1. Help! I Don’t Speak Housing!
Mattie Lord

2. Introducing UMOM
UMOM New Day Centers mission is to provide homeless families and individuals with safe shelter, housing and supportive services to assist them in reaching their greatest potential.
Established in 1964
$11M Annual operating budget
Privately fundraise 50%
178 employees
Served 6,000 people last year
Serve greater Phoenix area/Maricopa County

3. Watkins Basic Needs Shelter
Basic shelter
Congregate living
Capacity:
120 single women
17 families

4. New Day Centers Campus Capacity 81 units of family emergency shelter
50 units of family transitional housing
75 units of rapid rehousing for families
61 units of permanent supportive housing
Performance
emergency shelter - 45% exit to permanent housing
transitional shelter - 70% exit to permanent housing
rapid rehousing - 85% sustain permanent housing after assistance ends

5. Permanent Housing 212 affordable family units
80 affordable units for seniors
61 units of PSH
45 for families
16 for singles

6. RESEARCH
The single greatest intervention is to move the family into permanent housing.

7. We have to help families move from temporary situations to permanent housing.
We have to expedite moving people out of shelter and resources…and into housing. The national conversation is about using shelter only as a means to HOUSING.
Shelter
Housing

8. HEARTH Outcomes Coordinated Access and Assessment Targeting resources
Enacted in 2009
Reauthorizes the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing
Calls for paradigm shifts in the industry for HUD programs
Outcomes
Coordinated Access and Assessment
Targeting resources

9. HEARTH Outcome Measures
Reduce the # of people experiencing homelessness for the first time; (prevention)
Reduce the overall # of people experiencing homelessness; increase exits to permanent housing
Reduce length of homelessness
20 days (ultimate goal); 10% reduction per year
Reduce the rate of return to homelessness to 5%
Increase jobs and income growth for people experiencing homelessness
Provide access to services within the entire geographic area
Enacted May 2009

10. Outcomes - Then
Quarterly meetings to strategize and form improvement plans.

13. Focus on Outcomes - Now

14. Homeless Definition
Individuals and Families defined as Homeless under the following categories are eligible for assistance:
 Category 1 – Literally Homeless
 Category 2 – Imminent Risk of Homeless
 Category 3 – Homeless Under Other Federal Statutes
 Category 4 – Fleeing/Attempting to Flee DV

15. Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:
Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation;
Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs); or
Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution
“Literally homeless”
Category 1
Eligible for:
Street Outreach
Emergency Shelter
Rapid Rehousing
Support Service Only
Safe Haven
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing

16. “Imminent Risk of Homeless”
Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:
Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance;
No subsequent residence has been identified; and
The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing
“Imminent Risk of Homeless”
Category 2
Eligible for:
Emergency Shelter
Prevention
Support Services Only
Transitional Housing

17. “Homeless Under Other Federal Statutes”
Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who:
Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statutes;
Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application;
Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during in the preceding 60 days; and
Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time due to special needs or barriers
“Homeless Under Other Federal Statutes”
Category 3
Eligible for:
Emergency Shelter
Prevention
Support Services Only
Transitional Housing (with special approval from HUD)

18. “Fleeing/ Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence”
Any individual or family who:
Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence;
Has no other residence; and
Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing
“Fleeing/ Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence”
Category 4
Eligible for:
Street Outreach
Emergency Shelter
Rapid Rehousing
Prevention
Support Services Only
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing

19. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
USICH
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Set goals:
End veteran homelessness by 2015
End Chronic homelessness by 2015
End youth homelessness by 2020
End Family homelessness by 2020
Set a path to ending all homelessness

20. HUD’s Continuum of Care
HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) system is designed to address the critical problem of homelessness through a coordinated community-based process of identifying needs and building a system to address those needs.
A regional or local planning body that applies for, distributes, & coordinates HUD homeless assistance funds in a geographic area.

21. Continuum of Care – Education provisions
Continuum of Care plans must describe how they will collaborate with LEAs to identify families, and how families and youth will be informed of their eligibility for McKinney-Vento education services. Sec. 427(a)(1)(B)(iii)
Agencies must certify that programs that provide housing or services to families will designate a staff person to ensure that children are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate services in the community, including early childhood programs such as Head Start, part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and McKinney-Vento education services. Sec. 304(b)(4)(D).

