Our Approach
Replicating Success
Traditional approaches to affordable housing usually require new construction, which requires extensive financing hurdles, and with current construction prices, is very unaffordable. OHannah House Ministries innovative model is a replication of an existing proven model by Kitsap Homes of Compassion, one of our key partners. The model we use focuses on renting existing large, unaffordable, single-family homes that are currently on the rental market. These homes are leased by OHannah House Ministries for our program. We make slight modifications, such as adding locks to the bedroom doors, and then we sublet individual bedrooms to homeless disabled women who have public assistance or who work but do not make enough money to afford the costs of moving into a new home. Each house we rent has between 4-6 people, who share the common areas of the home (kitchen, living room, dining room, etc.).
The residents pay a monthly program fee based upon the rental cost of the house and utilities. In our program in Kitsap County, they pay between $450 to $650/month, using their SSI, SSDI, or employment income. Over 90% of all the regular on-going costs are paid for by the participants regular payments. Thus, it is very financially sustainable
Cohousing allows the women and children we serve to live in a community, and provides an avenue for friendships to be built with others who are on the journey to self-sufficiency.
To start a new OHannah house, our organization pays one-time startup costs, which are only $5,000 for a 5-bedroom home, or $1,000 per “bed”. In comparison, the cost of constructing a new apartment often costs over $150,000 per unit. In other words, the cost is 150 time cheaper (less than 1% of the traditional approach).
In conjunction to paying start-up costs, we have a pipeline of potential residents that we continually build relationships with through our network of partners. These residents are referred to us, and OHannah House Ministries performs a background check based on income, character, and personal references, which is one way we safeguard our organization as well as the other residents of the house. As these background checks are completed, we place these potential residents on a waiting list, unless we have a room available in one of the houses that we manage.
As a house is established, OHannah House Ministries pays for all the utilities as well as providing high speed internet and landline phone to the house.
Starting a New OHannah House
Each OHannah House has a house manager who provides case management, support, and links to community resources
More Than Housing
In addition to providing stable housing, each OHannah House also provides a wide range of support services and has a house manager (case manager) who is networked with other community services. Our trained house managers provide ongoing case management to residents, and facilitate regular house meetings to address conflict resolution, offer specialized training and support, and ensure the house is being maintained. The house manager connects the residents with community services (physical health, mental health, transportation, and others.) which assist residents in being self-sufficient and accessing critical services to maintain their health and well-being.
OHannah House Ministries support services include learning job skills, improving their knowledge of cooking and nutrition, bolstering their financial literacy skills, and other essential elements that are client-driven.
Impact
OHannah House Ministries’ model embodies a humane approach to serving the chronically homelessness, most of whom have been left behind by mainstream systems. Through this model, we use a Housing First approach to provide stable housing in environments where people receive services and permanent housing as a first step, rather than having to move through multiple housing contexts before being placed in permanent housing. The high quality of the homes, coupled with being furnished and having community, makes a positive difference on long-term outcomes of individuals, at the model has already shown.