LIVE
·
2020 Grants Challenge

ONEgeneration Shared Housing Project

ONEgeneration’s Shared Housing project expands critical current housing support efforts aimed at reducing the number of people facing housing insecurity by matching older adults with intergenerational groups and individuals who are seeking companionship, independence, support and affordability. In addition to helping reduce the effects of isolation and loneliness, the Shared Housing project will reduce incidences of homelessness and will include a detailed matching process and ongoing case management to address related obstacles.

Donate

In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?

San Fernando Valley

In what stage of innovation is this project?

Expand existing program

Please list the organizations collaborating on this proposal.

LA Family Housing

California State University Northridge

Pierce College

If you are submitting a collaborative proposal, please describe the specific role of partner organizations in the project.

ONEgeneration will partner with LA Family Housing, CSUN, and Pierce College to support and implement this intergenerational Shared Housing project. All partnering organizations will be a referral source for younger adults and older adults in need of affordable housing, including shared housing. An internal database of currently available shared housing matching requests will be provided to all program partner organizations, with ongoing communication and follow up between ONEgeneration staff and the community partners to ensure the success of matching and sustaining a shared housing pairing for sufficient length of time.

What is the need you’re responding to?

Los Angeles faces a national leading and surging housing crisis, with dire consequences for a large segment of residents. Critical resources are needed to address and support those facing housing insecurities, and remains a top priority for communities and stakeholders. ONEgeneration recognizes a vital need to provide homeless prevention interventions for those most vulnerable, and expanded our social services in 2018 to include a Housing Navigator, offering on-site assistance in accessing affordable housing options. As the housing crisis grew, ONEgeneration in partnership with LA Family Housing established a coalition of aging providers to collaborate and serve those in need of affordable housing. Our Shared Housing project seeks to expand its efforts in addressing housing insecurity among San Fernando Valley residents through the development and implementation of intergenerational shared housing opportunities incorporating effective and meaningful approaches.

Why is this project important to the work of your organization?​

Committed to promoting healthy aging communities, ONEgeneration is a trusted, venerable multi-service provider caring for over 5,000 individuals each year in the San Fernando Valley for over 42 years. We are uniquely focused and are a vanguard in building intergenerational communities, programs, care, and services, a more elegant model which bridges generational, gender, race, and socio-economic gaps. Recognized as a Program of Distinction from Generations United and the sole active National Accreditation Council on Aging (NCOA) center in California, we lead with program excellence and high standards of service that help those most vulnerable, including essential affordable housing resources. With broad and deep expertise, ONEgeneration leverages critical collaborations when innovating and expanding comprehensive and progressive service models that address safety net needs. With the support of over 100 community partnerships, we succeed in meeting the high needs of the city.

Approximately how many people will be impacted by this proposal?​

Direct Impact: 250

Indirect Impact: 750

Please describe the broader impact of your proposal.

In the County of Los Angeles, over 50% of renters are cost-burdened, spending ½ of their income on housing alone. The ever stressful rising cost of housing and the lack of affordable units continue to exacerbate the number of individuals at the tipping point of homelessness. Shared Housing maximizes resources and reduces individuals facing housing insecurity, supporting the overall well-being of communities and all age groups including older adults. Existing models have been effectively utilized by older adults, veterans, and young adults. Research strongly validates that shared housing improves living circumstances for those living in poverty through decreased rent burden, lessened isolation, and heightened sense of safety.

Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.

ONEgeneration Shared Housing project will define success through:

1. Effective assessment and safe matching of clients for sharing housing.

2. Obtain sustainability of shared housing matches, increasing the length of time in a stable living environment for both older adults and college-age students.

3. Be a San Fernando Valley, City of Los Angeles based Shared Housing resource provider

ONEgeneration will measure and track success by:

1. Successfully implementing outreach methods to identify older adults and students facing housing insecurity.

2. Utilizing community partners including LA Family Housing, Pierce College, and CSUN to refer and enroll eligible clients into the Shared Housing program.

3. Tracking the progress of shared housing matches through monthly reporting, number of intakes completed, and number of successful matches.

4. Providing ongoing Case Management to intervene if any challenges arise or if there is any need to offer additional support services including benefits enrollment, financial support, access to other community services (i.e. transportation, nutrition, etc.).

Overall, ONEgeneration’s vision is to sustain the vital efforts being made County wide to reduce housing insecurities through the implementation of an intergenerational shared housing model. Similar programs that have proven to be effective and are already widely adopted across the country and state. ONEgeneration hopes to replicate similar effective model to help members of Los Angeles city.

Which of the LIVE metrics will your submission impact?​

Housing affordability

Resilient communities

Older adult well-being

Are there any other LA2050 goal categories that your proposal will impact?​

LA is the healthiest place to CONNECT

Which of LA2050’s resources will be of the most value to you?​

Access to the LA2050 community

Communications support

Strategy assistance and implementation