Homelessness is one of the most complex challenges communities face, and addressing it well requires more than resources. It takes coordination across agencies, data systems that actually work in the field, and a clear plan for turning numbers into action. Urspera Advisory brings deep, hands-on experience supporting Continua of Care, youth-focused initiatives, and Point-in-Time Counts from California to West Virginia. We know the federal frameworks, the local pressures, and the gap between the two. Our goal is to help your community close it.
Youth Homelessness
Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP)
Our experience with YHDP encompasses data gathering and analysis, youth engagement, and assistance with writing the grant application. For communities awarded YHDP funding, we have supported them in writing their Coordinated Community Plan and providing guidance on determination of system needs to identify where funding would help the most.
Youth System Coordination
Related to YHDP, but standing on its own is our work with System Coordination to address Youth Homelessness. At Urspera, we have coordinated care between school districts, youth providers, foster care, and other community partners in order to leverage existing resources and implement frameworks that focus on communication between agencies. Our work in Kansas City successfully brought together people and organizations that rarely if ever worked together – resulting in a coordinated system that let fewer Transitional-Aged Youth fall through the cracks.
Point-in-Time (PIT) Count
Community Planning
Our experience in providing guidance and expertise with PIT Counts ranges from educating communities on the necessity of the Count to leading PIT committees as they plan for all aspects of the Count. We’ve supported Continua of Care across the country – from Santa Clara, CA to West Virginia. Some of what we provide includes:
- Survey construction & methodology planning
- Creating buy-in from the community at large
- Soliciting, coordinating, and distributing incentives for the Count
- Recruiting volunteers & paid staff
- Identification of hot zones and areas that need considerable resources
- Post-Count planning, including targeted outreach, outreach events, and encampment resolution.
No two CoCs are the same, though many share similar struggles. At Urspera Advisory we’re prepared to create custom plans that incorporate your specific community needs to conduct a successful Count.
Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP)
While some CoCs are able to conduct PIT Counts solely with their outreach resources, many rely on volunteers in order to truly count everyone. Often there are volunteers who have previous count experience. However, we often find that each year there is a new crop of volunteers who have great intentions but need training on how to conduct a safe and successful count. Our training includes:
- An overview of, and purpose behind the PIT
- Safety training for the people counting
- Examples of how to interview people experiencing homelessness (PEH) using a trauma-informed approach
- Specific community needs during the count
If you are interested in collaborating on training for this year’s Count, don’t hesitate to contact us now.
Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP)
Here at Urspera, we know the PIT Count can be problematic in terms of reflecting the true state of homelessness in your community. However, it does offer an accessible means of comparing year-to-year data longitudinally that can provide insights into community needs in a way that many other data collection methods cannot. Once you have your numbers submitted to HUD, we can take that data and make it into actionable insights through data analysis and the authoring of formal PIT reports. You can see an example of our reports here.