HEARTH Act: Planning for Impact Julie Dixon The Planning Council

Key Changes Signed into law May 2009, first update since 1995 Broadens definition of homeless to include those at imminent risk and those who are unstably housed Shifts focus and funding to more Prevention and Rapid Re-housing 2

Stimulus for System Change New activities allow CoCs to provide more services to prevent homelessness and incentives to rapidly move homeless people back to housing Emphasis on outcomes enhanced with new, additional measures that evaluate both systemic and individual program results 3

HEARTH Objectives Reduce length of time people spend in the crisis of homelessness Rapidly exit people from homelessness to permanent housing Provide services in the home to achieve housing stability and prevent returns to homelessness Focus on income and employment 4

HEARTH Indicators/Measures Decrease numbers of people who are homeless Decrease length of time people are homeless Increase exits to Permanent Housing Increase income (employment/benefit) Reduce returns to homelessness ◦Will apply to shelters, transitional and permanent supportive housing programs 5

Meeting HEARTH Objectives Areas of Focus ◦Program Evaluation and Development ◦System Evaluation and Reorganization ◦Coordination Beyond the Continuum of Care 6

Achieving Performance Measures  Decrease in newly homeless ◦Prevention/Diversion  Decrease length of stay ◦Rapid Re-housing ◦Reduce time in Shelter and Transitional Housing – use rapid exit approach  Increase income and exits to PH and decrease returns to homelessness ◦Housing Stabilization Services ◦Critical Time Intervention (CTI) ◦Connections with mainstream and community- based services ◦Eviction Prevention Services 7

Emergency Solutions Grants The FY2012 budget for the ESG program is $286 million, an increase of $36 million from FY2011 ◦Assist communities to transition programs created under the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program ◦Shelter diversion ◦Funds are expected to particularly impact homeless families with children, a HUD priority population 8

System Readiness – New ESG Rules  Coordinated Intake ◦All ESG and CoC recipients must use a centralized/coordinated system to ‘initially assess the eligibility and needs of each person who seeks homeless assistance or prevention assistance’  At least 40% of funds must be spent on Prevention/Diversion and Rapid Rehousing  New activities:  Short/medium term rental assistance  Housing relocation/stabilization to homeless or at risk – financial assistance – utilities, arrears, moving costs 9

Other Funds at Play Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development: ◦Homeless Solutions Grant (HSG) ◦Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) *Bring new agencies to the table as part of the ongoing Program Monitoring committee 10

11 HSG OutcomesHPP Outcomes Percentage of households seeking shelter where the immediate crisis has been averted (preventing homelessness) Percentage of eligible households assisted with HPP where homelessness is prevented Percentage of households diverted from homelessness stabilized in permanent housing Percentage of diverted households stabilized in permanent housing Reduction in the number of households entering the homeless assistance system Reduction of the length of shelter stays N/A Reduction in the number of households returning to homelessness N/A

Program Readiness Establish coordinated intake Divert at the front door to shelter wherever possible Move people rapidly into permanent housing from emergency shelter and transitional housing Focus on employment, income and benefits Provide aftercare or access to services to stabilize once in housing 12

Systems Coordination ESG grantees must coordinate with CoC ◦Consult on allocation of funding for ESG activities ◦Must participate in HMIS ◦Coordinated Intake ◦Outcomes will be reported in CoC Exhibit 1 in

Selection Criteria for Funding Performance (as described above) Community Plans focus on: reducing homelessness educational needs of children and needs of all homeless sub-populations CoC plan aligns with Ten Year Plan (TYP)  Measureable targets, timelines, funding, leadership and staff 14

HUD Advice – Preparing for HEARTH  Look at current portfolio of projects:  expenditure of funds  performance - to determine what, if any, changes should be made  Begin considering which projects, in whole or in part, they may want to reallocate to free up resources for new efforts  Conduct an analysis to determine which partnerships within your community work well and which need more attention and focus 15

Steps to Take Now 1. Renewal Evaluation Process 2. Training/Support to Agencies 3. Review data on: ◦Length of Stay (LOS) ◦Exits to permanent housing, to unknown and to homelessness ◦Rates of maintaining and increasing income 4. Evaluate funding and program allocations, outcomes and returns on investments ◦Consider program conversions/modifications to achieve outcomes 16

Is there is money for HEARTH?  The CoC has been flat funded  HUD has been aggressively recapturing funds from grants that have not been fully expended  Through this process, HUD is also identifying grantees that consistently return money  HUD strongly encourage grantees and CoCs to review all renewal project budgets and spending rates to prevent these types of recaptures, thereby demonstrating strong stewardship of federal funds at both the grantee and CoC levels 17

Where are the HEARTH Regs? HUD is in the final stages of clearing for release both the Continuum of Care (CoC) 2012 NOFA will reflect the HEARTH requirements and all grants awarded through the 2012 competition will be required to comply with the interim rules HUD will be deciding which provisions of HEARTH to implement in 2012 to maximize the impact 18

Thank you