Rapid Re-housing 101 Part II Presented by: Kim Walker Capacity Building Associate

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Agenda Introduction I. Program Design Agency Assessment Policy, Process, Practice (3 Ps) Staffing Funding and Program Expenses II. Question & Answer

Poll Questions

Rapid Re-housing Program Design

Program Design: Agency Assessment Capacity to Change 1. Mission, Values, Culture 2. Existing Programs & Internal Resources 3. Change Management 4. External Resources & Funding * Program Design 5. Subsidies * 6. Policy, Practice, Process * 7. Staffing & Staff Development * 8. Community Engagement

Program Design: Agency Assessment Capacity to Change 1. Mission, Values, Culture 2. Existing Programs & Internal Resources 3. Change Management 4. Community Engagement

Money: Funding Your RRH Program A Bit More Outside the Box… Foundations & private donors Faith community Traditional Homelessness Funds: HEARTH/ESG SHP Other Government Sources: TANF CDBG HOME Housing Trust Funds State/local funding EFSP (FEMA) SSVF (Veterans and their families)

Money: Program Budgeting Start Up Rental/Utility Assistance Relocation Assistance Seed Money Subsidies

Assistance is short- to medium-term (not exceeding two years) Have to make decisions based on deep vs. shallow, maximum subsidy allowed, etc. Dont count on a permanent subsidy Money: Subsidy Design

Income-Based Subsidies INCOME BASED Jane makes $400/month She pays 40% of her salary ($160) towards rent. The percentage remains the same no matter what. If income increases, subsidy decreases. CONS: Disincentive to work Potential cliff effect

FLAT SUBSIDY Peter makes $500 a month. His rent is $650 a month; he pays $250 of this. He will pay the same amount ($250) regardless of fluctuations in income. Flat Subsidies If income increases, subsidy remains the same. CONS: Lack of flexibility; may have to be readjusted

DECLINING SUBSIDY Phil and Tanya start by paying $300 a month. After three months, they pay $350. Every three months their subsidy declines until they are able to assume their full rent. Declining Subsidies Regardless of income, subsidy will decrease over time. CONS: Not as flexible if things dont go as planned (like income-based)

Program Design: Some Options for Designing a Rental Subsidy Program Subsidy ModelBenefitsRisks Income-based subsidy: household pays a fixed percentage of their income for rent (e.g. 40% or 50% or 60%, etc.) Household will be able to pay rent even if their income drops because the subsidy will increase. Household has more discretionary money if income increases. Increase in familys share of rent occurs only when/if income also increases. As income increases, rent increases, which many people perceive as a disincentive to work. The deeper the subsidy, the greater the cliff effect. Income-based subsidies offer little incentive to secure smaller units or less expensive housing. Income-based subsidies are more difficult for program budgeting. Flat subsidy: Subsidy is based on individuals rent or on apartment size (e.g. $300 for a two-bedroom apartment, $400 for a three- bedroom unit, etc.); the subsidy is fixed. Subsidy can be deep or shallow. If the subsidy is shallow, the cliff effect is small. Household can see exactly how much more income is needed to replace subsidy. As income increases, rental assistance stays the same, creating an incentive for work. Flat subsidies offer some incentive for obtaining smaller, less expensive housing. Flat subsidies are easier to use in program budget planning. If income decreases due to job layoff or cut in hours/benefits, or if rents increase, the flat subsidy may not be enough to assure housing retention. Re-evaluation of the subsidy amount would be necessary. Declining subsidy: Whether income-based or flat, the subsidy would decline in steps, based upon a fixed timeline or when the individual has reached specific goals. The steps are known in advance and act as deadlines for progressive increases in income. Reduces cliff effect because rental assistance is fairly low by the end of the subsidy period. Due to the local job market or the individuals limited employability, income increases may not be possible or may not occur in the amounts and according to the timelines the subsidy program has set. Program Design: Subsidies

Program Design: 3 Ps Outcomes & Expectations Policy, Practice, Process Transitioning to a housing first approach means that you will be changing the way families experience your program and the way your staff interact with clients. Program Requirements Pre/Post Housing Referral and Intake Procedures Service Planning and Coordination

Housing Locator Role Understands the needs and concerns of landlords Able to help participants identify their housing needs Knowledgeable about landlord-tenant law Program Design: Staffing

Case Manager Role Provides case management at intake, during and/or after housing placement Links clients to mainstream and community resources Helps client identify and avoid behaviors that contribute to housing instability Helps client identify short- and intermediate-term goals Program Design: Staffing

Income/Benefits Coordinator Role Specializes in one or more areas relating to income and benefits Assists client in accessing mainstream income and benefits resources at shelter entry Program Design: Staffing

Program Administrator Role Overall program coordination Assures program targets will be met Adjusts program activities and resources as needed Program Design: Staffing

Critical Skills Ability to work with LLs Knowledge of mainstream community resources Culturally competent Ability to handle crisis situations Experience working with families with multiple needs

Program Design: Staffing Decisions Staffing Resources Allocation Staff Development Hiring

Objectives Overall goal or measure of success Reduce the length of time households spend homeless Increase the rate at which households are placed in permanent housing Inputs Staff, funding, community partners and other resources (existing and needed) for your project 2 Housing Specialists, 2 Case Managers Short-term rent subsidies Landlord partners Activities Service Components Housing and Resource Assessment Housing search and placement Outputs Ways to measure your activities. number of assessments to be conducted, subsidies to be provided case management sessions to be delivered Outcomes Client level outcome targets 80% of households will be placed in permanent housing within 30 days of intake. Measurement Strategies Methods for tracking data HMIS data Constraints: Rapid Re-housing Logic Model

Advanced Class: Think System Level Expanding populations Coordinated intake Regional coordination Think complete package: reducing new entries, length of stay, and repeat entries

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