WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY: SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

Organizational Analysis
Community Housing Network
Sara Kornoski
10/18/2014

The nonprofit organization I am interning at is called Community Housing Network. It is

located in Troy, Michigan. It is a 501 (c) 3 organization. It is an agency that has donations that
are tax deductible as allowed by the law. Community Housing Network facilitates the utilization
of local, state, federal, and private resources to promote sustainable, affordable housing
opportunities in Oakland County. (Community Housing Network Website) The programs within
the agency are; Affordable Housing Development, Getting My Own Address, Homeless
Management Information, Housing Counseling, Housing Resource Center, Leasing Assistance
Program, Projects For Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), Property
Management and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). (Guiding Star website)
The Affordable Housing Development is made up of seven hundred and twenty six units
as Springhill Housing Corporation, and Liberty Hill Housing Corporation. They are affordable
housing units for individuals and/or families who are chronically homeless. Chronically
homeless is considered to be individuals and/or families who have had at least four episodes of
homelessness in the past three years. The housing units are possessed and managed by the
agency and its related organizations. The units are spread throughout Oakland County to bring
together into the broader community with financial help of funding through the Michigan State
Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and
Cincinnati, Oakland and Macomb County Home Funds, Low Income Housing Tax Credit, and
Housing Urban Development (HUD) 811. (Guiding Star Website)
The Getting My Own Address (GMOA) is for individuals with autism spectrum and for
individuals with developmental disabilities. It is developed to communicate knowledge, to assist,
and to make clear the steps, selections, advantages, possible choices that are available to them,
and preferences that are appropriate in addition to accessible a housing plan in the community of
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a persons preferences. This program includes workshops to go over the gradual method with the
individuals over the long-term housing plan method also a roommate database, and two housing
support groups. (Guiding Star)
The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is an internet based technology
that assists homeless service organizations and Continuums of Care (CoCs) to get facts about
the clients they serve and share clients demographics to all Human Service Agencies that
accepts McKinney-Vento and/or Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds to attain clients
statistics in order to supply any recognizing client matched information. This information is
collected through interviews by service providers with its clients. The HMIS database is an
important because it helps the agency function. (Guiding Star Website)
The Housing Counseling Program is accredited through the Michigan State Housing
Development Authority (MSHDA). It offers workshops and counseling before and after
purchasing a home, foreclosure prevention, and services to homeowners that are at imminent risk
of foreclosure or have begun the foreclosure process, and due to the acknowledgment of its
excellent efforts supplying financial education, homebuyer education along with foreclosure
prevention services. (Guiding Star Website)
The Housing Resource Center (HRC) is an integrated call center, online housing library,
and community-based resource that supplies facts and technical/mechanical help. The
individuals and families that the Housing Resource Center helps involves people with disabilities
as well as their families and/or guardians, people that are facing eviction, fair housing
discrimination, and affordability. The services involve information on an expansive extent of
housing programs and resources and connecting people that are in need to available community
resources. The Housing Resource Center typically schedules occurrences in the community to
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supply education, linkage, and referral to those who may not call for assistance. As the
designated the housing assessment and resource agency (HARA) for Oakland County,
Community Housing Networks Housing Resource Center (HRC) relates housing stabilization
services countywide, containing and operating primary intake and assessment for homeless
services, referrals to applicable organizations and cultivates and keep up with landlords as well
as additional community housing resources. (Guiding Star Website)
The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program gives assistance for individuals who are
homeless. The ESG Programs resources involve short-term rental assistance, case management,
and giving clients additional resources for other agencies that could potentially help them
