Indiana HPRP Program: Housing Assistance and Financial Reporting

1. Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Indiana Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Continuum of Care Awards and Requirements

2. IN - HPRP • IHCDA Community Services Staff • Rodney Stockment, Manager • 317.233.1814 • rstockment@ihcda.in.gov • Lynn Morrow, Department Assistant • 317.233.1810 • lymorrow@ihcda.in.gov • Lori Dimick, Homeless Program Manager • 317.232.7117 • ldimick@ihcda.in.gov

3. IN - HPRP • IHCDA Community Services Staff • Kelli Barker, Special Needs Representative • 317.233.4611 • kbarker@ihcda.in.gov • Kirk Wheeler, HMIS and HPRP Project Director • 317.709.3441 • kiwheeler@ihcda.in.gov • Kelly Pickell, HMIS Program Representative • 317.709.6447 • kpickell@ihcda.in.gov • Suzanne Grenough-Patrick, HMIS Program Representative • 317.730.2883 • sgrenough@ihcda.in.gov

4. IN - HPRP Resources • IN - HPRP Power Point Posted • http://www.in.gov/ihcda/3120.htm • HUD – HPRP Notice and Webcasts – wealth of good information! • www.hudhre.info • Virtual helpdesk and searchable FAQs • National Alliance to End Homelessness • www.endhomeless.org • Best Practices, guides • Corporation for Supportive Housing • www.csh.org • Information on permanent supportive housing

5. IN - HPRP Updates as of July 31st • IHCDA has received its contract for the Balance of State allocation of the HPRP funds. • Most Entitlement Cities have received approval of their Substantial Amendments. • Allocations and announcements of selected Central Access Agencies will be made following IHCDA Board approval at its August 20th meeting.

6. IN - HPRP • IHCDA will re-allocate the Balance of State HPRP funds to allow a minimum award of $600,000 for each C of C Region. Region 13 has been broken into two sub-regions for the purposes of this grant. • Final allocation amounts will include the Data Collection and Evaluation amount but the selected sub recipient agency will be billed 1% of their allocation as an HMIS fee by IHCDA. • Basic budgets will be determined by the percentage allocations in the RFQ but variances will be allowed as the program matures.

7. IN - HPRP • IHCDA will issue contracts soon after Board approval, with an expected completion date of September 11, 2009. This will allow agencies to hire staff and make commitments before the October 1 program start. • In many cases, IHCDA can furnish a letter of intent to contract to selected sub recipients if requested. This may be useful in discussions with Entitlement cities.

8. IN - HPRP Feedback on RFQs • IHCDA will insist that at least 65% of the funds designated for Financial Assistance be used for rapid rehousing of persons experiencing homelessness. • This will require demonstration that the central access agency has established contacts with local shelters and emergency housing providers.

9. IN - HPRP General Information: Rental Assistance • IHCDA has chosen to standardize rental support in accord with the HOPWA program. This means that households will pay 30% of their adjusted income toward the rent for the period covered by HPRP support. • Simplified rent calculation forms, as well as the HMIS, will assist in calculation of the applicable household contribution.

10. IN - HPRP • Although rental assistance may extend up to 18 months, it must be renewed every 90 days with a re-determination of applicable household rent contribution. • Rent reasonableness will be available from an on-line resource – Go Section8. This will be provided to all HPRP sub recipients without charge but each must use it to determine the rent reasonable level for their region.

11. IN - HPRP General Information: Financial Reporting • The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued additional reporting requirements for the HPRP. These include compliance with all A-133 audit standards. • Concretely, IHCDA will require that HPRP funds be deposited in a separate bank account which IHCDA may access. Financial controls including segregation of duties, dual check signatures and use of a recognized computerized accounting system must be in place.

12. IN - HPRP General Information: Financial Reporting • IHCDA is retaining an independent accounting firm to monitor its sub recipients under the HPRP. They will be conducting on-site monitoring of program documentation and procedures. • IHCDA will allocate specific accounting staff for the HPRP, who will be in direct contact with each sub recipient about procedures and required documentation.

13. IN - HPRP • Each sub recipient will be “pre funded” with approximately 90 days of expected expenditures. Then a monthly reconciliation of expenses will allow IHCDA to draw down HPRP funds sufficient to assure that a sub recipient has sufficient cash on hand to maintain the program. • IHCDA plans to fund 30 equal installments for most sub recipients (except for the initial pre funding.) This is subject to monthly monitoring and reallocation if a specific sub recipient appears not to be using its funds.

