MaineHousing ~ Homeless Initiatives Department NCSHA Conference ~ October 2014

 Developed to provide shelters with the critical tools necessary to reduce homelessness  Coordination and financial resources for shelters to connect clients to housing using a rapid re-housing model  Adoption of HUD’s priority and national best practice of Housing First and Rapid Re- housing models  Established Housing Assistance Navigators to support clients beyond emergency shelter

 Staffing for Housing Assistance Navigators ◦ $850,000 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)  Short-term Tenant Based Rental Assistance ◦ $1,350,000 FedHOME  HCV Permanent Housing ◦ 100 Set Aside Vouchers

◦ Waterville Housing Authority contributed $15,000 for local shelter clients to match TBRA funds ◦ Portland Housing Authority set aside 40 Housing Choice Vouchers for Chronically Homeless ◦ City of Portland allocated $135,000 of CDBG FedHOME for security deposits and short-term rental assistance ◦ Statewide Homeless Council enacted a “Long-term Stayer” initiative targeting shelter clients with stay greater than 180 days ◦ DHHS prioritized Shelter Plus Care Vouchers to chronically homeless shelter clients

 ESG resources for Housing Assistance Navigators in emergency shelters ◦ 16 Shelter Grantees utilize staff to assist clients seeking permanent housing with education, services and support to meet their health, housing, employment, and other basic needs in order to overcome barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing ◦ Navigators provide housing relocation and stabilization services necessary to assist homeless individuals and/or families move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.

 Grantees utilize FedHOME funds for rental assistance, utility deposits and security deposits to rapidly re-house homeless families and individuals.  STEP offers rental assistance for a maximum of 12 months, to participants whose annual income is at or below 60% of area median income.  Each participant pays the greater of 30% of their adjusted total household income or $50 for rent each month.  MaineHousing provides grantees with training, monitoring and oversight to ensure program integrity.

 Administered by MaineHousing’s HCV Department according to MaineHousing’s Administrative Plan  Grantees screen potential applicants and make referrals  Rental subsidies must be for permanent housing and located within MaineHousing’s area of operations  Participation in a Housing Stability Plan (Plan) is a requirement in both the HCV and STEP program components.

 Triage shelter clients for barriers to housing stability  Create a Housing Stability Plan with clients  Assist with housing search and placement  Connect clients with the resources necessary to quickly regain and maintain housing  Continue to support clients beyond shelter exit and once housed on a monthly basis for up to 12 months  Implement and modify Housing Stability Plans for successful housing stability

 Navigators have assisted ◦ 851 Individuals representing 643 Households ◦ 7,303 services provided ◦ $363 average staff cost per person  Shelter & Housing Outcomes ◦ 37% of Households exited to permanent housing ◦ 12% Reduction in shelter bed-nights utilized  STEP Housing Outcomes ◦ $3,980 average rental subsidy per household ◦ 9 months average length of stay

If you are interested in more information about our program……. Cindy Namer, Director of Homeless Initiatives MaineHousing (207) Thank You……