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HUD-VASH HUD - VA Supportive Housing Program. The VA’s Role in HUD-VASH HUD-VASH Operating Requirements HUD-VASH Reporting Requirements Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Requirements for HUD-VASH. VA and HUD Commitment.
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HUD-VASH HUD - VA Supportive Housing Program • The VA’s Role in HUD-VASH • HUD-VASH Operating Requirements • HUD-VASH Reporting Requirements • Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Requirements for HUD-VASH
VA and HUD Commitment • VA is committed to the Federal Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness and is implementing a Five-Year Plan to Eliminate Homelessness among Veterans, which calls for coordinated strategic cooperation with our community partners • VA and HUD have established the nation’s largest supported permanent housing initiative • HUD and VA work together on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
HUD-VASH The HUD-VASH Program combines: 30,000Housing Choice vouchers to PHAs Have 301 participating PHAs Case management and supportive services topromote housing stability and recovery Almost 1,000 case managers In 2010, over 100 Substance Use Disorder Specialists on VA case management teams
PARTNER RESPONSIBILITIES • VA HUD-VASH Case Managers determine clinical eligibility and homeless status • PHAs determine if the Veteran meets HUD criteria for income and is not a lifetime registered sex offender under a State sex offender registration program.
VA Eligibility Criteria • Eligible for VA Health Care • Homeless per McKinney Vento definition • Needs, and agrees to participate in, case management Does NOT include the following: • Prior treatment or other homeless programs • Treatment compliance • Period of sobriety • Income verification by VA • Criminal Background Check
McKinney Vento Definition of Chronic Homelessness A chronically homeless Veteran is: • A VA healthcare eligible person who has been • Continuously homeless for 1 year or more, OR • At least four episodes of homelessness in the past 3years
HEARTH Act The HEARTH Act amends McKinney Vento • Changes include defining: • Prevention and re-housing • Homelessness for families • Allows specific doubled up housing situations • Changes time-frame for transitional housing situations from 30 days to 90 days VA and HUD are working towards implementing the HEARTH Act in HUD-VASH
Assessment Promoting a low barrier, engaging approach • Veteran assessed using standardized assessment • New HOMES template will be piloted soon • Veteran to obtain Vesting physical, if needed • Focus on issues related to housing stability • Employment, income and legal assistance • Family/Social concerns • Seek mental health and/ or Substance Use disorder evaluations, if Veteran agrees
“Housing First” Approach • Offers permanent housing with treatment & supportive services to homeless individuals • Early engagement/low demand model • Few requirements for treatment participation prior to housing • A model that allows us to target and assist the most chronically homeless • Priority and focus is on housing http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/tools/housingfirst
Housing Recovery Plan • This plan reflects the goals of the Veteran, identifying • Strengths • Barriers to maintaining housing placement • Establish a process to monitor the progress of the plan • Housing stability (rent paid, following rules, etc) • Employment and income needs met • Legal and financial issues (credit history) resolved • Physical, mental, social and substance use health supported
PHA and Housing Process • Referral is made in writing to the PHA from the VA • Case manager assistance (if needed): • Complete forms • Work out transportation issues • Locate suitable housing following PHA guidelines • Request PHA inspection and approval of selected unit • Address obstacles and barriers • Facilitate communication between PHA and Veteran
Housing Placement • Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contract issued by PHA to the landlord following passing unit inspection • If indicated, case manager assists the Veteran and landlord to complete the lease • Prepare for the move by helping Veteran • Turn on utilities • Obtain furnishings and supplies • Plan and arrange move in
Completion Case manager and Veteran meet with PHA to discuss successful graduation from case management • If PHA has a regular Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) available for the Veteran, then the veteran will convert to the HCV program, and the HUD-VASH voucher will become available for another eligible homeless Veteran • If PHA does not have a regular voucher available, the Veteran continues using the HUD-VASH voucher until it is no longer needed
