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9/13/2017
1
RESOURCES FOR SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES IN PUBLIC HOUSING +
FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY BASICS
AND BEYOND
Anice Chenault, NOAL – Southeast Network
AASC – September 25, 2017
CURRENT BUDGET SITUATION
FY17 Fy18
President’s
Budget
FY18
House
FY18
Senate
FSS $75m $75 $75 $75
ROSS-SC $35m $0 $35 $25
Jobs Plus $10m (no
tribal set-
aside)
$10 (if funds
allow)
$15 $15
FSS-SPECIFIC ISSUES AND
GUIDANCE
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FSS INFORMATION &
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
[email protected] – for all FSS questions (after your field
office)
FSS website -
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_of
fices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/fss
Sign up for the FSS listserve -
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/subscribe/s
ignup&listname=Family%20Self-
Sufficiency%20(FSS)%20Program%20Listserv&list=F
SS-L
FSS PROMISING PRACTICES GUIDEBOOK
AND ONLINE TRAINING!!
FSS Guidebook and Online Training published
on HUD Exchange
https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/fss/#1-
introduction.
Informed by FSS Community of Practice
Applicable to all Service Coordination programs
May be mandatory for FY18 FSS funding
FSS GRANT UPDATES
FSS and ROSS NOFAs were delayed. Expected publication late summer/early fall … goal to make awards by CYE
All old unused FSS $$ (Fy15 and earlier) is being recaptured by FOs.
FY16 ROSS-SC grants have received a letter inviting them to submit request for expanded uses of FY13 funding.
25th anniversary of FSS is this year. An electronic “Program Review” book is being developed for the Secretary and Public Relations. Be on the lookout.
OFO and Program Office are working on developing FSS and ROSS monitoring guide checklists – more information on how they will be used forthcoming from OFO
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FSS EXPANSION TO PBRA/MULTI-
FAMILY
PBRA owners can establish their own FSS program to serve PBRA residents.
PBRA owners may partner with existing FSS programs at a local PHA. PHA manages service coordination and PBRA
residents comply with PHA’s Action Plan
PBRA owner manages escrow
PBRA owners (that are not PHAs) are not eligible to apply for funding
Multi-Family published notice August 26, 2016 https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=16-08hsgn.pdf
REPORTING/EVALUATION
FY15 grants were last year for Logic Model
50058 Section 17 reporting is CRITICAL
PIH 2016-8 Notice on FSS Reporting in PIC
Followed by a webinar
Very likely that future NOFAs will not allow ad hoc reports to support eligibility
Composite score for each FSS program being developed
Field Offices increasing FSS and ROSS monitoring
Current OIG Audit underway
Potential changes to SEMAP and PHAS
COMPOSITE SCORE – PROPOSED –
MAY BE TWEAKED BEFORE USE
All based on PIC data
Methodology to be published this spring for public comment.
Household Earnings Growth Higher of baseline to most recent OR baseline to average monthly
earnings x 12
Comparison family for each participant family (age, baseline earnings, length of time in housing assistance)
In sample PHAs, FSS families’ earnings exceeded comparison households in 47 of 51 PHAs
If the participant left housing assistance, use most recent earnings when they left.
Looking at cohort who entered FSS 4-7 years ago
Graduation Rate % of FSS participants that enrolled 8-10 years ago that have graduated.
FSS Participation Rates # of households at the PHA compared to minimum # required to be
served by the grant
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ACTION PLAN
Update your Action Plan to reflect policy
changes, as required in regulation.
Interim disbursements
Motivation as a selection factor
Re-enrollments
Program size
Goal changes
Grievance policy
MANDATORY PROGRAM REDUCTION
SEMAP Question #14 – Is yours correct?
See “Waivers and Alternative Requirements for the FSS Program”
Federal Register notice, published on December 29, 2014, at 79 FR 78100.
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/12/29/2014-30342/waivers-and-alternative-requirements-for-the-family-self-sufficiency-program
1. Waiver allowing the Alternative requirement to permit families in either the public housing or Housing Choice Voucher program to count towards compliance with public housing agencies' (PHAs') mandatory FSS participation level and its reduction. HUD is providing an alternative requirement to Sections 23(b)(3) and (b)(4) to allow public housing agencies to operate a unified FSS program that combines the number of families under the formerly separated programs and formerly count graduating participants from either rental assistance program to both fulfill their mandatory program size requirements and subsequently reduce the program size in accordance with Section 236(b)(4). Without such a policy, PHAs would have to continue the separate tracking of families from each program, which would be unnecessarily burdensome. Moreover, this flexibility will allow some PHAs that have had difficulty meeting program requirements to come into compliance, and enable more families to benefit from FSS. This will apply to all PHAs, including those that administer only a single FSS program now and choose to expand to serve residents from the other rental assistance program. For example, if a PHA serves voucher participants only through their FSS program and the PHA expands its FSS program to public housing residents as well, then the PHA may count both its voucher FSS and public housing FSS graduating participants in reducing its mandatory program size.
FSS-FUP
PIH-2016-01 – FUP-FSS Demonstration
PHAs that serve FUP-YOUTH and have FSS
programs
Allows FUP vouchers to be used for the whole period
the young adult is on FSS.
There will be a series of webinars for the
Demonstration participants that will also be open
to other FSS programs. For more information, be
sure to sign up for the FSS listserve.
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Employment
Jobs Plus
FSS
ROSS
Connectivity
Connect Home
Supportive Services
Re-entry
Financial Empowerment
Mobility Pilot
Father’s Day
Education
GLR
ABCMouse
FirstBook
ROSS for Education
Supportive
Services Programs
INCREASE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Increase educational attainment for HUD-assisted tenants by improving access to stable, quality,
and affordable education, as measured by increasing the percentage of HUD-assisted tenants who
are currently enrolled in college.
Educational Attainment Milestones
Release report on the University of Pennsylvania multi-site study on the effect of HUD
assistance on educational outcomes for children and youth, a pilot study that demonstrates the
potential of matching housing and education administrative data for research.
Develop and sign an MOU between HUD, Federal Student Aid (FSA), and IRS Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites serving HUD-assisted households to increase awareness and
early completion of FAFSA applications.
3/31/2017 Use behavioral insights to promote completion of FAFSA applications by HUD-
assisted students through a low-cost, evidence-based, experimental approach in partnership with the U.S. Social and Behavioral Sciences Team and the Department of Education.
Metrics
Percentage of HUD-assisted tenants who are currently enrolled in college
Percentage of HUD-assisted tenants ages 16-34 who have completed a FAFSA application
Percentage of HUD-assisted tenants ages 16-34 who completed a FAFSA application and then
received aid to attend school
Percentage of Housing Choice Vouchers households who are proximate to proficient schools
RESOURCE: FIRST BOOK
First Book is an international nonprofit social enterprise that provides access to new books and educational resources for programs and classrooms working with kids from low-income families.
Provides brand new, age-appropriate free or low-cost books for low income kids. www.firstbook.org
All PHAs, and anyone working with kids in need can sign up for free, and everyone in your organization can register. You can use these books for anything--local resident meetings, book fairs, community events, and yes, the annual HUD Father’s Day event!
Contact the First Book Help Team by calling
(866) READ-NOW or emailing [email protected]
Webinar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GPaDsIWWdA
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RESOURCE: ABCMOUSE
ABCmouse provides comprehensive digital education resources for children ages 2–7, with more than 5,000 learning activities and 500 complete lessons on reading and language arts, math, science, social studies, health, art, and music.
FREE access to ABCmouse’s Early Learning Academy at public housing computer and learning centers.
Webinars and other training sessions for public housing staff, community organizations, and families to use ABCmouse.com with early learners.
How to Get Started
1. Complete the ABCmouse sign-up form at ABCmouse.com/communitycenters.
2. Create individual profiles for interested children by in the Teacher Dashboard (Teachers Tools Class Builders Add/Remove Student).
3. Contact ABCmouse at [email protected] to coordinate and obtain a Community Center Kit with flyers, posters, and other materials to publicize training sessions for your residents at your computer and learning centers.
RESOURCE: BOOK-RICH ENVIRONMENT
Establish partnerships between PHAs and local libraries and build strong
local coalitions
Engaging children and families in the love of reading and literacy activities
offered by the local library and literacy partners
Distributing free, high quality, diverse books to children living in HUD-
assisted Housing
Partners: HUD, Department of Education, National Book Foundation, the
Campaign for Grade Level Reading, and Urban Library Councils
35 PHAs as first cohort – Phase I
300,000+ books secured
Spring Distribution launch (3 local events from Spring 2017 – September 2017)
Initial focus on building a community of practice for Phase I PHAs, a year from
now, will expand to additional PHAs
2nd PHA cohort – Phase II January 2018
All PHAs can participate in learning webinars
https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/bre
Contact: Maria-Lana Queen, [email protected]
RESOURCE: EDUCATION DATA-SHARING
TOOLKIT
U.S. Department of Education released its first-ever Data-Sharing Tool Kit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/datasharingtool.pdf
for Communities, providing schools and partner organizations with tools for responsible data-sharing to boost student achievement while respecting privacy. The tool kit dispels myths about FERPA and illustrates how communities
can use data to improve academic and life outcomes.
Improving educational outcomes among children living in HUD-assisted housing We know that stable housing directly impacts the educational outcomes of
children, and we know that better educational outcomes are essential for improving the life trajectories of the children HUD serves.
Based on the experience of Public Housing Agencies that have successfully negotiated data-sharing partnerships, the Data-Sharing Road Map provides practical guidance for establishing partnerships with school districts and using data-driven strategies to strengthen the educational outcomes of children living in HUD-assisted housing.
The Data-Sharing Road Map: Improving Student Outcomes through Partnerships between Public Housing Agencies and School Districts can be found at https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=datasharingroadmap.pdf.
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BUILD STRONG, RESILIENT, AND
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
ConnectHome
Percentage of public housing households with
school-age children in ConnectHome
communities with at-home high-speed Internet
Number of HUD-assisted households that gain
high-speed internet access through ConnectHome
Percentage of new residential construction and
substantial rehabilitation projects that support
broadband internet connectivity in individual
housing units
A public-private collaboration to narrow the digital divide for families with school-age children who live in HUD-assisted housing.
Stakeholders provide free and low-cost: High-speed Internet at Home
Computers
Digital Literacy Training
Program has launched in 28 communities and is expanding to 100 more cities!
https://ConnectHome.hud.gov (go through the security wall)
Now features a step-by-step ConnectHome Playbook "How to Build Partnerships and Narrow the Digital Divide" for connecting HUD-assisted residents in your community.
IS NOW
IS NOW
ConnectHome Nation expects to welcome more than 100 communities with the goal of connecting 350,000 residents of HUD-assisted housing by 2020. These communities will be diverse in both size and geography.
EveryoneOn, the current nonprofit lead for the ConnectHome pilot that was created to bridge the digital divide in 28 pilot communities, will lead this expansion effort. ConnectHome will be rebranded as “ConnectHome Nation” to capture its new national scope All communities, both pilot and new, will be involved in a community of practice, which will
include mentorship meetings and a yearly ConnectHome Nation summit.
As part of this expansion, new communities will have access to the following:
Access to stakeholder commitments;
Continued assistance with stakeholder negotiation by EveryoneOn as communities seek to add new stakeholders to the initiative;
Monthly webinars with EveryoneOn for help with local efforts and best practices;
Access to a mentorship community to help guide progress; and,
Access to the Digital ConnectHome Platform, which will include resources and collateral created for ConnectHome and would serve as a space for communities to connect, ask questions, and collect data.
Communities can apply to be part of ConnectHome Nation on the program’s website, starting on July 17, 2017. To learn more, visit http://everyoneon.org/connecthome-nation and https://www.connecthomenation.org/ to sign up for updates NOW
Read EveryoneOn's blog post about the ConnectHome Nation expansion: http://everyoneon.org/2017/05/30/connecthome-to-expand-to-more-than-100-communities/
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CONNECTHOME COMMUNITIES
Comcast Internet Essentials low-cost high-speed internet service for $9.95 a month (plus tax)
option to purchase an internet-ready computer for under $150;
multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online and in-person.
What Residents Need Lease Agreement (On PHA or HUD Letterhead),
AND any of the following:
Income Certification
OR Voucher Form
OR Rent Statement
OR Rent Letter
How Residents Sign Up Visit: apply.internetessentials.com
Call: 1.855.847.3356 Spanish speakers should call 1-855-765-6995
Additional Eligibility Requirements NO Comcast Internet Service within past 90 days
NO Comcast debt under 1-year old
AT&T
Households receiving SNAP assistance within AT&T’s footprint are eligible for in-home, high-speed Internet for $10+tax per month (including FREE installation).
What Residents Need Annually: Copy of SNAP Card OR Benefit OR Award
Letter with Participant’s Name OR Benefit Planning Query Statement (Form SSA-2459) confirming participation, with Beneficiary’s Name
How Residents Sign Up Visit: www.att.com/access
Call: 1.855.220.5211
Additional Eligibility Requirement NO AT&T Internet Service debt under 6-months old
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RETURNING CITIZENS
Guidance for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and Owners of Federally-Assisted Housing on Excluding the Use of Arrest Records in Housing Decisions PIH 2015-19
FAQs
In November of 2015, HUD announced guidance that “inform(s) PHAs and owners of other federally-assisted housing that arrest records may not be the basis for denying admission, terminating assistance or evicting”.
The Guidance states that an arrest may be used as a “trigger” to see what happened, but that denial of housing must be based on conduct not an arrest.
One Strike In the same Guidance, HUD clarified that HUD does not
require PHAs and Owners to Adopt “One Strike” Policies.”
REENTRY QUICK REFERENCES
Building upon these resources, HUD co-hosted a Convening on Innovative Reentry Practices Here’s a link to be able to view the recorded livestream -
https://www.trinitywallstreet.org/video/public-housing-access
Re-entry Public Housing Toolkit It Starts with Housing: Public Housing Authorities Are Making Second Chances
Real This Reentry Toolkit includes examples of programs that have been designed to help returning citizens access housing as a platform for opportunity.
letter to PHAs from Former HUD Secretary Donovan https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Rentry_letter_from_Donovan_to_PHAs
_6-17-11.pdf
HUD PIH Notice 2015-19 – Arrests vs. Convictions https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=PIH2015-19.pdf
FAQs on PIH Notice 2015-19 http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=faqexcludearrestrec33116.pdf
Guidance on the Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD_OGCGuidAppFHAStandCR.pdf
HUD-DOL
See HUD-DOL Secretaries’ letter and FAQ on
www.hud.gov/recovery under “partnerships”
From the Ground Up: Creating Sustainable
Partnerships between Public Housing Authorities
and Workforce Investment Boards
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc
%3Fid%3D14_dol_publication.pdf
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JOBS PLUS PROGRAM
Place-based program that supports locally-based approaches to increase the earnings and advance the employment outcomes for Public Housing residents.
Key Elements Employment and Training
Financial Incentive (JPEID)
Community Supports for Work
FY16 NOFA announcements were made in September, 2016 – 6 new sites Minimum 200 non-elderly-only ACC units in an AMP (or
combination) with at least 50% unemployment
Partnership with the local WIB/One-Stop
Employment and Training
Financial Incentive (JPEID)
Community Supports for Work
DOL – ONLINE COMMUNITY -
WORKFORCEGPS
This site houses several Communities of Practice and Collections all opened to the public:
Career Pathways, https://careerpathways.workforcegps.org/, helps workforce development leaders, practitioners, and policymakers expand state and local career pathways efforts currently underway or being planned.
