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The Key Alliance calls for $71.7 Million

Nashville, Tenn. (Aug. 24, 2009) – The Metropolitan Homelessness Commission is calling on business, faith-based, government and nonprofit leaders to come together under The Key Alliance and raise $71.7 million over the next five years to end chronic homelessness and significantly reduce overall homelessness in Nashville.

The Key Alliance, an initiative of the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission, intends to bring together the entire community and rally around solutions for homelessness. City leaders from all sectors – public, private, faith-based and nonprofit – attended The Key Alliance’s first Symposium Monday.

“Homelessness is lethal, and more individuals are being exposed to longer periods of homelessness,” Clifton Harris, director of the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission, said. “This fact calls for a new approach that focuses on ending rather than managing homelessness in Nashville.”

The following facts highlight the need for a new response:

Contrary to popular belief, over 50% of the homeless population is working and many more are seeking work.

Children should not grow up in homeless shelters or on the street. Metro Nashville Public Schools reported that 1,600 school children were homeless during the course of the past school year.

Nashvillians should not die on the street. More than 50 homeless individuals died on the street in 2008.

“Affordable” housing options are too costly for a person earning minimum wage, and funding for new housing from the federal government has not increased in 25 years.

Nashville spends $35,000 per person per year to “manage” homelessness. It costs an average of $17,000 annually to provide adequate housing and wrap-around services for a homeless person.

The Metropolitan Homelessness Commission has created a formula that outlines the solution.

Housing + Case Management + Income = Success.

The Key Alliance will be a community effort implementing the following six strategies that will end chronic homelessness and reduce overall homelessness in Nashville.

• Create Housing First units.
• Expand outreach services.
• Work toward economic stability.
• Coordinate & support prevention initiatives.
• Develop a system to move individuals rapidly from shelters & transitional housing to permanent housing.
• Inform the community & gain support.
• Measure progress & continue to improve.

“The Key Alliance is a true partnership we are forming by calling on the entire community,” Harris said. “Service providers cannot do it alone, the government cannot do it alone, businesses cannot do it alone, congregations cannot do it alone – but together we can do it. We can end chronic homelessness in Nashville and interrupt the cycle that causes people to end up living on the streets long term.”

Specific goals The Key Alliance has set for the next five years include:

• End chronic homelessness and significantly reduce overall homelessness.
• Create 1,600 Housing First units with support services.
• Hire and train 15 outreach workers who will connect the homeless population with services.
• Raise $71.7 million, about half of which will come from the public and the other half from the private sector.
• Establish a dedicated funding source that will continually help fund Housing First initiatives and preventative resources.
• Assist homeless individuals with employment and other income sources.
• Support and expand homeless prevention services.
• Establish a process to move individuals quickly from shelter and transitional housing situations into permanent supportive housing.
• Utilize the Nashville Homeless Management Information System (NHMIS) data to map progress, pinpoint gaps and develop methods for improvement.

The Symposium was mainly targeted to the business, nonprofit and faith-based communities with the goal to join The Key Alliance in the effort of ending homelessness in Nashville.

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