Continuum of Care

1. Continuum of Care Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness Conference October 21, 2010 Suzanne Wagner, Housing Innovations

2. Overview • 2010 Changes • Things you can do now • Things you can do November 19th

3. 2010 Changes • Definition of Chronic Homelessness includes families – all other criteria remain the same • Selection priority for 100% rural areas • Educational assurances and practices required • Increased focus on performance • Project applicants must establish goals for housing retention and income and may also establish an additional 3 goals • New Logic Model form – don’t use old one!

4. Chronic Homeless Definition Changed • “An unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition or a family with at least one adult member who has a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.” • No change in definition of disabling condition

5. Selection Priority to 100% Rural Projects – New in 2010 • HUD may award up to $30 million to projects in qualified areas (list attached to NOFA) to achieve geographic diversity • Permanent housing projects located in 100% rural areas will receive funding priority • HUD strongly encourages CoCs with areas defined as rural to consider using a portion of available funds to create a housing project that will exclusively serve these areas. • Must serve 100% rural communities to qualify for priority – must attach Rural Housing Units Worksheet

6. Rural County Defined • A rural county is: • Any county, or its equivalent, no part of which is within an area designated as a standard metropolitan statistical area by the Office of Management and Budget; or • Any county, or its equivalent, that is— • Within an area designated as a metropolitan statistical area or considered part of a metropolitan statistical area; and • A county where at least 75 percent of the population is rural. • 70+ counties in VA are rural!!!

7. Required Educational Assurances • CoC required to demonstrate that it is collaborating with local education agencies to assist in identification of homeless families as well as informing these homeless families and youth of their eligibility for McKinney-Vento education services • CoC required to demonstrate that it is considering education needs of children when families are placed in emergency or transitional shelter and to maximum extent possible placing families with children as close as possible to schools of origin so as to not disrupt the children’s education

8. Required Educational Assurances-2 • Project applicants must demonstrate that their programs are establishing policies and practices that are consistent with and do not restrict the exercise of rights provided by the education subtitle of McKinney-Vento Act and other laws relating to the provision of education and related services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness • Project applicants must demonstrate that programs that provide housing or services to families are designating a staff person to ensure that children are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services in the community including early childhood programs such as Head Start, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and McKinney-Vento education services.

9. CoC Performance Scoring – new emphasis • 3/32 points will be awarded based on: • Systematic approach to assisting homeless people identify and apply for benefits such as: • SSI, SSDI, TANF, Medicaid, Food Stamps, SCHIP, WIA and Veterans Health Care • Points awarded based on increased access to benefits as indicated on Question 11 of APR • An increase of 10% or more over results reported in FY2010 for each category reported in Question 11 will get maximum points

10. Changes in Exhibit 2 Performance Measures Section • Establish objective related to housing stability • Establish objective related to income • Report through the APR • Up to 3 Additional Goals • Returns to Homelessness • LOS for TH • Positive Exits

11. Housing Stability Goal • You must set objectives related to housing stability: • Identify the number of persons remaining in PSH at the end of the operating year and; • Identify the number of persons exiting to permanent housing (subsidized and unsubsidized) by the end of the operating year

12. Income Goal • You must select one of the following income-related objectives to complete: • Identify the number of persons age 18 and older who maintained or increased their total income (from all sources) as of the end of the operating year or program exit. OR • Identify the number of persons age 18 through 61 who maintained or increased their earned income as of the end of the operating year or program exit.

13. Additional Optional Goals • Include up to three additional measures to be accomplished by the end of the upcoming operating year • Reported in the APR • Goals should be measurable and relevant to your project • x number will not return to homelessness at exit • x number will stay less than y days (for TH) • x number will have positive exits – define positive exits • These are all reported in the APR

14. Additional Measures (cont.) • You are required to identify: • Proposed measure • Data source • Data elements and formula for calculating results • Rationale for why proposed measure is an appropriate indicator • Training available at: http://esnaps.hudhre.info/files/M85.pdf

15. Government Performance and Results Act Indicators – no change from 2009 • Critical to performance score: • Percentage of formerly homeless people housed in HUD permanent housing projects for at least 6 months is 77% (last year: 77%) • Percentage of formerly homeless people who move from HUD transitional housing into permanent housing is at least 65% (last year: 65%) • Employment rate of people exiting HUD homeless assistance is at least 20% (last year: 20%) • For maximum points targets need to be exceeded • Create new permanent housing beds for chronic homeless • Decrease number of homeless families with children

16. Things You Can Do Now • Submit on time • Have one person read the exhibit 1 through from beginning to end • Apply for a permanent housing bonus project • Consider HHN re-allocation to create permanent housing or HMIS project • Make sure you apply for renewals and ensure that applications meet threshold and quality requirements

17. Electronic Submission • Application must be submitted through E-SNAPs • Visit www.hudhre.info for online training • CoCs were required to register for E-SNAPs prior to the start of the CoC competition • Application must be submitted prior to midnight, ET, on November 18, 2010. Virtual Help Desk closes at 4 pm. • Print out a copy of submission summary before closing browser after CoC application has been submitted to HUD – provides proof of meeting deadline

18. Permanent Housing Bonus • Same as 2009 • Can be used to provide permanent housing to disabled single individuals or families • HUD ‘strongly encourages’ CoCs to use at least a portion of available bonus funds to create a project that will exclusively serve chronically homeless – which now can include families • Also strongly encouraged to serve homeless Veterans • As before, one or more projects can be submitted for bonus • Total amount of funding cannot exceed 15% of PPRN or $6 million whichever is less • No more than 20% of eligible program activities (grant total minus admin costs of up to 5%) can be used for case management (SHP projects) • Remaining 80% used for acquisition, rehab, new construction, leasing or operations (SHP) • Safe havens do not qualify

19. Significant Scoring Change Continued from 2009 • Two key scoring factors apply to NEW PROJECTS ONLY: • Housing emphasis (6 points) based only on request for housing-related costs (acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, operations and leasing) for new projects (in PPRN or permanent housing bonus) • Leveraging points are for new projects only • Therefore, unless new projects are submitted, a CoC will receive NO POINTS for housing emphasis. All CoCs should seek to submit an eligible new project.

20. Grant Terms – New Projects same as 2009 • New SHP projects: • 2 or 3 years • Term of a new grant with funds for acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction may be for no greater than 39 months • New HMIS • 1, 2 or 3 years • Shelter + Care • 5 years: TRA, SRA, and PRA without rehab • 10 years: SRO and PRA with rehab

21. Project Quality Threshold NEW Projects • Housing and services must be appropriate to persons served • Type, scale and general location of housing fits participant needs • Housing is readily accessible to community amenities • Type, scale, and location of supportive services fit needs of participants • Mode of transportation to services is described • Specific plan for ensuring clients will be individually assisted to obtain mainstream benefits, and employment

22. Project Quality Threshold NEW • Describe how participants are helped to obtain and remain in permanent housing • How participants are assisted to increase incomes and live independently using mainstream housing and services • Provide evidence of satisfactory capacity and performance on existing grants • Demonstrate how timeliness standards are met • HUD reserves the right to deny a new project request made by an existing applicant that is found to have significant issues related to capacity, performance or unresolved audit/monitoring findings related to one or more existing SHP or S+C grants

23. HHN Reallocation • Permitted for 2010 Competition • Only for CoCs in Hold Harmless Need • Can reallocate some or all funds from existing SHP projects eligible for renewal to one or more: • New permanent housing projects • Dedicated HMIS (only 1/CoC) • New projects through reallocation can be for • SHP 1, 2 or 3 years • S+C 5 or 10 years • HMIS 1, 2 or 3 years

24. HHN Reallocation (Continued) • Reallocated projects will be funded under selection criteria for renewal projects • Must meet eligibility and quality standards • Reallocated funds may not be used to supplement a permanent housing bonus project

25. Renewal projects not ranked • CoCs are not required to rank renewal projects • Separate, streamlined application for renewal projects • Renewal SHP projects can only be for a one-year term – new for 2010 • Threshold review remains in effect for renewals!

26. Expiring grants • Grants expiring in calendar year 2011 are eligible to apply for renewal funding • Applicants awarded a 1 year HMIS and who have not yet executed a contract with HUD are eligible to apply for renewal • If an eligible renewal project is not awarded funding in 2010, then the project will not be allowed to extend its grant to apply in 2011 • S+C projects already in one year renewal cycle may not extend

27. Grants funded in 2004 • Grant funded in 2004 that expires in or has been extended to 2011 or beyond must request renewal in 2010. Funds will not be available for expenditure after 9/30/11 for these grants • Recipients may not accelerate spending rate

28. Threshold Review Factors: New and Renewal • Applicants and project sponsors must meet eligibility requirements of SHP or S+C • Population to be served must meet eligibility requirements of specific programs and the application must clearly establish eligibility of program participants • The only persons to be served by permanent housing projects are those who come from the streets, emergency shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing (if originally from streets and shelter) • Must serve 100% rural communities to qualify for selection priority for rural areas – must attach Rural Housing Units Worksheet

29. Threshold Factors – New and Renewal (2) • Project must be cost-effective, including costs associated with construction, operations and supportive services with costs not deviating substantially from the norm in that locale • SHP and S+C renewals will be awarded through a modified selection process and announced ASAP • Applicants must agree to participate in HMIS • Renewal projects assumed to meet threshold unless ‘information to the contrary has been received’ • Projects with new construction or substantial rehabilitation must meet accessibility requirements of Section 504, Fair Housing Act, ADA