HUD-VA High Priority Goal Place 30,000 Veterans in HUD-VASH permanent housing • Time period: October 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012 • Report to Office of Management and Budget on a quarterly basis – FY 11 metrics expected to stay the same • # of referrals from VAMCs to PHAs • # of vouchers issued to families • # of units leased
HUD-VA High Priority Goals Strategies for meeting High Priority Goals • Improve reporting tools • Produce monthly reports on progress • Monitor PHA and VA progress toward goals • Conduct on-site reviews for high and low performers • Establish action plans for improvement • Determine best practices in use • Involve multiple training strategies and opportunities • Improve evaluation tool
ALLOCATION OF HUD- VASH VOUCHERAWARDS FY 2008 - FY 2010 Total Allocated Vouchers: 29,500 WA 985 MT ME ND 95 95 95 NH MN VT 95 OR 250 70 550 ID MA 90 SD WI NY 895 155 285 2,505 WY MI RI 95 655 95 IA CT PA 200 315 NE NJ 1,020 NV 145 500 OH 585 IL IN 750 UT MD 580 370 155 405 CO WV DE VA 690 215 60 KS MO CA 475 KY 285 370 DC 4,680 355 490 NC 560 TN AZ 605 OK 670 NM AR SC 155 215 185 320 MS AL GA 180 440 1,075 TX LA 2,005 420 AK FL 95 2,665 VOUCHER Puerto Rico AWARDS 80 30 - 95 145 - 200 HI 145 Guam 215 - 370 30 405 - 585 605 - 4,680
HUD-VASH Operating Requirements Published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2008, but part of the section on portability/mobility was not included. The missing section was published in the FederalRegister on May 19, 2008. The complete text can be found at: • http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/vash/
Operating Requirements • Normal HCV requirements at 24 CFR 982 apply to HUD-VASH vouchers unless they are waived or an alternative requirement has been specified, as discussed in this presentation.
HUD-VASH Eligibility • The VA first identifies homeless veterans and determines initial eligibility. • Unlike the earlier HUD-VASH program from the 1990s, veterans are not required to be chronically mentally ill or have chronic substance abuse disorders. • All eligibility screening is conducted by the VAMC, except for income eligibility and sex offender status.
HUD-VASH Eligibility • Homeless veterans must agree to participate in case management in order to receive a HUD-VASH voucher. • After VAMC screening determines a veteran is initially eligible, the veteran is referred to the PHA. • Written documentation of the referrals must be maintained in the tenant file at the PHA.
HUD-VASH Eligibility • Veterans found eligible by the PHA will be issued a voucher.
Denial of Assistance • If assistance is denied, the PHA must promptly send the denial notice that states the reason and provides for an informal review. • A copy of this notice must be sent to the veteran’s VAMC case manager.
PHA Screening • PHA screening limited to: • Income eligibility • Lifetime registration under a state sex offender registration program. • Under portability, the receiving PHA must also comply with the HUD-VASH screening procedures.
Prohibited Screening Criteria At the time of admission, PHAs may not determine eligibility or deny assistance for the following: • Homeless status • Money owed to the PHA • Criminal or drug activity (This prohibition applies to all family members at the time of admission.)
Income Eligibility • The PHA determines eligibility in accordance with 24 CFR 982.201. • Income targeting requirements do not apply to HUD-VASH vouchers. (However, PHAs may choose to include the admission of extremely low income HUD-VASH families in their income targeting numbers for the year the family admitted to HUD-VASH.)
Lifetime Sex-Offender Status • If the homeless veteran is subject to a lifetime-sex offender registration requirement under a state program, the PHA cannot issue a voucher. • If another family member is the lifetime registrant, the family may be eligible if that family member is removed from the household.
Initial Search Time • HUD-VASH families must have a housing search term of at least 120 days. • Any extensions, suspensions and progress reports will remain under policies in the PHA’s administrative plan, but will apply only after 120 days.
Initial Lease Term • The initial lease term may be less than 12 months, even if this is not the prevailing market practice .
Eligible Housing • All housing types eligible in the regular HCV program including special housing types such as SROs, congregate housing and group homes. • Standard HCV requirements regarding unit size, HQS and payment standards apply.
