Resources Produced by Building Changes

(February 2011, 36 pages)

This report, developed by the Building Changes Consulting and Technical Assistance team and Watanabe Consulting, provides the Seattle Housing Authority and Yesler Terrace community with recommendations for developing a Community of Opportunity at the soon-to-be redeveloped Yesler Terrace public housing site. Our recommendations focus on building a community that improves the quality of life of residents, integrates residents across social strata, and ensures connectedness to adjacent neighbourhoods. 

(May 2010, 29 pages)

The King County Housing Authority and Building Changes collaborated on the creation of this report to broadly disseminate the lessons of the South King County Housing First Pilot (SKC HFP) for chronically homeless single adults. SKC HFP is highly innovative in both the problem it addresses – chronically homeless individuals in a largely suburban setting – and the role that the housing authority played in providing critical housing support. The report is designed to help other public housing authorities replicate SKC HFP‘s successful model in their communities and to demonstrate the benefits of the more flexible use of Section 8 voucher funds made possible by HUD‘s Moving to Work program.

A Landscape Assessment and Strategic Plan for Increasing Economic Opportunities for People Experiencing Homelessness in Whatcom County (2009, 30 pages)

In 2009, a Steering Committee comprised of Whatcom County community members and Building Changes agreed to engage in a strategic planning process. The goal of the process was to expand the opportunities of people who have experienced homelessness to develop skills, increase income, and improve self-sufficiency. This report, written by Building Changes, summarizes the characteristics and work readiness of people experiencing homelessness in Whatcom County, the existing network of employment and education services available in the county, and the county’s current economic context. This research informed the strategies the Committee developed for improving employment outcomes for homeless individuals, families, and youth in Whatcom County.

(2009, 53 pages)

In 2008, the Washington State Department of Commerce (formerly known as the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development) contracted with Building Changes to perform a fidelity assessment of the Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing components of two programs in Clallam and Whatcom Counties. Both programs are funded by the State’s Homeless Grant Assistance Program (HGAP). The primary purpose of this study is to better understand how these models are locally implemented within the state of Washington, and to help the Department of Commerce identify program components that could be successfully replicated in other communities with future rounds of HGAP funding.

Building Changes developed this report for Snohomish County Tomorrow, a regional planning body including elected and appointed officials of every city in Snohomish County as well as the County government and the Tulalip Tribes. The purpose of the report is to determine how jurisdictions in Snohomish County could work together to support their common affordable housing goals. The report recommends that a new inter-jurisdictional program should be created that pools resources between municipalities, and also describes the criteria and features necessary to make such a program successful, based on our national research on similar models. Snohomish County Tomorrow unanimously approved this report and recommended its implementation in June 2009. (Appendices for this report available below.)

(2009; 36 pages)
Appendices for the above report, including Draft Memorandum of Understanding; Logic Model of Proposed Interjurisdictional Housing Program; Affordable Housing 101 Presentation; Annotated Bibliography of Relevant Plans, Policies, and Data Reports; List of Stakeholder Interviews; and List of PAC Housing Subcommittee participants.

(2008; 28 pages)

A research project funded by the Seattle Foundation, this report focuses on collaborative initiatives that integrate workforce development and human service systems. The collaborations profiled – Montana’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, Oregon’s Career Pathways Program, and Minnesota’s M-Powered Program – informed much of the thinking that has gone into Building Changes’ own Community Employment Pathways initiative.

(2008; 5 pages)

This brief addresses the challenges of housing sex offenders and offers specific strategies for reducing barriers.

(2008; 6 pages)

This brief addresses the challenges of corrections-based treatment delivery and offers specific strategies for providing innovative treatment and effective care.

(2008; 5 pages)

This brief addresses the impact of prisoner reentry in rural areas, including housing and service needs, and offers specific strategies for facilitating reentry housing programs in rural areas.

(2007 Update, Curriculum and DVD)

Intended as a training resource for community organizations, From Locked Up to Locked Out is a starting point for planning and improving post-release housing and related services to support the transition of individuals out of prison. The 2007 updated book, lesson-by-lesson training guide and PowerPoint presentation, and companion video on DVD are designed to be used together as a comprehensive training curriculum. A free copy of the companion video on DVD is available for a limited time. To order your free copy of the companion DVD, go to our online order form.

