Engaging with Your Continuum of Care to Impact Homelessness

1. Engaging with your continuum of care to impact homelessness Presented by The Florida Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. and the State Office on Homelessness/DCF August 2, 2017 FAHRO Conference, Orlando, FL. Erik Braun – Director, State Office on Homelessness Robyn Andrews – Executive Director, Florida Coalition for the Homeless

2. Engaging with your continuum of care to impact homelessness This session will present an overview of the Florida Coalition for the Homeless, the Office on Homelessness, local Continuum's of Care, and equip PHA's with effective methods to partner with these agencies to significantly impact and reduce homelessness.

3. Our Mission: • To work collaboratively to prevent and end homelessness in Florida

4. Who We Are • The Florida Coalition for the Homeless (FCH) was initially formed as a corporation in 1990, and received 501(c)3 status by the IRS in 1994. • Our organizational structure is a 17 person board consisting of CoC Directors and providers across the state, as well as an executive director. • We are a membership organization made up of CoC’s and providers from throughout the state.

5. What We Do • FCH provides education, resources, advocacy, training, and support to assist Continuum’s of Care in their efforts to help alleviate homelessness in their local communities. • We present an annual, statewide conference; The Florida Institute on Homelessness and Supportive Housing, alongside national and state partners to present best practices and training to over 400 attendees involved in serving those experiencing homelessness

6. Our Partners • FCH has developed collaborations and partnerships with various organizations throughout the state that focus on related issues. Such as; • the Florida Housing Coalition • the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition • the Florida Housing Finance Corporation

7. Our Partners • FCH partners with the State Office on Homelessness to provide ongoing assistance with funding, contracts, and resources in the efforts to end homelessness across the state; as well as training and implementation of best practices through the Annual Institute on Homelessness and Supportive Housing.

9. Overview of the Office and Council on Homelessness Erik Braun, Executive Director Office on Homelessness, Department of Children and Families

10. Program Overview • One of several program offices in DCF • Reports to the Assistant Secretary of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness • Serves as a central point of contact within state government on homelessness

11. Program Overview • Administers several grants to assist homeless providers and CoC’s through a Unified Contract; • ESG • TANF • Challenge • Staffing

12. The Council on Homelessness • The Office staffs and provides administrative oversight for the Council on Homelessness • An interagency council to develop policies and recommendations to state and community leaders to reduce and end homelessness in Florida. • The Council seeks to unite government, local stakeholders and providers, community resources to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

13. The Office works with FCH to educate and provide information on policy, legislative analysis, best practices related to homelessness statewide • The Office is a key sponsor for the annual Institute on Homelessness and Supportive Housing providing training and assistance for our providers • The Office works with FCH to assist in providing training and assistance related to funding, contracts, and resources available to providers and stakeholders related to homelessness

14. Resources: Council on Homelessness Annual Report myflfamilies.com/service-programs/homelessness/council National Alliance to End Homelessness endhomelessness.org United States Interagency Council usich.gov Erik BraunDirector, Office on Homelessness(850) 922-9850erik.braun@myflfamilies.com

15. What is a CoC? In order to carry out the primary purpose of the COC Program, HUD requires representatives of relevant organizations to form a Continuum of Care (CoC) to serve a specific geographic area. These representatives include: • nonprofit homeless providers, • victim services providers, • faith-based organizations, • governments, • businesses, • advocates, • public housing agencies, • school districts, • social service providers, • mental health agencies, • hospitals, • universities, • affordable housing developers, • law enforcement, and • organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless individuals, families, and veterans

16. What is a CoC • The Continuum of Care program is designed to assist sheltered and unsheltered homeless people by providing the housing and/or services needed to help individuals move into transitional and permanent housing, with the goal of long-term stability. • According to 24 CFR Part 578.1(B), the primary purpose of the COC Program is to: • Promote community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness. • Provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, States, and local governments to re-house homeless individuals and families rapidly while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities as a consequence of homelessness. • Promote access to and effective use of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families. • Optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

18. History of Continuum of Care System • HUD began implementing the COC process in 1995 through the Notice of Funding Available (NOFA). • Each year, the NOFA guided the development of COCs and encouraged communities to work together to address homelessness in a coordinated manner. In addition, HUD published user guides and FAQs and other technical assistance materials to assist communities develop effective COCs. • This method resulted in scattered information not easily located. • The COC Program Interim Rule changes this.

19. Continuum of Care Interim Rule • The Continuum of Care Interim Rule formalizes the following COC responsibilities: • Coordinating, or be involved in the coordination of, all housing and services for homeless persons within its geographic area. • Coordinating McKinney-Vento funds awarded within its geographic area. • Establishing & operating the HMIS within its geographic area. • Establishing and operating, or designating, the centralized or coordinated assessment to be used within its geographic area.

20. What are the Responsibilities of the Continuum of Care? • Operate the Continuum of Care • Conduct meetings, • Monitor, • Evaluate performance, • Establish a coordinated assessment system with written standards and prioritization • Designate & operate an HMIS • Planning • System Coordination • Point-in-Time Count • Annual Gaps Analysis • Participate in the Consolidated Plan

21. Components of a Homeless System • Prevention • Assist individuals and households at risk of homelessness to maintain their housing by providing housing relocation and stabilization services and/or short-term emergency financial assistance • Examples: limited emergency rental assistance to prevent eviction, landlord-tenant mediation, financial counseling • Outreach & Intake Assessment • Services target the most vulnerable of the homeless population who are often unable or unwilling to accept emergency shelter services • Examples: street outreach to people residing in parks, campgrounds, or places not meant for human habitation • Emergency Services • First stop – point of entry into the homeless system • Examples: congregate buildings for households with children, hotel/motel vouchers, short-stay apartments

22. Components of a Homeless System • Supportive Services • Those services needed for a person to move towards self-sufficiency and permanent housing. • Examples: job readiness and job skill training, benefits counseling, housing search & placement • Transitional Housing • Interim placement for persons or households, opportunity for clients to gain stability needed to transition and maintain permanent housing • Example: 24 month housing program with supportive services • Permanent Housing • Permanent affordable housing is long-term, safe, decent housing for individuals and households. • Examples: housing vouchers, mainstream housing, project-based subsidies

23. Components of a Homeless System • Rapid Rehousing • Rental assistance combined with supportive services aimed to help individuals and families attain and retain permanent housing with limited stays in homelessness. • Examples: financial assistance in the form of short/medium rental assistance, security deposit, first/last month rent, services tailored to the needs of the tenant • Permanent Supportive Housing • Combines housing assistance and supportive services, onsite or through partnering agencies. • Examples: rental assistance and case management in scattered site for the homeless who have co-occurring substance use and mental illness.

24. Homeless Definition HUD defines “homeless” as: • Category 1 – Literally Homeless • Category 2 – Imminent Risk of Homelessness • Category 3 – Homeless under Other Federal Statutes • Category 4 – Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence

25. Coordinated Assessment • HUD is requiring all communities funded through its Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) or COC program to implement a centralized/coordinated intake and assessment system. • The purpose of this system is to ensure that access to homeless services in a community are streamlined and quickly accessible. • To determine need, the system relies on a common set of measures or tools for assessment. • Type of system: • Centralized - a single point of entry for accessing all types of homelessness assistance. • Coordinated system – multiple points of entry. • Referrals are based on consistent criteria and a comprehensive understanding of each program’s requirements, target populations, and available openings and services.

26. PHA Involvement with Coordinated Assessment System • As one of the larger providers of affordable housing in the community, PHAs can be a critical contributor of this process. Such as: • Identifying applicants for rental assistance who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and encouraging them to also seek assistance through the community’s coordinated entry system • Provide housing opportunities for individuals and families based on referrals from the community’s coordinated entry and centralized assessment process.

27. PHA Funding is Significant in the Effort to End Homelessness

28. Questions?

29. HUD Notice PIH 2013-15 • In June 2013, HUD provided guidance on housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness through the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs (Notice PIH 2013-15). • This guidance encourages PHAs to: • Review discretionary admissions and termination/eviction policies to determine if any changes can be made to remove barriers for serving the homeless population. • Manage the waiting list to provide homeless populations increased access to the PHA’s programs. • Partner with homeless service providers, Continuums of Care, and other organizations to serve the homeless population.

30. What can Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) do to help? • The real work of ending homelessness happens at the community level, through partnerships between homeless service providers, COC leaders, municipal and State governments, philanthropy, community & business leaders, and public housing authorities. • According to HUD, there are 6 specific ways PHAs can partner to end homelessness: • Establish Homeless Preference • Move-Up Strategy Implementation • Screen “In” • Streamline Application Processes • Create Eviction Prevention Program • Project-based vouchers to create supportive housing with on-site services

31. How Can You Partner? Establish Homeless Preferences • Homelessness and waitlists don’t mix. • Link to referrals from partners in the CoC that can provide housing-focused services (housing search, navigators, and case management). • To prioritize those most in need, identify candidates through referrals from the CoC Coordinated Entry system. • Address closed waitlists by amending your plan to allow reopening for a specific targeted special need population • Reduces time people are homeless. • Increases utilization rates. • Increases housing stability

32. How Can You Partner? Establish Homeless Preferences • A PHA’s greatest tool for increasing program access for individuals and families experiencing homelessness is establishing a preference in their admissions policies. • PHAs can take a variety of actions to allow homeless populations better access to their programs, including: • Establishing a strong outreach strategy in partnership with the local continua, • Strengthening the process for contacting applicants on their waiting list (e.g., contacting applicants via email or phone), • Establishing flexible intake and briefing schedules (e.g., provide a window of time for appointments), & • Establishing nondiscriminatory preferences in their admissions policies for persons experiencing homelessness. • The preference could also be a subset, such as: chronically homeless, homeless veterans, homeless identified as most vulnerable through community-based assessment strategies.

33. To determine local need, PHAs should: • Work collaboratively with the local CoCs. • Use COC HMIS data and PIT counts in order to determine whether and to what extent there is need for a homeless preference. • By coming to the table, PHAs are able to use the resources available to the local CoC and the local CoC can better understand the pressures and competing demands facing PHAs – including limited supply of vouchers and units. • COCs and homeless service providers can benefit the PHA by: • Identifying and “pre-qualifying” eligible people who are experiencing homelessness, • Making referrals to PHAs, • Making supportive services available to households that qualify for PHA waiting list preferences, • Providing assistance with the PHA’s application process, and • Helping with housing search, move-in costs, providing furniture, food and other essentials (when available).

34. How Can You Partner? Establish Limited Preferences • Targeted for families/individuals who are graduating from/timing out of homeless programs and/or initiatives • Or special purpose voucher programs to prevent homelessness • Can be used for CoC reallocation to prevent homelessness • Based on referrals from identified agencies and established partnerships • Limited to 200 vouchers

35. How Can You Partner? Establish a Homeless Set Aside • Create a preference or set-aside in your voucher program that targets certain high-need populations. • Set aside a limited number of vouchers specifically dedicated to the target population • For example: homeless families, homeless individuals with disabilities, homeless veterans, and/or homeless young adults.

36. LOCAL EXAMPLE: TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY • THA administers 54 Permanent Supportive Housing vouchers through the COC • 2 Project Based developments for homeless and chronically homeless-29 HCV vouchers • Project Based 45 HUDVASH vouchers • Administer an Emergency Solutions Grant Program-Rapid Rehousing • Established preferences for the families that are chronically homeless capped at 60 vouchers per year • Cross trained staff to provide case management and outreach • Added a tracking system to the HUD 50058 to track all chronically homeless families • FSS counselors assist in the case management of PSH families • Conduct annual fund raisers and awareness campaigns • Reviewing termination and admission policies to be less restrictive

37. National Examples • The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, NC (HACA) actively participates in the community’s 10-year plan to end homelessness and ongoing collaboration meetings with community partners. • When initially implemented, the homeless preference was limited to chronic homelessness. Now, it has expanded to include those that have been homeless for more than 90 days. • The Loudoun County Virginia PHA amended its administrative plan to establish a waiting list preference for persons experiencing homelessness. • As housing vouchers become available through turnover, every tenth (10th) voucher is made available to a person who is homeless.  

38. MaineHousinghas given people experiencing homelessness a preference (extra points toward accessing the wait list) for Housing Choice Vouchers. • There are also cumulative preferences in order of priority for victims of domestic violence, veterans and homeless families 2+, disabled, elderly and individuals. • In response to data identifying approximately 1,000 to 1,200 individuals experiencing homelessness who are frequent users of emergency departments, the Ann Arbor Housing Commission jointly applied for a grant from the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) with local COC partners. • With this grant, these partners are linking supportive and health services with housing resources provided by the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. • These resources were made possible by the Commission’s adoption of a limited preference that makes available public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers available for up to 40 individuals identified as high utilizers of crisis health services.

39. How Can You Partner? Be Creative • Could be Vouchers or Units • Preferences or Limited Preferences • Set-Asides • Attrition • Dedicated units identified in Management Plan for Affordable Housing Property • At Pre-Development Planning Stage (if there are financing implications) • Benefits of utilizing CoC Housing Navigator assistance on PHAs “lease up rates” and PSH Supportive Services on “retention rates” (usually an Admin burden)

40. How Can You Partner? Local Examples? • Are you or other Florida PHA’s utilizing a homeless preference? • Give some examples • What is working well? • What are the challenges?

