7hills HOPE Program

The 7hills HOPE program provides rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing services, covering the full spectrum of housing needs (see below for details). At this point, 7hills houses all individuals needing transitional or permanent supportive housing services at our Walker Family Residential Community. All other housing services are community-based.

All housing services supplement temporary financial assistance with wrap-around case management to ensure participants’ success post-program. Each participant works with a Case Manager to create a unique Housing Stability Plan and works toward individualized goals within their housing needs.

HOPE follows a “Housing First” philosophy to the best of the team’s abilities. We make every effort to meet the program participants where they are and secure housing without conditions or barriers.

Participant-focused support services are an integral piece of HOPE and significantly contribute to the success of participating households both during and following the program. Utilizing outreach, intensive case management, and financial assistance, HOPE assists households exit homelessness quickly, increases self-sufficiency, and prevents participants from returning to homelessness.

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Rapid Rehousing

Rapid rehousing is best for households who need short-term assistance before maintaining housing on their own. Typically, households are in this part of our HOPE program between four and six months.

We help participants find an apartment, then they sign their lease, and lastly, we provide financial assistance for their deposit(s), monthly rent, and utilities as needed until they exit the program. Often, we step down aid the longer they’re in the program so that they can pay more and more of their own expenses before our support ends.

This type of housing is best practice because once households graduate from the program, they can stay in the place where they have grown comfortable and do not have to uproot and move or start over as they would with transitional housing (see below).

Transitional Housing

Our HOPE program also offers transitional housing at the Walker Family Residential Community in Fayetteville. Transitional housing is typically for individuals and families who need longer-term assistance before maintaining housing on their own.

Typically, households are in the transitional housing part of our HOPE program between one and two years. 7hills has 16 boarding-house-style units (shared living, dining, and bathroom facilities with individual bedrooms) and three family apartments allocated to providing transitional housing.

The program combines very low rent with wrap-around case management to support each household’s unique needs. Following the program, individuals either move to a permanent supportive housing program (including our own, see below), public/subsidized housing, or their own apartment out in the community.

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)

The last type of housing that our HOPE program offers is permanent supportive housing (PSH). PSH is the longest-term housing support.

The program reserves PSH for the most vulnerable and for those who are on a fixed income due to a disabling condition that inhibits their ability to gain employment and earn additional income. Our PSH program is exclusively for residents at our Walker Family Residential Community.

7hills has eight studio apartments dedicated to providing PSH. The program combines long-term affordable housing with wrap-around case management to provide maximum support to meet each person’s unique set of needs.

Typically, individuals stay in PSH for the duration of their lives until they decide to leave or until they transition to public/subsidized or other affordable housing.

Story of HOPE

HOPE participant Denise and her son, Matthew, recently graduated from our program. Before working with 7hills, they slept in their car, stayed with friends, or rented a hotel. Denise shared that it was a really tough time for her. Matthew saw her crying and sad a lot, which made him sad, too. They both had a lot of anxiety, not knowing where they would sleep.

Our HOPE program helped Denise and Matthew find an apartment and provided financial assistance with rent and utilities until she could pay them independently. Their HOPE Case Manager worked one-on-one with Denise to help her meet her goals and get to the place where she could maintain her housing without 7hills’ assistance.

Denise shared that her Case Manager was really helpful. Now that she and Matthew have graduated from our program, Matthew is getting his room set up and shared that he is excited to have his own bed. He wants to make a community of kids with his neighbors.

Our HOPE program helps re-house families like Denise and Matthew because everyone deserves a place to call home.