(2008; 50 pages)

In King County, over 8,000 people are homeless at any given time, including approximately 1,000 young people between 18 and 25 years of age. Developed as part of the efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEHKC) to end homelessness by 2014, this plan identifies the distinct needs of homeless young adults, strategies for improving the existing system of housing and services, and priorities for funding. Building Changes led this countywide project with guidance from a 20-person task force including homeless young adults, and in partnership with the King County Housing Authority, the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, and the CEH Homeless Youth and Young Adult subcommittee.

(2008; 48 pages)

The Housing Consortium of Everett and Snohomish County (HCESC) contracted with Building Changes to develop a plan for dramatically increasing the number of households assisted through affordable housing and homeless prevention services in Snohomish County. This report describes the strategies necessary to more than double the households receiving housing assistance in the county, from 14,000 to over 32,000 over the next ten years. Strategies focus on three broad approaches: providing incentives to developers to include affordable units in their new developments; building the capacity of affordable housing partners to increase their production and sustain programs; and developing new public and private resources to fund housing creation and preservation.

(2008; 75 pages)

This plan identifies housing resources, gaps, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration between HIV/AIDS housing and services providers and their colleagues providing mainstream housing and services, in order to strengthen housing and services systems integration across the state of Oregon and increase stable housing, access to care, and prevention of homelessness for persons with HIV/AIDS. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded the development of this plan, which Building Changes facilitated in partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services.

(2008; 45 pages)

This report includes a series of recommendations for the improvement of King County’s prevention services and interventions, in order to achieve the goal of preventing homelessness across a variety of populations – and ultimately end homelessness in King County. The Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEHKC) contracted jointly with Building Changes and Lisa Gustaveson Consulting to develop this report, which integrates a review of best practices and findings of the Prevention Task Force into a set of recommendations for the county.

(2007; 56 pages)

This report, which was prepared as part of the Taking Health Care Home initiative, describes the homeless employment services landscape and identifies promising opportunities for action. It provides strategies for improving collaboration, enhancing homeless assistance and employment services, and promoting systems change across the workforce development and homeless assistance systems in King County and Washington State.

(2005; 15 pages)

This guide provides a brief overview of common funding sources for affordable housing development and the issues which developers may encounter when trying to combine different funding sources. A detailed chart or "matrix" provides a framework for exploring a range of potential combinations and understanding some of the challenges and issues that should be considered.

(2003; 88 pages)

This initiative aimed to increase permanent, affordable housing resources for individuals and families with HIV/AIDS and to promote integration of supportive service options for difficult-to-serve people living with HIV/AIDS in Seattle/King County, Washington. The 18-month planning effort developed and tested more effective solutions for people with HIV/AIDS who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have histories of mental illness, chemical addiction, and/or other chronic health problems, and have criminal justice involvement. The report addresses systems fragmentation, defined gaps and barriers, presents the AHSSI model, and describes how to effectively utilize the report.

(2002; 79 pages)

Designed as an introduction to the basic concepts of asset management, this guide translates successful practices from mainstream affordable housing to the specialized context of AIDS and supportive housing. It includes both guidelines for planning and implementing effective asset management strategies and a reference section that will help providers find both training opportunities and additional resource materials available in print and on the Internet. 

(2002; Trainers’ Manual: 152 pages, Participant Manual: 110 pages)

This curriculum is designed to provide case managers and property managers working in supportive housing with an overview of substance use and the tools to assist tenants in increasing their housing stability. The training is intended to serve as a foundation for future learning on this topic. Issues covered in the curriculum include: overview of drugs and alcohol and the cycle of use; identifying community resources needed to foster tenant housing stability; brief overview of laws and regulations pertaining to housing people with substance use issues; tools and “best practices” that housing providers can draw upon to foster housing stability. Developed and published in partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing.

(2001; 114 pages)

A compilation of presentations, stories, and tools specific to the development aspect of housing for homeless persons, developed from five "Regional Conferences on Housing for Homeless People" convened throughout the U.S. by HUD between February and April 2000. The materials were selected to give an overview of the critical steps in homeless housing development and to provide tools, methods, and inspiration.