Who Is Eligible for Housing Help? Help is available for older teens and young adults ages 17-21. We request that 17 year-olds obtain a parent's permission to participate in the program. Participants are eligible for help if they are facing immediate risk of homeless or are currently homeless. We can help you find and obtain an apartment. We can also sometimes help with emergency assistance for a rental payment or utility bill to prevent you from becoming homeless.
What Can the Program Help With? The Transitional Housing Program is designed to help you transition successfully to independent living. We do this by assessing your readiness for independent living. We look at your strengths as well as areas in which you have more to learn. We work with you to develop a transitional living plan that outlines your goals and those areas you need to work on to successfully live independently. A Case Manager will meet with you on a weekly basis to check-in and provide help if needed.
Evergreen has funds available to help with rental assistance, deposit, and utilities. Generally, Evergreen will commit to paying 100% of a participant's deposit and first month's rent. Following this, Evergreen will pay 75% of the second month's rent, then 50% for the third month and 25% for the fourth month. After Evergreen's assistance ends (generally at the four-month mark), the youth must pay all living expenses on their own. Evergreen's funds are intended to help you get established, and then become self-sufficient in your own apartment.
Where Will I Live? The Transitional Housing Program helps older teens and young adults to find apartments in the community. We can help you pay for apartment application fees and/or credit checks. Participants hold the apartment lease, while the agency works with you and the landlord to arrange payment of security deposits and first month's rent, and ensure that the unit is maintained properly. Evergreen staff can help you find an apartment you can afford and develop a budget so that you are able to pay your rent each month.
How Do I Apply for Housing Help? Contact a housing case manager at the Evergreen Community Services site, 751-8223. You will be invited to complete an application. Applications are reviewed at weekly team meetings each Thursday. A case manager will be assigned and will go through a comprehensive assessment with you to determine areas in which you need help to live independently and those areas that are already strengths for you.
What Are the Program Requirements? The most important requirements are that you meet regularly with your caseworker, obtain a job so that you can continue to live in your apartment once Evergreen's assistance ends, and pursue your educational goals so that you will have the skills you need to live independently and remain employed. Evergreen staff are available to help program participants with employment needs. Please let our staff know if you need help with employment.
Transitional Living Plan: Participants in this program can also receive help with independent living skills, including education and employment. A Housing Case Manager will meet with you to do an “intake” and develop a plan to meet your personal goals. Teens are required to meet with the Housing Case Manager once a week during the time they are receiving help. Your transitional living plan outlines services such as case management, independent living skills training in areas you identify as a need, assistance with completing high school or obtaining a GED, and part- or full-time employment. In addition to providing housing assistance, the Case Manager will help you to identify other basic needs such as food needs, clothing needs, and physical and mental health care. Emergency issues are addressed first and other needs are included in weekly goal meetings. Based on supplies, we may also be able to help participants with some initial apartment set-up items that can include food, furniture and household items. Participants receive high quality referrals for child care assistance, transportation, health care, substance abuse help, education, and more.
How Long Can I Get Housing Help? Program participants generally receive housing financial assistance for up to 4 months at a time. Extensions may be made for youth based on medical conditions or other emergency situations. This 4-month average length of stay is largely due to the demand for services and the limited dollars available to meet housing needs of homeless youth in the area. Our goal is to help you be successful with your transition into independent living, and our staff will provide ongoing support and case management assistance (upon request) even after a participant has completed the program.
What if I Just Need Advice? Youth may request case management services to help them build independent living skills even if they do not require financial assistance through the program.
