1. Austin/Travis County FY2017 Continuum of Care Program Bidders Conference
July 20, 2017

2. FY 2017 NOFA TX-503 Our COC’s Annual Renewal Demand (ARD): $5,521,027
Planning Grant $171,880
Anticipated reallocation: $0
Bonus Amount: 6% of PPRN= Up to $343,760
CoC may submit more than one bonus project as long as amount does not exceed maximum bonus amount

3. Eligible Organizations
Nonprofit organizations
States and Local governments
Public housing agencies
For profit organizations are NOT eligible to apply for grants or to be sub-recipients of grants

4. Existing HUD recipients
Applicant must be in good standing with HUD
- No open HUD findings
- No history of slow expenditures
- Limited unexpended funds

5. Applicant Requirements
Provide proof of applicant eligibility (e.g. nonprofit certification)
Plan to submit program data and participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or have an equivalent system and submit de- identified data to HMIS if a domestic violence provider
Participate in ECHO CoC Workgroup and participate in Point in Time Count
Participate in the local Coordinated Entry System
Comply with all Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care Policies and Procedures
Demonstrate financial and management ability to manage Federal Grants
DUNS number and active SAM registration

6. Eligible Definitions of Homelessness
People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided (90 days or less) and entered as homeless as defined above.
Individuals and families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life- threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member including a child that has either taken place within the individual or families primary nighttime residence or has made the individual or family afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence and
they have no other residence
and they lack the resources and support networks to obtain other permanent housing (page of CoC Program Interim Rule)

7. Chronically Homeless
Chronically homeless includes individuals and families who have:
who have been homeless and living in a place not meant for human habitation, emergency shelter, or safe haven; and
Has been homeless or living in one of the above places continuously for at least 1 year OR at least 4 separate occasions in the past 3 years where the total time equals at least 12 months
Has a documented disabling condition
Persons in transitional housing are not considered to be chronically homeless even if they met the criteria prior to entering the transitional housing program.

8. What type of projects are eligible for the Permanent Housing Bonus?
PH-Permanent Supportive Housing
PH-Rapid-Rehousing
Joint TH and PH-RRH Project
Expansion of Existing Renewal Projects

9. Permanent Supportive Housing
PSH is an intervention that combines affordable housing assistance, voluntary support services to the address the needs of individuals who meet the definition of chronic homelessness
Build independent living and tenancy skills
Connect to community based: healthcare, treatment and employment services
See Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care Policies and Procedures for written standards on permanent supportive housing

10. PH-Permanent Supportive Housing
CoC’s may create new permanent supportive housing projects that meet the requirements of DedicatedPLUS or new PSH projects where 100% of the beds are dedicated to chronic homelessness

11. New option in FY2017: Dedicated Plus
PSH where 100% beds are dedicated to individuals with disabilities and families in which one adult or child has a disability (including unaccompanied homeless youth), that:
at intake are chronically homeless; or
were chronically homeless upon intake of to-be eliminated TH; or
were admitted but unable to maintain placement at PH; or
who are residing in Joint TH & PH-RRH and who were chronically homeless prior to entering project

12. PH-Rapid Rehousing
Rapid-Rehousing CoC’s may create new rapid rehousing projects that will serve homeless individuals and families, including unaccompanied youth, who meet the following criteria:
Residing in a place not meant for human habitation
Residing in emergency shelter
Persons meeting the criteria of paragraph (4) of the definition of homeless, including persons fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence situations
Residing in transitional housing funded by a Join TH and PH-RRH component project
Receiving services from a VA-funded homeless assistance program and met one of the above criteria at initial intake to the VA’s homeless assistance system

13. Rapid Rehousing: Program Elements
1) Housing Identification
Build relationships with landlords to have access to as many housing units as possible
Find and secure housing as quickly as possible
Limit the time a family or individual spends homeless. Move people into housing within 30 days or less
2) Rent and Move-In Assistance
Pay for security deposits, move-in expenses etc
Pay for rent and utilities
Length of assistance varies, but is often 4-6 moths
3) Case Management (Employment, Childcare, Income/Benefits, Healthcare, Education)
Connects families and individuals to services and supports in the community
Helps resolve issues that may threaten housing stability (including conflicts with landlords)

14. Rapid Re-housing: Guidelines
All referrals must come from local Coordinated Entry process to prioritize the most vulnerable individual or families in the community for the resource
Must follow CoC Written Standards for Rapid Rehousing assistance
May set maximum amounts of assistance (percentage, months, or number of times)
May require participants to share in the cost of rent (rent calculation information is detailed)
Limits rental assistance to a household to no more than 24 months

15. Joint Transitional Housing and Rapid Rehousing
CoCs may create new Joint TH and PH-RRH component projects to better serve homeless individuals and families including individuals and families fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence
This is a new project type
More information can be found on the HUD Exchange:

16. NEW: Joint Transitional Housing/ Rapid Re-Housing
Combined transitional housing and permanent housing-rapid rehousing to serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Help address unique community needs:
Communities with large numbers of people living in unsheltered locations, including encampments, by providing temporary, low-barrier housing to individuals and families while helping them quickly move to permanent housing  
Communities with a lack of safe crisis housing for people fleeing domestic violence to access while they are searching for a safe, permanent place to reside  
Meeting the unique developmental needs of unsheltered homeless youth and help them move quickly into permanent housing with available supportive services to help them maintain that housing.

