NCDA WINTER CONFERENCE JANUARY 2016 MICHAEL ROANHOUSE OFFICE OF SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS The Role of HUD’s Homeless and Mainstream Housing Programs in Ending Homelessness

Overview of Presentation Opening Doors Ending Homelessness: A definition Statute, Regulation, Policy, and Strategy: What does it all mean? Key policy priorities/strategies Budget: What we have to work with Opening Doors Goal Updates  Veterans  Chronically Homeless  Youth  Families Communications and Resources 2

OPENING DOORS: FEDERAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS 3

Goals of Opening Doors End veteran homelessness by 2015—this year! End chronic homelessness by 2017* End family and youth homelessness by 2020 Set a path for ending all homelessness by

ENDING HOMELESSNESS: A DEFINITION 5

Defining an end to homelessness An end to homelessness means that every community will have a systematic response in place that ensures homelessness is prevented whenever possible or is otherwise a rare, brief, and non- recurring experience. 6

It means… Every community will have the capacity to : Quickly identify and engage people at-risk of and experiencing homelessness. Intervene to prevent the loss of housing and divert people from entering the homelessness services system. Provide immediate access to shelter and crisis services, without barriers to entry, while permanent stable housing and appropriate supports are being secured. When homelessness does occur, quickly connect people to housing assistance and services—tailored to their unique needs and strengths—to help them achieve and maintain stable housing. 7

STATUTE, REGULATION, POLICY, AND STRATEGY: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? 8

Statute The McKinney-Vento Act, as amended by the HEARTH Act, provides the authority and sets the legal framework for targeted homeless assistance grants programs Annual Appropriations Act Cannot be waived Statute = Pie plate—provides structure and shape 9

Regulations Regulations establish the rules and minimum requirements to administer grants Define how you can spend money, who you can serve, what you can spend it on If not established in statute, can generally be waived Regulations = Pie crust 10

Policy Policy provides additional context to the regulation Policy established via NOFA, Notices, FAQs Example: The regulation requires that permanent supportive housing serve persons with a disability. NOFA policy further limits where persons can come from. Policy = Pie filling 11

Strategy Actions and practices that result in a more effective homelessness response system Examples: Housing First, Prioritization, Leveraging Mainstream Resources, Creating a By-Name-List of homeless persons Through NOFA, provide incentives for certain strategies Strategy = Magic Ingredients that make pie success! 12

How does it all fit together? In order to end homelessness, you must pay attention to all components of the pie 13

KEY POLICY PRIORITIES STRATEGIES 14

Overarching Policy Priorities and Strategies FY 2015 NOFA Policy Priorities Strategic Resource Allocation Ending Chronic Homelessness Ending Family Homelessness Ending Youth Homelessness Ending Veteran Homelessness Using a Housing First Approach 15

Focus: Know Your Projects Review all projects within CoC Is it effective at meeting performance goals? Is it effective at meeting goals to end homelessness? Is it cost effective? Could it be done better, smarter? Transitional Housing 16

Focus: Housing First and Removing Barriers Screen in, do not screen out Review projects for program-specific requirements that are unnecessary Income requirement or employability requirement No criminal history Sobriety Equal Access for LBGT 17

Focus: Coordinated Entry CoC Program interim rule requires CoCs to develop and implement coordinated entry HUD policy brief provided additional guidance: Effective process— Inclusive Prioritizes Person centered Low barrier Informs system change Effective tools— Non-directive Sensitive to lived experiences Phased assessment Only asks necessary questions 18

Focus: Leveraging Mainstream Resources Targeted housing and services are not enough to end homelessness Must leverage mainstream resources Medicaid Use data to demonstrate importance of supportive housing Bring local healthcare partners to planning table Use CMS Information Bulletin as tool to leverage funding for supportive services Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Connect to SSI/SSDI 19

Focus: Partnering with PHAs and Housing Developers July 2013 Guidance for Public Housing Authorities and private landlords on serving homeless households, including enacting homeless preferences 2014 to 2015 Targeted technical assistance to private landlords on serving homeless households February 2015 Improved data standards on reporting homeless household admissions 20

BUDGET: WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH 21

FY 2016 Budget: Summary FY 2016 Budget HUD anticipates funding ESG at $270 million – like last year HUD was appropriated enough to fully fund the renewal demand amount Funding was provided to fund youth initiatives and evaluation No money was provided for new PSH for chronically homeless persons or RRH for families with children 22 FY 2015 Enacted FY 2016 President’s Request FY 2016 Enacted Total Amount$2,135$2,480$2,250 Emergency Solutions Grants$250$294$250 Continuum of Care$1,878$2,179$1,973 HMIS$7 New HUD-VASH$75$0$60 Special Purpose Voucher$0$177.5$0

FY 2016 Budget: Youth 23 The FY 2016 Budget provided additional funding to address youth experiencing homelessness:  $33 million will fund youth demonstration projects in up to 10 communities, 4 of which must be rural (HUD Homeless Assistance Grant account)  $5 million will be provided for technical assistance for youth homelessness (HUD Homeless Assistance Grant account)  $2.5 million for evaluation of the youth demonstration projects (HUD Program Development and Research account)  $2 million to conduct a youth prevalence study (HUD Program Development and Research account)

OPENING DOORS: UPDATES ON GOALS 24

Ending Veterans Homelessness:

Ending Veteran Homelessness: 2015 Key Strategies for Ending Veteran Homelessness FY 2015 NOFA Priorities Work closely with VA and Veteran-serving organizations to coordinate resources Prioritize VA eligible chronically homeless veterans for HUD-VASH To the extent possible, prioritize veterans who are ineligible for VA services and their families National Initiatives: Mayor’s Challenge to End Homelessness 25 Cities Zero:

Ending Chronic Homelessness:

Ending Chronic Homelessness: 2017 Prioritization, prioritization, prioritization 1/3 of all CoC-funded PSH dedicated to chronically homeless Prioritizing within subpopulations Notice CPD Final Rule on Defining Chronically Homeless Increase dedicated beds: reallocation, bonus Goal delayed, action is not 28

Ending Family Homelessness:

Ending Family Homelessness: 2020 Increased Affordable Housing is key Family Options Study Vouchers Rapid Re-housing Transitional Housing Remove barriers 30

Ending Youth Homelessness: 2020 In January 2014, there were 45,205 unaccompanied youth sleeping on the streets, in emergency shelter, or in transitional housing 38,931 between out of 10 under 18 were unsheltered More than 4 out of were unsheltered Working to improve data on homeless youth 31

Ending Youth Homelessness: 2020 Increased focus in FY 2015: Funding Collaboration Addressing the unique needs of youth (not mini-adults) Misinformation about definition and recordkeeping requirements Homelessness Prevention Pilot for LGBT Youth FY 2016 Senate Appropriations bill includes $40 million for funding youth pilots 32

COMMUNICATIONS AND RESOURCES 33

Communications HUD Exchange Listserv To join: Click on “Homeless Assistance Program” Types of Communications: In Focus Messages Announcements Release of guidance, tools, and other information 34

Got a Question? Frequently Asked Questions Submit Questions to the HUD Exchange Ask-A- Question at: 