often hard to meet. Once survivors are housed, the program provides rental support in a “step-up model,” which in theory essentially means that the program pays an increasingly smaller portion of the rent until survivors can take over the entirety of the rent.
There are many aspects of this program and Kevin’s team’s approach that are very trauma-informed and survivor-centered. And yet, there are many challenges that nonprofits operating under the manufactured scarcity of capitalism face. Kevin expressed gratitude for the funding for this program, as the housing crisis and domestic violence are deeply intertwined. However, he named that there are so many nonprofits serving subpopulations affected by the housing crisis, that it can often feel like nonprofits are competing with each other for resources rather than collaborating. This leaves me wondering what it would look like to have a collaborative, sustainable network of care that is responsive to community needs rather than funder requirements?
This conversation sparked a lot of thoughts about the nature of our housing system and what it looks like to prioritize sustainability, stability, and healing for survivors while also adhering to the strict timelines that accompany RRH. I have had quite a bit of exposure to the RRH program model, both through my own work in housing and through my research as a grad student, and my feelings remain mixed. In theory, the flexibility in funding and emphasis on fast access to permanent housing can help meet the varied needs of survivors and unhoused individuals in general.
However, in my experience, factors such as long waitlists for affordable housing, fixed incomes, and generally high costs of living can make it difficult for individuals to quickly find housing that they will be able to afford on such a short timeline. This is especially true in an expensive city like Seattle. I appreciate short-term financial support options for survivors but wonder what changes could be made to encourage sustainability. And on a larger scale, what would it look like to have a housing system that is truly accessible, and ensures that all needs are met before excess profits are made?
If you have any thoughts or would like to connect with me, please feel free to email me at abby@endgv.org!