22. Continuum of Care – Education provisions
Collaborative applicants for HUD Continuum of Care funding must take the educational needs of children into account when families are placed in emergency or transitional shelter and will, to the maximum extent practicable, place families with children as close to possible to their school of origin so as not to disrupt children’s education. Sec. 304(b)(7).
Project applicants must demonstrate that their programs are establishing policies and practices that are consistent with, and do not restrict the exercise of rights provided by the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act, and other laws relating to the provision of educational rights and related services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

23. Continuum of Care - Funding
Competitive programs funded:
Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
Shelter + Care
Rapid Rehousing
HMIS
Planning
Formula-based programs funded:
Emergency Solutions Grant
Funded only through renewals:
Transitional Housing
Support Services Only
5-10% reduction

24. Continuum of Care
The old CoC wasn’t sophisticated enough to match needs and resources. Now we have additional housing interventions to choose from.

25. How do we determine which intervention to assign to each family?
PROGRAM SELECTION
How do we determine which intervention to assign to each family?
Who gets what and why?

26. Progressive Engagement
Community-based Prevention (Diversion and Stabilization)
$1-2k per case
Rapid Exit:
Relocation
$2-4k per case
Up to 2-4 weeks shelter
Housing StabilizationService I
Relocation, Critical Time Intervention CM, Temp Rental Ass.
1 year shallow rental subsidy
Housing Stabilization Service II
More intensive services, 1 more year of Temp Rent Ass.
Long-Term Subsidy and Service Engagement
Transition to mainstream
systems
Shelter exit
Shelter admission

27. Matching the intervention to the family
UMOM Orientation Assessment
Emergency Shelter
Transitional Living/
Extended Shelter
Rapid Rehousing
Eviction prevention
Subsidized/ Section 8
Permanent affordable housing
Permanent supportive

28. COORDINATED ASSESSMENT
How do we target the community’s resources?
What housing and service assistance strategy is best for each household of the several services available?

29. Coordinated Assessment – HUD CoC
§ Responsibilities of the Continuum of Care.
(a) Operate the Continuum of Care. The Continuum of Care must:
(8)In consultation with recipients of Emergency Solutions Grants program funds within the geographic area, establish and operate either a centralized or coordinated assessment system that provides an initial, comprehensive assessment of the needs of individuals and families for housing and services. The Continuum must develop a specific policy to guide the operation of the centralized or coordinated assessment system on how its system will address the needs of individuals and families who are fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, but who are seeking shelter or services from non-victim service providers. This system must comply with any requirements established by HUD by Notice.

30. Assessing Housing Barriers
___ Head of Household is under 25
___ More than 3 children in household
___ Earns less than 30 % AMI
___ No income (2 points)
___ Employed less than 3 months
___ No high school diploma or GED
___ Felony (past ten years = 2 points; over 10 years ago = 1 point)
___ Misdemeanor (Class A, violent crimes, or drugs)
___ Money owed to a landlord
___ Money owed to a utility company for electricity, water, or gas
___ Past evictions (one = 1 point; 2 or more = 2 points)
___ Current or past involvement with child welfare
___ Additional credit problems (cable, phone, medical bills) that may
preclude obtaining housing
___ Mental health or substance abuse issues
We hold Orientations every Thursday and Friday mornings for families interested in UMOM programs and services. During the Orientation, one of our Case Managers interviews the families about their current barriers to housing. Our goal is to restore them to HOUSING in the community. We need to be aware of the barriers so we can work through them. The housing barrier interview is summarized on this assessment. Basically, a point is assigned for each barrier. So if the Head of Household is under the age of 25, the family is assigned a point. If there are more than 3 kids, there’s another point, and so on. So a family is assigned a numeric score, which gives us a general idea of how much time we will need to return them to housing. The highest score possible is an 11.

31. F-SPDAT Family Service Prioritization Decision-Assistance Tool
Developed by Iain DeJong at OrgCode Consulting
Core Premise: Get the right household to the right program at the right time to end their homelessness, based upon evidence of strengths, understanding of needs and housing status.
Prescreen tool for triage
Full assessment for case management tool

32. Socialization & Daily Functions
F-SPDAT
Wellness
Risks
Socialization & Daily Functions
Housing History
Family Unit

33. Housing First/ PSH General Housing Help Rapid Re-housiing
Homeless Population – Not Homogeneous
“Funnel” Of Homeless Services
Intake & Assessment – Acuity Determined
Housing First/ PSH
General Housing Help
Rapid Re-housiing

34. Average barriers to housing: 6
Emergency Shelter
Time limited, Short term
Typically 1-6 months
Basic services
Funded by ESG (not CoC)
Nationally 28% exit to PH
UMOM:
120 days, average 81 days
Service rich
exits to PH: 45%
Average barriers to housing: 6

35. Average barriers to housing: 7
Transitional Housing
Time limited, Medium term
Maximum of 24 months
Service rich, often includes child care
HUD requires 65% exit to PH
HUD targets: Substance users, DV, & youth
UMOM:
2 years, average 313 days
Service rich
exits to PH: 70%
Average barriers to housing: 7

