Housing Retention Site-Based Services
We developed a Site-based Housing Retention program to better assist residents at several of BHA's larger housing developments to avoid homelessness due to a variety of challenges and barriers.
Site-based housing retention is available at the following BHA housing developments for seniors and adults with disabilities:
- Decker Towers, 230 Saint Paul Street, Burlington
- South Square Apartments, 101 College Street, Burlington
- Champlain Apartments 10 North Champlain Street, Burlington
- Dettman Place, 36 King Street, Burlington
BHA's Site-based Housing Retention Specialists (Site-based HRS) work in collaboration with BHA property managers to serve residents living at these properties. An HRS in the building allows for relationship development, establishment of consistent support, and a more intense approach to service provision. The HRS works with the SASH program to support healthy residents.
Because the work of the Site-based HRS is flexible and non-categorical, services vary by case. All services are provided using a person-centered trauma-informed approach.
Supportive counseling related to challenges with maintaining housing can include:
- Referrals to other service providers for mental health, substance use disorder, medical, and/or legal support
- Advice on budgeting and general money management support, including referral for payee services
- Assistance in securing back-rent and money owed from supporting organizations in the community
- Support in dealing with domestic violence and custody issues (in conjunction with DCF)
- Convening and facilitating team meetings with other providers to strengthen awareness and forge a collaborative approach to service-provision
- Support in addressing lease compliance (including neighbor and property management mediation)
- Coordinating efforts to remove contents from a hoarded unit
- High-level guidance related to maintaining a HUD rental subsidy (e.g., reporting changes of income, attendance at briefings, move and lease-up process)
- Support in identifying and securing consistent childcare and transportation
- Coordinating and/or occasionally providing transportation related to the service plan (i.e. Reach Up appointment, Family Safety Planning meeting, to or from residential treatment)
- Referral to BHA's Family Self-Sufficiency Program or similar program to work on empowerment and economic stability and growth
- Housing search when current unit cannot be salvaged
- Other items as identified in the Service and Intervention Plan
While the services and support provided by the HRS are flexible and person-centered, they do not include the providing following services:
- Packing or moving services
- Determining about status of housing application or current rental assistance
- Legal services or advice
- Supervising visits for child visitation through DCF
- Payee services, collecting rent or security deposit, bringing rent to a landlord, or collecting money of any kind from the client/household
- Temporary or permanent storage of client belongings
- Briefing any outside provider about the details of a case, including the property manager/landlord without express consent, in the form of a written release from the client
While the Site-based HRS is trained in crisis support, the goal is to work with residents before they reach a point of crisis by providing upstream supportive counseling and connection to services. Additionally, we can provide crucial support post-crisis that helps households stay on track with their housing stability. The Site-based HRS works in close collaboration with First Call of Chittenden County and Howard's Street Outreach Team to provide varying levels of pre- and acute-crisis intervention when necessary.
To make a referral for Site-based Housing Retention Services, please click here.
For questions relating to Site-based Housing Retention Services, please contact:
Crystal Jones
Director of Housing Retention and Services
802-540-3265
cjones@burlingtonhousing.org