Transcript Housing Study Committee Meeting 4/24/2009 Framework for Housing Discussion : Past, Present, Future Housing and Services Barriers – Income, Asset Development Housing – The Players Federal Policy Charlie Hammerman.

Housing Study
Committee Meeting
4/24/2009
Framework for
Housing Discussion :
Past, Present, Future
Housing and Services
Barriers – Income, Asset Development
Housing – The Players
Federal Policy
Charlie Hammerman with The Disability
Opportunity Fund
Next Steps
The starting point
“Report on investment models and best-practices for the
development of affordable and accessible communitybased housing for persons with intellectual and related
developmental disabilities.”
“The report shall identify specific funding options that will
increase the availability of community housing, leverage
state dollars, and promote individualized, personcentered housing for people with intellectual and related
developmental disabilities.”
Past, Present, Future
Past – Institutions, shame, little to no
community resources
Past/Present – Institutions, group homes
and pockets of creativity
Present/Future – self determination,
community, real life, “unbundling” of
services and housing
Past, Present, Future
Why is it important to understand the shift
in thinking and expectations and how it
impacts public policy?
Why is it important to the housing
discussion?
The way we do “business” must change to
adapt to the demands of “the future”
Housing and Service
The current (and up-in-coming) generation of
advocates, parents, professionals are moving policy,
services models, and the locus of control forward.
The separation of housing from services (control) is
an increasingly important concept that can be difficult
to conceptualize – but critically important to come to
grips with…
Figure 1. Status of Individual Budgets/Consumer
Directed Supports by State in 2006/2007
The BIG Disconnect
Housing
Disability &
Human Services
Community
Community Living Exchange
Collaborative
“The affordable housing delivery system is
comprised of a myriad of programs administered
by a large number of agencies – mainly units of
government – at the federal, state and local
levels. It is often difficult for the disability
community to know where to begin because
there are so many players that could potentially
be involved in crafting strategies to help expand
housing options for people with disabilities. It is
important to understand who the various
housing players are and learn which programs
they administer before beginning to develop
effective strategies for meeting the housing
needs of people with disabilities.”
Housing
In order to develop “affordable and
accessible community-based housing
for persons with intellectual and related
developmental disabilities” the disability
community must understand federal and
state housing resources and planning
processes that prioritize those resources.
Housing…big picture
The Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD)
The majority of federal housing programs
and policies are administered through
HUD.
HUDs mission is “to increase
homeownership, support community
development and increase access to
affordable housing free from
discrimination.”
HUD Programs
Community Development Block Grant; Emergency Shelter
Grant; Federally assisted housing; HOME Program;
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS; Public
Housing; Section 202 Supportive housing for the Elderly;
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program; Section 8
Moderate Rehabilitation SRO; Section 811 Supportive
Housing for People with Disabilities; Shelter Plus Care;
Supportive Housing Program.
National data

SSI equal to only 18 percent of median income.

Modest one-bedroom units cost 112% of SSI.

Studio units cost 99% of SSI.