36. Shift in Eligibility for Transitional Living
Then
Now
Completion of ES program
Enrolled in a full time activity for at least 30 days
Program compliant
Demonstrated progress on case plan goals
Clean drug screen
Have enough $ saved to pay program fees
Significant barriers to housing
Barriers cannot reasonably be resolved in 120 days in Emergency Shelter
Absolutely no options for permanent housing in the community

37. Average barriers to housing: 5
Rapid Rehousing
Time limited, Medium term
rental assistance
Maximum 5(SSVF) -18 (HUD) months
Monthly case management
National average 85% exit to PH
HUD targets: Anyone
UMOM:
average 6 months
exits to PH: 85%
Average barriers to housing: 5

38. Permanent Supportive Housing
NOT Time limited
Long term – permanent
Housing subsidy & intensive Services HUD requires 85% housing retention
HUD targets: disabled and chronic
UMOM:
No time limit
Service rich, 1:12 ratio
Average barriers to housing: 10
Must meet hud eligibility & need PSH

39. Which intervention? EMERGENCY SHELTER RAPID REHOUSING
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

40. Match the Family to the Intervention
Isabel
25 YO single mother
2 children
Earns less than 30% AMI
Employed less than 3 mos.
2 past evictions
Owes money to utility company
Major credit problems

41. Match the Family to the Intervention
Liz and Tom
5 children
No employment
NO HS diploma/ GED
Recent felony and misdemeanors
2 past evictions
Major credit issues and wage garnishments
History of mental health and substance abuse on and off for 10 years.

42. Match the Family to the Intervention
Sandra
38 Year single mother
Served 2 years in military
Recently lost employment
Earns less than 30% AMI
2 previous evictions
Received eviction notice but still in unit
Has resided in same housing for 2 years

43. Match the Family to the Intervention
Marcus
32 year old single dad
2 children
Employed less than 3 months
Felony 10 years old
past eviction

44. Match the Family to the Intervention
Michaela
41 year old single mom
3 children
History of DV
Receives sporadic child support
Recent multiple felonies
History of substance abuse
Multiple shelter stays

45. Match the Family to the Intervention
Ava
35YO single mother
5 children (infant – 12years)
Multiple shelter stays
Traumatic brain injury
Mental health issues
No GED or H.S. diploma
Felony conviction
Son with serious emotional issues
History of addictions

46. Match the Family to the Intervention
Tracy
Single mother
3 children
Multiple shelter stays
History of DV
Highest earning $7.50/hr; inconsistent work history
CPS involvement
Eviction history
Children’s father in prison
Active alcoholism – in denial

47. Other Housing Options

48. Low Income Tax Credit Housing
An option for low income families
Makes market rate housing “affordable” for families at 30-60% AMI
Rental rates are reduced due to local or state tax credits
Typically mixed income properties
Must recertify annually; otherwise no time limit
Lease = Landlord Tenant Act applies
Want to show breakdown of scores from Housing Vulnerability Assessment. Don’t have this data yet…

49. Section 8 (subsidized) Housing
HUD program with Public Housing Authorities or private owners
Rent = 30% of income
Sex offenders & people with certain drug offenses are ineligible
Other eligibility criteria determined by local PHAs
No time limit
Lease = Landlord Tenant Act applies
Project-Based
Subsidy remains with the unit
Housing Choice Voucher
Subsidy remains with the family
Family can select unit (based on FMR and inspection)
Code in the American Housing Act
PHAs or private landlords contract with federal government to provide Section 8 rents
Average cost family of 4 = $11,000

50. HUD VASH (subsidized) Housing
Collaboration with HUD, VA, and PHAs
Section 8 voucher
Available to families with veteran status
Referrals are made by the local VA
Must accept ongoing VA case management
Rent = 30% of income
Sex offenders and people with certain drug offenses are ineligible
Other eligibility criteria determined by local PHAs or local VAMCs
No time limit
Lease = Landlord Tenant Act applies
Story about Pete Dougherty, Director of Homeless Programs for the VA. (If I gave you $10M to help homeless veterans, what would you do with it? I’d give it to HUD.)
Currently have 37,000 vouchers – trying to acquire 60,000

51. Public Housing
HUD program - housing owned by Public Housing Authorities (city or county)
Rent = 30% of income
Sex offenders and people with certain drug offenses are ineligible
Other eligibility criteria determined by local PHAs
No time limit
Lease with PHA = Landlord Tenant Act applies
1.2 M in public housing

52. For more information Mlord@umom.org (602) 889-0671 jrosen@nlchp.org
Mattie Lord
Jeremy Rosen
(602)
(202) x 104