30. Project Renewal Quality Thresholds • A CoC must consider the need to continue funding for projects expiring in calendar year 2011(“it is important that SHP and S+C renewal projects meet minimum project eligibility, capacity, timeliness and performance standards identified in this NOFA or they will be rejected from consideration for funding”) • HUD will assess: • Applicant’s performance against plans and goals established in initial application as amended • Timeliness in expenditure of grant funds • Assisting participants achieve and maintain independent living and record of success

31. HUD Reserves Right to Reject a Renewal Request from an Organization for the following reasons: • Outstanding obligation to HUD that is in arrears or for which a payment schedule has not been agreed on • Audit finding for which a response is overdue or unsatisfactory • History of inadequate financial management accounting practices • Evidence of untimely expenditures on prior award • History of other major capacity issues that have significantly impacted the operation of the project and its performance • Timeliness in reimbursing project sponsors for eligible costs. • HUD will also consider: if an applicant has been unwilling to accept technical assistance, has a continued history of inadequate financial management practices, indications of mismanagement on the part of the recipient, drastic reduction in population served, program changes made without HUD approval, and loss of project site.

32. Things you can do after the NOFA • Consider merging with other CoC(s) • Evaluate performance of renewals • Ensure coordination with other resources – HUD-VASH, HPRP, NSP, Tax credits • Do a good PIT

33. New process to merge CoCs continued from 2009 • Process ensures that CoCs will not lose FPRN by merging • Where one CoC has a FPRN based on HHN and another has FPRN based on PPRN, HUD will calculate the newly merged CoCs FPRN based on the higher FPRN for each CoC – calculation was completed during registration process • Newly merged CoC may use this process for calculating FPRN for 2010 competition • HUD strongly recommends that CoCs that have not received funding from HUD consider merging

34. Pro Rata Need and Hold Harmless Need • Continuum of Care Preliminary Pro Rata Need (PPRN) • Amount of funds a CoC could receive based on the geography that HUD approves as belonging to the CoC • Continuum of Care Hold Harmless Need (HHN) • When the amount needed to fund a one year renewal (annual renewal amount -- ARA) of all SHP grants expiring in calendar year 2011, exceeds the PPRN, a CoC is in HHN status • Continuum of Care Final Pro Rata Need (FPRN) • The higher amount of PPRN or HHN • All projects must be fully within the CoC FPRN

35. CoC Renewal Evaluation Process • Can be conducted after NOFA is completed • Focus on improving performance • Steering Committee decides on evaluation criteria • Criteria shared with providers • Agencies submit: • HUD Annual Performance Reports (APRs) • Consumer Surveys • Info on compliance with HMIS standards • HMIS data quality report provided by HMIS Administrator • Debrief meeting held and final scores shared with providers • If score below threshold, corrective action plan is required • Performance/outcomes improve each year

36. CoC Renewal Evaluation Process - 2 Renewal Projects evaluation criteria: • APR data – 50 points • Eligibility of participants • 90% Occupancy Rate • 85% Retention > 6 months in PSH • 75% of exits to permanent housing – TH • 30% of people leave with Health Insurance • 50% leave with Food Stamps • 25% Employed at exit • Income Amounts Increased for Participants who Exited • 75% of participants had Positive Exit

37. CoC Renewal Evaluation Process - 3 • Consumer Satisfaction surveys – 15 points • Results and at least 35% response rate • Accuracy of charts/budgets from Exhibit II – 15 points • HMIS – 20 points • Data Quality - < 10% of UDE’s are null/empty • Compliance with HMIS Data and Technical Standards

38. CoC Renewal Evaluation Process - 4 Corrective Action • If a project scores below threshold (70%), corrective action plan must be submitted • Corrective Action Plan includes actions to be taken to improve weak area/s, staff involved, and timeframe for completion • Steering Committee meets with agency, reviews plan, additional support/TA is provided • Agency may not apply for new HUD project until out of corrective action status

39. Coordination with ARRA Resources • HUD encourages use of NSP, HUD-VASH, HPRP, CDBG-R, Tax Credit Assistance Program as a source of leveraging - may result in extra points • CoCs that identify coordination will be eligible for points • As part of application, CoCs must address how they are participating in HPRP

40. SCORING

41. CoC Continues to be scored on 100 point scale

42. Scoring (2)

43. Scoring (3)

44. Scoring (4)

45. CoC Performance Scoring – new emphasis • 3/32 points will be awarded based on: • Systematic approach to assisting homeless people identify and apply for benefits such as SSI, SSDI, TANF, Medicaid, Food Stamps, SCHIP, WIA and Veterans Health Care • Points awarded based on increased access to benefits as indicated on Question 11 of APR • An increase of 10% or more over results reported in FY2010 for each category reported in Question 11 will get maximum points

46. Scoring (5)

47. Discussion Thanks! Contact info: Suzanne Wagner, Principal Housing Innovations swagner@housinginnovations.us (917)612-5469