Bill Overview
Title: Flexibility in Addressing Rural Homelessness Act of 2022
Description: This bill allows grants awarded under the ongoing Continuum of Care program to include grants for projects in rural areas for short-term emergency lodging; repairs to unfit housing for homeless individuals; and staff training, development, and retention.
Sponsors: Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3]
Target Audience
Population: People experiencing homelessness in rural areas
Estimated Size: 2500000
- The bill specifically targets homeless individuals in rural areas, indicating that this population will be directly impacted.
- The Continuum of Care program is a federal initiative aimed at assisting homeless individuals, so the program's beneficiaries will overlap with the target population of this bill.
- Rural areas often lack extensive infrastructure for homeless support, suggesting a focus on individuals in remote, less urbanized locales.
- Projects under this bill might include emergency lodging and housing repairs, indicating benefits for those experiencing unstable housing or homelessness.
- The staff involved in support services for homelessness in rural areas (such as social workers and community support staff) may also experience impacts through training, development, and retention initiatives outlined in the bill.
Reasoning
- Considering the target population, benefits related to short-term emergency lodging and repairs of facilities can be a significant help for homeless individuals in isolated rural areas.
- The budget constraints will limit the number of people who can be directly assisted, leading to a focus on those most in need or in regions with slightly more infrastructure to implement such programs efficiently.
- The indirect benefit might extend to those working in related services who receive training and development, which might not only improve service delivery but also provide better job stability and satisfaction for staff.
- While the policy budget is spread over ten years, the immediate one-year budget is modest, allowing for potentially impactful projects but only in a select number of locations.
- The variation in impact across individuals will depend on their current situation and intervention by the program—meaning those already engaged with local services might see earlier and more direct benefits.
- Given geographic isolation and transportation challenges in rural areas, the immediate impacts might be skewed towards individuals currently near potential program sites.
Simulated Interviews
Unemployed (Appalachia, West Virginia)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could mean better access to emergency shelters during harsh weather.
- Repairs to housing could open up more options for stable living situations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Seasonal farmworker (Midwest farming areas)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If housing is repaired and more available, I could save on traveling back and forth for work.
- Staff training is not something I directly care about, but good if it helps people in my situation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Student (Outskirts of a small Colorado town)
Age: 21 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A program for emergency lodging could relieve a lot of daily stress.
- Repairs might not benefit me unless related to vehicle accommodations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Retired (Southern ranch lands, Texas)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 2
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Repairs to the housing infrastructure would be helpful.
- Training allows social workers to associate me with solutions directly, knowing local resources better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 1 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 1 |
Fisherman (Remote Alaskan village)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Secure housing could lead to better seasonal work opportunities.
- Minimal intervention opportunities due to remoteness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 2 |
Social worker (Central Kansas)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Training and development opportunities are excellent ecosystems builders.
- Wider grants mean broader scope-ability to provide relevant solutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Part-time mechanic (Small-town Maine)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The opportunity for stable shelters for homelessness like myself means I might get back to full-time work.
- This directly targets us, which is beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 1 |
Unemployed (Swamps of Louisiana)
Age: 18 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 2
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Repairs and emergency support could grant temporary stability and breathing room.
- Not sure if implementation would reach my location.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 1 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 1 |
Retired teacher (Native American reservation)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The institute of housing on the reservation would be amazing due to poor housing conditions.
- Support for social workers could enhance the connection and support for community programs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 1 |
Ranch hand (Rural Nevada)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Repairs and support mean having a decent place to call home.
- It could mean less stress worrying about where to sleep.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 1 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 1 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $3000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $4000000)
Year 2: $3100000 (Low: $2100000, High: $4100000)
Year 3: $3200000 (Low: $2200000, High: $4200000)
Year 5: $3300000 (Low: $2300000, High: $4300000)
Year 10: $3500000 (Low: $2500000, High: $4500000)
Year 100: $4000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $5000000)
Key Considerations
- Rural homelessness traditionally faces unique challenges, such as limited access to shelter and support services. The bill addresses some of these issues by allowing funds for emergency lodging and housing repairs.
- Implementation efficiency depends on existing infrastructure and service readiness in target areas. Some areas might require more investment initially to create viable support systems.
- The effectiveness of staff training and retention efforts will determine the impact of this bill on service quality. Long-term success may depend on the effectiveness of these human resource initiatives.