Making the Case: Partnering with Public Housing Authorities · Housing Program Specialist . ......

Making the Case: Partnering with Public

Housing Authorities February 19, 2014

www.usich.gov

Panelists

Laura Zeilinger, U. S. Interagency Council on

Homelessness

Ryan Jones, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development

Denise Neunaber, North Carolina Coalition to End

Homelessness

Debbie Thiele, Corporation for Supportive Housing

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Opening Doors

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The Math on Mainstream Resources

2 23.4

78.6

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350Resource Comparison (in billions)

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Homelessness Assistance

Grants

Vouchers/ Public

Housing

TANF Cash Federal Medicaid

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Promoting Promising Practices

Convenings Local PHA Leadership CLPHA’s Housing

Authorities: Essential Partners in Ending Homelessness

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Overview of Findings

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80% Response Rate Among 3200 PHAs 24% of PHAs, controlling 53% of all

assisted housing units, have some sort of preference in place – • 10% had a strong preference

Participation in CoCs and administration of special vouchers matters

Partnership should be mutually beneficial

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Federal Action HUD Guidance

Secretary Donovan & Assistant

Secretary Henriquez letter to PHAs

USICH PHA Guidebook

New Resources

Making the Case: Partnering with PHAs 2014 NAEH Conference: Ending Family and Youth Homelessness Ryan Jones Housing Program Specialist HUD Office of Public and Indian Housing

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Commitment to the Goals of Opening Doors

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PIH Resources for PHAs and Community Partners

Resources available at PIH’s Prevent and End Homelessness web portal: • PIH Notice 2013-15: Guidance on housing

individuals and families experiencing homelessness through the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs

• PIH Homelessness FAQs • Secretary letter to PHAs • Webinar series • PHA Study

• HUD administers Federal aid to public housing agencies (PHAs) that manage Public Housing and administer Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV).

• Assistance targeted to low, very low, and extremely low income families at rents they can afford.

• Rent is generally 30% of a family’s monthly adjusted income. • PHAs cannot require applicants to have income in order to qualify

for assistance. • PHAs can charge a minimum rent, but PHAs must allow for

hardship exemptions. • 3,988 PHAs • 1.2 million public housing units • 2.1 million tenant-based housing vouchers

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PHAs at a Glance

FY2013 • 69% HCV Administrative Fee • 94% HCV Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) renewal pro-ration • 82% Public Housing Operating Fund

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FY2013 PHA Budget

25000

45000

FY13Q1 FY13Q2 FY13Q3 FY13Q4

FY2013 New HCV Household Admissions

PIH FY2013 Homeless as Percentage of New Admissions

13

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FY2013 Vs. 2014 PHA Budget

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Waiting List Management

• A PHA’s system of local preferences must be based on local housing needs and priorities.

• PHAs may need help connecting the dots between the Point-In-Time (PIT) count, Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS), Community Plan to End Homelessness, Consolidated Plan, and the PHA Plan process.

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Waiting List Preferences

• PHA’s may establish preferences in the HCV, or Public Housing programs, including Project-Based Voucher (PBV) projects.

• PHAs may limit the number of applicants that qualify for a particular preference.

• PHAs may open their waiting list for the purpose of administering a limited preference.

• Preferences must be included in the PHA’s policy documents (PHA Plan, HCV Administrative Plan and/or ACOP).

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Waiting Lists Preferences

All families must be selected from the PHA waiting list: • Limiting preferences • “Moving Up” strategy • Compliance with Fair Housing

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Identifying Eligible Families

• Revised outreach strategy. • Flexible intake and briefing schedules. • PHAs may require families to prove homeless

status. • PHAs may rely on a partnering homeless service

organization verification. • Families may need assistance assembling

required documentation.

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Admissions Criteria • PHAs cannot establish separate admissions policies for

households experiencing homelessness. • PHAs may consider circumstances that would otherwise

remove a family from consideration. • Statutorily mandated prohibitions of admissions:

• 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.

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Continued Occupancy

• Service providers are an important resource in ensuring continued housing stability. ▫ Compliance with program and family

obligations and other program requirements. • PHAs may establish working relationships or

service agreements with service providers. • Service providers may act as liaisons between

the family and property manager should issues arise.

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Looking Forward

• Analysis of PHA Study. • HUD/USICH barrier mitigation strategy. • Guidance on facilitating partnerships between

PHAs and CoCs.

Homelessness Assistance

Grants

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Contact Information

Ryan Jones (202) 402 -2677

Ryan.E.Jones@hud.gov

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Ryan Jones (202) 402 -2677

Ryan.E.Jones@hud.gov

Q&A

Creating Relationships for Change

Denise Neunaber

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness securing resources encouraging public dialogue advocating for public policy change

919.755.4393 www.ncceh.org

It’s all about relationships…

Take a risk!

Be confident, believe that you will succeed.

Put yourself out there and ask!

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Starting a new relationship

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Be realistic about what you’re looking for Go online and do your research Find out what your friends think about them Identify what they like to do and what your common

interests are Start with who you know, get someone to introduce

you. Don’t be afraid to date again!

Be a good partner.

Be reliable Be creditable Be persistent (and respectful) Ask questions, don’t make assumptions Offer new ideas Offer resources– don’t come to the table empty

handed!

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Be strategic.

How can this be a match made in Heaven? What does your PHA have that you want? What do you have that your PHA wants?

How will you adjust your expectations of who Mr. Right is?

Start with something small and prove your partnership works.

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Where is this relationship going?

Do you have a future together? Or was this just a one night stand? Keep working, keep growing!

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Contact NCCEH

Denise Neunaber Executive Director

denise@ncceh.org (919) 755-4393

NCCEH Webpage: www.ncceh.org

Learn more! Join our mailing list! Become a member!

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness

Q&A

The Source for Housing Solutions

Partnering with Public Housing Authorities

Putting PIH Notice 2013-15 into practice.

Putting 2013-15 Into Practice

1. Be clear about what you need.

2. Be clear about what you offer.

3. Understand your PHAs’ context, needs & motivations.

6. Homeless Admission Preferences

Cedar Rapids Iowa: Preference for families in the Child Welfare system.

Challenges for PHA • Funding cuts • Communication • Timeline Rewards for PHA • Addressing community needs • New partnerships

8. Admission Policies

Seattle: Reduced screening criteria for Housing Choice Vouchers

Challenges for PHA • Stigma of families who are

homeless • Outreach time and energy Rewards for PHA • Partner advocates • Cross-jurisdictional policy

12. Project Based Vouchers

Example: Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority: 70 project-based vouchers for families.

Challenges for PHA • Voucher availability • Long-term service commitments Rewards for PHA • Fulfills mission in new way • Development opportunities

11. Service Provider as a Resource

Service Provider Roles Defining local need Referral Source Application/briefing assistance Housing search assistance Housing stability/eviction prevention

Advocacy!

Thank you!

Debbie Thiele CSH debbie.thiele@csh.org 206.930.7968

csh.org/pha

Q&A

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