CSH is working with Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to support the work of 17 rural counties in six regions to develop 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness, resulting in every county in Oregon having a plan to end homelessness. To condense planning time while involving a broad range of stakeholders across the state, CSH facilitated this work using the our Charrette process, specifically designed to help communities address key issues in ending homelessness at the local level. Similar to a traditional architectural charrette, the CSH Charrette provides a fast-paced but thorough exploration of the critical aspects of developing plans and action steps. CSH Charrettes capitalize on local and external expertise as well as the community organizing principle of engaging stakeholders in a dynamic process.
A Steering Committee, made of up eight participants from across the state, chose six key themes to address; invited participants; recommended local experts; and provided ongoing guidance and participation in the process. The group met regularly for 3 months before convening with a group of nearly 80 stakeholders for the Charrette itself.
The Charrette kicked off on October 11, 2011 with two full days of intense dialogue focused on six issue areas:
• Discharge Planning
• Keys to Housing
• Systems of Care
• Performance Measures/Political Will
• Housing Opportunities
• Emergency Response
Within seven working days, CSH along with OHCS staff completed a final Framework that included 57 actionable recommendations along with 23 implementation strategies for the State and localities that. CSH Project Lead, Heather Lyons and Steering Committee member Marci McMurphy, Community Action Program of East Central Oregon (CAPECO) presented the final document that to the Ending Homelessness Advisory Committee (EHAC) for final advice and approval. EHAC approved the strategic plan for the rural counties and is in the process of implementing the recommendations with local partners.