Reentry Employment Opportunities, https://reo.workforcegps.org/ , offers practitioners new ideas and tools to do the invaluable work of changing lives and renewing futures of former offenders.
Youth Connections, https://youth.workforcegps.org/, is an on-line learning destination for public workforce system staff and partners who serve youth.
FINANCIAL CAPABILITY RESOURCES
PIH-2014-26 - Asset Building and Financial Literacy Resources
Assets for Independence Matched savings accounts and financial literacy - http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/programs/afi
Free Recorded Financial Literacy Curriculum FDIC’s free financial education curriculum, Money Smart, is designed to help low- and moderate-income
individuals gain personal finance skills and take steps to improve their financial well-being. The core curriculum is available in Spanish and 9 other languages, but the suite of tools also includes a curriculum for k-12 students, a self-paced online learning tool, a module aimed at older adults, and a program for small business owners.
FDIC also offers a recorded train-the-trainer curriculum to prepare instructors to deliver the curriculum. The Money Smart program may be used by any organization, and financial institutions can offer these workshops to help fulfill Community Reinvestment Act obligations.
www.MyMoney.Gov - the one stop shop for the federal government’s financial education resources
CFPB – Your Money, Your Goals - http://www.consumerfinance.gov/your-money-your-goals/
ARE YOU HAVING THE MONEY CONVERSATION? DID YOU SIGN UP FOR FREE TRAINING?
Your Money, Your Goals is a toolkit to help front line staff and volunteers as they work with consumers to… Make spending decisions that can help them reach their goals Order and fix credit reports Avoid tricks and traps as they choose financial products Make decisions about repaying debts and taking on new debt Keep track of their income and bills Decide if they need a checking account and understand what they need to open one
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FINANCIAL CAPABILITY RESOURCES Exploring the CFPB’s five principles for effective financial education. The principles
build on insights about how people make financial decisions, and what we have learned about consumer experiences in the financial marketplace. The webinar will share research-based strategies and practitioners’ tips on how financial educators can put the principles into practice.
Access the report on the principles anytime on the CFPB website. You can also watch a recording of this topic and other CFPB Financial Education Exchange webinars here.
We recently published a report on ways people without a credit history start building one. In order to bring visibility to this issue and spur action at the local level, today we’re releasing credit profiles on states and cities across the country.
Check out our blog to learn more and download the credit profiles: www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/building-credit-local-level/
People who have no credit history, insufficient credit history, or no recent credit history may have limited access to credit. We want to raise awareness of ways organizations can help people in their communities become “credit visible” in a positive way. Local communities can take action to address the issue of access to credit, read our blog to find out how.
Sign up to receive regular updates from the Office of Financial Empowerment and learn more about our work at www.consumerfinance.gov/empowerment/.
RENT REPORTING FOR CREDIT BUILDING
http://www.creditbuildersalliance.org/whats-
new/hot-topics/power-rent-reporting-pilot
Rent reporting is seen by renters as a great
opportunity for credit building and, paired
with financial education, is a powerful
financial capability strategy for public
housing authorities seeking to help their
residents achieve financial stability.
Rent Reporting at Home Forward (Portland, OR
HA) https://vimeo.com/184048713/ceed0ba22e
IRS/EITC
HUD-IRS MOU on EITC http://www.hud.gov/content/releases/hudirsagreement.pdf
find a local VITA center https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-
Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers
EITC Awareness Day, January 27, 2017 Each year, IRS invites community organizations, elected
officials, state and local governments, schools, employers, and others in a national grassroots effort to spotlight the Earned Income Tax Credit on EITC Awareness Day. This year marks the 11th anniversary of EITC Awareness Day, scheduled for Friday, January 27, 2017 and we invite you to join us on this day. For more information on how you can participate, please go to https://www.eitc.irs.gov/Partner-Toolkit/awarenessday.
