Harris County Community Services Department Office of Housing and Community Services

PY 2014 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)

Subrecipient OrientationFebruary 26, 2014

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Review folder and contents Agreement Definitions and documentation Approval process Programmatic and Financial reporting

Presented by Public Services Staff:

ManagerEsmeralda Gonzalez x2106

Senior Project Monitor Natalie Garcia x2065

Project Monitors Michelle Leija x2202

Ebony Love x2086

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Agreements were drafted based on applicants’ Request for Proposals (RFP’s) submitted to CSD for PY2014 funding

PY2014 Time of Performance: March 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015

Refer to Exhibit A: Scope of Services and Exhibit B: Budget Unit Definition Cost per Unit of Service Total No. of Units Per Activity Maximum Total Cost Per Year PY2014 Number Served

At the discretion of HCCSD management, no more than two (2) budget revision requests shall be allowed each year, to be submitted no later than 90 days prior to the end of the program year cut-off to receive your budget revision request: November 30, 2014

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RRH

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RRH

RRH

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RRH

RRH

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Harris County Community Services Department PY2014 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Rapid Rehousing

Homelessness Eligibility Checklist Date: ___________________________ Applicant’s Name: __________________________________ Other household member’s names, ages and gender: _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

LIVING SITUATION UPON ASSESSMENT FOR SERVICES:

*I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the information on and attached to this request is true, complete , and provided in good faith. I understand that false or fraudulent information on, or attached to this request, may be grounds for being ineligible to receive assistance requested and may be punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment. I understand that any information I provide may be investigated.

Warning: HUD will prosecute false claims and statements. Conviction may result in criminal and/or civil penalties (18 U.S.C. 1001,1010, 1012, U.S.C. 3729, 3802)

*Signature of Applicant/date: _______________________________________________________ Signature of Staff who assessed for eligibility/date: _______________________________________ Signature of Supervisor/date: _______________________________________________________

Living Situation

(check one)

Definition (check one if Literally Homeless)

Documentation Required (attach to this checklist

along with HMIS services record) Literally Homeless

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; or

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

Written observation by the outreach worker; or Written referral by another housing or service

provider; or Certification by the individual or head of

household seeking assistance stating that (s)he was living on the streets or in a shelter;

For individuals exiting an institution – one of the forms of evidence above and:

Discharge paperwork or written/oral referral, or

Written record of intake worker’s due diligence to obtain above evidence and certification by individual that they exited institution

Fleeing/

Attempting to

Flee Domestic Violence

Any individual or family who: Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic

violence; and Has no other residence; and Lack the resources or support networks to

obtain other permanent housing

Oral statement by the individual or head of household seeking assistance that they are fleeing. This statement is documented by self-certification or by the caseworker. Where the safety of the individual or family is not jeopardized, the oral statement must be verified; and

Certification by the individual or head of household that no subsequent residence has been identified; and

Self-certification, or other written documentation, that the individual or family lacks the financial resources and support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

1st: Third Party DocumentationSource Documents: Paycheck stubs, wage statement,

Award letter from SSA or Attorney General’s Office, HMIS services record print-out (example in folder)

Written Documentation: Referral letter on agency letterhead (example in folder)

Oral Documentation: By subrecipient staff of conversation with a 3rd party providing verification, signed and dated by subrecipient staff as true and complete; staff must document due diligence efforts to obtain third party documents and obstacles encountered (phone logs, emails, copies of certified letters)

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2nd: Intake Staff Observation (NOT for income)

Intake staff notes on their observations and assessments, picture of client living in car, assessment form with notes about client living in an encampment, signed and dated by subrecipient staff as true and complete

3rd: Self-Certification Used as a last resort, client provides a written statement which they sign and date; subrecipient staff signs and dates also, certifying that the information is true and correct (based on client assessment); staff must document due diligence efforts to obtain third party documents and obstacles encountered (phone logs, emails, copies of certified letters) (examples in folder)

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Upon review of the Checklist and source documentation:◦ If applicant is eligible, CSD sends an email that applicant

has been approved.◦ If documentation submitted is incomplete, CSD requests

additional documentation

Once applicant is approved:◦ Subrecipient submits the Rent Reasonableness/Housing

Quality Standards Request Form

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Please email to your Project Monitor or fax to 713-578-2269, ATTN: your Project Monitor

Requesting Agency Information (Inspection results will be sent via email to this contact)

Phone #: Request Date:

Email:

First Name: Last Name:

Address: Unit No.:

Zip Code:

No. of Bedrooms:

Is applicant a new Move-In?_____ YES _____ NO

Is applicant receiving a Housing Choice Voucher?_____ YES _____ NO

_____ YES _____ NO Monthly Rent:

If not, which ones are tenant-paid?

