Rapid Rehousing
Rapid Rehousing is both a program and an approach. It is at the heart of what makes Good Shepherd Center a different kind of shelter. With inspiration from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, we embrace the belief that homelessness should be rare, brief, and one-time. In order to make our neighbors’ time in housing crisis brief, our community must have robust efforts in place to assist the diversity of people who find themselves homeless in regaining housing again. If left to resolve their crisis alone, most if not all of our guests would find themselves “stuck” in shelter for excessively long periods of time, unable to save up first and last months’ rent plus security deposit on their modest wages, unable to navigate the often cumbersome and confusing community processes for applying for assistance, and unable to navigate the search for scarce affordable rental units.
At Good Shepherd, our Rapid Rehousing team of Case Manager/Housing Specialists provides intensive, individualized, housing-focused case management to each guest of our Day Shelter and Night Shelter. Building on each household’s strengths and identifying obstacles to be addressed (underemployment, the arduous disability assistance application process, affordable housing search, etc.), the shelter guest and Housing Specialist work together to develop and work toward a plan for the guest to become housed again. The Housing Specialist provides warm connection to any number of needed community resources—including untapped sources of income or support like Food Stamps and VA benefits—leans on our extensive landlord network to identify prospective units, and assists each guest with completing rental applications, viewing and inspecting potential rentals, and preparing for move-in.
Importantly, Good Shepherd ensures that the Rapid Rehousing team has a healthy fund of financial assistance that they can draw on as needed and tailor to each household’s needs, providing anywhere from a rental deposit to first and last months’ rent to payment of utility arrears, all in an effort to expedite the transition out of homelessness and maximize the household’s ability to remain stably housed. The majority of those served choose rental housing in New Hanover or Brunswick County, with affordability and proximity to work and to children’s schools being key considerations. Additional attention to housing retention, with the Housing Specialist offering life skills support and continuing as a liaison for the landlord post-housing placement has resulted in more than 90% of those transitioned to housing by the Good Shepherd team remaining housed and not re-entering the emergency services network.
The Rapid Rehousing program annually helps over 250 men, women, and children leave homelessness for housing.
“My children needed more than a roof. They needed routine, safety, and the chance to just be kids again. Good Shepherd helped us get there.”
Former Guest