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HEALTH
Federally Qualified Health Centers (and look-alikes) – including Community Health Centers
CHCs provide primary and preventive health care, mental health services, dental services, transportation and translation services. These Health Centers are public or private corporations created through the initiative of local citizens interested in bringing health care to their areas. They are governed by consumer-majority boards of directors http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
Recorded Webinar Series on Connecting Families with Healthcare
HHS posted five webinars about innovative solutions to connect individuals and families with affordable, quality health care and preventative services. The webinar series covers topics from connecting consumers to year round access to connecting hard to reach populations.
With NHLBI-NIH, disseminating a “With Every Heartbeat is Life” Community Health Worker model and curriculum to almost 20 PHAs. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/healthdisp/aa.htm
SENIOR CITIZENS
HUD has been in the process of updating its designated housing rule for low-income seniors and non-elderly disabled Americans to clarify and streamline procedures for setting designations.
HUD participates with other agencies and organizations to share information concerning older Americans, including the National Council on Aging's Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment.
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/information_for_senior_citizens
Aging in Place Design Guide Enterprise Green Communities developed a Design Guide for senior
housing that includes best practices for both new construction and renovations, with a focus on how design can help seniors age in place.
FOR MORE INFORMATION – OUR TEAM
Youth – [email protected]
Returning Citizens/J-RAP – [email protected]
Jobs Plus/DOL – [email protected]
With Every Heartbeat is Life - [email protected]
Financial Literacy – [email protected]
Elderly – [email protected]
ROSS, ConnectHome, SEED, gardening, Neighborhood Networks –
ROSS/FSS – [email protected]
STEM – [email protected]
FSS & General Collaboration Information - [email protected]
The Big Guy – [email protected]
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HUD POLICIES, REGULATIONS
AND PROGRAMS THAT MAY
INFLUENCE SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES
RAD – IMPLICATIONS FOR ROSS/FSS
Webinar for RAD SMEs on impact of RAD on “people” programs (FSS, ROSS, EDSC, Jobs Plus, EID) – Field Office Grant Managers and RAD SMEs have access to it on https://youtu.be/tl5m6XcAcZY
ROSS - Convert from PH to HCV or PBRA
Can use rest of ROSS grants already made, but units no longer qualify for future ROSS
FSS Convert from PH to PBV – no changes other than source of escrow
because FSS programs have been merged since FY14.
Convert from PH to PBRA May use existing FSS grant to continue to serve RAD-affected FSS
participants and other PBRA residents
BUT if convert entire stock to PBRA (no more ACC or HCV/PBV) = no longer eligible to apply for FSS funding.
MUST continue to serve all FSS participants regardless of conversion until CoP ends.
See PIH-2012-32 Rev. 2
EARNED INCOME DISREGARD
The Streamlining Rule changed how EID works
24 months with no start/stop
100% then 50% disregard
Great time for financial empowerment, credit
repair, IDAs.
HOTMA Eliminates EID (pending full
implementation)
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HOTMA –
IMPACT ON RENT CALCULATIONS
Interim re-certs only for change in income +/-10%
and increased earned income is disregarded – so
the rent will only go up/start or increase escrow a
maximum of once per year
Rents will be calculated looking backwards 12
months, as opposed to anticipating forwards, so
the first year a person is working, that next re-
cert will result in a smaller increase than it
would have if the new income was assumed for
the following 12 months.
MTW EXPANSION – AUTHORIZED FY16
100 New MTW agencies 50 < 1,000 units
47 < 6,000 units
3 < 27,000 units
5 = RAD
May be regional agencies
7 years to add these 100 agencies Will be added in cohorts
Each cohort will address one policy change
Led by Research Advisory Group
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/mtw/expansion
OTHER PIH NEWS YOU CAN USE
Advanced Notice on Proposed Rule-Making – Over-Income Tenants http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2016/HUDNo_16-012
PIH 2011-51 - Promoting Partnerships to Utilize Housing as a Platform for Improving Quality of Life.