become more self-efficient. ESG staff conducts regular outreach to landlords to acquire
information about their application/tenant selection process, and give the landlords information
on programs and services that CHN has and the benefits of collaboration. (Guiding Star Website)
The Projects for Assistance in Transitions from Homelessness (PATH) Program is
designed for people with serious mental illness, along with individuals with co-occurring
substance use disorders that are encountering homelessness or are at imminent risk of
homelessness. PATH services involve community-based outreach, mental health, substance
abuse, case management and other supportive services, and housing services. The PATH staff
goes to community shelters, and the streets to engage with homeless individuals with serve and
long-term mental illness to help them to acquire services. The PATH staff also gives individuals
that do not meet the criteria for the PATH program other resources that could potentially help
them become self-efficient in their lives. PATH outreach has been around since 2005. In 2010,
the services became funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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(SAMHSA) and named it the Projects for Assistance in Transitions from Homelessness (PATH)
Program. (Guiding Star)
The official and operative goals of the organization are stated within its mission
statement. The mission statement is We are passionate advocates, devoted to providing homes
for people in need and access to resources to create sustainable communities. This is done
through proven strategies of homeless prevention housing assistance and development,
community education and referral, advocacy, and additional service. This is carried out in
Southeast Michigan. (Annual Report of Community Housing Network)
Goal displacement has occurred within the agency by certain programs/grants not being
renewed like the Supportive Services for Veterans and their Families (SSVF) program, which
was designed to assist veterans and their families with housing, utilities, supports, financial
assistance, and physical disability support. The SSVF program/grant was not renewed due to the
lack of communication and proper business relationship with the funder which was Southwest
Solutions. Now that Community Housing Network no longer has this program/grant the clients
are being referred and served through Southwest Solutions, and cause the Military Chaplin who
worked under this program/grant to loss his job. (CommunityHousingNetwork.org)
The service delivery has been affected by the goals of the agency through providing its
clients with quality services to individuals who are literally homeless, at imminent risk of
homelessness, domestic violence survivors, people with mental illness, and substance abuse.
CHN also conducts classes with their clients. An example of this is the like the renters readiness,
which is a class gives the client an overview of being ready to rent. It goes over how to be a good
tenant, what to look for while reviewing their lease, and the unit the client would be moving into,
landlord and tenant responsibilities, ant the importance of paying rent on time. CHN staff
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provides its clients with available resources and services such as addresses and phone numbers to
food banks, homeless shelters, clothing availability, and agencies that could help clients obtain
housing furniture, along with speaking with any service agencies clients are working with to
gain needed, and advocate on the behalf of the clients and their needs. (Community Housing
Network Document)
The organizational structure of Community Housing Network for the applications and
admissions policies and procedures for all the programs at Community Housing network are to
consider and evaluate all individuals into the programs in a fair and consistent manner. The
program will admit applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability,
gender, family status, sexual orientation, religion, or source of income. All applicants can give
equal and ample opportunity to demonstrate their eligibility for the program.
(CommunityHousingNetwork.org) It is also based on the chain of common and this is
determined based on the title of each and every employee as well as what they are responsible
for based on the title they hold, and it is different for each. (Community Housing Networks ByLaws Document)
The organizational structure of the agency and its influences by the distribution of power
and control in the organization is based on the federal government stating what programs/grant
will or will not be renewed, how much money will be distributed to each and every program, the
criteria for potential clients which for most is the clients to be literally homeless or at imminent
risk of being homeless, some require the clients to have mental illness, disability, and a substance
abuse disorder on top of being homeless. The agency has to follow the guidelines set up by the
federal government and their funder which is Michigan State Housing Development Authority

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(MSHDA). They set up the guidelines for the criteria the clients must meet in order to assist
with housing under each programs/grants. (Community Housing Networks By-Laws Document)
The primary authority within Community Housing Network is the president, Marc Craig
who is the founder of the agency. He worked for MORC and through MORC Marc Craig was
asked to help people with disabilities find and receive property management for housing. The
agency grew fast with regards to the services and programs that are provided, and the number of
people reached by the agency. (Community Housing Network website)
The approaches of management used at CHN and the management approaches that effect
the functioning of employees and clients are; that the business, property, and affairs of the
agency is managed by the Board of Directors. All employees must follow the rules that are stated
in the mission and purposes of the agency. The mission of Community Housing Network is to
create opportunities for people with disabilities, persons of low income, and persons of low and
moderate income, to secure and maintain housing options. CHN affirms this by; promoting
social equity and economic efficiency for and on the behalf of people with disabilities, to protect
the rights and promote the interests of all persons with disabilities, to equip and enable
individuals with disabilities to participate in their community, to present factual information to
enhance public awareness, and understanding of people with disabilities, and to encourage public
policy that enhances opportunities for full inclusion of people with disabilities into the
community. CHNs Purposes are; to create options for housing and to facilitate consumer choice,
to encourage public policy that increases housing options and available resources for people with
disabilities, to be creative in assisting people with disabilities to find secure, affordable,
accessible, safe and decent housing options, and to mobilize human and financial resources to
accomplish the above. All employees must avoid conflict between their own individual interests
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and the interests of CHN, in any action taken by any of them on behalf of CHN. (Community
Housing Networks By-Laws Document)
The higher position employees who are the people who make the policies, procedures and
the decisions for the CHN staff and their clients offices are in the front of the agency and the
lower position employees are located in the back of the agency but we all collaborate to provide
for quality services to its clients. Community Housing Network treats staff and their clients with
dignity and respect. (Community Housing Networks By-Laws Document)
The positions within the agency that are held by women and people of color, gay and/or
lesbian persons or persons with disabilities are equally represented throughout the agency.
Community Housing Network is an equal opportunity agency. They do not discriminate against
people based on their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. The
Housing Resource Center employs its housing specialists who have a mental health disability,
they work 20 hours per week and do not go over that because they could potentially lose their
disability services and/or benefits. In order to work in CHN Housing Resource Center you must
have a disability. The positions that are held by women people of color, gay and/or lesbian
persons are spread throughout the agency. They hold high positions as well as entry-level
positions it all depends on their training level and/or degree they hold. (Community Housing
Networks By-Laws Document)
The location of Community Housing Network is in the geographic boundaries of Oakland
County, Michigan and is located in a place that the Board of Directors has determined. It is near
major highways/expressways that the staff takes to visit the clients such as Southfield,
Bloomfield, Pontiac, and Lathrup Village. It is close to all these locations that the clients are in
and are not far away from the office. The clients can either come to the office to do intake with
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the staff or the staff can meet them out in the community and do intake with them. The location
is determined based on what is most convenient for the clients to get too. Some of the clients
have problems with transportation which causes a barrier for them to come to the office so if this
is an issue for them the staff comes to them. (Community Housing Networks By-Laws
Document)
Community Housing Networks internal environment is a pleasant one to work in. They
strive to ensure fair and honest treatment of all employees along with providing the best possible
environment for its employees, by encouraging an open and honest atmosphere in which any
problem, complaint, suggestion, or question gets a timely response from CHN supervisors and
management. Supervisors, managers, and employees are expected to treat each other with mutual
respect. Employees are encouraged to offer positive and constructive criticism. Everyone is nice
to each other and when an issue comes up it is dealt with in a professional manner. (Community
Housing Networks employee handbook) The staff will usually greet each other in the morning
with a good morning and when they see each other in the hallways they will say Hi to each
other. The staff normally does not eat their lunch in either of the two kitchens, they usually bring
their lunch from home and when they are going to eat it they come into the kitchen, get it and if
they need to heat it up and take it back to their offices. Due to the staff being busy with work
obligations and responsibilities there is usually not enough time to sit down at a table in the
kitchen and eat their lunch. Usually the employees that work in the Housing Resource Center as
Housing Specialists do use the kitchen to eat their lunch but the other staff members do not.
Community Housing Networks external environment has professional business
relationships with the community. The agency builds positive relationships with their clients
landlords, support coordinators, homeless shelters, and other service agencies that potential
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clients as well as clients are working with. The staff within the agency is to sustain the
professional business relationships with the agencies and landlords it is affiliated with to
continue the quality of care to its client. These relationships are essential to getting and providing
the information to help its clients. (Community Housing Networks By-Laws Document)
The shifting macro environment in which the agency operates depends upon the
government regulations. CHN must comply with the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunities, and
the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 guidelines that the government sets up. (CHN
Document) They also determine how much money each and every program/grant will get and
how the money will be used. The government also determines the criteria for potential clients for
each and every program/grant. (Community Housing Networks By-Laws Document)
The clients of the agency are referred by various avenues. Some of them are; other
agencies within Oakland County; they contact the agency on their own, through the PATH
program doing outreach within the community to find homeless individuals and build rapport
with them and potentially assist with obtaining safe and affordable housing and get they off the
streets. (Community Housing Network Website)
The agencies relationship with other agencies in its environment is attaining and
sustaining professional business relationship with them. The Homeless Management Information
System database share clients demographics with sharing agencies. The staff at CHN go to other
agencies such as; Common Ground, Haven, South Oakland Shelter, Pontiac Library, Baldwin
Center, Hope Shelter, Easter Seals. The program staff will also meet their clients in the
community at parks, restaurants, coffee shops, the clients residence, and anywhere else in the
community that is convenient for the client to get to, to meet with staff. The PATH and ESG
staff goes to Hope Shelter every Thursday night from 7pm to 10pm to do PATH intakes with
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potential clients that are currently staying there. The Emergency Solutions Grant Program staff
goes to South Oakland Shelter every Wednesday from 12pm to 3pm to do ESG intakes with
potential clients that are unable to get to CHN office due to transportation difficulties. ESG and
PATH staff goes to Common Ground every Monday from 12pm-4pm to do PATH intakes with
potential clients.
Open Systems Theory was developed by Ludwig Von Bertanlanffy, and is the concept
that people are interdependent with their surroundings. The individual clients are social beings
whose personalities and behaviors come from consistent interaction with their surroundings.
Clients contribute to and draw from outside forces to themselves. The critical sources that the
clients draw into themselves are their personal environments like their culture, community,
family. (Netting, et.al, 2012) The clients of Community Housing Network have support systems
like their family, friends church and these systems help them through the difficult situations
they are currently dealing with. The organizations that CHN draws upon is their sharing agencies
that they share client information with, the professional business relationships they have with
surrounding agencies such as Hope Shelter, South Oakland Shelter, Baldwin Center, Common
Ground, Haven that CHN goes to, to provide potential clients with PATH intakes, we also rely
on these agencies to obtain documentation regarding clients. (Community Housing Network
Document)
Community Housing Networks strengths are; that in April of 2013, Community Housing
Network was named the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) housing
counseling agency of the year. In 2013 Community Housing Networks Housing Resource
Center acquired 17,435 callers and more than 60,000 website visitors who made use of the
services of the Housing Resource Center. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority
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(MSHDA) named Community Housing Network, the housing assessment and resource agency
(HARA). In 2010, Community Housing Network received $646,460 through the HUD ESG
Programs to supply services to individuals who are homeless. (Guiding Star)
Community Housing Networks weaknesses are; the money that each grant receives by
the government because it is not always enough to go around and be able to help each and every
client that needs financial assistance for housing. Another weakness is the amount of work that
each staff has to do. I think it would be beneficial to have additional help to spread out the
amount of work that each program has. Because of this I would recommend an increase in staff
for the programs at the agency that have a high work load which would help the agency increase
effectiveness with its clients and decrease clients falling through the crack because there is not
enough time to follow up with everyone because of new clients coming in. I dont think this
would be that realistic due to the amount of money the federal government gives to the states and
counties for the programs. Another issue is helping the clients that are on the fence the clients
that are not considered to be literally homeless which is the requirement for the majority of the
programs, the clients that are staying on a family members or a friends couch which causes them
to not be literally homeless but they do not have a place of their own. The federal government
and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) set out to help the clients
that are considered to be the highest need of help which would be the literally homeless but they
overlook these clients that are staying with a family member or a friend for the time being. So I
would make it so that the federal government and MSHDA allow these people to get helped as
well because they need it as well.

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Work Cited Page

Communityhousingnetwork.org
Community Housing Network Document in G-Drive
Guiding Star Website
Community Housing Networks By-Laws Document
Community Housing Networks employee handbook
Annual Report of Community Housing Network
Netting, E., P.Kettner, P., McMurty S & Thomas, M. (2012). Social Work Macro Practice (5th
ed.) Allyn/Bacon

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