INDIANA HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID RE-HOUSING Continuum of Care Eligible Activities August 7, 2009 Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority

IN - HPRP IHCDA Community Services Staff  Rodney Stockment, Manager    Lynn Morrow, Department Assistant    Lori Dimick, Homeless Program Manager    Kelli Barker, ESG and HPRP Program Representative  

IN - HPRP IHCDA Community Services Staff  Kirk Wheeler, HMIS and HPRP Project Director    Kelly Pickell, HMIS Program Representative    Suzanne Grenough-Patrick, HMIS Program Representative  

IN - HPRP Resources IN - HPRP Power Point Posted  HUD – HPRP Notice and Webcasts – wealth of good information!   Virtual helpdesk and searchable FAQs National Alliance to End Homelessness   Best Practices, guides Corporation for Supportive Housing   Information on permanent supportive housing

IN - HPRP Categories of Eligible Expenses: Financial Assistance – direct assistance on behalf of an eligible participant Housing Relocation & Stabilizations – services to eligible participant intended to restore permanency. Data Collection and Evaluation Administration

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Short term Rental Assistance ( up to 3 months) Medium term Rental Assistance (4 to 18 months) Security deposits Utility deposits Utility payments Moving cost assistance Motel/ Hotel vouchers

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Rental Assistance  May be used to allow households to remain in current rental unit or to help to obtain and remain in new rental units they select.  No program participant may receive more than 18 months of rental assistance under the HPRP.  Eligibility for rental assistance must be certified at least every 3 months (including income verification.)  Rental assistance may pay up to 6 months of rental arrears if payment allows the participant to remain housed.

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Rental Assistance Rental units must meet “rent reasonableness” standards. In Indiana this will be determined by the GoSection8 software. Calculated rental assistance will require that eligible households pay 30% of their adjusted income toward rent. HPRP rental assistance cannot supplement any other federal, state or local housing subsidy.

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Security and Utility Deposits Deposits may co-occur with other forms of HPRP assistance and may be given to participants receiving other forms of housing subsidy, e.g. HUD-VASH vouchers) if they do not overlap. Utility deposits may also pay for up to 6 months of utility arrears, provided that the householder has the account in his/her name or provides proof of financial responsibility, e.g. cancelled checks or receipts from the utility. Deposits must be reasonable and common to the community. 

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Moving costs Reasonable moving costs, e.g. truck rental, may be paid. Short term storage (up to 3 months or when the participant is in rental housing) may be paid. IHCDA would encourage Central Access agencies to explore community volunteers to assist with moving costs. 

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Motel and Hotel Vouchers – IHCDA would strongly discourage the use of HPRP funds for temporary motel/hotel housing unless no other alternatives are available in the community or for a short time while awaiting an already identified rental unit. Other costs – the actual costs of managing check requests, writing eligible checks and maintaining the appropriate accounting may be allocated to the Financial Assistance section of the grant.

IN - HPRP Financial Assistance: Eligible Activities APT associates suggests not trying to recover deposits. HPRP funds may be used to assist a person leaving transitional housing as a result of “timing out” of the program. Rental assistance requires that the householder be the lease holder. Family “leases” are not eligible. Cost of inspections for habitability are considered to be under the financial assistance category.

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization : Case Management – arranging, coordinating and monitoring the delivery of services related to housing needs. Outreach and engagement Housing search and placement Legal services Credit repair

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Case Management Services may include: Developing, securing and coordinating services Monitoring and evaluating participant progress Assuring the participant rights are protected Developing an individualized housing and service plan, including a path to housing permanency Counseling

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Outreach and Engagement Funds may be used to publicize the availability of HPRP services. This might include use the 211 system or a systematic outreach to area shelter providers, as well as print brochures or flyers.

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Housing Search and Placement Funds may be used for “services and activities designed to assist … in locating, obtaining and retaining suitable housing.” This may include landlord communications, making moving arrangements, using an on line housing search, e.g. Indiana Housing Now or setting up utility accounts.

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Legal Services HPRP funds may be used to help people stay in their housing, e.g. legal advice related to eviction or tenant- landlord relationships. HPRP funds may not be used to assist householders with mortgage issues. IHCDA recommends that each Central Access agency attempt to utilize pro bono legal services, e.g. Legal Aid, whenever possible.

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Credit Repair HPRP funds may be used for services targeted to assist “… with critical skills related to household budgeting, money management, accessing a free credit report and resolving personal credit issues. HPRP funds cannot be used to pay outstanding credit balances unrelated to housing, even if that would improve the person’s access to rental housing.

IN - HPRP Housing Relocation and Stabilization: Ineligible Activities Employment training Education (i.e. fees, tuition, books, etc.) Transportation Food, household items, clothing Furniture and appliances Child care

IN - HPRP Administrative Costs : Allowable Costs Accounting for the use of grant funds Preparing reports for submission to IHCDA (HUD and OMB) Obtaining program audits Training for administrative or case management staff as their role is directly related to the HPRP

IN - HPRP Administrative Costs: Disallowed Costs Cost of issuing financial assistance Cost of providing Housing Relocation and Stabilization services Costs of data collection and evaluation Costs of housing inspections All such costs should be allocated to an eligible category!

IN - HPRP Habitability Inspections Required upon initial placement of a program participant and annually thereafter. Re-inspection required upon a change in tenancy. Not as stringent as HQS inspection; however a HQS inspection is acceptable. Habitability inspection should be complete prior to lease signing and is specific to the unit for which rental assistance is provided. ___Concern: _________________________________________________________________________ Response: ________________________________________________________________________ ___Concern: _________________________________________________________________________ Response: ________________________________________________________________________

IN - HPRP Habitability Inspections Habitability inspectors should be familiar with rental unit amenities and will be asked to enter all supported units into GoSection 8 for rent reasonableness. Training will be provided later in the fall of Inspections are not required to maintain a participant in existing rental except if a child less than 6 y/o may be exposed to lead risk. A new form is available for Habitability Inspections and will be part of the September training. ___Concern: _________________________________________________________________________ Response: ________________________________________________________________________ ___Concern: _________________________________________________________________________ Response: ________________________________________________________________________

IN - HPRP _______________________________________________________________________

IN - HPRP Next Week’s Topics: Contracts – Sub recipient and vendor Budgets – Required IHCDA budget information

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