Part of Step Up’s CGI Commitment to Action “Sustainably Ending Homelessness in Hollywood” is to report on progress to date. As I started to write the CGI Progress Report today, my first and foremost thought was to recognize the work of cross-sector local champions, and the momentum sparked by the releasing of Opening Doors, the federal plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness in the United States. Because of everyone’s work, and also the work of those upon whose sholders we all stand, Step Up has acquired, and is developing, three permanent supportive housing projects in Hollywood, with total commitments to date of $26.5 million. The first project, Step Up on Vine, has broken ground and the renovation of this formerly blighted property is underway. It will yield 34 units of permanent supportive housing in Hollywood by 12/30/12. Shangri La Construction, another CGI member and one of Step Up’s partners, is completing this construction. Eight units are designated for transitional aged youth (TAY), the rest for adults, all chronically homeless. The project will be LEED-certified. The second project is Michael’s Village and is a motel that Step Up acquired about a year ago. A portion of the motel has been renovated and is now home to seven formerly chronically homeless individuals who are affected by mental illness. Step Up is currently working on raising the additional $1.03 million needed to start the renovation on the rest of the property. Six of these units are also designated for chronically homeless TAY and the rest of the units are for chronically homeless adults. When the project is completed, it will yield 32 units of permanent supportive housing in Hollywood. A third project, The Tammy, is an apartment building that Step Up acquired late 2011 and has 10 units of permanent supportive housing. Tenants are expected to move in by 5/30/12. In addition to home units underway and individuals housed are the activities of Step Up’s Street Outreach teams actively in place in Hollywood. Step Up’s street teams have engaged and enrolled 38 chronically homeless individuals affected by mental illness. With respect and dignity, Step Up’s Street Outreach teams develop a trusting relationship with the individual and soon are able offer the variety of intensive contacts they may need. Another important milestone in “Step Up on Second: Sustainably Ending Homelessness” commitment is the creation of strategic partnerships with like-minded community partners from the nonprofit sector, public and private sectors, the faith community, philanthropy, labor, and individual community members in the Los Angeles area. As mentioned, Step Up is partnering with Shangri La Construction, who is the general contractor for Step Up on Vine. The agency has also partnered with Global Philanthropy Group (GPG), another CGI partner that has taken Step Up on as a pro bono client. Through GPG support, the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation is now partnered with Step Up on Second, teaming up to address youth homelessness in Hollywood. This partnership will soon be launching its high impact campaign particularly in the social media. Step Up is also in very strong collaboration with United Ways’ Home for Good Initiative – ending chronic and veteran homelessness in Los Angeles County. This action plan outlines the critical systems change needed to end chronic homelessness. Step Up partnered with Home for Good to bring Kobe Bryant as Chair of the 2012 HomeWalk – United Way’s annual fundraising event to end homelessness in LA – thus dramatically increasing awareness and mobilizing community participation. As a result of this collaboration, Renee White Fraser, Ph.D., Fraser Communications, Inc., and Task Force Co-Chair of Home for Good Initiative, has become a new strategic partner in Step Up’s CGI Commitment to Action this year. Step Up’s CGI partnership with Fraser Communication, Inc. raises the commitment’s bar on innovation, as the company is the 2011 Agency of the Year – Digital Media award by thinkLA. Step Up is very proud of the progress on its Commitment to Action. The home units that Step Up is bringing online provide not only the stability that housing brings, but access to a rich array of ongoing supportive services and the human relationships we all need to thrive. An important achievement is the recognition that permanent supportive housing is the critical proven solution to ending chronic homelessness. It is shown to be 40% less costly to US taxpayers in terms of first responders, high cost crisis health care, incarcerations, etc. Or 88% of individuals housed through this model stay off the streets. Another stand out milestone is the creation of the Funders Collaborative – public and private funders in the Los Angeles area who are collaborating to align consolidating funding for permanent supportive housing. It’s wonderful to be part of a community united to end chronic and veteran homelessness by creating increased impact and reduced costs! This is ALL of our progress report!

Through another successful collaboration between Step Up on Second and Aileen Getty, the 10-unit property, located at 1146 Tamarind Avenue, was purchased in October of 2011.

The 10 home units of 1146 Tamarind Avenue property are part of a commitment to end chronic and veteran homelessness in Hollywood. 1146 Tamarind Avenue property will be opening in November of 2011!