PIH 2011-33 - Work Requirement/Preference Notice
MTW Promising Practices
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/mtw/promisingpractices
Resources for Community and Supportive Services
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/hope6/css/resources
Webinar on Community Gardens in Public Housing https://hud.adobeconnect.com/p4w82jhr0j8/
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FSS – KEY PRACTICES
KNOW YOUR DOCUMENTS
Section 23 of the 1937 Act
SEC. 23. [42 U.S.C. 1437u]
24 CFR 984
NOFA
Grant Agreement
FSS Action Plan
Logic Model (FY15 and earlier)
OUTREACH/ENGAGEMENT - BEST
PRACTICES
Do you have an outreach plan? Is it working?
Do you do anything to create a “with” or an “in-
group” for FSS participants?
Have you capitalized on graduates as potential
“thought leaders” or mentors?
Have you convened a focus group or leadership
circle of current or former participants?
Do you use social media – for outreach and/or for
communication with participants?
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NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ITSP – BEST
PRACTICES
Needs Assessment
Are you using a standard tool or did you create one?
Pros/cons?
does it ask the “right” questions for your population?
How have you tweaked it since you started using it?
How do you determine what service(s) are
needed?
How do you decide what comes first in the plan?
(e.g. substance abuse, domestic violence, low
education, no work history… what comes first?)
Are you able to have a “long view”?
Do you have a standard triage of needs?
GOAL SETTING
Two required final goals.
Help participant establish challenging but reachable goals – not all participants should have the same goals.
Consider financial empowerment through financial education, budgeting, and/or coaching as an important self-sufficiency goal.
Focus on soft skills is also important. Examples include how participants present themselves at an interview and at work, and how the participant handles difficult situations at work.
While an important (and required) goal, employment doesn’t need to be the only focus of a participant’s plan. Assess whether the participant is more suited to focus on education/training first.
WHAT IS SELF-SUFFICIENCY?
Living Wage
http://livingwage.mit.edu/
What’s the gap between your PHA’s ceiling rent
and FMR for the size unit your family needs in
an area they want to live?
What benefits will they lose as they start to
increase earned income? How will they make up
for that “benefits cliff”?
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PROGRAM COORDINATING COMMITTEE
– BEST PRACTICES
Based on what you are finding in your needs
assessments, are the right providers in place?
Has your PCC been useful? How do you utilize
them? Are your meetings helpful to your
partners?
Do you have to seek out any partners/services
that you don’t already have lined up?
Are you having trouble finding partners for any
specific needs?
COLLABORATION
Establish a comprehensive program with an
array of services and Work closely with social
services agencies and other non-traditional
partners – a significant portion of a Coordinator’s
time should be working with partners and
building and maintaining a network.
Train your FSS program staff and other staff at
the PHA that work with FSS – or COULD – like
intake, rent re-cert staff, property management,
etc.
Interact periodically with other PHAs who
administer an FSS program.
EMPLOYERS AS PARTNERS
Are you reaching out to employers to promote
FSS and your participants?
Do you know what kind of training employers
want your participants to have?
Do you include Employers on your PCC?
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CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO
SERVICES – BEST PRACTICES
How do you make referrals? Do you call for/with your participants to make
appointments?
Do you accompany them? If not, how do you ensure that they know how to get there/have
the confidence to walk in the door/will sit and wait if needed?
If so, how do you do so without encumbering independence?
Have you actually been to the service provider’s site and walked through the process yourself?
Do you walk the participant through what to expect at each service provider? Do you make sure they have whatever paperwork is needed for intake?
Do you have a point person at each partner to whom you refer directly?
Do you have any special intake provisions with your partners? Are these special provisions in an MOU?
CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO
SERVICES – BEST PRACTICES
How do you follow up with your provider partner?
Is your data sharing all aggregated or do you do “co-
staffing?”