Rents are above SSI in 241 housing markets where
53% of nation’s population lives.
In 10 years, one-bedroom rents have risen from 69%
of SSI to 112% of SSI
Ann O’Hara – Associate Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc
30% of income towards housing costs according to
federal housing affordability guidelines
30% of SSI = $200
National Average 1 BR rent = $742
“Housing Affordability Gap” = $542
“Gap” must be filled by an on-going rental subsidy
Ann O’Hara – Associate Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc
The Housing Crisis for
People with Disabilities
in Virginia
Metropolitan Statistical Area
% of Monthly SSI for Rental Housing
200%
Blacksburg/Christiansburg/Radford
188%
Charlottesville
180%
Danville
Franklin County
160%
Giles County
140%
Harrisonburg
Kingsport/Bristol
122%
117%
120%
Louisa County
111%
Lynchburg
100%
89%
91%
87%
83%
80%
79%
77%
67% 65%
70%
67%
Pulaski County
85%
76%
67%
60%
30% threshold
recommended
by HUD
Richmond
Roanoke
Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Newport News
Warren County
40%
Washington/Arlington/Alexandria
20%
Winchester
Non-Metropolitan Areas
0%
2006
Data based on HUD’s 2006 Fair Market Rents for a 1 bedroom apartment.
Source: Priced Out in 2006. The Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
Housing Task Force." [www.tacinc.org and www.c-c-d.org/task_forces/housing/tf-housing.htm].
Study of Funding for Housing Serving
People with Disabilities: SD 12, SJR
159: 2000
On Income; “any broad-based effort to
assist people with disabilities in obtaining
adequate affordable housing must address
the need for operating subsidies and/or
client income supports in addition to the
need for subsidized housing capital”
At the state and local level…
…the majority of HUD programs are
administered by state and local
housing and community development
officials, state housing finance
agencies and Public Housing
Agencies. There is no overarching
state authority for distribution of
housing funds.
In order to access federal
affordable housing resources to
meet the housing needs of people
with disabilities and the aging
community, it is important to be
aware of the planning processes
that control these valuable public
resources.
There are four federally-mandated
strategic planning initiatives that seek
to ensure community-wide
coordination and comprehensive
planning regarding the use of federal
resources to develop, renovate and
preserve and/or create housing
opportunities for low and moderateincome people.
Federally Mandated Planning
Initiatives
Consolidate Plan (ConPlan)
(DHCD and localities)
Public Housing Agency Plan (PHA Plan)
(VHDA and local PHA’s)
Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP)
(VHDA)
Continuum of Care
(DHCD and localities)
The ConPlan…
…is
the “master plan” for affordable housing in
local communities and states. It is a long-term
housing plan that controls access to HUD funds
used to expand affordable housing opportunities.
The ConPlan controls valuable federal
affordable housing programs including:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
HOME Investment Partnerships Program
(HOME)
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
(HOPWA)
The PHA Plan…
…describes the agencies overall mission for
serving low-income and very low-income
families, and the activities that will be
undertaken to meet the housing need of these
families. The PHA Plan is part of a federal policy
to give PHAs increased flexibility to determine
who will receive housing assistance. Through
the PHA Plan process, the PHA decides the
policies and procedures to be followed for the
public housing units and Section 8 rent
subsidies controlled by the PHA.
Link between the ConPlan and the
PHA Plan
When Congress created the PHA Plan they included a
very important requirement to link the PHA Plan to the
ConPlan. The needs, goals, and activities detailed in the
PHA Plan must reflect the needs and priorities
documented in the ConPlan.
This linkage can provide more opportunities for the
disability community to participate in the process to set
housing priorities. The disability community may review
information available to the planners and submit
additional data that may not have been considered
during the plan’s development. Planners may not
always be aware of the housing needs of people with
disabilities and the aging community, this process gives
the disability community the opportunity to inform the
policy and priority setting process.
Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP)
When Congress created the Low Income
Housing Tax Credit Program in 1986, they
included the requirement that states
develop a strategic housing document
describing how LIHTC would be utilized to
meet the housing needs and priorities of
the state. The QAP outlines the states
affordable housing priorities and how to
apply for tax credits. The QAP must be
consistent with the state ConPlan and
solicit public comment.
Continuum of Care Plan
In 1994, HUD introduced the Continuum of
Care model to encourage communities to
address the problems of housing and
homelessness in a more coordinated,
comprehensive, and strategic fashion.
Through the Continuum of Care,
communities can create a comprehensive
plan for the housing needs of homeless
people with disabilities and other
homeless individuals and families.
Continuum of Care Plan
Since 1999, Congress directed HUD to
ensure that at least 30 percent of the
funds awarded through the Continuum of
Care process be utilized for permanent
housing. To ensure this outcome, HUD
has made a bonus of funds available to
those Continuum of Care communities that
rank a new permanent supportive housing
project as the first priority for funding.
HUD $’s = Affordable Housing
By using resources in the ConPlan,
Continuum of Care plan, PHA plan, and QAP,
communities can improve their overall
housing and service delivery systems.
Together, these plans control flexible
resources and opportunities to develop
quality, integrated, community programs and
housing.
Current Initiatives in VA
MFP Housing Task Force
State Plan for Independent Living Goal 2
The paradigm shift discussed earlier
requires a change in tactics and strategies
Resource Review
VHDA
LIHTC
SPARC
DHCD
Home
HOPWA
CDBG
Homelessness
Resource Review
PHAs
Home
Housing Choice Vouchers
Localities
CDBG
Feds
202
811
What we can/should fix
5 versus 4
MFP & Vouchers
Vouchers versus Budget
Current Federal Initiatives
30 Million in 2009 Appropriation for
Housing Choice Vouchers
Frank Melville Supportive Housing Act
Able Trusts
National Housing Trust Fund
New federal housing program focused on households
below 30% of median
67% of funding must be spent on rental housing for this
group
To be administered by state housing agencies
President Obama seeking $1 billion in appropriations for
FY 2010
Will create important policy opportunity at the state level
Low cost rental subsidies may still be needed to ensure
SSI affordability (i.e., reduce rents from 30% of median
income to 18% of median income)
Ann O’Hara – Associate Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc
Advocate with PHAs to apply for new disability
vouchers
Ensure PHA compliance with HUD rules on 50,000
existing disability vouchers
Engage your state housing agency regarding new
policies for the National Housing Trust Fund.
Monitor progress of Section 811 legislation
Ann O’Hara – Associate Director, Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc
Strategies that Work
In states and communities that have made progress
there are two common elements to their success:
1) The creative use of all available affordable
housing programs to expand housing options;
2) Strong partnerships and collaborations between
the affordable housing system and the disability
and aging communities to ensure that the
housing created will meet the needs and
preferences of people with disabilities and the
aging.
References
Information, guidance for this presentation was gathered
from A Technical Assistance Guide for Housing Resources
and Strategies March 2003. The report can be found at:
Slides #12,13, 32, 33 copied from New Options to Fund
Housing for Persons with Mental Illness Webinar April 16,
2009, and created by Ann O’Hara – Associate Director, Technical
Assistance Collaborative Inc