41. Additional Resources – Homeless Preference • USICH Solutions Database contains profiles of model programs and practices that have demonstrated results, including profiles of programs that are implemented in partnership with PHAs that have established waiting list preferences for persons experiencing homelessness. http://usich.gov/usich_resources/solutions/ • Corporation for Supportive Housing’s (CSH) PHA Toolkit includes profiles of several PHAs that have established waiting list preferences for persons experiencing homelessness. These PHAs have established partnerships with community organizations to identify, refer, and provide ongoing support services, as needed, to people who qualify for housing assistance based on these preferences. http://www.csh.org/phatoolkit

42. How Can You Partner? Move-up Strategy Implementation • Establish a preference that would allow for a “move up” strategy • Identify persons or families in PSH that no longer need supportive services to remain stably housed, but need affordable housing • Helps a formerly homeless person stay stably housed. • Opens a PSH slot. • Helps with attrition

43. LOCAL EXAMPLE: TALLAHASSEE HOUSING AUTHORITY • Project-based • 50 project-based VASH vouchers • Apartment complex operated by local nonprofit • Support services provided by VA • Facility donated by the City of Tallahassee • Move-up strategy • 25 housing choice vouchers • Long-term stable residents of permanent supportive housing program for chronically homeless • Support services provided by local nonprofit • Opens up the PSH units for those with more need

44. National Examples • The Chicago Housing Authority launched “Moving On,” a pilot program for persons living in PSH who no longer need intensive services and want to move to other affordable housing in the community. Applicants with stable housing histories can move on to other housing using a Housing Choice Voucher. • The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA)has created a “Moving On” preference by including an admission preference in the Housing Choice Voucher program for formerly homeless Shelter Plus Care (S+C) residents who have stabilized their lives in that program and no longer require the supportive housing environment in order to maintain their housing. • Transfer to the voucher program enables people who previously experienced homelessness to exercise tenant mobility and move on with their lives, and this frees up their supportive housing unit for a new person experiencing chronic homelessness who needs it.

45. How Can You Partner? Local Examples? • Are you or other Florida PHA’s utilizing a Move-up strategy? • Give some examples • What is working well? • What are the challenges?

46. How Can You Partner? Screen “In” • Many homeless people are screened out because of past behaviors. • Adopt screening criteria that mirrors the federal requirements for the HCV program. • Consider the provision of services as a mitigating circumstances for criminal records. • Replaces complex screening procedures with more effective risk mitigation: supportive services. • Creates stable communities by reducing recidivism.

47. Screen “In” • Many PHAs can modify their tenant screening criteria, policies, and procedures in an effort to reduce barriers to housing access for people experiencing homelessness. • This is particularly important for those people who have had contact with the criminal justice system as a result of problems with mental illness or substance use. • Federal law gives substantial flexibility to PHAs and housing providers to adopt local policies regarding criminal backgrounds and other screening criteria. Required prohibitions include: • Lifetime sex offender registrant • Methamphetamine production in federally assisted housing • Within 3 years of federally assisted housing eviction for drug-related crime • Currently engaged in illegal drug use or threatening activity • HUD has provided encouragement to PHAs, including a letter from the Secretary of HUD sent to all PHA Executive Directors. The letter specifically asks PHAs to: • Review their policies related to criminal history • Consider more flexible, reasonable admissions policies • Balance safety concerns with the importance of providing individuals a second chance at improving their lives and becoming productive citizens.

48. National Examples • The Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, Texas revised tenant screening standards to conform to the federal requirements. This eliminated some standards that had created barriers to using PHA programs to assist people experiencing homelessness. • The Housing Authority’s Executive Director participates as a member of the board that governs the Metro Dallas COC and the decision was informed and motivated by her involvement in the region’s collaborative efforts to end homelessness. • The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) changed its tenant screening criteria in an effort to reduce barriers to housing for people experiencing homelessness. • Before making the change, SHA had required a waiting period ranging from 2 – 20 years (depending on offense) after an applicant has been released from incarceration. • Instead, SHA adopted a uniform time of 12 months following release from incarceration. • A profile is included in the CSH PHA toolkit, including the resolution adopted by SHA’s Board of Commissioners, the background memo for the Board of Commissioners explaining the rationale for the proposed policy change, and the changes SHA made to its Administrative Plan.

49. National Examples • The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA)modified its tenant screening policies in collaboration with advocacy organizations working to end homelessness. • When HUD PIH-Notice 2013-15 made clear that homeless admission criteria may not differ from the standards for other applicants, HACLA amended its Administrative Plan to reduce the admission barriers for all applicants. • Through the Section 8 Administrative Plan process, HACLA: • Sharply reduced the number of years for denial of admission due to criminal convictions, • Permitted treatment options for drug and alcohol related convictions, and • Eliminated some kinds of criminal activity from the list of denial reasons

50. How Can You Partner? Local Examples? • Have you or other Florida PHA’s modified any policies to assist with “screening-in”? • Give some examples • What is working well? • What are the challenges?