Mission and Summary
The Community Housing Program assists and empowers Clark County’s service providers for the homeless. Affiliated with the Emergency Shelter Clearinghouse, the program offers access to a coordinated Supported Housing system for the most vulnerable segment of Clark County’s homeless population – those living on the street or in encampments, those with mental health (MH) and/or co-occurring substance abuse (SA) disorders, and individuals who are re-entering the community from correctional facilities and state hospitals. We have created a centralized means of communication that gives landlords and supportive service providers the capacity to partner and maximize each other’s resources.

How Community Housing Works
Landlord/Property Owner Outreach - We identify and contact landlords and property owners in Clark County who manage or own properties that may have historically been inaccessible to homeless or low-income people with housing barriers. Through meetings and dialogues between those with properties and representatives of agencies with clients with barriers, landlords and property owners are informed of both the business and community benefit of placing people with barriers into sustainable housing.

Housing Information Distribution - Landlords phone in new openings daily to the Community Housing Program. Case managers receive up-to-date information on low-income housing waiting lists, to include general unit availabilities as well as specialized unit availabilities based upon which specific client barriers landlord is willing to accommodate. Case managers are also able to communicate directly at any time with the Community Housing Program Coordinator to address issues related to 'difficult to place' renters. These open lines of communication allow for housing providers to secure tenants, and case managers and prospective tenants to secure housing that adequately accommodates their barriers more efficiently.

Linkages between Landlords and Supportive Service Providers - Landlords and property owners who elect to participate in the program become partners with the social service providers, and are supported by the Housing Partnership Workgroup of the Coalition of Service Providers to the Homeless. By maintaining an ongoing dialogue with landlords and property owners, specific problems or concerns are addressed quickly and professionally. An annual appraisal is also conducted to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the partnership, and to develop improvements in the program for landlords, agencies, case managers and tenants.

Benefits of Participation
Housing Providers - Property owners and property managers decrease vacancies and increase tenant occupancy with individuals and families that are receiving supportive services while in housing and who undergo tenant education programs. Landlords and property managers reduce tenant turnover and evictions.

Service Providers and Case Managers - With clients in stable housing, service providers and case managers are more easily able to locate and communicate with clients, and more effectively deliver services. Stability in housing for their clients reduces client instability and stress, and provides greater opportunity for successful outcomes by clients in provider programs.

Providers and Supported Housing Partners
Housing Providers - Property owners and property managers; property management firms; developers; extended-stay hotels; shared-housing providers; manufactured home providers; faith-based community housing opportunities; single-family homeowners; and, any other individual or organization that is interested in providing a housing opportunity for a household or individual with a barrier to accessing housing.

Supported Housing Partners - Housing case managers (particularly those providing "Housing First" programs); senior citizens' programs; veterans and homeless veterans' programs; children, adolescent, and foster care programs; client-centered case management and treatment services; substance abuse recovery and mental health treatment programs; co-occurring disorders specialists; peer counselors; life-skills counselors; healthcare providers; local school districts; tenant education programs; community safety officers; hospitals; local Housing Authorities; and, any other agency or organization that is capable of providing supported services to people being placed in housing.