14. IN - HPRP • A sub recipient may draw down its funds before 3o months but retains a responsibility to track all clients through the end of the three year program. • Sub recipients working with Entitlement Cities must make their own arrangements for how to draw down funds. • In the Annual Program Report (APR), we expect that HUD will ask that the information contained in the HMIS (client level) reconcile with the financial reports submitted on a monthly basis.

15. IN - HPRP General Information: Forms • IHCDA has retained national consultants to assist us in developing and training on the use of uniform forms. • We will release standard forms for lease amendments, short term rental support, income determination, etc. All are adaptations of HOPWA documents.

16. IN - HPRP Indiana Housing Opportunity Planner • The IHOP is under development by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH.) It will be available prior to the program implementation on October 1st. • Currently, every program on the IHCDA Housing Inventory Chart is being asked to complete a Survey Monkey survey that will allow the IHOP to link to all Indiana homeless resources. • The intent remains to provide this tool without cost. It will allow prescreening of any person in housing distress.

17. IN - HPRP HMIS • HUD’s revised data standards are released. They do require that all assistance furnished to a client in the HPRP be captured in the HMIS. IHCDA will offer training on the use of the appropriate modules in its HMIS. • IHCDA will assess an HMIS fee equivalent to 1% of each region’s HPRP allocation, except where an Entitlement City chooses not to be involved with the State’s selected sub recipient. The fee covers a reasonable number of user licenses.

18. IN - HPRP • A standardized Intake Assessment will be provided in the HMIS. This includes a required Barriers to Housing Stability Assessment, as adapted from the Hennepin County Rapid Rehousing Project. • Each recipient of HPRP funds must have a completed HPRP Intake Assessment, a Housing Stability Plan and documentation of all services and financial assistance provided in the HMIS.

19. IN - HPRP Training Update: • IHCDA will host a three day training during the week of September 21 – 25 at a site near Indianapolis. • Training will be required for HPRP case managers, with “tracks” for financial reporting and HMIS use. • There will be no charge for training but each sub recipient agency should budget for travel and housing. IHCDA will furnish a breakdown of allocation to relevant HPRP categories, based on training content.

20. IN - HPRP REMINDER: Central Access Agency responsibilities: • Pre-screening and assessment of potential participants. • Development of housing case management plans for permanency. • Generation of vouchers for eligible supports • Location and inspection of rental assistance units. • Negotiation of contracts or MOUs with landlords, utilities, legal assistance and credit repair organizations. • Issuance and tracking of checks for all eligible activities. • Follow-up of all participants • Accurate and timely entry of all required information into HMIS.

21. IN - HPRP Continuum Implementation Committee Roles • The C of C Implementation Committees should be actively involved with their central access agencies. • The Implementation Committee can assist with housing location, outreach to shelter and other emergency providers and planning for publicity. • Each Implementation Committee should negotiate a standard reporting format and schedule from the Central Access Agency to the C of C about the HPRP.

22. IN - HPRP IHCDA Responsibilities CoC Responsibilities • Complete Contracting process • Allocate resources & define reporting relationships • Provide Case management training • Design and implement assessment tools • IT support • HMIS • IHOP • Social Serve • Develop mainstream resource support • Coordinate with entitlement cities • Work with Central Access Agencies to identify, coordinate and memorialize local assistance network • Plan for Communication and Outreach. • Develop reporting expectations with Central Access Agency. • Work with IHCDA to develop local referral system with other state agencies

23. IN - HPRP Going Forward • Weekly Webinars will replace the teleconferences at 2:00 PM each Friday. • All central access agencies and a representative of the C of C Implementation Committee should plan to attend each Webinar. • We will distribute the Powerpoint presentations on a regular basis and make forms available as they are finalized.

24. IN - HPRP Going Forward • The program is to “go live” in 61 days! There is much left to do. • IHCDA will facilitate an ongoing dialogue with Entitlement Cities to assist in their HPRP implementation. • Each Central Access agency should expect discussion with IHCDA around any issues and/or areas of ambiguity.

25. The HPRP Hippo