Eligible Housing • Unlike regular HCV participants, HUD-VASH families may live on the grounds of a VAMC in units owned by the VA.
Case Management • Participation in case management is an eligibility requirement of the HUD-VASH program. • HUD-VASH assistance may be terminated if the family refuses, without good cause, to participate in required case management as verified by the VAMC.
When Case Management is no longer required: • However, a VAMC’s determination that case management is no longer needed is not grounds for termination of HCV assistance. • When such a determination occurs, a family may be offered a regular voucher to free up the HUD-VASH voucher for another eligible homeless veteran.
Turnover of HUD-VASH Vouchers • Upon turnover, HUD-VASH vouchers must continue to be issued to eligible veteran families referred by the VAMC.
SEMAP • Since leasing of HUD-VASH vouchers will be dependent on referrals from the VAMC, the unit months and budget authority associated with the vouchers will NOT be included in the SEMAP leasing indicator. • Utilization of HUD-VASH vouchers will be monitored separately.
Mobility/Portability Policies • Are dependent on whether the family moves within or outside of the referring VAMC’s catchment area.
Move Within a VAMC’s Catchment Area • The HUD-VASH family can move under portability within the referring VAMC’s catchment area if the same VAMC continues to provide case management. • Some VAMCs have more than one partner PHA. • If the receiving PHA did not have its own allocation of HUD-VASH vouchers, the receiving PHA MUST BILL the initial PHA.
Move Within a VAMC’s Catchment Area • If the receiving PHA has its own allocation of HUD-VASH vouchers, the receiving PHA may either absorb the family or bill the initial PHA. • In either case, the VA must be consulted prior to the move and agree that case management services will be provided.
Move Within a VAMC’s Catchment Area • Non-VASH PHAs should be advised of program requirements including using the HUD-VASH code when preparing the form HUD-50058 for the family. • They should also be given the name and contact information for the veteran’s VA case manager.
Move OUTSIDE the catchment area of the referring VAMC • A HUD-VASH family can move to another HUD-VASH catchment area, if the referring VAMC confirms that the new HUD-VASH VAMC has an available case management slot and the new VAMC’s partner PHA has an available HUD-VASH voucher.
Move OUTSIDE the catchment area of the referring VAMC • HOWEVER, the receiving HUD-VASH PHA must use one of its HUD-VASH vouchers to absorb the family.
MTW Agencies • HUD-VASH vouchers must be administered in accordance with HUD-VASH notices. • Not eligible for fungibility under an agency’s MTW agreement. • Must be reported separately from MTW vouchers, using the regular form HUD-50058.
HUD-VASH HAP Funding • HUD-VASH Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) funds may not be used to support a greater number of unit months than have been awarded for the PHA’s HUD VASH program under the PHA’s ACC. • PHAs must track HUD-VASH HAP funding separately from other HCV HAP funding.
Voucher Management System (VMS) Reporting • HUD-VASH vouchers leased and HUD-VASH HAP expenses are to be reported to VMS monthly using the appropriate VMS fields.
VMS Records & Quality Review • Each PHA must retain appropriate records to support VMS submissions as they are subject o on-site review by HUD. • VMS data are subject to review by our Quality Assurance Division (QAD).
VMS Quality Review • Recalculation will occur if a QAD review demonstrates that costs were incorrectly reported resulting in excess funding.
HUD-VASH Renewal Funding For Existing Programs Renewals are based on leasing and cost data. The FY’08 HUD-VASH vouchers have been renewed. The FY’09 HUD-VASH vouchers will be renewed in Calendar Year 2011.
HUD-VASH Renewal Funding For Existing Programs HUD will schedule a separate broadcast on HUD-VASH funding renewal issues.
Administrative Fees • Administrative fees are based on the unit months leased as reported in VMS. • Administrative fees are advanced on a monthly basis. • The amount advanced is based on the most recent validated month of VMS data.
Administrative Fees • HUD-VASH administrative fees are included with the HCV fees that are sent out monthly.