Homelessness 101: Managing HUD Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grants

1. Homelessness 101: • Managing HUD • Continuum of Care • Homeless Assistance Grants Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, San Francisco Regional Office Trainer: HomeBase / The Center for Common Concerns, Inc.

2. Introduction: Symbols • This symbol means the term is specifically defined by HUD. Each one is defined in the glossary in your binder. • This symbol means the information that follows is a useful tip. • This symbol means the information that follows is a precaution. • This symbols means we will use the Binder Materials during the training.

3. Session One • Purpose and Players

4. A. Purpose: Common Goal • We are all working toward ending homelessness.

5. B. The Players: Three Entities • Continuum • of Care HUD Your Project

6. Player One: HUD • HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a federal agency. • Administration of the grant at the federal level: Office of Community Planning and Development, Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) • Administration of the grant at the local level: HUD-CPD-San Francisco Regional Office Your training materials include information on communicating with HUD p.15

7. Player Two: The Continuum of Care (“CoC”) • Regional, year-round planning body • One county • Multiple counties • Balance of the state • Coordinates the community’s policies, strategies and activities toward ending homelessness • Prioritizes project applications for funding • Your training materials include information on communicating with your CoC (Appendix p. 3)

8. persons who are/have been homeless state and local government agencies public housing agencies school systems law enforcement local workforce investment act boards faith-based organizations funders advocacy groups businesses hospitals and medical representatives housing developers non-profit organizations serving people who are homeless or poor CoC Membership Ideally includes representatives from

9. CoC has another meaning • A Continuum of Care is a local or regional system of housing and services to meet the needs of people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness in the community, from homeless prevention through to permanent housing. Prevention of Housing Loss Outreach/Intake Assessment Permanent Housing Emergency Shelter Transitional Housing Supportive Housing Mental Health Case management Health Care Job Training Substance Abuse Education Income benefits Housing placement

10. Player Three:Your Project • “Project” refers to precisely what you were funded to do in your Grant Agreement with HUD. • The Grant Agreement is between HUD and Grantee but others have responsibilities under it.

11. Grant Agreement (continued) • Who has responsibilities to HUD under the agreement • Grantees • Project Sponsors • Subrecipients of grant funds follow HUD requirements through a contract (MOU) with a grantee or project sponsor

12. HUD Your Project Continuum of Care Working Together to End Homelessness This training is about the interactions and obligations of these three entities.

13. The Whole Picture • You may be responsible for only a small part of what you see today • Purpose is to let you see thewhole picture to understand your role

14. Session Two • Introduction to The Life Cycle of the Grant

15. Contracting Applying Managing The Life Cycle of the Grant

16. Applying The Full Cycle, Laid End-to-End Pre-Agreement Requirements (Technical Submissions) -Program Management -Financial Management -Reporting -Tracking & Monitoring Conditional Award Letter Annual Progress Report Local CoC Process Your Application Grant Agreement Operating Start Date Grant Closeout Project Design Grant Extension Grant Renewal Contracting Managing

17. Session Three • Applying

18. Project Design Your Application Local CoC Process Applying A. Applying for Funding

19. Why understanding this process matters to you: • Tells you about how your project must/should be managed • Tells you why your CoC/HUD may require certain things of your agency • Informs and strengthens your voice around the CoC planning table • Your organization probably will be filing a renewal grant application

20. Project Design Your Application Local CoC Process Applying Applying for Funding1. Designing the Program • Project Design should coincide with: • HUD Funding Program Requirements • HUD’s Goals • CoC’s Goals (based on need)

21. a. HUD CoC Funding Programs • Supportive Housing Program • Shelter Plus Care Program • Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation SRO Program

22. a. HUD Funding Programs • The Supportive Housing Program • - pp. 29-40 • Provides funds to acquire, build or rehabilitate a • building, to lease or operate housing and/or to • provide supportive services.

23. a. HUD Funding Programs • Supportive Housing Program: • Eligible components are: • Permanent supportive housing for people who are disabled • Transitional housing • Safe Havens • Supportive Services Only Projects • HMIS (Homeless Management Info. System)

24. a. HUD Funding Programs • Shelter Plus Care- pp.41-49 • Provides rental assistance which the recipients • match with supportive services.

25. a. HUD Funding Programs • Shelter Plus Care • The rental assistance can be: • Tenant based: assistance stays with the tenant • Project based: assistance stays with the project • Sponsor based: assistance stays with the sponsor • SRO-based: assistance stays with SRO-structure

26. a. HUD Funding Programs • Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation SRO • - pp. 50-56 • HUD contracts with Public Housing Authorities • regarding moderate rehabilitation of residential • properties which will contain SRO units. Section 8 • rental assistance payments are made to landlords on • behalf of homeless people who rent the rehabilitated • units.

27. Programs are Distinct • Eligible beneficiaries: who you can or must serve/house • Eligible components/activities: what the grant money can fund • Match: cash and/or in-kind contributions required and how match must be used • Timelines: when you must complete certain activities • Be familiar with the regulations which apply to your grant!

28. Finding Yourself • For most of you, your project already was designed and funded within one of the HUD grant programs and components • During the rest of this training we will refer to rules which apply differently to different funding program components and activities • Where does your Project fit?

29. Focus on: Who to Serve • Answer depends on: • HUD funding program • Funding program component • Whether your Project received Samaritan Initiative bonus funding • Whether your Project received a special HUD grant to house a specified subpopulation, e.g. “chronic alcoholics” or Rapid Re-Housing for Families

30. Focus on: Who to Serve pp. 25-28 • People who are homeless • People who are homeless and disabled • People who are chronically homeless Where a homeless person last lived is important to determine eligibility Be sure to distinguish between who you MAY and who you MUST serve.

31. Chronically Homeless • A “chronically homeless person” is an • unaccompanied homeless individual • with a disabling condition • who has been homeless for more than one year, or four or more times in the past three years and • who lives in a place not meant for human habitation or an emergency shelter. • Note about Safe Havens and Chronically Homeless

32. Focus on: Resources Supporting Activities • Your Project will be supported by various resources: • Grant Funds • Match • Program income • Leverage • Grant Funds Use only for eligible activities as stated in the approved budget

33. Focus on: Resources Supporting Activities • Match Funds • What is Match: Match is the amount of cash (SHP) or services (S+C) provided by the recipient to match the grant funds provided by HUD. • How much Match: The amount of match differs depending on the program and activity. pp. 31 and 42 • Uses of Match: Use only for eligible activities as stated in the approved budget (SHP) or for supportive services (S+C)

34. Focus on: Resources Supporting Activities • Calculating Match • Sources of Match: The source of match may be the grantee or sponsor, Federal government, state and local government, or private resources. • Tracking and documenting Match: Later • Consequences of not having match: grant funds recaptured (spent and unspent)

35. Resources Supporting Activities, contd. • Program income is the gross income directly generated from the grant funds (and may be match). Rent: Use only for eligible activities as stated in the approved budget or client accounts Supportive Services Program Fees: supportive services activities not part of the SHP project

36. Resources Supporting Activities, contd. • “Leverage” is all cash and in-kind resources which supplement the HUD grant (including match) to support your program and clients. • Leverage (other than match) may support your Project’s ineligible activities -- for example, staff training

37. b. HUD’s Strategic Goal • To end chronic homelessness and to move homeless families and individuals into permanent housing

38. HUD’s Strategic Plan Objectives • By 2011, the percentage of formerly homeless persons who remain housed in HUD permanent housing projects for more than 6 months will be 75 percent (NOFA 2008: 71.5%) • By 2011, 65 percent of households leaving transitional housing will move directly into permanent housing (NOFA 2008: 63.5%) • By 2011, 25 percent of homeless persons will be employed upon exiting HUD homeless assistance projects (NOFA 2008: 19%)

39. How HUD’s Goals Effect Your Project: • These goals may influence outcome objectives you set for your Project • Your Continuum of Care may review and assess your Project’s performance using HUD’s goals • Your performance in meeting HUD’s goals are expected to be reported in yourAnnual Progress Report (APR) and renewal application

40. c. CoC’s Goals • The CoC’s goals and priorities respond to need • You should be involved with your CoC to understand and help formulate its goals and priorities • If your project is not aligned with CoC goals and priorities, it may not be funded 10 Good Reasons to Participate in Your CoC p. 19

41. Linking to your CoC • Continuum of Care Coordinator • HUD Office of Community Planning and Development-San Francisco Regional Office

42. Project Design Your Application Local CoC Process Applying Applying for Funding2. Continuum of Care Process HUD issues NOFA CoC Prepares Consolidated Application CoC Sets Local Project Application Process and Timeline

43. a. HUD Issues a SuperNOFA (well, usually) • NOFA sets the competitive application rules • Your CoC is eligible to apply for a certain amount of funding (called a Preliminary Pro Rata Need Amount) which can be increased in a few limited ways • The local HUD-CPD office via the CoC verifies with you the renewal amount

44. b. The CoC Coordinates the Consolidated Application • Part 1 of the Consolidated Application: one statement from the CoC including (the CoC prepares this document) -- • what it has done and plans to do toward ending homelessness • a ranked list of the individual project applications • Part 2 of the Consolidated Application: all individual project applications (your agency prepares the project application)

45. c. Local Process and Timeline • The local CoC will determine the process to review and rank your application • A prototype process and timeline - pp. 61-62 • Scoring factors of note and their effect on your Project’s application - pp. 64-65 • Neutral Review and Rank process - p. 66 • Actively participate in your CoC

46. Project Design Your Application Local CoC Process Applying Applying for Funding3. Your Application The application package HUD’s review of your application

47. a. The Application Package • Remember: this will be part of your Grant Agreement with HUD! • The application itself Appendices • Numbers and populations be served/housed • Budget • For each eligible activity • Match (cash (SHP) or in-kind (S+C)) • Special note on relocation - p.70 • Leverage

48. a. The Application Package continued • Performance • Outcomes achieved - renewal projects • Logic Model • Description of new projects • Certifications

49. b. HUD’s Review of your Application NOFA CHANGES YEARLY! • The Local Field Office will review your application to ensure that the applicant and sponsor meet eligibility and capacity standards • Project is eligible for funding under the specific program • Demonstrated ability to carry out the project • No prior problem with McKinney-Vento Act program grant • Delays • Serious unresolved monitoring findings • Outstanding audit finding of a material nature

50. Session Four • Contracting