Department of Human Services

The BEACH Project Update

The Beginning of the End:  Abolishing Chronic Homelessness

December 1, 2013 | 2 min reading time

This article is 11 years old. It was published on December 1, 2013.

The City of St. Louis is on the cusp of being the first City to end chronic homelessness.  In 2005, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County jointly adopted a Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.  The City of St. Louis started devising innovative approaches to housing and services. As a final effort to end chronic homelessness, the City of St. Louis launched a new initiative, The BEACH Project (Beginning of the End:Abolishing Chronic Homelessness). The BEACH Project is an 18-month rapid re-housing initiative that will result in stable housing and wrap-around services being available to every chronically homeless person identified in the City of St. Louis during the January 30, 2013 homeless census.* It is a collaborative effort with 26 national, state, and local partner agencies. As of October 11, 2013, except for those who declined services, approximately 92% have been permanently housed through The BEACH Project.  Case Managers and Social Workers are currently assisting clients with accessing employment, benefits, health care and financial education.

 

Status

Number of Clients

Total (Households)

150

Total (Clients)

178

Housed (Active Clients)

114 (92% of Active Clients)**

Looking for Housing (Active Clients)

10 (8% of Active Clients)**

Unable to House (Inactive Clients)

54

*138 people were identified as chronically homeless during the January 2013 census.

Additionally, 40 people living at a homeless encampment were added to The BEACH Project.

**124 participants actively take part in ongoing services and programs along with the housing assistance

Build a Bear BEACH Bears  Arch City Def Humamitri
The photos illustrate the collaboration:  Arch City Defenders assist Humanitri with food pick up from the St. Louis Area Foodbank,  A family from Gateway 180 with a BEACH Bear from Build-A-Bear ®.

Department of Human Services
City of St. Louis