NeahCasa

Student Family Emergency Housing

Program Description

Program Need:

Public funding for shelter needs is severely strained.  Most publicly subsidized housing exists in mid-county with 1 to 2 year waiting lists.  And, the only county shelter has been closed due to lack of funding.  Tillamook County median income is among the lowest in the state.   At the same time, there has been a severe increase in housing costs and a loss of affordable housing to market and investment pressures. Over 50% of the student body qualifies for the student lunch program.  Today, of the 688 district students, 52 are classisfed as homeless. Related reports on homeless:

September 2008 Oregon State Department of Education articles on increased rural student homelessness: Daily Astorian 9/11/08, Oregonian 9/10/08, Oregonian 9/11/08

July 2008, Hidden Costs of the Housing Crisis by Partnership for America's Economic Success

2007 Report on Homelessness increases in Oregon Schools

Daily Astorian article on area homeless youth

Summary of housing affordability challenges to working families in Tillamook County

The most immediate need is support of emergency housing for those families with children in the NeahKahNie School District faced with the abyss of homelessness.  Under a federal mandate to address barriers to learning such as homelessness, the District has obtained Federal funding under the McKinney-Vento Act for a part-time Family Resource Coordinator in each school to assist students and their families in finding school supplies, services, clothing, food, jobs and housing.  Most are families including teens, working or between jobs, and simply unable to feed and shelter their families for now and need help getting through a tough place.  Our Neahkahnie School District has led the way in the county, finding grants to staff Family Resource Centers in each school, but lack the tools to address emergency housing needs in particular.

Family Resource Coordinators and Family Youth Services Team

NeahKahNie School District Family Resource Coordinators meet monthy with the Commission on Children and Families' Family Youth Services Team (FYST) to coordinate family client needs with area social service providers..  Shown here, left to right, are the District's Terry Houskins, from Garibaldi, Tracy Lancaster from Nehalem and Jessica Dumoulin, from NeahKahNie High and Middle School, with Carmen Larson, FYST coordinator

.

The specific needs identified include:

• An expanded network of owners and landlords of existing and potential rental units who are willing to entertain flexible solutions to family shelter needs.
• Assistance to single family and 2nd home owners in creating and making available rental units for this purpose – granny flats, RV sites, etc.
• Financial and other support to families to help retain their existing housing.
• Financial support to help bridge the gap between family resources and landlord needs in securing a rental agreement.
• Access to home/budget management training and case worker support

Program Resources:

• Advisory support of Neahkahnie School District Family Resource Coordinators
• NeahCasa, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation formed as an affordable housing advocate for North County, to provide project management, fundraising and coordinate volunteer support.
• Commission on Children and Families and CARE, cooperating to provide case-worker support as required
• Legal Aid of Oregon, providing guidance regarding related State and Federal requirements
• Funding commitment from the Meyer Memorial Trust, US Bank, Windermere Realty and individual grants totaling $25,000 for operations through the 07/08 school year

Project Goals and Guidelines (updates in italics).

• Initiate a community outreach through community organizations and media to expand the housing network and provide listings to Family Resource Coordinators and their clients. This effort was being kicked off with the formation of a Rental Housing Support Group, November 13, 2006.
• While NeahCasa will not review rental agreements, the project will provide legal requirements and guidelines provided by Legal Aid of Oregon to clients.  3/17/08: no reveiw of documents required to date.
• NeahCasa will not provide any warrantee as to conformance of housing to code requirements, but will provide assistance to owners and landlords with agency coordination. 3/17/08: no dwelling or consturction advise required to date.
• NeahCasa funding disbursement guidelines: 3/17/08: $15,384 in 58 grants to date supporting 42 families and 91 youth
  • Requested or recommended by the Family Resource Coordinator and are limited to the families with children who are currently students in the Neahkahnie School district and residing with their families and who are qualified for either reduced or free lunch.
  • Grants are intended as one-time grants to secure and retain family shelter and not as on-going subsidy to rent or other expenses
  • Grants over $100 per family may require the participation of the family in home/budget training arranged by NeahCasa, or other conditions recommended by NeahCasa and the Family Resource Coordinator.
  • Grants limited to $500 maximum per family per school year.
• Initiate a website to help facilitate the above.  3/17/08: complete with ongoing updates
• Maintain program data to track program effectiveness and basis for continuous improvement.
• Work with the District, CARE, County Commission on Children and Families and Tillamook PUD to integrate this program, with it’s core focus to reinforce the learning environment for district students, into ongoing county services by January 2008.  3/17/08:Tillamook PUD to match utility grants through Customer Assistance Program (CAP).  Ongoing monthly interagency communication through Commission on Children and Families Family Youth Services Team.

Links to individual section pages:

Housing Search and Listings
Legal Guidelines
Project Team Access

go back to Student Family Housing page