Harris County Community Services Department Office of Housing and Community Services

1. To insert your company logo on this slide • From the Insert Menu • Select “Picture” • Locate your logo file • Click OK To resize the logo • Click anywhere inside the logo. The boxes that appear outside the logo are known as “resize handles.” • Use these to resize the object. • If you hold down the shift key before using the resize handles, you will maintain the proportions of the object you wish to resize. Harris County Community Services DepartmentOffice of Housing and Community Services PY 2014 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Subrecipient Orientation February 26, 2014

2. Today’s Agenda • Review folder and contents • Agreement • Definitions and documentation • Approval process • Programmatic and Financial reporting Presented by Public Services Staff: Manager Esmeralda Gonzalez x2106 Senior Project Monitor Natalie Garcia x2065 Project Monitors Michelle Leija x2202 Ebony Love x2086

3. Agreements • Agreements were drafted based on applicants’ Request for Proposals (RFP’s) submitted to CSD for PY2014 funding • PY2014 Time of Performance: March 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 • Refer to Exhibit A: Scope of Services and Exhibit B: Budget • Unit Definition • Cost per Unit of Service • Total No. of Units Per Activity • Maximum Total Cost Per Year • PY2014 Number Served • At the discretion of HCCSD management, no more than two (2) budget revision requests shall be allowed each year, to be submitted no later than 90 days prior to the end of the program year • cut-off to receive your budget revision request: November 30, 2014

4. Eligibility by Component: Rapid Re-housing RRH

5. “Criteria” RRH RRH

6. “Record Keeping Requirements” RRH RRH

7. Checklist

8. Documentation Standards (in order of priority) 1st: Third Party Documentation Source Documents: Paycheck stubs, wage statement, Award letter from SSA or Attorney General’s Office, HMIS services record print-out (example in folder) Written Documentation: Referral letter on agency letterhead (example in folder) Oral Documentation: By subrecipient staff of conversation with a 3rd party providing verification, signed and dated by subrecipient staff as true and complete; staff must document due diligence efforts to obtain third party documents and obstacles encountered (phone logs, emails, copies of certified letters)

9. Documentation, cont. 2nd: Intake Staff Observation (NOT for income) Intake staff notes on their observations and assessments, picture of client living in car, assessment form with notes about client living in an encampment, signed and dated by subrecipient staff as true and complete 3rd: Self-Certification Used as a last resort, client provides a written statement which they sign and date; subrecipient staff signs and dates also, certifying that the information is true and correct (based on client assessment); staff must document due diligence efforts to obtain third party documents and obstacles encountered (phone logs, emails, copies of certified letters) (examples in folder)

10. Upon review of the Checklist and source documentation: • If applicant is eligible, CSD sends an email that applicant has been approved. • If documentation submitted is incomplete, CSD requests additional documentation • Once applicant is approved: • Subrecipient submits the Rent Reasonableness/Housing Quality Standards Request Form

11. RR/HQS Request Form

12. More on Rent Reasonableness Determinations and Housing Quality Standards Inspections • Rent Reasonableness (RR) • Martha Stafford, Rent Specialist • Housing Quality Standards (HQS) • Rohit Dave, Housing Construction and Inspection Services

13. Updated homelessness documentation will be requested when the RR/HQS form is not submitted within a reasonable time frame from applicant’s original approval date • Example: Applicant’s homelessness documentation was approved on March 1, 2014 and the RR/HQS form is not submitted until April 1, 2014 • Please allow at least 2 business days between submission of the request form before requesting results • Delays in inspecting the unit occur when the unit is not ready for inspection (electricity is not turned on, unit is missing refrigerator, stove, heating)

14. CSD Approval of both Applicant and Unit • Once unit passes RR and HQS, CSD returns the approved Rent Reasonableness/Housing Quality Standards Request Form with approval at the bottom of the form • Things to consider: • The unit inspected must be same unit on lease • Monthly rent amount on lease must match amount of monthly rent CSD determined reasonable • When calculating pro-rated rent amounts • Amount eligible for reimbursement cannot be before the date unit passed RR and HQS and cannot be before client’s move-in date • Security deposit amounts must be specified on lease

15. ESG Community Written Standards • Subrecipients are expected to provide support to clients for the full time necessary to stabilize that client and provide for the likelihood of positive housing outcomes after assistance; this may mean serving fewer persons/households than the contract goal. • It is the case manager’s responsibility to document client need and ensure that ESG is the most appropriate assistance for this client. • No limits or maximum standards on amount of assistance to be provided except for ESG 24 months maximum • Annual re-evaluation of clients (must have income at or below 30% AMI) (refer to table in next slide)

16. At annual re-evaluation, household must be at or below 30% Median Family Income (MFI) INCOME LEVELS & HOUSEHOLD SIZE Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Effective December 18, 2013

17. ESG Community Written Standards According to the current version of the Written Standards: • Housing location assistance • Designated staff finds appropriate housing choices/develops relationships with affordable housing providers; clients do not navigate system on their own • Office visits at least once per month • Rental application fees -one application at a time, encourage rental properties to waive fees

18. Areas that have resulted in monitoring findings/concerns: • Home visits (more than the minimum required case management services is encouraged) • For RR - at least bi-weekly for the first 3 months • In-person visit within 30 days of exit from program

19. Other Requirements • Rental Assistance Agreement • Use CSD issued form, submit monthly • Homeless participation • Due process when terminating assistance • Homeless Management Information System • Document that no duplication of services when client is enrolled in multiple programs

21. Effective date Scenario • Subrecipient submits RR/HQS request form on March 14th • Unit rent determined to be reasonable and passes HQS on March 17th • Lease signed by client and landlord on March 14th • As of what date is the unit eligible for ESG rental assistance?

22. Answer: • The date the unit passed HQS, March 17th (Actually, the client should not have signed the lease before the unit passed HQS)

23. Pro-rated Rent Scenario • On March 18th, you submit the required documentation for Mr. John Smith; CSD notifies you J.S. is approved same day • On March 19th, you submit RR/HQS request form for unit #12 at $500 monthly rent • On March 21st, CSD notifies you that J.S. and unit #12 are approved for ESG at $500 monthly rent • On March 27th, J.S. signs his lease and moves into unit #12 • How much is eligible in pro-rated rent?

24. Answer: • Starting date that is eligible for ESG is March 27th • To calculate pro-rated rent: • $500 / 31 days in March = $16.13/day • March 27 - 31 = 5 days • 5 days x $16.13/day = $80.65 pro-rated March rent

25. Programmatic Reports • Coversheet/Checklist • Project Status Report • Client Data Report • Assessment Forms • Tally Sheet • Employee Data Report • HMIS reports • Mid-year and Annual Report

26. Subrecipient Monitoring • See handouts “Subrecipient Preparation for Monitoring” and “Subrecipient Monitoring Checklist” • Notice letter 15-30 days prior to the visit • Entrance conference • Participant eligibility, activities provided, and consistency with terms of the Agreement • Determinations of ineligibility • Policies & procedures, Section 504 survey, documentation of homeless participation • Exit conference • Results letter within 30 days after the visit • Findings • Concerns • Response letter from Subrecipient in 30 days • Response letter from CSD in 30 days

27. Break Time After the break: Finance Staff Presentation Please turn in the Orientation Acknowledge form before you leave.