A cultural change in the way we view our programs occurred in 2015. Although we have always focused upon the outcome we provide for our clients, those outcome-generated results received more attention in 2015. To emphasize this, we made the decision to change the name of our Representative Payee Program to Housing Stability and to undergo a conceptual change of the entire organization. Although a complete re-branding was not accomplished in 2015, we fully expect that we will be re-branded in 2016 and that will promote an even greater focus on outcome results.

Our Housing Stability unit continued to grow at 10% with the development of pockets of opportunity throughout the state. Recognized as the most valued program of its type in the state, several partners in mental healthcare found having a counselor responsible for the financial control enhanced the value of the mental health care plan. In addition, our clients who are housed are staying in the homes for longer periods of time and using emergency rooms and jails far less frequently. “Housing First” is a concept that the agency can verify with results and now will advocate for the cities of Charleston and North Charleston to adopt a Housing First Plan in 2016.

Our core expertise of being able to manage our financial system with extraordinary success enabled the agency to continue to be the beneficiary of the three permanent supportive housing programs through HUD, to be included in the disbursements for Emergency Solutions Grant from the Office of Economic Opportunity, and to be the recipient of numerous other grants from the federal government and foundations. For 2015, we also received an unqualified outside audit for the 13th consecutive year.

Recognizing that the sustainable homeownership program funded by NeighborWorks America had great value, our housing area implemented programs which increased our business in real estate sales and in the rehabilitation and resale program as well as funneled potential homeowners through the successful first time homebuyers program.  This, combined with financial education workshops, provided the agency with the ability to put more people in homes than we have in the past five years. The department adopted the Salesforce software which will enable counselors to track clients more professionally with less administrative requirements. 

The base of our ability to serve clients comes from two sources: our very dedicated employees and our wonderful community partners. We express our appreciation in no particular order to One80 Place, Trident United Way, Goodwill Industries, the City of Charleston, Scott and Stringfellow, Residential Mortgage, SunTrust Bank, Synovus/NBSC, Bank of America, and NeighborWorks America. Without their support and guidance, our mission and vision would not be reachable.