Jack Peters, Director Office of Community Planning and Development Seattle Regional Office U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development WSCH Annual Conference HEARTH Act Update May 2010

Overview HEARTH Act Overview General Provisions Emergency Solutions Grant Program Continuum of Care Program Rural Housing Stability Program Next Steps

Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act Signed into law on May 20, 2009 Reauthorizes HUD’s McKinney-Vento Programs

The HEARTH Act is organized in four sections: Subpart A – General Provisions Subpart B – Emergency Solutions Grant Program Subpart C – Continuum of Care Program Subpart D – Rural Housing Stability Program

Definition of a Homeless Individual or Family Definition of “At risk of Homelessness” Definition of Chronically Homeless

The ESG Program is essentially a combination of the current ESG Program and the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) Allocations done by formula based on 20 percent of the available grant funds in the appropriation

Eligible Activities include: Street Outreach Emergency Shelter Activities Renovation, major rehabilitation, or conversion of buildings to be used as emergency shelters Essential Services Operating Costs

Eligible Activities include: Rapid Re-Housing for homeless persons Rental assistance Housing relocation or stabilization services Prevention activities for persons at-risk of homelessness Rental assistance Housing relocation or stabilization services

A recipient may use up to 7.5 percent funds received for administrative purposes State recipients shall share administrative funds with local governments The Act requires that recipients of ESG participate in HMIS Recipients of ESG funds will be required to coordinate with recipients of CoC Program funds

Combines SHP, S+C, and SRO into one program Codifies the Continuum of Care structure and process Creates one match requirement of 25 percent cash or in-kind across all line items, except leasing which stays at 0 percent match

Collaborative Applicant Designs a collaborative process for the development of an application for CoC funds Serves as the applicant for project sponsors who jointly submit a single application for CoC funds Ensures participation of project sponsors in HMIS Receives up to 3 percent of total funds for administrative costs

Unified Funding Agency Must perform the duties required by Collaborative Applicants Is the grant recipient of CoC funds Establish fiscal controls and fund accounting procedures to assure the proper disbursal of, and accounting for, CoC funds awarded to project sponsors Monitor all project sponsors annually Receives up to 6 percent of total funds for administrative costs

Eligible activities include: New Construction/Acquisition/Rehabilitation Leasing Rental Assistance Operating Costs Supportive Services Provision of Rehousing Services HMIS Admin up to 10 percent Min. 30 percent PH requirement

Renewal Funding The Secretary may renew the funding for a period of not more than 1 year for a specific project previously funded under the CoC Program High Performing Communities The Secretary shall designate, on an annual basis, which collaborative applicants represent high-performing communities as determined by an evaluation of five requirements listed in the statute

Applicants from rural areas choose between CoC and Rural Program Eligible activities: Homeless Assistance and Prevention ; Rural defined as Areas: Not in MSA Area in an MSA where 75 % of the county is rural Area in State meeting special rules

Competitive Selection Rules included special selection setasides 50 % of funds go to communities with populations of less than 10,000, with priority to those serving communities with populations less than 5,000 Priority to communities that are not receiving significant Federal assistance

Eligible activities include: New construction/acquisition/rehabilitation Rent, mortgage and utility assistance Security deposits Short-term lodging in motels or shelters Leasing Rental Assistance Operating Costs Supportive Services

HEARTH Act HUD’s Plan to Implement New Regulations Held 30+ focus groups around the country to get input; Will release draft regulations for public notice and comment; Will issue final regulations based on comments received; Will have two conferences next Fall on HEARTH and data collection to get grantees and CoCs ready; Will conduct more intensive regional sessions after the conferences; Intensive TA is planned to implement; Phase-in strategy for major requirements changes.

Priorities Clarify issues that already cause confusion Put what was done administratively into regulation Provide a clear set of guidance for field offices and grantees – regs and tools like Desk Guides Apply consistently across field offices Easy to use format

Homelessness Resource Exchange: Building a new HEARTH page HUD’s HMIS Portal: APR Help Desk: hotline: