Proposal for
Model Homeless Facility
at Franklin Square
Prepared by
Until We’re Home, Inc.
Table of Contents
I. Brief Overview
II. Building Layout
A. Diagram of Building Layout
B. Overall Building Requirements
C. Basement Level
D. First Floor
E. Second Floor
F. Third and Fourth Floor
III. Maintenance of Facility
A. Daily Cleaning of Facility
B. Routine Maintenance and Repairs
C. Pest Control
IV. Administration
V. Social Services
Overview
Our vision for the Franklin Square is to move away from the warehousing of the homeless population and toward a program oriented living facility where men get the assistance they require in order to transition into independent living.
The purpose of Franklin Square is to provide each client with whatever he requires to successfully re-enter society and have what is needed to maintain a good and stable life.
We wish to create a “Culture Change” where the homeless man is not considered undeserving of respect but is considered a viable responsible member of our society who only needs specialized attention and services to catapult him to a higher position in our society.
It will be incumbent upon each client to subscribe to the program offered by the facility. Each client will have a case manager and a service plan, which will guide him in his efforts.
When a client is ready to re-enter the workforce or has an established job he will be offered the opportunity to enter a work program. This program will assist him in saving for his eventual housing.
Clients who successfully complete the work program, as well as disabled clients, will be able to move into Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing within the facility until such time as housing becomes available.
It is also our vision to create a Residents Council, made up of clients from each program section. The Residents Council will be charged with internal monitoring of the facility and the inter-relationships between staff, social services and the clients. The Residents Council should have regular scheduled meeting with the Provider and also be invited to any meetings that impact the operation of Franklin Square.
Description of Building Layout
Overall Building Requirements
Franklin Square should have central air and heat. The heating/cooling system should have different controls for each floor.
Water coolers are essential and should be placed throughout the facility.
An elevator will be invaluable. Consideration of elevator use will be first afforded to the disabled, but can be available to all clients during non-intake hours.
Basement Level
The basement will be utilized for the various service needs of all the residents of the building.
Assembly Room - This area will be a large open meeting room. This will be used as a multi function area.
Kitchen - This should be a fully functional kitchen, with the capacity to prepare and serve three (3) meals a day.
Laundry Room - The laundry should have five (5) commercial grade washers and dryers. There will also be table space for folding clothes and irons and boards available.
Computer Lab - The clients will use this facility for: resume building, job searches, checking incoming emails and educational purposes. The equipment housed in this room will be six (6) Personal Computers, two (2) printers and a fax machine. This lab will be Internet ready and support shared resources. Pornography will be inaccessible.
Classroom - The classroom should hold twenty (20) students. Educational (GED) and employment classes will be offered. The classroom will also be open for any service agency or religious organization that wishes to schedule an event.
Clinic – The clinic should be able to give full physicals and handle routine medical procedures (first aid). The Clinic will also provide referrals for more serious medical issues.
Offices – Office space will be reserved for administration, case management/social work, and various agencies of the District Government. There should also be office space for the Residents Council.
First Floor- Low Barrier Facility
Capacity – The first floor will house 150 men. The layout will be dormitory style with bunk beds. Storage lockers will be provided.
Hours of Operation – The Low Barrier facility will open at 4pm. It will close at 7am on weekdays and 9am on weekends. Intake for existing clients will begin at 4pm and continue until 7pm. Intake for new clients will begin at 7pm. Clients who have left the facility at 10pm will be considered to have left the program for the night. Lights will go out at 10pm.
Provider Offices - The administration offices of the provider will be housed on the first floor. This office will have all the equipment necessary to operate a facility of this size.
Reading Room – After 10 pm clients will have access to a reading room that will stay open all night.
Second Floor- Work Program
Capacity – The work program will be available for 100 men. The layout will be cubicle style with single beds, nightstands, and personal lamps. Storage lockers will be provided.
Hours of Operation – The Work Program will be open 24 hours a day.
Showers – There will be extended shower facilities (two banks of 8 showers).
Reading Room – Clients will have access to a reading room, which will be open on a 24-hour basis.
Third and Fourth Floors – Single Room Occupancy Housing
Capacity – There will be 50 to 75 units spread between the two floors, with single beds, dressers, lights, and individual toilet and shower facilities.
Community Center – The Community Center will be available for all SRO residents and include a full service kitchen.
Maintenance of Facility
The maintenance of Franklin Square should be under the auspices of the service provider. Maintenance can be broken down into two areas, daily upkeep and cleaning of the facility and routine maintenance and repairs.
Daily Upkeep and Cleaning – The facility should be at all times presentable. Hallways and dorms should be swept and mopped, and bathroom facilities should be cleaned hourly. Cleaning supplies should be available for spot cleaning when necessary.
Routine Maintenance and Repairs – This includes the minor repairs, replacement of fixtures and plumbing problems within the facility. Certified residence should have first priority in the receiving of the contracting of routine maintenance.
Pest Control – Monthly extermination by a professional, qualified private organization with the use of whatever pest deterrents (traps, roach motels, etc) are necessary to maintain a healthy and pest-free environment. Steps should be taken to keep the courtyard free of rats.
Administration
Administration of a model facility of this size will be tremendously important. Administrative guidelines should be set in place to handle the many facets of Franklin Square. The Service Provider will be responsible for the overall administration of this facility. It should also provide a mechanism to entertain feedback from the Residents Council as well as the District government and any other responsible organization that works or provides services within the facility.
The Administration will maintain the “Culture Change” theme of Franklin Square. It has been demonstrated that no matter what a man’s current station in life is, if he is treated as a respectable person, deserving of something better, with valuable opinions and insights, that man will act accordingly. This tone should be set by the Administrative arm of the Provider and passed along to all agencies and staff within Franklin Square.
The administration will have an automated computer system. This automated system will keep track of all non-sensitive client information. It should provide immediate retrieval of client survey information and other information pertinent to the stay of the client.
The Department of Human Services should have continuing involvement in the overall administration of this program and have scheduled interviews of the staff.
The administration of the facility should be broken down into three (3) groups all of whom should be under the direct authority of the service provider.
Facility Staff - Staff members should be appropriately trained, qualified and supervised. The sensitivity of the staff will directly affect the overall esteem of the clients. Their responsibility will be daily operations, answering phones and taking messages for clients, among other duties. Facility staff will have no security responsibilities. All scheduling of staff duties will be the responsibility of the provider. A review schedule should be maintained to insure that the staff is performing their assigned duties.
Security – Security must report directly to the provider. There must be twenty-four (24) hour security personnel. The security staff should handle daily intake inspections. Security staff should be on constant patrol. There will be no desks or chairs provided for security staff. The entire facility, except SROs should be patrolled hourly. Security will no have guns. The use of guns perpetuates the feeling of being institutionalized. The provider will review the security staff on a regular basis to make sure that they are maintaining a professional presence in the facility without alienating any of the clients.
Social Services – Every client upon initial intake will be provided with a Service Plan and a Case Manager. The Service Plan will guide the Case Manager in assisting the client in transitioning into independent living. Clients will meet with their Case Manager at least once a month. The administration will be responsible for organizing meetings between the clients and their case managers.
Administration Guidelines
• The ongoing monitoring of the staff is very important to the success of a Model Facility. Given the population of men, their lifestyles and background, this job can be very taxing. Administration needs to make sure that the staff is conducting itself in a manner conducive to the continued development of the client.
• The administration should not have access to sensitive client information
• Provide the initial intake process, during which a client survey will be completed and maintained.
• Have meetings with Case Managers/Social Workers when deemed necessary. This will become necessary because during daily operation of the facility staff may become aware of client issues that will be best discussed during a meeting with the Case Manager.
• Maintain Case Manager scheduling so that there are at least two (2) Case Managers present during the initial intake process.
• Maintain the Franklin Square automated databases system. Reports should be generated periodically to assist the Provider in evaluating the services at the facility.
• Maintain client and Case Manager scheduling. Inform client of scheduled meeting and also be available to handle rescheduled and dissemination of that information when this occurs.
• Handle all inventory that will be required for the facility, This would include items such as sheets, mattresses, small hygiene articles and eating supplies, as well as all other items throughout the facility.
• Administration of the Work Program and SRO contractual agreements between the Provider and the clients, and the extension of contracts for valid reasons.
• Handle the continued training of staff that works with the clients on a daily basis.
• Maintain a skills inventory of Franklin Square residents. The clients who have the ability to assist with the remodeling and subsequent upkeep of the building should be considered among the first to have job opportunities.
• Organize monthly client meetings to address any issues that arise.
• Meet with the Resident’s Council regularly and in any emergency situation.
• Establish and maintain Rules of Conduct for the facility.
Social Services
When men first enter the facility they will be provided with a Case Manager who will work with them to create a service plan specific to their needs. Utilizing this service plan the Case Manager will work to connect the client with whatever available services they may require including but not limited to:
Job Counseling and Employment Assistance through the Department of Employment Services and the Business Improvement District (BID)
Physical Health Care including a complete physical during intake and assisting the client in applying for Alliance, Medicare, Medicaid, and connecting the client with dental and vision services
Mental Health Care from one of a variety of providers including the Department of Mental Health, Green Door and others
Housing Assistance through the District Housing Authority
Educational Assistance to enable the client to get his G.E.D.
Income Maintenance including assisting the client in applying for food stamps, SSI and SSDI
Veterans Assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs
Religious organizations will also be extended the invitation to provide services, both social and spiritual, to the client, and space will be made available for them to do so.
When a client is willing and able to re-enter the workforce and secures employment he will be offered the opportunity to enter into a Work Program at the facility. In order to qualify for the Work Program a client must agree to enter into a savings plan which will enable him to save enough money to secure independent living arrangements. The client will also be required to take a drug test and, if indicated, to enter into a drug treatment plan. Testing positive for drugs will not in and of itself prohibit the client from entering the Work Program.
When the client is ready to graduate from the Work Program, or if the client is disabled and has been approved for SSI or SSDI, he will be offered the opportunity to move into Single Room Occupancy Housing at the facility until such time as he is able to secure independent accommodations. These units will be divided 50/50 between workers and the disabled. While occupying an SRO a client will be required to pay 30% of his income to the provider (to a maximum of $300). Everyone in the SRO program will be fitted with a transition plan with the goal of moving the client into independent living arrangements as quickly as possible. The service provider must have a working relationship with the providers of affordable housing in the District enabling the client to set up a timetable for his exit into independent living.