The Housing Game

1. The Housing Game Expanding Housing Opportunities for People with Disabilities in YOUR community!

2. Increasing affordable housing in your community: • The disability community has a RIGHT and an OPPORTUNITY to be INVOLVED. • People with disabilities, families and advocates can influence how housing decisions are make at the local level (in your community).

3. How Can I Get Involved: • By learning about the different housing planning documents that address local community needs. • By attending local housing meetings. • By making local officials aware of the housing needs of people with disabilities.

4. How are housing needs addressed… • The Consolidated Plan – A federally mandated housing plan. • A long-term housing plan that controls access to HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) resources. • A 5 year comprehensive housing strategy.

5. Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) Components: • Housing Needs Assessment – Documents the need for affordable housing within a state or community. • One Year Action Plan – Describes the activities that will be taken each year to address needs. • All states and localities required to have a Consolidated Plan.

6. What’s in the plan for ME? • The plan ensures that YOU (a person with a disability) are thought of, planned for and receive your fair share of Federal housing resources. • We need YOU to be actively involved in the ConPlan process.

7. Let’s Learn the Lingo: • ConPlan Resources or ConPlan Funds: • Interchangeable terms to refer to the HUD programs. • Community Development Block Grant • Emergency Shelter Grant • HOME Program • HOPWA – Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS

8. Localities: • Localities are the geographic areas: • A City • An Urban County • A Town • A Community • As opposed to the State as a whole

9. Entitlement Communities: • Means those communities or counties that, due to size and other HUD criteria, are eligible to receive CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding directly from HUD.

10. Why should I care about the ConPlan? • It controls how federal funds will be used to increase affordable housing. • It determines who will benefit from these activities. • It is a key document because it links other HUD housing programs together. • It’s YOUR BEST CHANCE to talk about the housing crisis facing people with disabilities.

11. HOUSING RESOURCES:Who controls them? • Most of the resources controlled by the ConPlan are specifically targeted toward low-income households. • PWD’s are among the lowest income households in the country. • The national average of income of PWD receiving SSI is only 24% of the typical one-person income in the country.

12. Who must submit a ConPlan? • A unit of government that receives any of the following program funds directly from HUD. • Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) • HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) • Emergency Shelter Funds (ESS) • Housing Opportunities for persons with AIDS (HOWPA). • Every state (also covers local communities).

13. Where are these plans found? • The planning or community development department. • The state’s housing agency (Department of Community Development)

14. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!How much do we get? • The amount of money a state or locality receives for each program is determined by a formula based on the amount Congress appropriates each year. • At the state and local level, a portion of CDBG funding and all HOME and HOPWA funds must be spent on affordable housing-related activities.

15. How could these funds be used: • A portion of HOME funds can be targeted for rental assistance for homeless or PWD. • CDBG grants and loans can be used to develop affordable housing ensuring affordability and accessibility for people receiving SSI.

16. Let’s talk about each of the (4) Housing Plans: • THE HOME PROGRAM: • Federal Housing Funds given to states and localities. • Can be used for: • Rental housing production and rehabilitation loans and grants. • First-time homebuyer assistance. • Rehabilitation loans for homeowners. • Tenant-based rental assistance with some restrictions.

17. Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) • Federal grant provided to “entitlement communities” (pop. over 50,000/urban counties – pop. Over 200,000). • 70% of CDBG funds must be used to benefit low and moderate income. • Approved activities include: • Housing rehab. • New housing construction by non-profits. • Purchase of land and buildings. • Construction of public facilities (i.e – shelters). • Construction of neighborhood service centers or community buildings. • Code enforcement, demolition and relocation funds for displaced residents. • Making buildings accessible. • Public services – (capped at 15% of CDGB’s funds) Ex - Vocational services, healthcare, and childcare.

18. EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT: (ESG) • Provides federal grants to states and localities based on a formula used for CDBG program. • Approved activities: • Housing information and coordination services. • Project-based or tenant-based rental assistance • Homeless prevention activities. • Supportive services • Housing operation costs • Technical assistance and/or admin. expenses.

19. How much time to complete the ConPlan? • Each plan has a program year during which the state or locality implements the plan. • Each plan also includes a One-Year action plan.

20. What HUD’s role in the Plan development? • Provide the funding. • Mandate an inclusive planning process. • Review and approve/disapprove the plans. • GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!

21. HUD’S Role (cont.) • States and localities are given flexibility to develop plans that meet local needs. • It’s not always clear who’s responsible for monitoring. This often leads to no one holding accountability for the plan. • The disability community must get involved and notify HUD when there’s a problem.

22. Let the confusion begin!!! • Since it’s not always clear who’s responsible and entities may not be clear on accountability… • The confusion around monitoring, combined with flexibility given to states and localities results in these plans not being inclusive or open to the public. • Leads to great difficulty influencing the outcome.

23. END THE CONFUSION – Learn about the plan… • HUD requirements vs. decisions left up to states or localities. • There are SIX REQUIRED COMPONETS OF THE ConPlan:

24. COMPONENTS OF THE ConPlan: • Description of the Planning Process: • Citizen Participation and Consultation. • Citizens should be empowered to make decisions for their communities. • Minimum requirements are mandated from the Federal Gov’t regarding participation. • An overview of how the state or locality prepares the plan, how they received public input. • People with disabilities need to make sure they are a part of this participation or “roadmap”. • Lack of specificity is a serious problem in defining who participates.

25. COMPONENTS (cont.) • Housing and Homeless Needs Assessment: • Describes the affordable housing needs within a state or locality (including PWD). • Provides for both renters and homeowners. • Extremely low income (below 30% AMI) • Low income (30-50% of AMI) • Moderate income (50-80% of AMI) • Middle income (80%-95% of AMI) • Separate section for homelessness, supportive housing and many other categories of individuals. • Who’s given priority among these groups for housing assistance.

26. COMPONENTS (cont.) • HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS: • Talks about supply, demand, condition and cost of housing. • Contains inventory of affordable housing, (including transitional, supportive and homeless). • Should discuss barriers to and expected loss of affordable housing from current inventory. • Often LOSS OF HOUSING is not documented and can be easily overlooked.

27. Other factors addressed in the Market Analysis: • Cost comparison for extremely low incomes of PWD. • Restrictive zoning that makes affordability difficult. • Comparison of HUD’s Fair Market Rent Level as compared to income of PWD. • Substandard conditions of housing. • Location of affordable housing (unsafe or isolated).

28. Five-Year Strategic Plan: • This plan outlines strategies that a state or locality will use to meet the priority needs for affordable housing and community development identified in the ConPlan. • Strategies are: • Affordable housing • Homelessness • Other special needs (including PWD) • Community development activities other than housing.

29. The problem: • ConPlan fails to require an adequate and enforceable link between the needs identified in the ConPlan and the proposed investment of housing dollars. • Disability advocates and HUD need to look closely at when local flexibility becomes discrimination.

30. One-Year Action Plan: • A detailed description of how the federal funds available during the next 12 months will be spent consistent with the 5-year plan. • Includes specific breakdown of • The number and type of families that will benefit. • Specific local housing activities that will be undertaken • Geographic areas where funds will be directed for Federal Assistance.

31. Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice • Legally binding certifications to HUD including a statement that the community will “affirmatively further fair housing goals…and maintain records pertaining to carrying out this certification.” • In simple terms – States and localities must identify barriers to fair housing choice and take actions to overcome the effects of these barriers.

32. Two HUGE BARRIERS to Fair Housing Choice. • 1. Extremely low incomes • 2. Housing Discrimination. • The Analysis should identify these facts as barriers that PWD face when trying to locate and access affordable housing.

33. Compliance: • States and localities must certify in the ConPlan that all federal housing program activity is in compliance with the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. • Both of these laws require “reasonable accommodation” during the ConPlan process if requested. • This might include providing written notice of public hearings to organizations representing PWD. • Providing a training session on the ConPlan process or federal housing programs.

34. Performance Reporting: • HUD required to report annually on the progress it has made in carrying out the strategic and action plans. • This annual report can help determine who actually is benefiting from the federal housing funding available to the community. • Should answer the question “Are they creating affordable housing opportunities for PWD?”

35. Amendments to the Plan. • Any major changes or amendments made to the ConPlan must be managed thru the Citizen Participation Plan. • This would include: • Change in priorities in spending. • Change in purpose, scope, location and who is benefitting. • Decision to carry out new activities not previously described. • Change in the way funds are distributed to parts of the state or county.

36. Five Steps of the ConPlan Calendar: • 1. Identify the need. – public hearings. • 2. The proposed ConPlan. – published in local papers and made available at libraries and govt. offices. • 3. The Final ConPlan. – Due to HUD 45 days before the start of the program year. • 4. The Annual Performance Report. – Due 90 days after the close of the program year. Public review for 15 days before sending to HUD. • 5. Amendments to the ConPlan. If substantial changes there must be a public review and comment process.

37. Other HUD Plans: • Continuum of Care Plan - Homelessness • Supportive Housing Program – Transitional Housing, temporary for up to 24 months, permanent for PWD. • Shelter Plus Care – Rental assistance for homeless PWD. • Section 8 – Single Room Occupancy for Homeless – Rental assistance in the development of Single Room Occupancy Dwellings for homeless individuals. • Public Housing Reform Plan – To give Public Housing Agencies more flexibility and control over how federal public housing and Section 8 funds are used. • Public Housing Agency Plan – (PHA Plan) –

38. Public Agency Plan (PHA Plan) • A 5-Year Comprehensive Document each public housing agency is required to complete. • Describes the agency’s overall mission for serving low-income and very low income individuals and families. • Identifies the activities that will be undertaken to meet the housing needs of those households.

39. Resources controlled by the PHA Plan: • Federal Public Housing. • Section 8 Rental Assistance programs. • These HUD programs are to assist these households in renting decent, safe and sanitary housing in the community without spending the majority of their income on rent. • Strategies for meeting the needs of low to very low income people, including PWD.

40. The Bottom Line: • Many of these plans do not adequately reflect the needs of people with disabilities. Because these plans are often interlocking together, if the needs of PWD aren’t reflected in one plan, they can be overlooked in the other plans. All of these plans have impact on how housing dollars will be spent and who will benefit from them.

41. What can YOU do about all of this???? • Get organized- have a clear message about housing needs and preferences of people with disabilities. • Learn the basics of the housing planning processes. • Actively participate (attend public meetings and comment). • Document the need for affordable housing. • Gather data regarding the current housing market. • Identify barriers to affordable housing. • Think about and talk about (with your local officials) how funds can be used to create housing opportunities for PWD.

42. It’s up to ALL OF US… • To care about the decisions that effect our lives… √ Find out how decisions are made. √Find out who’s making them. √Find out how to have your voice heard!!