Addressing Housing Instability in Chattanooga:
The Eviction Prevention Initiative & Friends Helping Friends Outreach
Introduction & Project Details
In June of 2020, I joined the Eviction Prevention Initiative, a collaborative effort between Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, CALEB, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, and Southern Adventist University. This initiative aims to bridge one of the many gaps in service faced by individuals experiencing housing insecurity through providing access to free legal representation and social services to families facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a social worker on this project, I worked alongside city navigators, local attorneys, and policy advocates, assisted in program advocacy and development, and confronted the issue of housing insecurity head-on with clients.
In September of 2020, I began serving as a co-investigator on a qualitative research study to assess the impact and effectiveness of the EPI and to provide deeper insight on the causes and implications of housing instability. Throughout the research data collection process, coupled with my ongoing work with clients, I started to recognize the many contributing factors and subsequent consequences of housing instability, as well as the many misconceptions concerning those affected by it.
In November of 2020, I expanded my work with individuals experiencing housing instability and began visiting one of the largest homeless encampments in Chattanooga. I call this outreach “Friends Helping Friends”. I believe this name encapsulates the mission of this outreach, which is to provide necessities and access to community resources to individuals experiencing homelessness through a relationship-oriented approach that reflects the inherent dignity and worth of each person served. I collect donations for items requested by individuals experiencing homelessness and deliver them each week. This approach has allowed me to establish a strong, trusting rapport with individuals experiencing homelessness and to gain deeper insight into the vast complexity of this issue.
For my special project, I took an unconventional approach as each of these efforts address the prevalent issue of housing instability. Although the research study and my work with individuals experiencing homeless is ongoing, the information provided below highlights the mission, goals, and theoretical foundations of each effort, the intervention tools and implementation, and the results achieved thus far.
Project Mission & Goals
The Eviction Prevention Initiative was introduced in response to COVID-19, as many local families were facing eviction due to the economic repercussions of the pandemic. The goal of this project is to decrease the number of evictions in Chattanooga through providing access to free legal representation and social services to tenants facing eviction, with the eventual goal being to transition from a pilot project to a concrete program.
The qualitative research study was initiated by EPI collaborators as an effort to strengthen the program implementation advocacy component of the EPI. The mission of the research study is to assess the impact of legal and social services on preventing eviction during the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to grasping a deeper understanding of the causes and implications of housing insecurity. The goal of the research study is to obtain data that shows an accurate assessment of the impact of access to legal and social services in preventing evictions, in addition to gaining a better understanding of the contributing factors and subsequent consequences of housing insecurity in Chattanooga.
The Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project was initiated as a response to the increasing number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Chattanooga area in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of this project is to provide access to basic necessities and local resources to individuals experiencing homelessness through a dignified, relationship-centered approach. The goal of this project is to ensure individuals experiencing homelessness are able to access the basic necessities and resources they need, to gain deeper insight into the many factors and implications of housing instability, and to utilize the understanding gained from ongoing outreach work with individuals experiencing homelessness to inform effective practice assessments and interventions within the homeless community.
Theoretical Foundations
Each effort of this project incorporates the social work guiding guiding principle of person-in-environment. The social services aspect of the Eviction Prevention Initiative, the qualitative research study, and the Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project each seek to gain a deeper understanding of housing instability through close examination of the social, mental, and personal struggles of those experiencing it, taking into account environmental factors such as background, family relationships, social situation, education, income, race, and other circumstances that impact an individual’s well-being. Systems Theory serves as a theoretical foundation for this special project as each intervention approach takes into consideration the coordinated responses to housing instability, with the Eviction Prevention Initiative and Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project offering an innovative approach that recognizes each intersecting system. Another theoretical perspective for each intervention of this special project is The Spectrum of Community Engagement, a framework utilized to strengthen and transform local democracy through various levels of community engagement.
Intervention Tools & Implementation
The Eviction Prevention Initiative provided an innovative approach to housing instability faced by tenants in Chattanooga. This approach incorporated giving access to free legal representation and social services to individuals and families facing eviction. Upon its implementation and the recognition of the significant difference it made when individuals and families were given access to both legal and social services, an advocacy component was introduced to push for the implementation of a concrete program. I joined local attorneys and policy advocates serving on the EPI to form an advocacy proposal, sharing data I’d collected and knowledge gained through my close work with individuals and families facing eviction in the community.
We began collecting data for the qualitative research study in September following IRB approval. The study consisted of a 20-40 minute interview, either in person or over the phone, with EPI participants and court watchers to assess the impact and effectiveness of the Eviction Prevention Initiative. Implementation of the qualitative research study gave us the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in preventing evictions and combatting housing insecurity. We included a demographics form for participants to complete and an Informed Consent Form that aligned with IRB standards and ensured participants understood the purpose of the study and felt safe when sharing. We carefully crafted the interview guide with open-ended questions that gave participants the opportunity to share their housing experiences in Chattanooga and their perception of the program.
