LHC Housing Navigator Programs

Franklin assisted the Louisiana Housing Corporation with housing navigator services for three FEMA and FEMA-PA-funded projects during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Our staff of Resident Advisors, Case Managers, and Supervisors helped to house more than 1,000 people in shelters across the state and assisted in securing permanent housing for more than 700 people.

COVID-19 Housing Projects Franklin managed the setup, staffing, and ongoing service delivery for seven non-congregate shelters (NCS) in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette for people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022). Within 24 hours of activation, Franklin had staff on the ground, and within one week, 100 staff were deployed to assist with shelter management and housing case management to prepare residents for full-time housing, and assisting residents search for their post-shelter housing. Franklin also supported the demobilization of Alexandria and Lafayette homeless shelter sites maintained by the local Continuum of Care entities.

Our staff engaged in the following:  Provided housing to 731 individuals who previously experienced homelessness for 30,000+ nights across seven non-congregate shelters.  Received National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) 2021 Award for Excellence for our service delivery model and approach.

Housed more than 700 homeless people who received wrap-around services onsite and were then assisted with rehousing. 400 (more than 50% of the shelter residents) were rehoused into permanent housing situations upon departure from the shelters, creating a path for permanence that previously did not exist.

Franklin's work was identified as a best practice and model of onsite housing navigation and subsequently inserted into Hurricane Ida evacuation shelter demobilization processes. In each of these demobilization efforts, a Franklin staff member served on Multi-Agency shelter Transition Teams (MASTT) and successfully supplemented LHC leadership to expand capacity during key response periods.

Franklin also deployed to three Louisiana state parks that served as COVID-19 isolation sites to provide housing case management at the beginning of the pandemic.

Our staff worked closely with government agencies and local non-profit partners to coordinate onsite service provision, maintain the safety of the residents, and develop and implement long-term housing plans.  

Hurricane Ida Housing Projects  Franklin helped the Louisiana Housing Corporation t o coordinate the demobilization of five evacuation shelters after Hurricane Ida. Our staff were a part of a Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Team, which included LHC and non-profits, that developed long-term plans to assist in rehousing efforts and shelter closeouts. Our staff assisted nearly 300 people across five shelter sites to find post-shelter housing within two weeks.