Transcript Models for Addressing Homelessness at the Local Level

MTW Conference
February 4-5, 2014
Models for Addressing Homelessness at
the Local Level
Presented by:
• Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Home Forward
• Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo
Models for Addressing
Homelessness at the Local Level
Portage County, Ohio
Presenter: Fred Zawilinski
Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5, 2014
Attacking One Cause of Homelessness
• Through Moving to Work, PMHA has enabled the
creation of the first residential drug and alcohol
recovery program in Portage County.
– Prior to this program creation, men with addiction
problems had to hope for the rare open slot in another
county, attempt to address recovery as an out-patient, or
hope for assistance through the criminal justice system
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Background
• For 25 years, PMHA owned and maintained a group
home for persons with severe developmental
disabilities as part of the conventional Public Housing
Program. Named Washington Group Home and built
with PH Development funds, it housed eight persons
with individual bedrooms, but kitchen, bathroom
and living areas were shared by all residents. 24/7
staffing provided assistance with daily living activities
as needed.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Background
• 2008: Discussion over 50058 submissions led to
speculation at HUD that the group home was not an
allowed use under Public Housing, and that PMHA
would either convert the property into more
conventional rental housing, or dispose of the
property.
• Approval for continued use as a group home
requested for 2009 as insurance to PMHA.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5, 2014
Background
• 2009: The supportive services agency purchased
their own home, vacated the property.
• Meanwhile, PMHA investigates permanent
supportive housing as an option for housing young
adults who age out of the foster care system
• A partnership is formed, and fails.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5, 2014
A Different Approach
• In 2012, discussions between PMHA and the
leadership of a non-profit reveal that, while there is a
long-running recovery program for women with
addictions, there is no similar program for men.
• With a history of successful collaborations between
the non-profit and PMHA, discussions moved
forward to explore MTW as a tool to help PMHA
better utilize WGH and address community needs.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5, 2014
Addressing Addiction
• Through the Annual Plan process and numerous
discussions with HUD MTW and field office staff, PMHA
gets permission to operate WGH as a home for men
recovering from addictions.
• PMHA retains ownership and maintenance
responsibilities, leases the property as a whole to the
non-profit partner for their program operation. The
partner, as in the previous days of the group home,
provides all 24/7 staffing and care of the residents. The
property is leased to the non-profit on a short-term,
renewable lease between the organizations.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5, 2014
Washington Group Home
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Funding
• Property related funding: PMHA receives rent from the
non-profit based on a calculation assuming 8 residents
with an SSI-only income, similar to what it received as a
DD group home. PMHA also receives operating subsidy
from HUD.
• Program funding: The county Mental Health board
provides for staffing and recovery program activities. A
citizens group led by a mother whose son died from an
overdose holds fundraising events on behalf of the
program.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Early Results
• Since June 2013, 29 admissions.
• Expected population: Range of ages with addictions
to a variety of substances, including alcohol,
prescription drugs, various illegal drugs
• Actual population: Primarily younger men, with
almost exclusively a primary addiction to heroin.
– Neighboring Cuyahoga County has seen heroin deaths
increase 400% since 2007 and deaths from heroin now
outnumber homicides and automobile accidents
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Early Results
• Nine of the 29 admissions have graduated from the
program as “successful”
• Twelve participants left the program as
“unsuccessful,” for reasons ranging from violating
house rules and voluntary premature departure to
termination for smuggling in banned substances.
• Grads are returning to volunteer with program
activities
• No neighborhood complaints from nearby condos,
child day care, or churches.
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Other Homelessness Activities
• Homeless Shelter—Public Housing
– Freedom House for homeless veterans
• Transitional Housing
– Renaissance Place: 2-year term limited Public Housing
– Voucher-based Transitional Housing
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Lessons Learned
• Having PMHA involved in the homelessness programs in the
county provides:
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Needed Services
Credibility with non-profits, poverty advocates
Improved efficiency and effectiveness of the Continuum of Care
Improved knowledge of housing needs
Moving to Work Conference, February 4-5,
2014
Program Based Rent Assistance
What is Program Based
Assistance?
Flexible MTW funds that serve targeted
populations in partnership with one or
more local service providers
• Partner agencies identify participating families and determine
amount and duration of assistance
• Partner agencies provide services
• Funds are contracted to partners or administered by Home
Forward on behalf of partners
Target Populations
Program Based Assistance targets families for whom:
1) success on the Housing Choice Voucher program would be
unlikely (ineligible or unlikely to find and retain housing on their
own)
2) the delay in accessing rent assistance due to the Section 8
waitlist would most likely have devastating results (recidivism,
relapse, death, homelessness, etc); or
3) the need for rental subsidy is short term while the client is
receiving the support needed to achieve self-sufficiency or
other permanent housing.
Program Model
Basic common guidelines across all contracted
programs, with customization by partnering agency
• Selection
• Use of Funds
• Eligibility
• Service Requirements
• Habitability Inspections
• Outcomes
• Subsidy Determination
MTW Goals
Program Based Assistance meets MTW goals by:
1) Achieving greater cost-effectiveness by reducing
administrative burden of administering rent assistance
2) Supporting families with children where the head of household
is engaged in a program to help the family become
economically self-sufficient
3) Increasing housing choice for low-income families via a nontraditional model which supports families who might otherwise
not be eligible for Public Housing or Section 8
4) Increasing the number of households a PHA can serve via a
local non-traditional model that may cost less per family than a
traditional Section 8 voucher
Examples of Program Based
Assistance Partnerships
Short Term Rent Assistance
(STRA)
Local jurisdictions, through a community process,
developed a model for a comprehensive system of
administering, accessing, and delivering short-term
housing assistance.
• Jointly funded by Multnomah County, Cities of Portland and
Gresham, and Home Forward
• System administered by Home Forward
• Assistance delivered by 19 contracted agencies that provide
services to families
• Serves households that are homeless or at-risk of homelessness
• Outcome goal: long term housing stability, measured by housing
retention after end of assistance
Benefits of a Shared System
Prior to creation of STRA
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Staffing at all four jurisdictions
Different eligibility requirements and funded activities
Varied data collection and reporting requirements
Different outcome measures
Strengths of the unified system
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Focus on shared outcomes
Improved system support and accountability
Increased flexibility for providers
Administrative efficiency for funders and ease for providers
Ability to use STRA infrastructure to deploy new resources for
housing assistance rapidly
Funding
Funds Administered through STRA System Infrastructure
2012-13
Total
$4.67 million
Multnomah County
$945,000
• General Funds
• Emergency Housing Account
• Emergency Solutions Grant
• Housing Stabilization Program (TANF Block Grant)
• State Low Income Rental Housing Fund
City of Portland
• General Funds
• Emergency Solutions Grant
$1.73 million
• HOME TBRA Funds
Home Forward MTW Funds
• Flexible MTW Funds
• Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT)
$1.98 million
• Emergency Food & Shelter Program funds
(via Department of Homeland Security)
City of Gresham
Also Contributes HOME funds via City of Portland, as those funds come into the region via a consortium
$7,000
Outputs
People and Households Served
People
Households
2008-09 Fiscal Year
3,911
1,715
2009-10 Fiscal Year
5,605
2,299
2010-11 Fiscal Year
5,728
2,365
2011-12 Fiscal Year
5,787
2,416
2012-13 Fiscal Year
6,663
2,655
Year
Average Assistance
Provided
Average assistance for households receiving eviction
prevention or homeless placement assistance
$1,530
Average length of rent assistance provided
3 months
Housing Retention
Short Term Rent Assistance Program
Post-Assistance Housing Retention Outcomes
Permanent Placement
Eviction Prevention
3
6
12
3
6
months months months months months
2012-13
90%
86%
74%
87%
86%
12
months
77%
Action for Prosperity
Partnership between Home Forward, Workforce
Investment Board, County network of non-profits, and
Department of Human Services
• County’s network of non-profits provide intensive, employmentfocused case management
• Workforce Investment Board provides set-aside of training and
employment resources
• DHS provides some coordinated case-planning for TANF
families, including access to childcare
• Home Forward provides rent assistance (contracted to nonprofits)
Programs for Former
Foster Youth
Extensions for FUP Vouchers
• For youth with expiring FUP vouchers
• Case managers at DHS or partnering agency can recommend
youth for one year of rent assistance
• Can be renewed for up to three years
New Doors
• Oxford House-style housing for homeless former foster youth
who are working or in school
• Rent assistance contracted to service provider
• Local community college can refer in and also offers
scholarships to interested residents
Alder School
Alder Elementary School is the first school to be adopted
by I Have a Dream Foundation
• Many providers offering services on site, but mobility was high
• Rent assistance to families at risk of moving out of catchment
area
• Case management offered by local non-profit who can connect
families to employment programs
Lessons Learned
• Short term assistance isn’t for everyone, but can work for many if
paired with case management
• This model allows PHAs to serve more individual families over
the long-term
• Housing stability vs. housing affordability
• Offering partners a toolbox of flexible funds (such as PILOT
dollars) helps them tailor assistance to clients’ needs
• Contracting funds requires significant streamlining of
paperwork/rules
• Balancing front-end verification by PHA with program auditing
• Partnerships like this can create strong relationships that can be
built upon and leveraged
For additional information, contact:
Rachel Devlin
Strategic Initiatives Program Director
(503) 802-8597
[email protected]
Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo
Housing Readiness Program (HRP)
MTW Conference, February 4-5, 2014
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Developed in response to the needs of the
homeless in San Mateo County (SMC)
Originally designed in partnership with the
SMC Center on Homelessness and other
homeless service providers
Strategically positioned to be a part of the
SMC HOPE Plan, the Counties 10-year plan to
end homelessness
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HRP responds to the MTW goal of increased
self-sufficiency by providing housing
assistance in concert with supportive services
HRP increases the housing choice for
individuals and families who would otherwise
have little ability to receive housing
assistance and for whom stable housing is
often far out of reach
HRP leverages supportive services that
ultimately result in overall cost savings for
the community
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Follows the “Housing
First” strategy
HACSM allocates up to
100 vouchers
Establishes contracts
with homeless services
providers
◦ Direct referrals to a
committee for review
◦ Case management
required
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HRP is voucher based
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Referrals follow all eligibility
and MTW program rules
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HRP has a three-year voucher
term
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Housing subsidy is based on
family income and HACSM rent
reform program – the Tiered
Subsidy Table
Case management services are
provided by the referral
agency
Delaware Pacific
New Construction Housing
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To date, HACSM has
assisted 111
families, consisting
of 186 family
members
29 individuals were
elderly and/or
disabled
75 individuals were
under 21 years of
age
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Over 50% of the current
families have increased their
income while on the
program
On average in CY13, HRP
families have increased their
savings by over $1,700
On average, program
participants have maintained
stable housing for 669 days
(or approx. two years)
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To date, 52 families
have exited the
program
16 hardship extensions
have been granted
No informal hearings
have been requested
No terminations have
been processed due to
non-compliance with
case management
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Establish and maintain clear roles and
responsibilities between the Housing
Authority and the contract partners
Intensive case management non-negotiable,
as it is vital to the success of the families
Clear and easy to use reporting system for
partners
Exit plan for each participant at program
entry
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Variety of supportive
services
Short Term, Transitional, and Permanent
Housing – ensuring that partner
organizations have the same definitions and
are focused in the same direction
Strong Continuum of Care
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Ability to meet housing
need in a timely
manner
Leverage support and
services across
agencies
Motivated families
Ability to reach more
families in need
The Pros
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Partners who are not
able to provide longterm case management
services
Conflicting priorities,
at times, across
agencies
Greater needs than
assistance available
The Cons
Time-limited vouchers to stabilize housing
Avenues for increased self-sufficiency
Freedom from the need for longterm government assistance
Strong and Engaged Community
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For additional information, contact:
Jennifer Rainwater, Planning and Program
Innovation Manager
(650) 802-5045
[email protected]
Cindy Chan, Rental Program Manager
(650) 802-3322
[email protected]