I started the Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project in November of 2020 as an extension of my work with individuals experiencing housing insecurity. I knew the homeless population in Chattanooga was growing and that resources were scarce. Additionally, this community is often stigmatized and unable to access basic necessities. In response to this recognition, my intervention approach entails visiting one of the largest homeless encampments in the city each week. I strive to establish a positive rapport with individuals experiencing homelessness through an approach that reflects the dignity and worth of each person. I am very intentional to not make them feel inferior, to respect their privacy and space, and to not ask invasive questions. I mostly listen, and ask them what supplies they currently need most. I deliver the supplies in person and consistently check in with each of them. Through providing basic necessities and a sense of stability (showing up at the same time and day each week), coupled with a relationship-oriented approach, I have been able to effectively intervene, connect them with community resources if needed, and advocate on their behalf.
Results & Conclusions
To date, the Eviction Prevention Initiative has served over 300 families in the Chattanooga area. Of the 12 families I served while on the program, five were able to remain housed after receiving an eviction notice and five were able to attain stable housing after being evicted. The EPI initiative and advocacy efforts caught the attention of the new mayor-elect, Tim Kelley, and he appointed Emily O’Donnell, the attorney who spearheaded the EPI, as city attorney and agreed to implement the EPI as a concrete program in Chattanooga. Although the logistics of this implementation are still in the works, this was a great win for us and for all the individuals and families in Chattanooga. As one of two social workers on the EPI, I played an active role in program development, particularly regarding the social services aspect. I crafted my own intake form that I utilized during initial intake with clients, as well as a weekly check-in guide that proved to be a vital tool when conducting client check ins each week. Upon completion of my practicum hours, I wrote a Social Work Processes document to include in the budget proposal for the EPI program. This document included the defined role of a social worker with the EPI and a general overview of the job duties. I also included an extensive Resource List to be utilized by the EPI that incorporated the resources I utilized and found most effective during my time serving on the project.
Note: The above photo was sent to me by a client after she signed the lease. She and her children were evicted in June of 2020 and living in an overcrowded family home for ten months before we secured an apartment for her in April 2021.
Although the research study is still ongoing, we have gathered significant data thus far that points to the effectiveness of an innovative program that provides access to legal and social services to individuals and families facing eviction. Our research also highlights the causes and implications of housing instability, and has provided great insight to the EPI team as the project transitions from a pilot project to a concrete program. The most recent research update sent to our grant funders for the research study can be viewed here.
Since beginning Friends Helping Friends, we have garnered support through local private donors to continue purchasing supplies for our friends experiencing homelessness. The non-profit charter for Friends Helping Friends was completed in February of 2021, and to date we have received over $2,500 in private donations. We also have an Amazon Wish List that individuals continue to purchase supplies from and send our way to support our efforts. We have been able to reach and assist some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community, and strive to extend our work and grow our influence through addressing the causes and implications of homelessness, de-stigmatizing the perception of individuals experiencing homelessness, and advocating for housing instability at the local, state, and federal levels.
Note: the above photo was taken (with permission) of a friend at the homeless camps and her impressive handmade stairwell.
Limitations
A primary limitation of the Eviction Prevention Initiative was that it was a grant-funded pilot project, which limited the number of attorneys, policy advocates, researchers, and social workers able to work with the project; this significantly limited the client capacity for the attorneys and social workers, despite the growing number of families who needed assistance. This limitation also limited the amount of time the researchers and policy advocates were able to devote to the project. Additionally, as a non-profit pilot initiative, our policies, protocols, and procedures were continually developing and evolving. A significant aspect of the project we realized could’ve been conducted more efficiently involved creating a criteria for clients receiving discretionary funds. Discretionary funds were project funds distributed to assist clients with payments to landlords and/or property managers for overdue rent and to assist clients with relocation assistance. The criteria we developed to determine if a client was eligible can be viewed here. One notable unexpected outcome was the number of evictions able to be prevented and the number of families successfully relocated to stable housing, which I believe contributed to the new mayor-elect’s support of the implementation of a concrete program.
A limitation of the qualitative research study was the small number of EPI clients who agreed to participate. Initially, we also hoped to include the perspectives of local landlords in the study, but we were unable to find any landlords willing to participate. As the research continues, we hope to increase the number of EPI client participants and seek out local landlords willing to be interviewed, as this will significantly strengthen the data of the study.
Shortly after beginning the Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project, my friends at the camps shared of the many other homeless encampments in the surrounding area. This opened my eyes to how great the need in our community truly was, and also the scarcity of effective interventions and resource linkage. Because we are still a very small outreach project with only a handful of volunteers and private donors, we unfortunately do not have the financial resources to provide necessities to more than one camp at this time. Additionally, we are unable to provide other direct services to individuals experiencing homelessness, such as housing relocation assistance and specific community program referrals. It is my hope that as our outreach continues to grow, we are able to reach each of the homeless encampments in the Chattanooga area; provide extensive assessments and implement effective, evidence-based intervention strategies; work alongside local homeless service providers to increase access to community resources and program referrals; and continue to establish a strong rapport with individuals experiencing homelessness across the city and with local city officials so that we are able to strengthen the effectiveness of our advocacy efforts and intervention strategies.
Competencies
Competency 1: Ethics and Professionalism
I consistently demonstrated ethical and professional behavior through oral, written, and electronic communication with colleagues, with clients, with local city officials, with community members, and with research participants. I received ongoing supervision and consultation from my field instructor throughout this project and maintained a commitment to continuing education through continually educating myself on the vast complexity of housing instability.
Competency 2: Diversity
Serving on the Eviction Prevention Initiative, I was given the opportunity to engage diversity and difference in practice through the diverse representation of clients I served. Through the EPI, the qualitative research study, and the Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project, I am continually able to recognize the disproportionate representation of minority individuals experiencing housing insecurity, and the subtle forms of discrimination they are exposed to within the community. I have been able to share the knowledge gained from my ongoing work with individuals experiencing housing instability with my colleagues on the EPI and with local city officials, and have been able to utilize the factor of discrimination as a policy lever for the establishment of the EPI has a concrete program. Additionally, throughout this project, I was able to recognize my own personal biases and practice self-reflection strategies discussed with my field instructor to address this.
Competency 3: Human Rights:
Throughout this project, I’m continually gaining greater insight into the many contributing factors and consequences of housing insecurity. This knowledge, coupled with the data collected thus far from the research study, continues to inform my advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels for policy implementation that addresses and prevents housing instability, with the underlying principle that access to decent, stable, affordable housing is a fundamental human right.
Competency 4: Research
The qualitative research study is assessing the impact of access to legal and social services in preventing evictions, in addition to the causes and implications pertaining to housing instability, and will also include implications for social work practice pertaining to housing insecurity. Speaking with each tenant and analyzing the data has given me the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of my own practice, and also of the EPI. I look forward to continuing to work on and expand this study to increase the number of participants, as doing so will increase our chances of becoming published and utilizing the data obtained to inform local and state policy.
Competency 5: Policy Practice
I have engaged in policy practice through advocating on behalf of the EPI clients I served, and the individuals experiencing homelessness I continue to serve, with local city officials, agency personnel, and EPI colleagues. I have utilized the knowledge gained from my extensive work with individuals experiencing housing insecurity, as well as data obtained from the research study, to contribute to the development of potential policy solutions to be implemented at the local level, including the implementation of the EPI as a concrete program. I have accepted that learning and integrating effective advocacy practices is an ongoing, evolving progress. However, the efforts presented within this project have taught me that effective engagement and the importance of human relationships are two key values within this competency.
Competency 6: Engagement
This project has given me the opportunity to strengthen my skill set regarding effective engagement at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. I have continually maintained effective engagement with local and city officials, EPP colleagues, agency personnel, and, arguably most importantly, the individuals I have served and those I continue to serve. I have integrated evidence-based strategies to do so, including utilization of the spectrum of community engagement framework, systems theory framework, and incorporating skills such as initiating empathy, active listening, and cultural competency. This has allowed me to strengthen my advocacy skill set while maintaining a positive, trusting rapport with both clients and constituencies, and to advocate effectively on behalf of the marginalized populations I serve.
Competency 7: Assessment
The data collected from research participants on the qualitative research study is continually utilized to assess the effectiveness of access to local and social services in preventing evictions and to assess the implications of housing insecurity. Data collected from this study has also been utilized to strengthen the significance of the EPI as the EPI transitions from a pilot project to a concrete program. Additionally, through my work with community members experiencing housing instability and chronic homelessness, I’ve learned how to effectively assess individuals within this population to address the each person’s presenting needs and concerns, as well as establish goals collaboratively and determine the most effective intervention strategies to implement.
Competency 8: Intervention
Data collected from the research study will be utilized to intervene at the state and local level through informing policy proposals that seek to ensure that every individual and family in Tennessee has access to decent, affordable housing. Upon its implementation as a concrete program, the EPI will be able to continue to fill one of the many service gaps pertaining to housing instability through providing access to free legal and social services to individuals and families facing eviction. Friends Helping Friends continues to serve as a community intervention for individuals experiencing homelessness through providing them with basic necessities and human connection weekly.
Competency 9: Evaluation
The research study continues to serve as a vital tool in evaluating the effectiveness of practice outcomes with the Eviction Prevention Initiative. Through conducting the qualitative research study and interviewing tenants, several of which I served, I was able to determine the impact and effectiveness of the EPI, as well as the the impact and effectiveness of having access to social services within the scope of housing insecurity. Data I’ve continued to collect and analyze from each of these practices has informed my approach with the Friends Helping Friends Outreach Project, in addition to informing the social service processes proposal I created for the EPI, which I believe will prove effective once the EPI is officially implemented as a concrete program.