Housing Resources

1. Housing Resources MFP Learning Series October 14, 2013

2. Heather Dominique Regional Housing Manager Housing & Homelessness Unit Division of Aging and Adult Services 919-855-4992 heather.dominique@dhhs.nc.gov

3. Housing Needs of Persons with Disabilities • Targeting Program • Section 811 PRA Program • Other Housing Resources • Fair Housing

4. Housing Barriers for Persons with Disabilities • Discrimination • Economic barriers • Physical barriers • Lack of appropriate supports and services • NIMBYism • Poor tenant histories • Higher rates of incarceration • Poor credit history

5. Housing Need • Affordable housing: no more than 30% of gross income spent on housing costs. • 30% of $710 a month = $213 a month • No market in NC where you can rent without assistance at this income level.

6. Housing Need • Persons with disabilities make up more than 25% of households with worst case housing needs. • Persons with disabilities use 12% of HUD housing resources. • Of homeless persons in any given year, 46% report having a mental health problem by itself or in combination with substance abuse.

7. Supportive Housing “Supportive Housing is a housing model that enables persons with disabilities to successfully select, acquire and maintain decent, safe and affordable housing linked to a variety of individualized, flexible support services.” -Technical Assistance Collaborative

8. Targeting Program Targeted Units are created by requiring ALL Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)Properties to set aside 10% of units for persons with disabilities who are referred through the Targeting Program. Targeting Program Key Program

9. Key Program Rental Assistance State-funded operating assistance to subsidize rent of tenants who are referred by service agencies through the Targeting Program.

10. Targeting Program Goal - connect extremely low-income persons with disabilities who are receiving supportive services to housing that is: • Affordable – Key Program subsidizes 75% of units. • Safe and decent • Permanent • Integrated in communities of choice • Accessible (Public transpo/community amenities, handicapped units, Fair Housing) • Independent (Lease, not service compliance, controls tenancy)

11. Key Program Eligibility • Person with a disability referred by a participating service agency through Targeting Program • Household headed by a person with SSI, SSDI or Veteran’s benefits • Total household income at or below 30% AMI • Minimum monthly gross income of $300. • Meets household and bedroom size standard.

12. Why is Key Program rental assistance important? • Housing Credit units primarily affordable to persons at 50-60% AMI. • Persons living on SSI between 15-23% AMI. • % of SSI needed to rent 1BR in NC: 91%.

13. Targeting and Key Programs a partnership that builds on the strengths of each partner: • NCHFA • NC DHHS • Owners/property management • Human service agencies

15. Referral Agency Responsibilities • Refer eligible persons to the Targeting Program. • Assist persons in the application process including negotiating Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications. • Provide ongoing supportive services to targeted unit tenants to help them live successfully in the community. • Coordinate reengagement in or referral to supportive services for tenants who need assistance - collaborate with community partners to support tenants.

16. How to Become a Referral Agency • Agency Director signs two-page Agreement to Participate and identifies two staff to be point and back up contact. • Two staff attend 90 minute phone training

17. Targeting Program Accomplishments 2,125 households assisted 1,458 current tenant households 87% Housing Stability 12 months post move in 81 different counties 456 funded properties 357 properties with initiated referral process 450+ Human Service Partners 60+ Property Mgmt Company Partners

18. What’s New with the Targeting Program? • Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program • New Regional Housing Coordinators

19. Section 811 PRA Demonstration Program • NCHFA award recipient; NC DHHS/DMA co-applicant • Funds can only be used for project based rent assistance in multi-family housing were no more than 25% of units are targeted to persons with disabilities • PRA for persons at or below 30% AMI • NCHFA/Medicaid Agency agreement requirement: targeted population, outreach and referral, commitment to make appropriate services available • Maximum award $12 million over 5 years • Number of funded 811 PRA units – 562

20. Section 811 PRA Demonstration Program • Agreement between NCHFA and DHHS/DMA: • Target Population disability neutral – preference based on residential status i.e. persons transitioning out of licensed facilities. • Eligible persons must be receiving one of the following home and community based services – CST, ACT, CAP-DA, Innovations Waiver, At-risk Case Mgmt, MCO Care Coordination for high risk populations. • 3) DHHS Targeting Program team will function as Local Lead Agency

21. Staff • 9 Regional Housing Coordinators: • Three RHCs based at Cherry, Broughton and Central Regional Hospitals; TBD • Six home-based RHCs; Russell Cate, Gillian Hampton, Tonya Rathbone, Stacy Hurley, Thea Craft, MFP-funded position-TBD • Regional Housing Manager, Heather Dominique • Field Operations Manager, Kay Johnson • DAAS Housing and Homelessness Unit Manager, Martha Are

22. Subsidized Rental Housing Programs Development Subsidy Programs with Rental/Operating Assistance Development Subsidy Programs Individual Subsidy Programs Public Housing Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program) LIHTC Program McKinney Permanent Supportive Housing USDA Rural Development Shelter Plus Care Tenant-based Rent Assistance HUD Section 202 & HUD Section 811

23. Public Housing Authorities • 131 Public Housing Authorities in NC • Administer Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and/or Public Housing • NC PHAs can be found at http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/nc.cfm

24. Public Housing • Rent is typically 30% of gross income • Waitlists shorter than Section 8 vouchers Eligibility: • Annual Gross household income • US citizenship or eligible immigration status • Each PHA has their own screening criteria

25. Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) • Tenant based rental assistance • Allows very low-income households (below 50% AMI) to choose and lease safe, decent and affordable privately-owned rental housing • 75% of Section 8 vouchers must go to households with incomes < 30% AMI

26. Affordable Housing Primer Provides basic information for persons with disabilities, advocates, families and service providers about the affordable housing system. www.nchousing.org

27. www.nchousingsearch.com • Affordable housing listings statewide • Free for owners and searchers • Special portal for Human Service Professionals: Call Drew Kristel, 919-855-3455, for assistance. Also: • Working toward a comprehensive listing of all TBRA vouchers available statewide

28. Fair Housing for Tenants with Disabilities: Understanding Reasonable Accommodations and Reasonable Modifications Guide created in partnership with NC Apartment Association, Legal Services, DHHS and the NC Housing Finance Agency. www.nchfa.com/Rental/Mreasonableaccommod.aspx

29. Who’s protected by Fair Housing Law Persons who: • Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. • Have a record of having such an impairment. • Are regarded as having such an impairment. Fair Housing Law protects renters, household members and persons who visit renters that meet the above Fair Housing definition of disabled.

30. Who’s not protected by Fair Housing Law Persons with disabilities: • Who are currently using illegal substances • Whose tenancy would constitute a “direct threat” to the health or safety of others or would cause substantial physical damage to the property. • Who are convicted of illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance. • Who are Sex offenders

31. Reasonable Accommodations Changes to rules, policies, practices or services necessary to afford a person with a disability equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling including common areas. In order to get a reasonable accommodation, the tenant or housing applicant must request it!

32. Reasonable Modifications Reasonable Modifications are changes in the physical arrangement of: • parking areas • common use spaces and • interiors of a housing unit.

33. Requesting Reasonable Accommodations What to write in the request: • Disclose that the person has a disability. • Describe connection between disability and need for accommodation. • Describe actions taken to address the issue (making payments on bills). • Describe the desired accommodation (explain how the accommodation will help overcome the effects of the disability).