17. NEW: Joint Transitional Housing/Rapid ReHousing (cont.)
Eligible costs are capital costs, leasing of a structure or units, and operating costs to provide transitional housing, TBRA for RRH, supportive services, HMIS, and project administrative costs
Joint component projects should:
Use a Housing First approach
Incorporate client-choice
Provide or connect participants to resources
Target and prioritize people experiencing homelessness with higher needs and who are most vulnerable.

18. Expansion of Renewal Projects
NEW in FY2017: project applicants may apply for a new expansion project under the permanent housing bonus to expand existing eligible renewal projects that will increase the number of units in the project, or allow the recipient to serve additional persons.

19. Commitment to Housing First
Projects must be low barrier
Prioritize rapid placement and stabilization in permanent housing; and
Does not have any service participation requirements or preconditions (e.g. sobriety, minimum income threshold, criminal history, experience with domestic violence)

20. Implementation Timeline
HUD strongly encourages all rental assistance to begin within 12 months of award

21. New Projects 12 month term
Ensure alignment with community Needs and Gaps
Identify target population
Identify how will connect clients with healthcare, mainstream (TANF, Medicaid etc, ) and employment services
Identify how will partner with and leverage services of other organizations
Identify how clients will access services – location of housing
Alignment with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

22. Project Budget
All budget line items must be clearly described and must be in compliance with eligible expenses that are outlined in the CoC Program Interim Rule
When requesting rental assistance must request Fair Market Rental ( FY17 FMR) amount per unit
Maximum 10% in administrative costs

23. Match 24 CFR 578.73 provides information regarding match requirements
The recipient or sub-recipient must match all grant funds except for leasing funds with no less than 25% of funds or in-kind contributions from other sources
Project applicants that include to use program income as match must provide an estimate of how much program income will be used for match

24. HUD Threshold: Pass/Fail Standards
Must meet eligibility program requirements described in CoC Program Interim Rule 24 CFR part 578 and provide evidence of eligibility
Demonstrate financial and management capacity and experience to carry out the project as detailed in the application and the capacity to administer federal funds
Submit the required certifications and specified in FY17 NOFA
Populations proposed must align with the CoC program interim rule
Demonstrate cost effectiveness
Must agree to participate in local Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) except for agencies required by the Violence Against Women Act to use a comparable system and share all required de-identified data to the HMIS system

25. Project Description Requirements
Population/Sub-Population to be served (based off local need)
Type of housing and services that will be provided
Budget activity descriptions for line items being requested

26. Project Scores Based on
How the project will address a gap in the Continuum of Care
Projects ability to place individuals within six months of contract execution
Meets Housing First criteria
How the project plans to increase participant income (employment or non-employment income)-including for individuals with disabilities
Connections to mainstream resources (childcare, employment services, any public benefits, etc)
Provides access to healthcare and behavioral health care

27. How to apply: E-SNAPS
All interested applicants to complete project application in HUD’s online ESNAPS system
Read and follow Esnaps and Detailed Instruction Guides
Applicant Profile
New OR Renewal Project Application
Complete Project Application and submit by deadline

28. Required Applicant Certifications
All must be dated between May 1, 2017-September 28, 2017
HUD Approved Code of Conduct-all projects applicants must make sure the organization has a code of conduct that complies with the requirements of 2 CFR part 200 and is on file with HUD.
HUD Certification for Drug-Free Workplace
SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable
HUD Form 2880-Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update report

29. Additional required attachments for New Applicants
501©3 or governmental entity certification
DUNS number and copy of active SAM registration
Most recent financial audit

30. Match documentation Match letter documenting commitment
Letter should describe time period that funding will cover, all eligible activities to be conducted with match funds and must be signed and dated between May 1, 2017-September 28th, 2017

31. Continuum of Care Information
Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care-TX-503
CoC Collaborative Applicant: Ending Community Homelessness Coalition

32. Project Review & Ranking Process
All new project applications submitted through esnaps reviewed by an Independent Review Team (IRT)
IRT reviews all project application submissions and provides project priority ranking (Tier 1 and Tier 2) to Membership Council for vote
Membership Council approves final ranking decision
CoC Collaborative Applicant (ECHO) submits final Community Application and Project Priority to HUD

33. Timeline
New and Renewal Project applications must be submitted in ESNAPS no later than Thursday, August 10th by 7PM CST.
Independent Review Team reviews all new, renewal and voluntary reallocation applications no later than August 28, 2017.
Final ranking approved by Membership Council no later than September 8, 2017
All project applicants who submitted a project application(s) to CoC by the deadline will be informed whether their project application will be accepted and ranked in the CoC Priority Listing, rejected, or reduced by the CoC within 15 days of the FY17 Application deadline.

34. Appeals Process The process for appeals may be found at 24 CFR 578.35
Detailed instructions on appeals process will be posted on ECHO website at information/

35. Resources FY2017 CoC Program Competition NOFA Notices:
Esnaps Application Instructions:
resources/#general-resources
CoC Program Laws, Regulations and Notices:
Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care Information:
Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness:

36. Resources continued…
Rapid Rehousing Information: Austin/Travis County Needs and Gaps Analysis Gaps3.pdf Austin/Travis County Community Dashboard Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Act:

37. Questions Niki Paul, Chief Program Officer
Cell: