The Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) is a Wyoming strategic plan to partner with communities to create housing options for people with mental illness and co-occurring disorders in Wyoming. The initiative was implemented in December 2009. Its mission is to partner with local communities, assertively and strategically, to educate, inform, and expand quality, safe, affordable and permanent housing options for people with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
Resources
Not in my Backyard (NIMBY) ppt presentation
Affordable Housing Newsletter - Dec. 2010
WCDA Affordable Housing Directory
NAMI Wyoming Home Page
NAMI Wyoming Creating Homes Program Information and Application
Strategy
The CHI strategy is surprisingly simple yet innovative in its approach. Rather than a top-down, state-led campaign, the initiative engages local partners in every aspect of developing affordable housing for persons with mental illness and co-occurring disorders in their communities. Each cooperating individual, agency and organization is asked to:
· Aggressively seek out and collaborate with potential funding entities to leverage and funnel housing funds to local communities;
· Identify and recommend financing strategies and grants that will provide support for the development of permanent housing options;
· Collaborate with the local CHI task forces to increase the availability of and access to housing;
· Coordinate with other public agencies and the private sector to stimulate the preservation, development, and enhancement of housing options;
· Direct new resources and develop plans, as funds become available, to increase housing options;
· Uphold the quality of the current housing utilized for those persons diagnosed with mental illness.
Roles
The Creating Homes Facilitator has the responsibility of assisting organizations throughout their housing projects by helping to develop housing proposals, assess feasibility, research and seek out funding, and assist organizations to apply for and obtain needed funding. The Creating Homes Facilitator is available to seek out and research diverse funding and provide organizations with this information to save them time and money. The Creating Homes Facilitator will provide the organization the assistance needed to see the project from the proposal stage to the completion of the project.
As an applicant, the organization agrees and acknowledges their role and responsibilities in the project. The organization must have the capacity needed to make the project feasible. This includes the capital, staff, and resources needed for the project. As the lead on the project, the organization agrees to work closely with the Creating Homes Facilitator and provide whatever resources are available and needed for the benefit of the project.
Role of the Creating Homes Facilitator
It is the responsibility of the Creating Homes Facilitator to:
· Help organizations develop a good, feasible housing project.
· Research and identify funding sources that can be utilized.
· Provide technical assistance for applying for monetary assistance – help completing federal, state, and local applications, writing grants, etc.
· Provide assistance with finding and hiring project managers, construction companies, and other essential personnel on the housing project.
· Provide assistance from the proposal to the completion of the housing project.
Role of the Proposing Organization
It is the responsibility of the proposing organization to:
· Stay in contact with the Creating Homes Facilitator throughout the entire project and share all information essential to the housing project.
· Provide staff who are willing to work closely with the Creating Homes Facilitator.
· Provide staff who are enthusiastic about the project and willing to complete funding applications and gather all necessary information needed for these applications.
· Be the lead on the project.
For more information concerning CHI, please contact:
Haley Powis
Creating Homes Facilitator
Po Box 20526
Cheyenne, WY 82003
hpowis@nami.org
307-286-2529.