Entries by Cayce Jamil

Reflections on the 2020 Point-in-Time Count: What I learned from Seven Days of Surveying

This week’s blog post offers a perspective from Elyse Hamilton-Childres, Prevention and Intervention Services Director with Mecklenburg County Community Support Services. Elyse has been working in the field of intimate partner violence since 2010. This year marked my first time participating in the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count.  I wanted to get involved for a number of reasons:  1) The domestic violence and homelessness fields have become more integrated and aligned.  As a person who works with those involved in domestic violence, it is crucial that I understand the experience of homelessness more broadly.  2) I am a more effective leader when I take time to engage with people who may receive services from the programs I oversee.  Data and research inform my work but cannot replace the value of lived experience and a human voice.  3) I believe in the power of authentic human interaction.  I cannot end homelessness today; however, I can sit down with our homeless neighbors, shake their hands, hear their stories, and see them – really see them, and honor their dignity and worth.  Participating in the PIT Count over seven days at three different locations was extraordinary. This blog post covers a few of my insights and takeaways and how it can inform the work in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

CoC Governance Charter & Update

Since August 2019, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services (CSS) has led a broad community engagement process.  The goal of this work is to develop a new Continuum of Care (CoC) Governance Charter. The CoC Governance Charter identifies the purpose, responsibilities and oversight of the CoC. The CoC is responsible for, among other things, operations (holding regular meetings and adopting a written board selection process); designating a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS); planning; and preparing an application for funding. This blog post provides an update on this important work, and what it means for the community.

CoC Governance Charter & Update

Since August 2019, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services (CSS) has led a broad community engagement process.  The goal of this work is to develop a new Continuum of Care (CoC) Governance Charter. The CoC Governance Charter identifies the purpose, responsibilities and oversight of the CoC. The CoC is responsible for, among other things, operations (holding regular meetings and adopting a written board selection process); designating a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS); planning; and preparing an application for funding. This blog post provides an update on this important work, and what it means for the community.

October 2019 Housing Data Snapshot Update

Community Support Services partners with homeless service agencies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to enter, collect, analyze and report data on housing and homelessness in the community. This June blog post describes the release of a new Housing Data Snapshot page, which provides regular reporting on three critical data points: the One Number, “By-Name” List Movement, and Coordinated Entry. The newest data has been added to the Housing Data Snapshot. This blog post highlights the latest changes and provides an in-depth analysis to describe what these changes mean for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Built for Zero in Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Charlotte-Mecklenburg is one of more than 70 communities participating in the Built for Zero movement. Built for Zero communities seek to change how local systems work to achieve greater impact. Built for Zero seeks to unite entities around a commitment to measurably ending homelessness while incorporating real-time, by-name data. More than half of the Built for Zero communities have achieved reductions in the number of people experiencing chronic and veteran homelessness. And, of those 11 communities have proven they can end veteran or chronic homelessness altogether. This blog post focuses on the key messages part of the Built for Zero movement and what it means for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

The Housing & Homelessness Ecosystem

Mecklenburg County Community Support Services (CSS), in partnership with UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, releases today (September 12, via the Dashboard) the Housing & Homelessness Ecosystem of community providers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The Ecosystem is one part of a multi-step process in creating a culture of continuous improvement. To read more about why an Ecosystem matters for Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and about how definitions are organized, check out the last two blog posts on the Building Bridges Blog. This week’s blog post highlights the main components of the Ecosystem and suggests ways to use the information. The Ecosystem is not a static document; rather it is a dynamic site contained within the Dashboard that will be updated annually.

Defining the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Ecosystem

Mecklenburg County Community Support Services (CSS) in partnership with UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, is producing the Housing & Homelessness Ecosystem of community providers as a first step in what is envisioned as creating a culture of continuous improvement. Last week’s Building Bridges blog post discusses why an Ecosystem matters for Charlotte-Mecklenburg. This week’s blog post provides more detail about the information contained on the Ecosystem, which will be released on the Dashboard in September.

August 2019 Housing Data Snapshot Update

Community Support Services partners with homeless service agencies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to enter, collect, analyze and report data on housing and homelessness in the community. This June blog post describes the release of a new Housing Data Snapshot page, which provides regular reporting on three critical data points: the One Number, “By-Name” List Movement, and Coordinated Entry. This blog provides the newest data update from the Housing Data Snapshot, highlights changes, and provides in-depth analysis to describe what these changes mean for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Getting Involved with the CoC Governance Process

On August 14, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services hosted a Continuum of Care (CoC) Governance Kick-Off Meeting.  This event shared important updates to the local CoC Governance process and provided opportunities for individuals and organizations to get involved in the establishment of a new CoC Governance Charter for the community. Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte are partnering to shift the management of the Continuum of Care (CoC) from the City to the County.  This change is being made as part of a comprehensive response to the community need for permanent, affordable housing. (To read more about the transition process, read last week’s blog post.) This blog post provides a recap of the Kick-Off Event and highlights ways to get involved in the CoC Governance process.