1.
Let’s Start From The Beginning: Homelessness, Continuum of Care, & HEARTH Ohhh My! Jonda Clemings, MSEd, LSW
Ohio Recovery Housing Training - Homelessness, Continuum of Care, & HEARTH: Ohhh My!

2. COHHIO is a statewide advocacy group and service providers network dedicated to ending homelessness and ensuring that all Ohioans have decent, safe, fair, affordable housing, especially those with low-income and special needs.

3. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has…” -- Margaret Mead

4. Continuum of Care
A collaborative funding and planning approach that helps communities plan for and provide, as necessary, a full range of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing and other services to address the various needs of homeless persons.

5. Elements of a CoC PREVENTION PERMANENT HOUSING
OUTREACH, INTAKE, ASSESSMENT
RAPID
RE-HOUSING
EMERGENCY SHELTER/SERVICES
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING/SERVICES
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

6. Prevention
Assisting households at imminent risk of becoming homeless to maintain their housing by providing stabilization services and/or short-term emergency financial assistance
One-time/limited emergency rental assistance
Financial counseling to handle housing crisis
Landlord-tenant mediation
Legal services

7. Outreach, Intake & Assessment
Services target the most vulnerable of the homeless population who are often unable or unwilling to accept emergency shelter services
Street outreach – park, campground, cars
Mobile health care
Hotlines

8. Emergency Shelter/Services
First stop; often the point of entry into the homeless system
Soup kitchens or drop-in day centers
Congregate building for households with and without children
Hotel and motel vouchers
Short-stay apartments

9. Transitional Housing/Services
Interim placement for persons or households who are not ready for or who do not have access to permanent housing; opportunity for clients to gain the personal and financial stability needed to transition to and maintain permanent housing
Up to 24 months rental assistance/services

10. Rapid Re-Housing Services
Rapid Re-Housing is a strategy that quickly moves a household from homelessness to housing using supportive services and time-limited financial assistance.

11. Permanent Supportive Housing
Combines housing assistance and supportive services for homeless persons with disabilities
Use of tenant-based rental assistance to lease apartments in scattered sites

12. Supportive Services
Supportive services are those services needed for a person to move towards self-sufficiency and independent living
Job readiness & job skills training
Benefits counseling
Housing search and placement services
Substance abuse, mental health, health care
Family reunification services

13. Permanent Housing
Permanent affordable housing is long-term, safe, decent and affordable housing for individuals and households
Rehabilitation of existing rental housing
Housing vouchers
Mainstream housing; rental & homeownership
Tenant-based or project-based rental subsidies
Reunification with families

14. Centralized Intake & Assessment
Systems integration
Collaboration – MOU/MOA
Increase performance outcomes
Improve access to services
Improve data collection
Target households most at risk
Structured consistency in decision making

15. Housing First Principles
Homelessness is first and foremost a housing problem
Housing is a right

16. Purpose of the CoC System-wide approach to end homelessness
Prevent/quickly re-house homeless persons
Link and/or refer to mainstream resources
Optimize self-sufficiency

17. Ohio’s CoCs Cuyahoga Franklin Hamilton Lucas Mahoning Montgomery
Ohio Balance of State
Stark
Summit

18. Why is a CoC Important Assess capacity & identify gaps
Develop proactive solutions
Identify common goals
Increase community “buy-in”
Increase access to mainstream resources
Increase funding competitive advantage
Comprehensive & collaborative process

19. CoC Membership Homeless/formerly homeless Government entities
Public housing agency
School systems
Law enforcement
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Boards
Faith-based organizations
Funders
Advocacy groups
Business/civic leaders
Hospital/medical representatives
Housing developers
Nonprofit service organizations
Educational institutions

20. Funding Opportunities - HUD
Continuum of Care
Emergency Solutions Grant * March 2012?
Permanent Supportive Housing
Shelter Plus Care
Transitional Housing
Supportive Services Only
HMIS

21. Funding Opportunities - ODSA
Homelessness & Supportive Housing Programs
Homeless Crisis Response Programs (ESG – shelters, prevention & rapid re-housing)
Supportive Housing Program (Permanent Supportive Housing & facility based Transitional Housing

22. Ohio Housing Trust Fund
OHTF is a flexible state funding source that provides affordable housing opportunities, expands housing services, and improves housing conditions for low-income Ohioans.
Housing development, emergency home repair, handicapped accessibility modifications, homeless programs
DV and general homeless programs

23. Funding Opportunities - VA
Grant and Per Diem (GPD)
HUD-VASH
Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) Program
Health Care for Re-Entry Veterans (HCRV)
Supported Housing
Healthcare for Homeless Veterans
Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans

24. Funding Opportunities - Other
HUD - Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
HHS - Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA)
HHS – Transitional Living Programs
DOL – Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration
DOL – Job Corps

25. Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act
May 20, 2009 – amends McKinney-Vento
Consolidates HUD’s grants
Changes homeless/chronic homeless definition
Simplifies match requirement
Increase in prevention resources
Increase in the emphasis on performance

26. HEARTH Homeless Definition
Effective January 4, grant renewal

27. Homeless Category 1 Criteria
Individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes a subset for an individual who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided.

