Rapid Re-Housing Training: Beyond the Basics

Marge Wherley, MSW, has been an Associate with Abt Associates, Inc. for five years, where she provides technical assistance and training to nonprofit agencies regarding homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing.  Her prior experience at Hennepin County as Supervisor of Housing and Homelessness Initiatives included 17 years of planning, implementing, and evaluating the impact of one of the nation’s first rapid re-housing programs.  The Hennepin County Rapid Exit program became a model for HUD’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) and the VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families program (SSVF). 

Tom Albanese is a Senior Associate with Abt Associates and has provided planning, development, and implementation support for housing and homeless programs since 1992.  He currently serves as the technical assistance team co-leader for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program and previously served as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) technical assistance team leader for the now concluded Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).  Tom presently provides technical assistance for diverse states and localities concerning homeless system management, rapid re-housing, and homelessness prevention best-practices for HUD.  Prior to joining Abt, Tom served as Director of Programs and Planning for the Community Shelter Board (CSB) in Columbus, Ohio, and as Associate Director of a diverse family services agency in Northeast Ohio.  Tom is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio.