American scholar William Arthur Ward said: "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." Despite financially challenging times, committed realists from across the state are diligently adjusting the sails to try and keep pace with the growing need for service-enriched housing. Since January of this year, eight development teams from diverse regions of Washington have been attending two-day sessions of the Supportive Housing Institute (SHI) to learn how to create permanent supportive housing in their communities.

Cheri Fleck and Ann Simpson of Clallam County

The teams participating in the 2009 Institute are a study in geographical and social contrast, representing Pierce, Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Yakima, and Chelan-Douglas counties, as well as one tribally-affiliated team (the Alesek Institute, also located in Pierce County). Reflecting the deepening recession, many of the teams' original project visions-almost all new construction designed to serve families or adults with mental illness-have shifted in scope since the beginning of the year, as the funding landscape has continued to change dramatically. Although there may not be full development funding immediately available to proposed SHI projects, feedback from teams has consistently been that the Institute is a valuable experience in building community capacity and knowledge about how to assemble the many puzzle pieces of supportive housing development. Said Elizabeth Tail, Executive Director of the Alesek Institute: "This process is helping me develop context and perspective for decision making." Rod Fleck, a planner and attorney for the City of Forks in Clallam County, said of his team's experience: "This really helped us conceptualize what a [supportive housing] project should be."

Denise Stone and Steve Robertson of Clark County

Much of the curriculum for the Supportive Housing Institute-created by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and adapted specifically for Washington State's needs-involves interactive team work that has the teams taking concrete and practical steps like making actual budget projections, laying out plans for community support, and drafting service plans and Memoranda of Understanding. Along with this hands-on applied learning model, teams get to hear from leading authorities in supportive housing: lead Institute trainers, Matthew Doherty of CSH and Walter Zisette of Common Ground, have given continuity to the curriculum by presenting sequential pieces of the "development puzzle" during each session. In addition to designing the curriculum for each session, Matthew has shared portions of the newly-released Seven Dimensions of Quality for Supportive Housing, while Walter has provided in-depth guidance to teams on creating development budgets and timelines. Perhaps most importantly (even if the news has not always been entirely optimistic), participants have also had multiple opportunities to talk one-on-one with funders from Impact Capital, the Washington State Department of Commerce (formerly known as Community, Trade, and Economic Development or CTED), DSHS Mental Health Division (MHD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Washington Families Fund.

In addition to the core curriculum and time with funders, teams have also heard from other experts in the field: Declan Wynne, Director of Integrated Services at Sound Mental Health; Ron Wright of Ron Wright and Associates (an architecture firm focused on supportive housing), Jim Weddell, Joanna Martin, and Richard Rodarte, Senior Housing Developers at Common Ground; Becky Bicknell, Housing Developer at Housing Resources Group; and Mark Putnam and Mariah Ybarra from Building Changes.

There is an African proverb that says: "Smooth seas don't make skillful sailors." Although the sailing has not exactly been smooth for housing developers this year, as we collectively scramble to find funding for projects already in the pipeline, the Supportive Housing Institute is providing a way for teams to feel more skillful in navigating the course of supportive housing development. When funding does become available, we hope to see these teams confident and ready with realistic budgets, completed Housing Trust Fund applications, and community support plans in hand.