28. Homeless Category 1 Criteria
Sleeping in place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation – car, park, abandoned building, bus/train station, airport, camping ground
Living in a shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements – congregate shelter, transitional housing, hotel/motel paid by organizations

29. Homeless Category 1 Criteria
Exiting an institution (e.g., jail, hospital)
Where they resided for 90 days or less AND
Were residing in emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering institution

30. Homeless Category 2 Criteria
2. Individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days AND
Have no subsequent residence identified AND
Lack the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing

31. Homeless Category 3 Criteria
Unaccompanied youth under 25 or families with children and youth who are defined as homeless under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition

32. Homeless Category 3 Criteria
Meets homeless definition under other federal statute AND
Have not had lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing any time during last 60 days AND
Have experienced two or more moves during last 60 days AND

33. Homeless Category 3 Criteria
Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of:
Chronic disabilities OR
Chronic physical health or mental health conditions OR
Substance addiction OR
History of domestic violence or childhood abuse (including neglect) OR
Presence of a child or youth with a disability OR
Two or more barriers to employment

34. Homeless Category 4 Criteria
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 family member.
Have no identified subsequent residence AND
Lack the resources and support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing

35. Documenting Homelessness
Third-party written documentation
- Exception – one night shelter and DV providers
Third-party verbal documentation
- Oral statement by social worker, case manager, or other appropriate official at an institution
3. First-party/self-declaration

36. At-Risk of Homelessness Categories
Individuals and families
Unaccompanied children and youth
Families with children and youth

37. At Risk Category 1 Criteria
Individuals/families who
Have annual incomes below 30% AMI AND
Do not have sufficient resources or support networks immediately available to prevent literal homelessness AND
Meet at least one of the following 7 conditions

38. At Risk Category 1 Criteria – must meet at least one
Moved two or more times due to economic reasons in 60 days prior to application for assistance
Living in home of another due to economic hardship
Losing housing within 21 days after application date

39. At Risk Category 1 Criteria – must meet at least one
Live in hotel/motel not paid for by charitable organizations or federal/state/ local government programs.
Lives in severely overcrowded unit as defined by the US Census Bureau
Exiting publicly funded institution or system of care
Lives in housing associated with instability and increased risk of homelessness, per recipient Consolidated Plan

40. At Risk Category 2 Criteria
Unaccompanied children/youth who qualify under other federal statutes
Does not include children/youth who qualify under the homeless definition
Does not include parents or guardians
Regulations include the list of applicable other federal statutes

41. At Risk Category 3 Criteria
Children/youth who qualify under the Education for Children and Youth Program (§ 725(2) McKinney-Vento Act) and the parents or guardians of that child/youth if living with him/her.

42. Documenting Imminent Loss of Housing
Court order resulting from an eviction or equivalent notice under state law
Leave residence within 14 days after the date of their application for assistance

43. Documenting Homeless Status of Unaccompanied Youth or Family With Children and Youth Who Qualify As Homeless Under “Other Federal Statutes”
Certified by appropriate official at entity that administers assistance under the other federal statute

44. Documenting Homeless Status By DV Providers
Self-declaration from head of household must certify that he or she has not identified a subsequent residence and lacks the resources or support networks where the safety would not be jeopardized

45. Documenting Homeless Status By DV Providers
Condition must be verified by a written observation by intake worker, service provider, social worker, health care professional, law enforcement agency, legal assistance, pastoral counselor, or other organization from whom the household has sought DV assistance
Written referral or observation need only include the minimum amount of information necessary to document that households is fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking. Does not expect specific details about incidence of violence.

46. Other Housing Options, Resources or SupportsNO
Other Housing Options, Resources or Supports
Assessment should have questions that determine if there are other options, resources, or supports
Include signed certification by CM acknowledging assessment that household would be homeless but for this assistance
As with income and housing status eligibility, participants should be assessed upon entry and every three months thereafter, about whether they have other housing options, financial resources, or family/friend networks that can assist them to maintain or obtain housing. Staff should assess with applicant all other safe, affordable and available housing options and verify that no other appropriate subsequent housing options are available. You should assess with the applicant all financial resources and support networks, such as friends, family or other personal sources of financial or material support. You should very that the applicant lacks financial resources and support networks to obtain or maintain housing. You should include in your assessment summary or other statement indicating that applicant has no other appropriate options, resources, or networks. Especially in regards to no financial resources, it is important to look at the household’s budget. If the household claims no income, but has a cell phone, cigarettes, vehicle, etc. - you may need to delve more into how the household is affording those items. Often additional sources of resources are brought to the forefront when more specific questions are asked.

47. Performance Monitoring & Measuring
Performance Monitoring & Measuring
System meeting goals & objectives
Providers meeting goals & objectives
Housing service system outcomes
Collaborative system of care
Ohio Recovery Housing Training - Homelessness, Continuum of Care, & HEARTH: Ohhh My!

48.
Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio 175 S. Third St. - Suite 250 Columbus, Ohio Phone Fax
Ohio Recovery Housing Training - Homelessness, Continuum of Care, & HEARTH: Ohhh My!