Homeless to Housing program exceeds 1,000 people housed
Homeless to Housing has reached a major milestone—in just over 30 months, the breakthrough program has successfully housed more than 1,100 previously homeless individuals.
Homeless to Housing is all about a person-to-person connection. Since no two person’s situation is the same, each assigned case manager tailors their support to meet the specific needs of their client, helping to navigate the often-complicated system.
Case managers work through each step to help people overcome barriers, obtain vital documents, and secure sustainable housing.
Homeless to Housing client Benjamin holding up the key to his new home.
Growing to meet the need
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the county relocated many medically fragile and elderly individuals staying in larger single adult shelters to hotels.
During this time, Program Manager Lynn Shafer and her homeless access team worked to secure permanent housing for hotel guests with the goal that nobody would return to homelessness.
With limited staff, the program successfully housed hundreds of people, demonstrating the effectiveness of personalized case management—and seeding an idea for the future.
“This one-on-one approach where you have someone who needs help, and they have one person they can call for housing help, it’s a person-centered model that works,” said Shafer.
“The [hotel] program was ending, but it was hugely successful, so that’s when we switched from Hotels to Housing to Homeless to Housing – making housing focused case management available to anyone experiencing literal homelessness in Hennepin County.”
The new program launched in November 2021 on a first-come, first-served basis, but was quickly overwhelmed with referrals, resulting in a long wait list.
“It didn’t feel fair to people who were disconnected from the system,” said Shafer.
As a result, Shafer and her team of social workers and case managers began using the By-Name List (a list of everyone active in the county’s homeless response system) to proactively identify those most in need.
“We work really hard to be low barrier and meet people where they’re at,” said Shafer. “One size does not fit all.”
Over time, the program expanded to include five specialized teams: long-term, short-term, homeless access, youth, and family teams.
Each team addresses specific needs, from veterans’ services to mental health support to employment, ensuring a holistic approach to housing stability.
In June 2024 the Homeless to Housing team was presented with a Countywide Award recognizing the program’s successful approach and impact within our community.
‘Persistent and resourceful’
After an individual is identified from the By-Name List, the team follows a streamlined process to ensure efficient service delivery: intake, goal planning, barrier busting, housing identification and move-in, stabilization, and referral to long-term support.
“We collaborate with community partners, housing providers, the coordinated entry system, the family shelter team – anyone we possibly can,” said Shafer.
Through this data-informed decision making and person-centered approach, the program has reached a 96% retention rate.
Participants’ feedback has also been largely positive. In a follow-up survey, one participant who was housed in less than a month shared, “My housing worker was very persistent and resourceful. The program was extremely helpful and proactive.”
Another said, “Without assistance, I would likely be in a shelter or on the street. Getting into housing happened quickly, and I am grateful.”
In this video, we follow the story of Larry Houston, a veteran experiencing homelessness, and Jeanetta Lindo, a Hennepin County caseworker. Trust was key as they worked to help Larry find and keep an apartment of his own.
Goals for the future
“Hennepin County is committed to ending chronic homelessness and veteran homelessness,” said Shafer. “Those are two big priorities, and we’ve nearly ended veteran homelessness.”
The program’s future includes continued collaboration with community partners, healthcare providers, and housing agencies.
The goal is to ensure every individual experiencing homelessness has access to a dedicated case manager who can provide personalized support and resources.
“Housing is the key to everything,” said Shafer. “You can’t be stable if you don’t have safe and suitable housing.”
For more information on the Homeless to Housing program, please contact H2H@hennepin.us.