REAPPROACHING HUD FUNDING:

YOUTH HOUSING!National Alliance to End Homelessness

WHY CONSIDER HUD?

More Money – potential of $400 million more

Definition expanded in HEARTH New funding flexibility Moves from Crisis Intervention to

Prevention

INEQUITY OF FEDERAL FUNDINGYouth Housing Federal spending on affordable housing?

$3.7 billion –special population $42.2 b. $31.5 billion – Section 8 $7 billion – public housing

Federal spending on youth housing? $68.3 million – RHY and FUP $1.84 b. $1.77 billion – YouthBuild & Job Corp

INEQUITY IN FEDERAL FUNDINGHomelessness Housing and Services

$4.175 billion (HUD & HHS – all programs), including: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants (HUD) $1,667

million Samaritan Initiative (HUD) HOME Investment Partnership Program FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program (DHS) The Health Care for the Homeless Program (HHS) Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (HHS) SAMHSA Homelessness Prevention (HHS) Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (HHS) Education for Homeless Children and Youth (ED) Transitional Housing Assistance Sex. Assault Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program (DOL) HUD-VASH

$195 million (RHY, FUP, McKinney Educ.)

Federal Funding Sources for Youth Housing Programs Housing and Urban Development

Family Unification Program Section 8 HOME CDGB HPRP – ARRA McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS

Department of Health and Human Services Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs (TLP and Basic

Center Host Homes) Department of Labor

YouthBuild

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO GETTING HUD FUNDING? Lack of new appropriations Providers wanting to offer transitional

housing, but HUD supports permanent supportive housing

Multiple data base systems (HMIS & RHYMIS)

Local, political barriers in the Continuum of Care

Why Should We Also Focus on Prevention and Early Intervention? Because Housing is Expensive! Quilt Work of Funding (Minneapolis Example – 42

units) Housing Credit equity $2,600,000 City HOME loan $520,000 State Housing Finance Trust Loan $440,000 County Capital fund $400,000 McKinney Supp. Housing $400,000 State Housing Fund $200,000 Private Funder $160,000 Land Donation $40,000 Local Charities $32,000TOTAL $4,800,000

OVERVIEW

HEARTH ACT – REAUTHORIZATION OF McKINNEY VENTO

MAY, 2009

HUD – McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Program McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance

Programs – Federal Appropriation Levels FY2009 - $1.677 billion FY2010 - $1.865 billion ($188 million increase) FY2011 - $2.065 billion ($200 million increase)

Appropriations applied to HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance programs: Supportive Housing Program (SHP) Shelter Plus Care Program (S+C) Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy

(SRO) Program Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)

HEARTH ACT – Positive Changes to Federal Law! Increases flexibility in the use of grant funds:

Consolidates the Supportive Housing, Shelter Plus Care, and SRO Moderate Rehabilitation Programs – single program

Allows rural areas more flexibility - use funding for capacity building through the creation of the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program.

Simplifies matching requirements – across the board - 25 percent match (either cash or, if certain requirements are met, in-kind).

COC can use up to 10 percent of competitive funds to serve families or unaccompanied youth who don’t meet HUD definition (McKinney Education or RHY definition)

HEARTH ACT – Positive Changes to Federal Law!

DEFINITION OF HOMELESS CHANGE – can now serve doubled-up youth Youth who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence Public spaces, shelters, transitional housing, hotels Youth about to lose their housing (highly mobile) – need case

worker statement or youth statement as credible evidence - 14 days

unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children who— have experienced a long term period without living independently

in permanent housing, Persistent instability through frequent moves; and can be expected to continue in such status for an extended

period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment.

HEARTH ACT – New DefinitionNEW REGULATIONS – PROPOSED (not final) Coming from institution – temporary resident must

be 90 days or less (used to be 30) Imminently lose primary residence –

court order to vacate, lacks cash for hotel, or no longer being allowed to stay by owner/renter (up to 14

days) Written or oral statement, self-certification is ok with case notes that they tried to reach landlord/roommate – but not required with Domestic Violence!)

Long-term unaccompanied youth – 91 or more days, three or more moves,

CHANGE IN DEFINITION - HEARTH Long-term unaccompanied youth meeting other

federal definitions (DOE, RHY), but: Long-term period - 91 or more days, Persistent instability = three or more moves, AND Expected to continue in homeless status – multiple barriers

to employment = 2 or more of - lack of high school degree, illiteracy, low English proficiency, history of incarceration, or history of unstable employment

Fleeing Domestic Violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life threatening conditions taking place in residence or afraid to return.

HEARTH ACT – Positive Changes to Federal Law! Allocates millions more to homelessness prevention,

rapid re-housing, and permanent housing: Provides communities with more resources for re-housing

and prevention targeted to those who are at risk of homelessness, including homeless youth.

Changes the current Emergency Shelter Grant program to the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) - roughly doubles the amount for ESG from 10 to 20 percent of the total federal grant

Requires that at least 40 percent of ESG funds are dedicated to prevention and re-housing activities. There is a hold-harmless provision that ensures that ESG grantees do not have to reduce funding for traditional shelter and outreach activities.

HEARTH ACT – Positive Changes to Federal Law!Keeps focus on permanent supportive housing:

Designates 30 percent of total funds for new permanent housing for families and individuals with a disability.

Requires that 10 percent of funds be used for permanent housing activities for families with children.

HEARTH ACT – Positive Changes to Federal Law! Improves flexibility of rural communities:

Creates the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program. This program will allow rural areas more flexibility to identify and address the needs of homeless people and those at-risk of becoming homeless.

Allows rural communities to use more funding for capacity building.

Teenagers Can’t be Denied Shelter/Housing – Separate from FamilyIn two years-

McKinney-Vento-funded shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing programs that serve homeless families are not allowed to deny admission to families based on the age of their children

Eviction of teenage boys from shelters…

NEW FUNDING FLEXIBILITY – Collapsed COC application (SHP, S+C, Sec. 8 SRO) Acquisition Renovation/

rehabilitation New construction Leasing Transitional or

permanent housing operations

Supportive services

Tenant-based rental assistance

Sponsor-based rental assistance

Project-based rental assistance

Rapid re-housing Administrative costs Homelessness

Management Information Systems (HMIS)

New Emergency Solutions Grant – More Money – Key to YOUTHWHAT WILL MONEY COVER? Renovation/rehabilitation or conversion Social services Operating costs Homeless prevention Rapid re-housing Grant administration.

EXAMPLES – Funding Services

SEE EXAMPLES IN PAPER….

How can YOUTH be served with Prevention and Re-housing activities?What’s covered under prevention and re-housing activities? Short or medium term rental assistance Housing relocation or stabilization services such as:

Housing search Mediation Outreach to property owners Legal services Credit repair Security or utility deposits Utility payments Final month’s rental assistance Moving costs.

Prevention assistance must be targeted to people below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI). (YOUTH PRIORITY)

CONCLUSION

Questions – Dialogue

Rich Hooks Wayman

richard@hearthconnection.org LaKesha Pope

lpope@naeh.org