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JUNE 2010
2010 Pasadena Homeless Survey Completed! picture of report cover
Urban Initiatives in partnership with the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Housing and Homeless Network completed the 2010 Pasadena Homeless Survey. Findings reveal that 
 
1) Women are much younger than men
  • nearly half (49%) of women are under the age of 40 and nearly two-thirds (66%) of men are over the age  of 40;
2) A large majority of men are substance abusers
  • more than three-fourths (78%) of men are substance abusers and 22% are women;
3) A significant majority of persons with chronic illness are women
  • approximately two-thirds (66%) of women are chronically ill and about one-third (34%) of men;
 
4) Nearly an equal percentage of men and women are mentally ill
  • Slightly more than half (54%) of men were mentally ill and slightly less than half (46%) were women
5) Majority of homeless persons are considered residents of Pasadena
  • More than half (51%) of adults first became homeless while living in Pasadena and answered "yes" to at least three (3) of the following five (5) questions:
    · Do You Have Family Who Live In Pasadena?
    · Do You Have Friends Who Live In Pasadena?
    · Have You Ever Worked In Pasadena?
    · Are You Currently Working In Pasadena?
    · Have You Ever Attended School In Pasadena?
The Survey was administered to 230 homeless adults which is equivalent to nearly one of every four adults (24%) who were counted in the 2010 City of Pasadena Homeless Count. A copy of the homeless count report can be obtained at www.urban-initiatives.org.
 
Click here to see the homeless survey report.
The Haiti Development Initiative: 
The Haiti Development Initiative is a project of the Office for Urban Initiatives at Fuller Theological Seminary under the leadership of consultant Claude Alexandre who is an accomplished executive with years of local, national, and international experience in community and economic development.
 
Mr. Alexandre has initiated several partnerships between U.S. institutions and Haitian institutions over the years. Recently, he has initiated a partnership between Fuller Theological Seminary School of Psychology and the Faculty of Human Sciences at the State University of Haiti to create a Center for Research and Psychosocial Interventions that will further support the psycho-social needs of the Haitian community as a result of the recent earthquake and other physical disasters.
 
For more information click here.
Other Activities in Progres: 
Urban Initiatives is serving as a consultant for other community-based activities which include:

Building Faith Among the Vulnerable: Preventing Foreclosure Rescue and Loan Modification Scams is a workshop that is co-sponsored with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection that will provide information to faith and community leaders concerning loan modification and foreclosure scams in order to prevent scam artists from preying on homeowners who are at risk of, or facing, foreclosure. The half day event will take place at Fuller Theological Seminary on Tuesday, July 20th from 8:30 to 11:30. For more information click here.
 
Human Trafficking in Southern California is a joint effort with Oasis USA, the Western U.S. Office for Stop the Traffik and the Office for Urban Initiatives at Fuller Theological Seminary. Through this partnership, a survey will be completed that will describe the needs of women and men who have been trafficked into Southern California from Asian countries. 
 
Project HOUSED (Housing Outreach Using Service Engagement and Delivery) is a program that Urban Initiatives helped design with the City of Pasadena Housing Department, Pasadena Police Department Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Evaluation (HOPE) Team, County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, Pacific Clinics' Passageways Street Outreach Team, and two national organizations-Common Ground and Corporation of Supportive Housing that will take 15 of the most vulnerable persons living on the streets of Pasadena and move them into permanent housing with on-site social services.
 
Urban Initiatives is recruiting volunteers to implement a vulnerability index to help identify homeless persons living on the streets of Pasadena who are most at risk for dying on the streets. The index is administered in a form of a survey which captures a homeless individual's health and social status. It identifies the most vulnerable through a ranking system which takes into account risk factors and the duration of homelessness. This ranking allows those with the most severe health risks to be identified and prioritized for permanent supportive housing and other support.
 
If you are interested in volunteering please contact
 
Sofia Herrera, PhD
Office for Urban Initiatives/ Institute for Community Psychology
626.304.3753
sofiaherrera@urban-initiatives.org
Community-Based and Faith-Based Institutes
Urban Initiatives has established several community-based and faith-based institutes that provide a wide-range of community research, education, evaluation, and development activities that include the following:
 
Institute for Community Psychology studies, designs, and implements assessments, policies, and programs that help community institutions and systems of care improve the quality of life of local neighborhoods. Activities have focused upon domestic violence, health care, homelessness, mental health care, and substance abuse treatment.

For More Information Please Contact Sofia Herrera, PhD at sofiaherrera@urban-initiatives.org.
 
Institute for Transnational Research and Development is dedicated to the transformation of communities by engaging members in reflection and action that is based firmly in their contexts. ITRD understands the inter-connectivity of communities across national borders, thereby working to strengthen their natural networks and flows.

For More Information Please Contact Grace Dyrness, PhD at gracedyrness@urban-initiatives.org.
 
Institute for Vital Economic and Neighborhood Development facilitates neighborhood economic revitalization by creating viable employment and income generating opportunities through the development of successful worker-owned, small business enterprises.

For More Information Please Contact Joe Colletti, PhD at joecolletti@urban-initiatives.org.
 
Office for Urban Initiatives. In addition, Urban Initiatives has established the Office for Urban Initiatives in partnership with Fuller Theological Seminary which is located on the seminary campus. It provides opportunities for students and others from various educational institutions and other community organizations to strengthen their understanding of urban issues through collaborative research and community service.
 
For more information click here
Issue: 5
In This Issue
Pasadena Homeless Survey Completed
The Haiti Development Initiative
Other Activities in Progress
Community-Based and Faith-Based Institutes
Urban Initiatives (formerly known as the Institute for Urban Research and Development)
 responds to the economic, housing, and social needs of neighborhoods, cities, and counties from
 local, regional,
national, international, and faith-based perspectives through program development and community-based research. Such activities has focused on affordable housing, business development and education for micro-businesses, fair housing, health care, homelessness, human trafficking, migrant farming, and street vending
.
For information contact
Joe Colletti, PhD
 Office for Urban Initiatives/ Fuller Seminary
135 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91182
626.304.3753
 
Sofia Herrera, PhD
 Office for Urban Initiatives/ Fuller Seminary
135 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91182
626.304.3753
sofiaherrera@urban-initiatives.org
 
 Andrew Wright
 Office for Urban Initiatives/ Fuller Seminary
135 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91182
626.304.3753

or visit
 
Joshua Hammer
Office for Urban Initiatives/ Fuller Seminary
135 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91182
626.304.3753
joshuahammer@urban-initiatives.org 
 
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The Institute for Urban Initiatives | 135 N. Oakland Ave. | Pasadena | CA | 91182