DCA’s Efforts to Support Choice in Supportive Housing Options

 Over 189,500 units on the site  24,700 (13%) do not require a criminal background check  Of which, 1,586 units are available for rent  23,121 units (12%) do not require credit check  Of which, 1,522 units are available for rent  NEW: 120 properties on the site with project-based rental assistance  Of which, 75 properties have units available for rent

 Supportive Housing developments can participate in the competitive round  Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan - Threshold Criteria  Marketing Plan must include outreach efforts to each service provider, homeless shelter or disability advocacy organization in the county in which the project is located. ▪ Establish and maintain relationships between management agent and community service providers ▪ Requires marketing to underserved populations 2-4 months before occupancy

 Integrated Supportive Housing/Section 811 Project Rental Assistance  Points awarded to applications that agree to accept Section 811 PRA for up to 15% of the units ▪ 15% of the total units at property must be 1 bedroom

 DCA’s HCV has a preference to house individuals who are eligible under the Settlement Agreement. First in the Nation.  Partnership offers HCV as a substitute for GHVP assistance, enabling individuals to move to federal program and, thus, freeing up more flexible GHVP vouchers for those most in need.  82 HHs have transitioned, with 26 in process.

 Similarly, DCA is proposing to create a similar tool which would allow individuals eligible under the Settlement Agreement and currently on the sponsor-based S+C assistance who can and desire to live in a more independent setting, to move to DCA’s HCV program.  Opens S+C assistance to those who are homeless and most in need.

 In 2011, HUD renewal funding in GA was more than $26M.  While HUD cannot tell us specifics, we know that 4% of these funds were not used – that’s 150 vouchers in GA.  Based on CoC rules, existing projects can overserve.

 DCA currently has 1,676 units in production, increasing by 15 units per month as projects move to maximum utilization.  Rate of increase is sustainable for at least the next 8 months, increasing our total units in production to at least 1,800.

 In late September, DCA proposed a new policy and made it available for public comment that seeks to encourage the integration of S+C vouchers  Sponsors must have a written policy of how it will maximize client choice in the placement of Shelter Plus Care units, how it will seek to place units in as diverse an area as possible, how it will consider requests from clients to move to other areas served by the Sponsor, and how it will assist with requests to move outside of the Sponsor’s service area. The policy must be approved by DCA’s S+C Coordinator.

 S+C vouchers may not be used to support 50% or more of any single complex’s units. This applies to complexes of 20 units or more.  If any existing Shelter Plus Care program does not meet the above condition, the Sponsor will be obliged to follow an attrition procedure, where they will move the units once the current household has left the occupancy agreement. DCA would not expect any client to move units unless they had expressed this option as their choice.

 To this end, DCA will consider individual agency circumstances and provide a waiver based on the following circumstances:  The S+C voucher is a Project Rental Assistance voucher, and thus unable to be moved to other locations.

 The S+C voucher is being used to support a program that was designed as congregate permanent supportive housing and was supported by DCA, either through direct financing, or in partnership with another entity, at the time of planning and implementation.

 There are unique factors within the community that make it impossible to scatter the vouchers in more than one location. A Sponsor would need to provide due diligence to show their efforts in finding alternate units. Mitigating factors to consider include rents, transportation, affordability, and community based services. Any client consultation will also be considered.

 Comments were accepted until November 15 th.  Final policy expected to be effective early in 2014.

Georgia’s SAMSHA Policy Academy to End Chronic Homelessness

 Georgia was one of 4 states selected to participate in a Policy Academy to End Chronic Homelessness sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA). Also participating:  California  Louisiana  Washington  Goal was to create a set of goals and an action plan of steps designed to end chronic homelessness

 Participation:  Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities  Department of Community Health  Department of Corrections  Department of Human Services  Department of Juvenile Justice  Governor’s Office of Disability Services Ombudsman  State Board of Pardons and Paroles  Brother Charlie Rescue Center  The Carter Center  City of Atlanta  Cobb Douglas CSB  Hope Atlanta  River Edge CSB  Urban Residential Development Corporation  US Department of Health and Human Services  US Department of Housing and Urban Development  US Department of Veterans Affairs

 Maximize the Use of Existing Resources  Shelter Plus Care  HUD Housing Choice Voucher  VASH  State funded Georgia Housing Voucher Program

 Seek to Broaden Interagency Council on Homelessness Representation  GAHRA  Statewide Community Action Association  GA Family Connection Partnership  GA Police and Sheriff’s Association  Georgia Municipal Association  Association of County Commissioners Georgia

 Data Integration  Examine further opportunities to share data between agencies  Create some reports that will inform the work to end chronic homelessness  Examine successes in other states - Washington  SAMSHA wants to help, possibly with funding

 Institutional Discharge Planning  Develop a statewide discharge planning document that consists of agency policies and practices to, to the maximum extent possible, eliminate the discharge of institutionalized individuals to unstable or unknown housing destinations ▪ Build on the work of the various Offender Re-Entry Discussions

 Community-based Housing and Services  Create regional housing and service inventory analysis ▪ Determine gaps ▪ Evaluate the effectiveness of “housing first” approaches in Georgia  Create Regional Housing Specialists ▪ Coordinate collaboration regionally between housing providers (private, PHAs), service providers, parole and corrections, governments, CoCs, etc… ▪ Seek funding where needed to expand the full array of housing

 Final Policy Academy  December 11 & 12  Finalize Action Plan Recommendations  Develop Action Plan Implementation Schedule  Incorporate into the work of the Interagency Council on Homelessness to carry implementation forward