Continuing in the nautical theme, if Step Up on Second is the great ship navigating the sea of change, then what is the powerful wind to billow our sails and speed our progress?

At CGI we’ve seen that the wind in our sails must include robust participation from the business sector. We are seeing an exciting transformation in the structure of the old business model. What was formally “corporate philanthropy” is now becoming a partnership with nonprofits as part of a company’s business practice to drive economic growth. In other words, today what’s good for business must be good for the community, and vice versa.

And what unites these two worlds? MARKETING! Why? Because marketing drives behavior. The merger of for-profits and non-profits is the response to a consumer-driven demand for social responsibility. Good work everybody! This is going to produce a remarkably enhanced community!

We look forward to meeting with our CGI Action Network: Scaling Sustainable Buildings tomorrow to see just how this merger of the for-profit and the non-profit sectors can put the wind in Step Up on Seconds sails! We’re charting our course for the healing and sustaining of ALL members of a community!

sea change: noun

1. A striking change, often for the better.

2. Any major transformation or alteration.

We are seeing a sea change in terms of ethics related to the way we address important social causes.

We all know there is a space between theory and action. At CGI there is a definite bias for action! While there certainly is an inherent benefit in helping, it is more important to heal, sustain, and empower those in need. We celebrate the sea change that calls for a new dynamic in the way civil society approaches issues like chronic homelessness. With this sea change, homelessness is approached not as a problem, but as an opportunity. What does the community get then by investing in permanent supportive housing that ends chronic homelessness? An economically empowered community that makes for a more stable community for all!

This holiday season,  join Kobe Bryant and other committed Angelino’s in “A Home for the Holidays” Year End Campaign!

A Home for the Holidays Brochure

Your support helps Step Up provide permanent supportive housing for individuals who are chronically homeless and surrounds them with the supportive services and human relationships they need to thrive. Benefits of participating in “A Home for the Holidays” include:

• Recognition given at the appropriate giving level at our website and newsletter.
• Becoming a committed community partner.
• The satisfaction of participation in a local solution to a local issue.
• An investment in a cost-effective, socially responsible solution to ending
  homelessness in Los Angeles.

Please contact development@stepuponsecond.org for further information or with any questions you may have about participation in “A Home for the Holidays”. Thank you.

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1984 Starts “Project Return Center” for individuals  and families affected by mental illness in a warehouse in Santa Monica under the umbrella of The Mental Health Association

1986 Step Up on Second, Inc. incorporates on July 25th, and forms Member services, Homeless Services, and Meals Programs

1993 “Partner’s” program forms with Department of Mental Health for intensive case management services

1994 Step Up on Second opens with 36 units of permanent supportive housing

1996 Fresh Start Catering & Cafe opens, Vocational program expands

1997 Susan Dempsay retires

1998 Daniel’s Place opens

1999-2005 Step Up on Second continues to expand services to include Case management, Outreach and Advocacy, and Housing Stabilization Services

2006 Step Up on 5th Street Capital Campaign launched

2007 Step Up on Second Client run Center established

2008 Santa Monica Outreach program HOME Team established, and outreach services begin in Beverly Hills

2009 Step Up on Fifth opens with 4r units of permanent supportive housing, and Daniel’s Village opens with 7 units of permanent supportive housing for transitional age youth

2010 Step Up on Second becomes a member of the Clinton Global Initiative and commits to creating 200 permanent supportive housing units in Hollywood

2011 Step Up on Second celebrates 25 years of providing Help, Hope, and a Home that leads to recovery for individuals, families, and communities affected by mental illness!

Susan Dempsay, SUOS Founder and Jacob Ramsey, SUOS Member

Goal: The Hollywood Campaign is developing the financial resources needed to acquire, develop, and operate 200 LEED-certified permanent supportive home units using multiple green technologies by 2014.

Two projects (66 home units) are currently underway in Hollywod, CA.

Step Up on Vine

Step Up on vine is a 34 unit project located on vine Street in Hollyood. The permanent supportive housing project and drop in center will open December 2012. Step Up on vine is a LEED-certified building.

Michael's Village

Michael’s Village is a 32 unit project located on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. The building requires only minor rehabilitation and work is underway. The first tenants are expected to move in September 2011. Major private funding for Michael’s Village was provided by Aileen Getty.

140 units to go!  How to help