Special Challenges of a New Era Participating in the CHALENGCoC Processes

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Special Challenges of a New EraParticipating in
the CHALENG/CoC Processes

• NCHV Annual Conference
• June 25, 2008
• Cynthia W. High, MSW
• Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Continuum of Care
Outreach Intake Assessment
Permanent Housing
Emergency Shelter
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing
Supportive Services
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CoC is a--

• Systems change approach
• Framework to bring homeless housing and services
  together
• Way of focusing on permanent housing
• Starting point for modifying other local systems
• Based on an assessment of community needs and
  priorities

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Veterans Services
Mental Illness
Businesses
Planning / Coordinating Councils
Banks
HIV / AIDS
Housing Developers
Foundations
Service Providers
Educators
Neighborhood Groups
Homeless Persons
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Program Components

• Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
• Shelter Plus Care (SPC or SC)
• Section 8 Moderate Rehab SRO
• Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG)

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SHP

• Authorized under subtitle C of the Stewart B.
  McKinney homeless assistance act.
• Designed to promote the development of housing
  and supportive services to assist homeless
  persons in the transition from the streets and
  shelters to permanent housing and
  self-sufficiency.

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SHP Program Components/Types

• Transitional Housing
• Permanent Housing
• Supportive Services Only
• Safe Havens
• HMIS
• Innovative Supportive Housing

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SHP Eligible Activities

• Acquisition
• Rehabilitation
• New Construction
• Leasing
• Supportive Services
• Operations
• HMIS
• Administration

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Homeless Management Information Systems

• Eligible Costs
• Equipment
• Services
• Personnel
• HMIS Space and Operations

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Shelter Plus Care Program

• Authorized under subtitle F of the Stewart B.
  McKinney homeless assistance act.
• Designed to provide housing and supportive
  services on a long-term basis for homeless
  persons with disabilities and their families.
• May be sponsor-based, project-based or tenant
  based rental assistance.

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2007 Competition Highlights

• Requested 1.4 billion for 6,266 projects
• Awarded 1.3 billion to 5,911 projects
• 449 out of 464 CoCs Funded
• 199 CoCs received Samaritan Bonus funds, for 94
  million
• Amount awarded represents
• 93 of funding requests
• 94 of project requests

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HUD Veteran Project Funding

• HUD emphasizes importance of serving veterans in
  its grant applications - gives points for veteran
  participation.
• Most communities do assess the needs of veterans.
• Relatively few veteran-specific projects are
  submitted (3-4 ).

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HUD Veteran Project Funding (continued)

• Veteran-specific projects - 70 or more
  participants are veterans.
• Many more projects that target veterans among
  others served are funded (gt50 ).

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FY 2007 Veteran Data
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Strategies for Ensuring Veterans Interests are
Represented

• Make local networking a priority-Attend CHALENG
  and CoC meetings.
• Dont go it alone encourage participation of
  organizations interested in serving veterans.
• Identify need based on count of homeless veterans
  in the CoC area.

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Strategies for Ensuring Veterans Interests are
Represented (continued)

• Think strategically about how the project
  addresses local housing and service gaps.
• Where possible, use CoC competition incentives
  for bonus funding, e.g., develop a new PH project
  to serve chronically homeless veterans.

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Possible Strategies to Improve Funding

• Review unfunded veterans projects to determine
  possible reasons for non-award
• Did the project pass HUDs threshold review?
• Did the projects position on the CoC priority
  list affect funding, e.g., below the funding
  line?
• Any concerns about the applicants or sponsors
  capacity to manage the grant?

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Possible Strategies to Improve Funding (continued)

• Assess impact of renewal funding in your
  community.
• Request Technical Assistance through the local
  HUD Field Office.

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Initiatives

• 2003 - 35 million collaboration between HUD,
  HHS and VA to address chronic homelessness
• Approx. 30 of evaluation participants (n1200)
  are veterans
• 2003 - 13.5 million collaboration between HUD
  and DOL to address chronic homelessness and
  employment
• Approx. 15 of participants (n400) are veterans
• 2005 - 10 million initiative to help persons who
  are living on the streets and chronically
  inebriated.
• Approx. 21 of participants (n550) are veterans

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Homelessness Reporting

• Annual Progress Report
• Revised in 1996 to record veteran information.
• Homeless Management Information System
• HMIS collects information about veteran status.
• Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) 2nd
  Report
• Approximately 15 of sheltered adults are
  veterans

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2008 Application Process

• Approx. 1.423 billion available.
• This years Continuum of Care competitive
  programs will be accessible through an electronic
  application, called e-snaps.
• CoCs were required to register by June 16, 2008,
  to be able to submit a full application (Exhibits
  1 and 2).

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2008 CoC Application (continued)

• July 2008 target date - CoC application opens
  in e-snaps.
• Applications due TBD
• Award announcements planned for December 2008
• Websites
• www.hud.gov/esnaps (not part of Grants.gov)
• www.hudhre.info for e-snaps training information

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Changes for FY 2008 CoC NOFA

• Electronic Application through e-snaps.
• A CoC may create multiple Samaritan Housing
  Initiative projects.
• Scoring changes - based on 100 point scale 40
  Need points to be redistributed.
• As directed by Congress, HUD will implement a
  Rapid Re-Housing for Families Demonstration
  Program.

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Changes for FY 2008 CoC NOFA (continued)

• Changes to Safe Haven designations.
• SC and new SRO grant amounts - may not exceed
  100 percent of the FMR for the area and unit
  size.
• CoCs in Hold Harmless Status may reallocate to
  create a new dedicated HMIS project.

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HUD -VASH

• 75 million appropriation for HUD VA Supportive
  Housing Program.
• Combines Housing Choice Vouchers through PIH with
  VA case management.
• Approx. 10,000 vouchers for FY 2008.
• President requested 75 million for additional
  10,000 vouchers for FY 2009.

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HUD-VASH (continued)

• VA will screen homeless participants.
• 132 VAMCs will participate with the program.
• Will be at least one site in each of the 50
  states and in the District of Columbia and Puerto
  Rico.

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HUD-VASH (continued)

• The following was considered
• population of homeless veterans needing services
  in the area,
• number of homeless veterans served by the
  homeless programs at each VAMC during FY 2006 and
  FY 2007,
• geographic distribution, and
• VA case management resources.

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Future Plans

• Consolidated Legislation
• The legislation would consolidate three
  competitive homeless assistance programs SHP,
  Shelter Plus Care, and Section 8 SRO.
• It would streamline the three programs into one
  competitive program with a single set of eligible
  activities and a single cash match requirement.
• Prevention would be an eligible activity.

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Resource Websites

• Homelessness Resource Exchange (since September
  2007)
• http//www.HUDHRE.info
• HUD-VASH
• http//www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/vash/i
  ndex.cfm
• Guidebooks
• http//www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homelesslibrary/pla
  ceatthetableupdate2dec05.pdf
• http//www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/about/hudvet/
• pdf/rescoordguide.pdf