PROCESS TRAINING

1. Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Project (HPRP) PROCESS TRAINING

2. Process • Establish relationships with the vendors • Case manager contacts vendor to explain the project and see if they will accept a letter of guarantee for payment within 30 days. • Send contact and mailing information of vender to Darlene Foster @ DARLENE@ARCHCONNECTION.ORG • HPRP Assessment • Release of information (ROI) • HMIS, Vendors, Other Service providers (Legal Services, Credit help, budgeting, etc.) • Verification of Income or Self-declaration of income (when applicable) • Housing Status or Self-declaration of Housing Status (when applicable)

3. Process Continued • Rent Reasonableness (for rapid re-housing only) • Housing Inspection (for rapid re-housing only) • Lead based paint test (for rapid re-housing only where housing is built before 1978 and has children under the age of six) • Determine the client’s needs with documentation received from the client • Case manager contacts supervisor to review scenario • Approval is pending ARCH review of documentation • POs are assigned • Completed POs and supporting documentation is sent to the ARCH office

4. Process Continued • Final approval is issued by ARCH office • Letter of Guarantee is sent to vendor • Funds are disbursed • Case is closed • File is sent to ARCH office

5. In the Beginning • Case manager contacts vendor to explain the project and see if they will accept a letter of guarantee for payment within 30 days. • ** Remember: A Release of Information Form signed by the HPRP participant is required to make any contact with vendors. • Arrange for a habitability inspection in cases of rapid re-housing. • Information entered into HMIS.

6. W-9 • Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) is needed for HPRP payments to individual Vendors. The Form W-9 requires the Vendor’s name, address, social security number and signature. Please inform Processor of the need for the form and she will mail or fax the Form W-9 to individual Vendors and have the Vendors return the completed form to the HPRP office (faxed Vendor signatures are o.k.) • NO payment will be sent to vendor until the W9 is received.

7. Utility vendor exception • It is not necessary to maintain copies of Form W-9 in the HPRP participant file. The form is only needed once per Vendor. Bookkeeper (Darlene) will maintain a Form W-9 file for reference in each county. In subsequent transactions with Vendors, Form W-9 is already on file.

8. HPRP Request • 1A. 211 case manager determines initial eligibility of client and refers client to local agency for assistance and faxes initial assessment to the agency. • 1B. If clients walks into local agency, the assigned case manager determines eligibility of client through HMIS or refers them to 211 if assessment is not possible in a timely manner. Keep in mind case managers will be completing a Staff Certification form indicating responsibility for approval and repayment of funds upon HUD’s request.

9. HPRP Request Continued • Case manager determines the client’s needs with documentation from the client ie. Utility bills, eviction notice, unemployment status, list of assets, verification of income, etc. (If legal services for eviction prevention are needed, client is immediately referred to Legal Services Alabama.) Once determination has been made that “without these funds, this client would be homeless;” the household income falls beneath 50% of the poverty level; and that with these funds the client will be self-sustaining at the end of assistance, then:

10. SUPERVISOR • The Case manager contacts Supervisor – be prepared to discuss sustainability plan, including barriers, strategies, resources requested and community resources. Focus on income and self-sufficiency needs. Is client receiving FA? JOBS client? Food Stamps? Child Support? Is client employed? In need of JOBS Supportive Services? Other income? **Do not contact Supervisor to discuss a request for HPRP funds with the client in your office.

11. Documentation • All HPRP expenditures must be documented on the sustainability plan or sustainability plan Update AND must have a written Purchase Order (regardless of method of payment) and have supporting documentation supplied by the Vendor. • Enter information into HMIS.

12. Examples of supporting documentation include: • Rent deposits – statement from landlord (preferably on letterhead) of the amount of the deposit. The lease can be used as documentation if the amount of the deposit is clearly shown along with the client’s name and address. • Verify lease agreements with land lords. Indicate with whom you spoke, time and date. • Utility deposits – utilities must be in client’s name in order to use HPRP funds. Contact your Supervisor to explore other payment options if client has utilities in another’s name for safety reasons. Documentation should state the client’s name, service address, amount of deposit and utility account number.

13. Housing Inspection • All new rental property must meet HUD’s habitation requirements. The standards for housing unit inspections are the habitability standards. Please note that these standards apply only when a program participant is moving into a new unit. They do not apply to persons served with HPRP prevention assistance in an existing unit.

14. Initial Approval • The Supervisor (not the case manager) calls the Coordinator (Felicia) presenting the case scenario to the Processor. Client names should not be discussed or emailed, use HMIS client number. • If approved Kallie Owen assigns Purchase Order Number for each vendor (landlord or utilities). • Supervisor is responsible for signing off on approval. • PO will not be assigned if you do not have an HMIS client # and have not completed HMIS information correctly.

15. Purchase Order • Purchase Order (PO) is then assigned for each HPRP Expenditure. • Fax completed PO and all supporting documentation to the HPRP office immediately @ (334) 239-8263. Give vendor’s name, mailing address, phone and fax number. For utility companies include client’s account number and/or address where client is living or receiving service, provide vendor e-mail address if available. Complete right-hand side of POby giving HPRP participant’s name, client number and county (refers to county processing expenditure). ** Please take time to write legibly or fill out electronically all information requested on the Purchase Order. If it cannot be read or is incomplete, it cannot be paid. • Final approval determined by ARCH office

16. Letter of Guarantee • If terms of Letter of Guarantee are accepted by Vendor, and final approval is issued A Letter of Guarantee will be faxed, e-mailed or mailed from the ARCH office to the Vendor. • Letter will be sent guaranteeing payment • Billing cycle is 20 - 45 days • Project is funded by HPRP contract • Do not ask clients to explain reimbursement process/Letter of Guarantee to Vendors. • If a Vendor asks for documentation or more information about reimbursement process, please have them contact the ARCH office at (334) 239-7833.

17. Disbursement • Funds are disbursed as we get the funds drawn down from ADECA • This does take time • We do not RUSH or EXPIDITE payments • These are not emergency assistance funds • Approximately 300 applications are sent in, approved and disbursed per month • Requests are not ignored, but they do take time to process

18. Closing cases • Each client needs to have an exit date entered in HMIS. As each file is closed, it will be sent to the ARCH office for auditing purposes. • File must be sent in to the ARCH office within 14 calendar days of closing.

19. HPRP FUNDS REQUEST PROCESS OVERVIEW (Revised: JNovember2009) INITIAL APPROVAL Supervisor calls Supervisor: Approval of Purchase Order and scenario HPRP Office provides Purchase Order Number DOCUMENTATION/EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS Case manager: Fax HPRP Office PO + Documentation ARCH/HPRP Office Vendor Guidelines: … All Letters of Guarantee come from the HPRP office … HPRP office will mail or fax Letters of Guarantee only when PurchaseOrder has been received with documentation & documentation is approved. Letter of guarantee And payments:

20. New Staff Procedures • E-mail Lillian @ lillian@acadv.org if you need more staff, have a staff member leave, or need to change approved hours • Lillian will advise Felicia and Kay on staff approval, HMIS training and HMIS license

21. Information • HPRP Office 540 South Perry Street PO Box 451 Montgomery, AL 36104 Montgomery, AL 36101 Phone: (334) 239-7833 Fax: (334) 239-8263 Felicia Jackson: felicia@archconnection.org cell (334) 201-5703 Darlene Foster: darlene@archconnection.org Kallie Owen: kallie@archconnection.org • HMIS - Kay Adams: kay@acadv.org Victoria Paterson: victoria@acadv.org Phone: (334) 832-4842 • New Staff approval – Lillian Zaworski: lillian@acadv.org Phone (334) 832-4842 Website: www.archconnection.org

22. Questions?