Neighborhood Service Center Inc

WEBB'S HOPE RESIDENT SUPPORT & HOUSING STABILITY INITIATIVE - NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER (NSC) WILL USE $150,000 IN AHSSD FUNDING TO HIRE A DEDICATED HOUSING SPECIALIST, AS PART OF THE WEBB’S HOPE RESIDENT SUPPORT & HOUSING STABILITY INITIATIVE, TO STRENGTHEN SUPPORT SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS OF NCS’S 22-UNIT WEBB’S HOPE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY IN TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND. THE INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO HELP RESIDENTS OVERCOME BARRIERS TO HOUSING STABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, AND FINANCIAL SECURITY AND TRANSITION TO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED HOUSING TRANSITION PLANNING, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES, FINANCIAL CAPABILITY COACHING, HOUSING COUNSELING AND NAVIGATION, TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION, BENEFITS ACCESS ASSISTANCE, AND REFERRALS TO HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. NSC WILL PROVIDE MANY SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTLY, ALLOWING THE ORGANIZATION TO CLOSELY SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND RESPOND TO THEIR NEEDS. UPON ENTERING THE PROGRAM, HOUSEHOLDS WILL COMPLETE AN ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO HOUSING STABILITY. THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL THEN WORK WITH EACH HOUSEHOLD TO DEVELOP A HOUSING TRANSITION PLAN OUTLINING THE STEPS NEEDED TO OBTAIN PERMANENT, STABLE HOUSING. DEPENDING ON HOUSEHOLD NEEDS, THE PLAN MAY ADDRESS EMPLOYMENT, FINANCIAL STABILITY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BENEFITS ACCESS, OR OTHER BARRIERS, AND THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL SUPPORT CONNECTING THE HOUSEHOLD TO THE SUPPORT SERVICES NEEDED. THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL MEET WITH HOUSEHOLDS MONTHLY TO MONITOR PROGRESS AND ADJUST STRATEGIES AS NEEDED. WHEN A HOUSEHOLD IS READY TO MOVE TO PERMANENT HOUSING, THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL HELP WITH HOUSING SEARCH AND APPLICATIONS, LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT, BUDGETING FOR MOVE-IN COSTS, AND OTHER TRANSITION NEEDS. FOLLOWING A MOVE, THE HOUSING SPECIALIST WILL FOLLOW UP WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO ASSESS STABILITY WITHIN THE NEW HOME AND CONNECT THE HOUSEHOLD TO ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES AS NEEDED. BY SUPPORTING THE HOUSING SPECIALIST POSITION, THE AHSSD PROJECT WILL CREATE A STRUCTURED PATHWAY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESIDENTS TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND PERMANENT, STABLE HOUSING.