Does the case manager function as a “hospitalist?”
How do you follow up with the participant?
What do you do when a referral doesn’t go well?
ONGOING SERVICE COORDINATION
Connect with your participants either in person or via phone (or some other technology such as skype) on an agreed-upon schedule. Newer participants may need to be seen more often than more stable participants – it’s not one-size-fits-all – consider a triage system.
Continue to support participants after employment is obtained.
Provide support to the entire family where necessary.
Celebrate your participants’ successes.
Translate the success into Property Management language
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TELL/SELL YOUR SUCCESSES
CY16 FSS OUTCOMES
• Over 72,000 households actively participated in the program (59,000+ in the Housing Choice Voucher program and 12,000+ in Public Housing).
• 4,793 families successfully completed their FSS contracts and graduated. (4,085 in Housing Choice Voucher FSS and 708 in Public Housing FSS).
• Approximately 18% of enrollees exit rental assistance before completing the FSS program (we don’t have the information on the reasons for leaving rental assistance)
• Approximately 24% of those still in rental assistance graduate within 7 years
• 100 percent of graduating families did not require temporary cash assistance (TANF/welfare). This is a requisite of graduating from the program.
• 52 percent of graduates have escrow savings, at an average of approximately $6,500.
• 1,557 FSS program graduates (33 percent) exited rental assistance within one year of leaving the program. (1,226 in Housing Choice Voucher (30 percent), 331 in Public Housing (47 percent)).
• 606 FSS program graduates (12.64 percent) went on to purchase a home. (461 in Housing Choice Voucher (11.31 percent), 144 in Public Housing (20 percent)).
FSS STUDIES
The first national evaluation of FSS conducted by HUD in 1995 revealed that the median income of FSS participants increased 72% during participation in the FSS program, while a similar group of non-FSS participants’ median incomes increased by only 36% during the same period.
A study conducted by HUD’s Office of Policy Development & Research, found that between 2005 and 2009 found the average annual income for FSS graduates had increased from $19,902 to $33,390.
The average escrow balance of graduates in that study was $5,294.
First experimental design longitudinal study of FSS underway – results expected 2018.
Properties with family service coordination have lower property damage, eviction and turn-over
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DO YOU HAVE STORIES LIKE THESE?
WHO KNOWS ABOUT THEM?
Q.P. (Waterbury, CT) a single mother of three, had been on the voucher program since 2005. She enrolled in the FSS program in 2010 with an income of $14,000 from temporary work. While on FSS she received her Associate’s degree and became a licensed radiographer. After 4 years, she graduated from FSS and was no longer in need of voucher assistance, as her income had increased to $72,000, which is 104 percent of the local area median income (AMI).
Agnes (Lincoln, NE) a single mother of five, had $13,156 in income and was paying $386 in rent at the time of her FSS enrollment. With FSS support, she was able to graduate with her Associate’s degree in human services from a local community college and obtain and maintain full-time employment. At FSS graduation, her income was $44,330 per year and she received $5,019 in escrow. She is now able to pay her full contract rent for the Housing Choice Voucher program of $1,100 per month and will soon be ending voucher assistance.
J.M. (Portland, OR), a single mother of two, had been living in public housing for over 7 years. She was earning $6,816 and paying only $5 per month in rent when she enrolled in FSS. With FSS support, she secured full-time employment with benefits, earning $38,728. She enrolled in financial education and improved her credit score. At the same time, J.M. enrolled in an Individual Development Account (IDA) program to build assets for homeownership and she completed homebuyer education. After two-and-a-half years, she had $12,000 ($3,000 personal savings + $9,000 matching funds) available for a down payment. At FSS graduation, J.M was earning $41,733 and paying $849 in rent until she purchased her own home.
TELL/SELL YOUR BEST STORY
Name
Family
Enrollment stats
Income
Employment situation
Initial rent
Benefits
What happened?
Exit stats
Stayed in assisted housing? or left for rental or
homeownership? (hint: they’re both good!)
