Housing Cost Subsidy

1. Housing Cost Subsidy What is it and how to apply for it?

2. House Subsidy Definition House Costs Subsidy • State funding provided by DIDD • To assist people in Supported Living services with making lease or rent payments and payments for certain utility and related services • If was formerly called “MR-Housing”

3. Who is Eligible to apply? • MUST be receiving Supported Living residential service in a 3 person or fewer home • a class member; or • A person not a class member but who was approved for and was receiving a Housing Subsidy state funded by DIDD as of August 31, 2007

4. Housing Costs Subsidy Expenses Type of expenses for determining Housing Costs Subsidy: • Rent/or Mortgage • Electric power service • Water and sewer service • Natural gas or other fuels for heating • Trash disposal service • Basic telephone service for either land line or cell phone but not both • Lawn mowing service • Personal Expenses

5. Documentation Needed? • There must be documentation that the service recipient has insufficient funds to cover reasonable rent, lease or mortgage payments and other reasonable residential costs on an ongoing basis without a Housing Costs Subsidy

6. Agency should submit the following:  Current bank statements. The following months are needed (last 2 months)  Policy D Budget (attached). “Request for Housing Cost Subsidy” form.  Breakdown of Personal Expense Monthly Average: Food, Personal Supplies, Personal Care, Spending, Entertainment, Eating out, Medicine not paid by insurance, etc. • Utility Form (at least 12 months required, change the dates on the form if necessary to provide the most recent months) • 12 months copies of the following bills ONLY-Electric, Gas, Water, & Sewage. • Additional Information and Justification form must be completed • Food Stamp Approval Letter OR Food Stamp Denial Letter • Copy of Lease Agreement  Copy of SSI/SSA Form  Copy of Phone bill: What is the cost for a discounted residential telephone service, such as Lifeline, if available? • Information about the home is required. County: • metropolitan or non-metropolitan county? • Number of Bedrooms:

7. Who? The Supported Living provider agency is responsible for completing and submitting the house subsidy request form. It is to be sent to Plans Review Unit Forms are found on the DIDD website: www.tn.gov/didd/provider_agencies/resources/StateFundedServiceRequest.doc

8. WHEN? The request for housing costs subsidy MUST be submitted: • At least 30 calendar days prior to the requested start date of an INITIAL request for a Housing Costs Subsidy; • At least 30 calendar days prior to the EXPIRATION date of the person’s existing Housing Costs Subsidy; 30 Days

9. WHEN? (con’t) • At least 30 calendar days PRIOR to the date the person relocates to a different Supported Living home • Within 30 calendar days of a change in the NUMBER of people living in the person’s Supported Living home; 30 Days

10. You must send the request form along with the following: Bank statements for the most recent 2 months NOTE: The Individual Support Plan (ISP) DOES NOT have to be amended to request a Housing Costs Subsidy. Request form and what else?

11. The Authorization Period: Limited to a maximum of one (1) year EXCEPT in special circumstances where DIDD has determined a shorter or longer authorization period is warranted. Contingent on rent, lease and mortgage payments shall NOT exceeding the HUD User Fair Market Rent for the current year for applicable county in Tennessee, EXCEPT for the following circumstances: Authorization

12. AUTHORIZATION: EXCEPTIONS • To accommodate a person who had a lease effect as of September 1, 2008, with a monthly payment more than the HUD User Fair Market Rent; www.huduser.gor/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2011_code/select_Geography.odn • When a class member’s medical or behavioral condition results in recurring personal expenses substantially higher than the established DIDD Personal Expense Allowance

13. SAMPLE

14. Special Exception Add-On’s by the Deputy Commissioner To supplement a rent or lease payment exceeding HUD User Fair Market Rent to accommodate a service recipient who requires extensive and substantial specialized seating and mobility equipment needs, in accordance with the following:

15. Special Exception Add-ons by the Deputy Commissioner • The unique floor plan or substantial additional space is required to accommodate the specialized seating and mobility equipment; and; • The need for such a floor plan requires the rental or lease of a residence at a rate which exceeds the HUD User Fair Market Rent.

16. ADD-On Shall NOT be provided for… • Use of a standard wheelchair, folding wheelchair or other special type of wheelchair, specialized seating, or mobility equipment that can be reasonably accommodated in a home

17. Special Exception Add-on – medication needs • May authorize supplement for over the counter medications or co-pays for the person who demonstrate a need. • When rent or lease supplement is needed for two housemates sharing the rent/lease payment and one housemate requires special exception due to the unique floor plan due to unique floor plan due to mobility needs.

18. One Year Authorization A Housing Subsidy authorized PRIOR to September 2, 1007, shall be valid for a ONE YEAR period from the date of its authorization OR until the assigned expiration date is reached, WHICHEVER occurs first.

19. Housing Cost Subsidy Expires… • When the authorization end date has been reached; • If the person relocates from a Supported Living home to another type of residence and no longer receives services in an approved Supported Living home • If the person relocates to a different Supported Living home in Tennessee; or

20. Amount is determined based on: Sole discretion of DIDD and Shall be based on an assessment of income and expenses according to… Recurring Housing Expenses for: Electric power service Water and sewer service Natural gas or other fuels for heating Trash disposal service Basic telephone service for either land line or cell phone but not both Lawn mowing service Personal Expenses ($250 max for food, unless nutrition is via tube. $125 max for other personal expenses = $375 max/month Amount of the Housing Costs Subsidy…

21. DIDD Format

22. By incorporating a maximum DIDD Personal Expense Allowance; and Considering total income that includes: Food stamps Other unearned income Earned income that exceeds $1200 per calendar year Allowable expenses being calculated by adding the sum of Recurring Housing Expenses and DIDD Personal Expense Allowance Recurring Housing Expenses + DIDD Personal Expense Allowance = Allowable Expenses Total Income - Allowable Expenses = Class Member’s Housing Costs Subsidy Amount of the Housing Costs Subsidy…

23. DIDD Request for Housing Costs Subsidy

24. Payment The authorized Housing Costs Subsidy will be issued through payment to the Supported Living provider. The Supported Living provider MUST document that the Housing Costs Subsidy deposited into the person’s checking account.

25. MUSTS… • Send complete and accurate information • If you are sending more than 50 pages of documents – you might be sending UNNECESSARY information • Many Housing Costs Subsidies are denied due to inaccurate or incomplete information

26. QUESTIONS! • Housing Costs Subsidy Policy is located on the DIDD web site • Electronic forms can be provided by contacting the Plans Review Unit in your region or the DIDD website www.tn.gov/didd