Connecting the Dots Housing Instability Homelessness and the

Connecting the Dots: Housing Instability, Homelessness and the Energy Affordability Gap

The Elephant in the Room

Dueling Definitions of Homelessness HUD – Housing Definition • People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided • People at imminent risk for losing their housing within the next 14 days • People fleeing domestic violence Mc. Kinney-Vento – Educational Definition • Children and youths who “lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” • This includes children and youths who due to loss of housing or economic hardship are living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, camping grounds, another person’s housing, emergency or transitional shelters or any place not meant for human habitation (such as cars, public spaces, or abandoned buildings). Impacts program eligibility Presents opportunity to understand larger scope of housing instability in MI

Michigan Struggles with Housing Instability and Homelessness More than 36, 000 homeless children in Michigan’s schools 6 th largest number of homeless students in the U. S. 10 th largest number of students and population overall

Economic Drivers of Homelessness What we usually talk about Energy Affordability Gap • “Affordable” energy bill 6% of income • Low-income families pay 20% or more of income on Energy • Avg. shortfall in MI $1, 321 Source: Inside Energy - A collaborative journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Energy Cost Burden for People 50% Below Poverty This reality is even worse for the lowest income families High 47% of income in Lake County Low of 30% of income in Wayne County What is being done in areas with lower cost burden? Source: Inside Energy - A collaborative journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : http: //insideenergy. org/2016/05/08/high-utility-costs-force-hard-decisions-for-the-poor/

How Can Homelessness Data Help Inform Energy Policy? Many of the same communities struggle with energy cost burden and homelessness Shows the extent of housing instability and homelessness in communities without shelters Improve early identification and connection to services Help communicate why addressing energy cost burden is critical

Increasing Understanding of the Impact of Homelessness Chronic Absenteeism by Housing Status, Michigan SY 2016 -17 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Housed Homeless

Impact in High School: Graduation Just over half (55%) of homeless high school students in Michigan graduated in four years. Four-Year Graduation Rate Homeless Students vs. Economically Disadvantaged Students and Statewide Average, Michigan, School Year 2016 -17

Four-Year Graduation Rate Homeless Students vs. All Other Available Subgroups Michigan, School Year 2016 -17

Impact in High School: Dropout One in five homeless students dropped out of high school. Four-Year Dropout Rate Homeless Students vs. Economically Disadvantaged Students and Statewide Average Michigan, School Year 2016 -17

Four-Year Dropout Rate Homeless Students vs. All Other Available Subgroups Michigan, School Year 2016 -17

Lasting Educational Repercussions • Homeless students struggle more than their housed peers • Housing alone does not remove the gap • Only 3 percentage point difference in grade level proficiency (homeless vs. formerly) Citywide 35. 3% Citywide 30. 5%

Highlighting Opportunities for Intervention How data can help us to be Interrupters

Missed Opportunities for Schools, Service Providers

Providing Support and Identifying Opportunities

Opportunities Create local partnerships with schools Opportunities to integrate programs to meet community needs Improve ability to measure program outcomes Create a statewide system for sharing data Improve our ability statewide to identify best practices and gaps in services Learn from examples in other states – RI, NY

poverty. umich. edu Jennifer Erb-Downward, Senior Research Associate jerbdown@umich. edu