Gas

Electricity

Water

Other (pls indicate)

Name of Apartment Complex/ Owner:

Contact Person: Address:

Phone #: City: Zip Code:

Email: State:

Rent to Owner:$__________ + Utility Allowance: $_______ = Gross Rent: $__________________

2/25/14

Date both applicant and unit eligible for ESG RR assistance: ________________________

GM Staff Signature/Date:__________________________________________________________________________

Gross Rent cannot be more than Fair Market Rent: $__________

GM Use Only

Is this an All Bills Paid unit? (pls. check one)

Owner/Manager Information

Name & Title of Staff Submitting Request:

Har r is Co unty Co mmun ity Ser vic es Depar tment

PY2014 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) PROGRAM

No. & Street:

Ren t Reaso n abl en ess Det er min at io n an d Ho usin g Qual it y St an d ar d s Req uest Fo r m

HCIS Initials:

Name of Organization:

Name of Tenant:

HCIS Use Only

Unit to be Inspected

Phone Number:

Indi

cate

by p

laci

ng a

n "X

"

City:

Contact Information:

Did the unit pass Inspection?

-$

Date of Inspection:

_____ YES _____ NO

Rent Reasonableness (RR) ◦ Martha Stafford, Rent Specialist

Housing Quality Standards (HQS)◦ Rohit Dave, Housing Construction and

Inspection Services

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Updated homelessness documentation will be requested when the RR/HQS form is not submitted within a reasonable time frame from applicant’s original approval date ◦ Example: Applicant’s homelessness documentation was

approved on March 1, 2014 and the RR/HQS form is not submitted until April 1, 2014

Please allow at least 2 business days between submission of the request form before requesting results◦ Delays in inspecting the unit occur when the unit is not

ready for inspection (electricity is not turned on, unit is missing refrigerator, stove, heating)

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Once unit passes RR and HQS, CSD returns the approved Rent Reasonableness/Housing Quality Standards Request Form with approval at the bottom of the form

Things to consider:‣ The unit inspected must be same unit on lease‣ Monthly rent amount on lease must match amount of monthly

rent CSD determined reasonable‣ When calculating pro-rated rent amounts

‣ Amount eligible for reimbursement cannot be before the date unit passed RR and HQS and cannot be before client’s move-in date

‣ Security deposit amounts must be specified on lease

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Subrecipients are expected to provide support to clients for the full time necessary to stabilize that client and provide for the likelihood of positive housing outcomes after assistance; this may mean serving fewer persons/households than the contract goal.

It is the case manager’s responsibility to document client need and ensure that ESG is the most appropriate assistance for this client. No limits or maximum standards on amount of assistance to be

provided except for ESG 24 months maximum Annual re-evaluation of clients (must have income at or below

30% AMI) (refer to table in next slide)

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INCOME LEVEL

HOUSEHOLD SIZE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Very Low Income(Limits based on 0-30% of median family

income)14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 21,600 23,200 24,800 26,400

INCOME LEVELS & HOUSEHOLD SIZE

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentEffective December 18, 2013

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According to the current version of the Written Standards:

Housing location assistance Designated staff finds appropriate housing

choices/develops relationships with affordable housing providers; clients do not navigate system on their own

Office visits at least once per month

Rental application fees -one application at a time, encourage rental properties to waive fees

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Areas that have resulted in monitoring findings/concerns:

Home visits (more than the minimum required case management services is encouraged)

For RR - at least bi-weekly for the first 3 months

In-person visit within 30 days of exit from program

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Rental Assistance Agreement◦ Use CSD issued form, submit monthly

Homeless participation

Due process when terminating assistance

Homeless Management Information System◦ Document that no duplication of services when client is enrolled in multiple

programs

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Subrecipient submits RR/HQS request form on March 14th

Unit rent determined to be reasonable and passes HQS on March 17th

Lease signed by client and landlord on March 14th

As of what date is the unit eligible for ESG rental assistance?

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The date the unit passed HQS, March 17th

(Actually, the client should not have signed the lease before the unit passed HQS)

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On March 18th, you submit the required documentation for Mr. John Smith; CSD notifies you J.S. is approved same day

On March 19th, you submit RR/HQS request form for unit #12 at $500 monthly rent

On March 21st, CSD notifies you that J.S. and unit #12 are approved for ESG at $500 monthly rent

On March 27th, J.S. signs his lease and moves into unit #12

How much is eligible in pro-rated rent?

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Starting date that is eligible for ESG is March 27th

To calculate pro-rated rent: $500 / 31 days in March = $16.13/dayMarch 27 - 31 = 5 days5 days x $16.13/day = $80.65 pro-rated

March rent

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1. Coversheet/Checklist2. Project Status Report3. Client Data Report4. Assessment Forms5. Tally Sheet6. Employee Data Report7. HMIS reports8. Mid-year and Annual Report

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See handouts “Subrecipient Preparation for Monitoring” and “Subrecipient Monitoring Checklist”

Notice letter 15-30 days prior to the visit Entrance conference Participant eligibility, activities provided, and consistency

with terms of the Agreement Determinations of ineligibility Policies & procedures, Section 504 survey, documentation

of homeless participation Exit conference Results letter within 30 days after the visit

Findings Concerns

Response letter from Subrecipient in 30 days Response letter from CSD in 30 days

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After the break:Finance Staff Presentation

Please turn in the Orientation Acknowledge form before you leave.

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