Vermont State Housing Authority SHELTER PLUS …helpingtohousevt.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/VSHA-S+C-Program... · 3 vermont state housing authority – shelter plus care program

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

Vermont State Housing Authority

SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM GUIDE VSHA Policy: The VSHA Shelter Plus Care Program is actively committed to the promotion & implementation of a Housing First model to support all participants with housing stability.

VSHA Policy: Upon unit/subsidy turnover, all VSHA Shelter Plus Care Programs (Permanent Supportive Housing) will first prioritize serving persons experiencing Chronic Homelessness. WHAT IS SHELTER+CARE (S+C)? S+C is a component of the U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care Programs serving adult individuals with a disabling condition (and if applicable, their families) AND who currently meet the HUD definition of Literal Homelessness (preferably Chronic Homelessness).

Shelter+Care Program participant households are supported by combining a rental assistance subsidy (“shelter”), funded by HUD & administered by the VT State Housing Authority (VSHA), along with supportive services (“care”). Services are provided and/or coordinated by a Sponsor Agency and paid from other sources (Medicaid, private insurance, state funds, VA, etc.). VSHA S+C grants do not fund any services.

The Sponsor Agency is responsible for supporting Shelter+Care participants in the attainment of economic self-sufficiency & stable, mainstream housing through the development of an Individual Service Plan that: 1) supports self-determination, well-being, community integration, and self-sufficiency; 2) secures & maintains affordable, secure, decent housing; and 3) increases & maintains income through accessing mainstream resources and/or employment.

Shelter+Care participants cannot be required to participate in disability-related services. WHAT IS THE HOUSING FIRST APPROACH? http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/hsgfirst.pdf

Housing First programs may be constructed in a number of ways, but share the following:

Direct, or nearly direct, placement of targeted homeless people into permanent housing.

Assertive outreach to engage and offer housing to homeless people reluctant to enter shelters or engage in services. Once in housing, a low demand approach accommodates client alcohol & substance use, so that “relapse” will not result in loss of housing.

Services offered and readily available, but participation not required to keep housing.

The continued effort to provide case management and to hold housing for clients, even if they leave their program housing for short periods.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

WHO QUALIFIES FOR SHELTER+CARE?

Ending Chronic Homelessness is the highest priority of the VSHA Shelter+Care Program. CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS (CH) = at least the eligible adult is residing in a place of Literal Homelessness continuously for a year or more; OR has had at least 4 separate episodes of Literal Homelessness during past 3 years, including current episode; AND a disabling condition. LITERAL HOMELESSNESS = a person currently experiencing an episode* in one of the following:

Places not meant for human habitation (i.e. streets, car, tent, condemned building, etc.);

An emergency shelter (domestic violence shelter, overflow/seasonal shelter, emergency motel voucher program, VA per diem shelter bed, Basic Center Youth bed, etc.);

A Transitional Housing Program for the Homeless AND was residing in a place not meant for human habitation or an emergency shelter prior to entering the TH for the Homeless.*

Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

*Episode = a separate, distinct, and sustained stay. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING = In accordance with HUD, participants of Homeless TH projects may retain their status of Literal Homelessness, but not a status of Chronic Homelessness. If applicable, S+C applications must include Third Party Documentation for persons exiting Homeless Transitional Housing to include both: 1. Current TH stay AND 2. episode(s) of Literal Homelessness experienced immediately prior to residing in TH. A Homeless Transitional Housing project must be included or eligible for a Housing Inventory Chart of Homeless Beds. DISABLING CONDITION = Can be diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions: substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002)), post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting from brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability, including HIV/AIDS. INCOME = Total applicant household income cannot exceed 50% of the area median income.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION of HUD LITERAL HOMELESSNESS: HUD requires documentation of Third Party (someone other than the Sponsor Agency) Certification be provided to verify the status of Literal Homelessness and/or Chronic Homelessness.

Best examples of a potential Third Party: Housing Review/Solutions Team, food shelf, emergency shelter/seasonal shelter, drop-in shelter, community action agency, AHS Field Director, law enforcement, library, other field staff, or other entity with direct knowledge to verify each, or continuous if applicable, episode(s) of Literal Homelessness.

Documentation must be succinct and provided on Third Party Agency letterhead, or in an email sent directly from the Third Party Agency to VSHA, and include the following:

Letter must be dated & signed by authorized staff (include agency name/agency address/staff title/email/phone) of Third Party Agency.

Name(s) of applicable household member(s) experiencing Literal Homelessness.

Identify location and/or program name were applicant resided in Literal Homelessness.

Dates applicant resided at the location/program for each episode of Literal Homelessness.

EXAMPLE: “Third Party Agency Certification of Literal Homelessness” Letter

SPONSOR AGENCY “SELF-CERTIFICATION” OF LITERAL HOMELESSNESS

“Self-Certification” comes from the Shelter+Care Sponsor, not the applicant household. Only used as a rare option of last resort, the Sponsor may provide certification of the applicant’s literal homeless status, after the Sponsor Agency has made a good faith effort to obtain Third Party Certification (as required by HUD) but is unable to do so.

A “Self-Certification” letter should include all of the information provided in the sample above as well as the following:

Explain the reasonable, good faith efforts taken by the S+C Sponsor Agency to obtain 3rd

Party verification of applicant’s episode of Literal Homelessness, as preferred by HUD.

“Self-Certification” letter from Sponsor Agency needs to be signed by a Notary Public.

RAINBOW FAMILY SHELTER, INC. 123 Main Street, Any City and State (111) 111-1111

August 1, 2013

To Whom It May Concern:

Please consider this letter as verification that the following household has resided at Rainbow Shelter, Inc.

in our Family Shelter from May 23, 2012 to the present: Jane Doe, John Doe, Johnny Doe.

OR

We are writing this letter to provide verification that we are working with the following person who is

currently living in a tent in the woods behind Walmart in Any Town, VT 5/6/12: John Doe.

Please contact me with any questions at: [email protected] or (111) 111-1111 ext. 111.

Sincerely, Mary Miracle-Worker Mary Miracle-Worker, Housing Coordinator

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

WHO DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR SHELTER PLUS CARE? To meet minimum S+C eligibility, a person must reside in Literal Homelessness at time of initial application; NOT including:

o Corrections (offenders on furlough, Jail, Corrections Transitional Housing, etc.)* o Mental Health (VT State Hospital or equivalent, MH Housing Contingency or Recovery

Funds, MH Housing Subsidy Program, MH or Substance Abuse treatment facilities, MH crisis bed/treatment bed/congregate/permanent housing, etc.)*

o Health Care (including hospitals, nursing facility/assisted living, substance abuse treatment bed, etc.)*

o Foster Care (or any ward of the State under 18 years of age) o Precariously Housed (couch-surfing, doubling-up, at-risk of homelessness, facing

imminent eviction, private-pay motel stay, etc.) o Permanently Housed (Sect. 8 voucher/project-based housing, other subsidized housing,

market-rate/private-pay housing, etc.)

*Exceptions- persons may meet the definition of Literal Homelessness if: o A temporary stay (90 days or less) in an institutional setting (Corrections/Mental

Health/Treatment Bed/Health Care) AND HUD Literally Homeless immediately prior. o A former offender on parole AND meets HUD definition of Literal Homelessness. o A motel stay that is part of an emergency motel program or funded by a charitable

organization (EA/GA, ES/DV paid motel bed with other funds, VA, BCP, church, etc.). BACKGROUND CHECKS = VSHA does NOT conduct the following for any S+C applicants:

Criminal Background Check

Credit History

Landlord References It is the responsibility of the Sponsor Agency to educate landlords of this and other aspects of S+C, prior to signing a lease/occupancy agreement. PROTECTED CATEGORIES

FEDERAL. The Federal Fair Housing Law is Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act and states that it is illegal to discriminate in the rental, sale or financing of housing because of the following:

Race; Color; National Origin; Religion; Sex; Family Status; Disability

STATE. Vermont law covers all of the federally protected categories, as well as:

Age; Marital Status; Sexual Orientation; Receipt of Public Assistance; Gender Identity Exceptions: HUD recipients, subrecipients, and sponsor agencies may exclusively serve a particular homeless subpopulation [i.e. chronically homeless, HIV/AIDS, veterans, persons experiencing severe mental illness, etc.] in transitional or permanent housing. See 24 CFR 578.93 “Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity” for HUD Continuum of Care Programs at: https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/CoCProgramInterimRule_FormattedVersion.pdf

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

PRIMARY SHELTER PLUS CARE ACTIVITIES

Conduct street, shelter and community outreach to identify eligible homeless persons. (In collaboration with local Housing Team & providers, AHS Field Director, VT 211, etc.)

Evaluate all housing options [Transitional Housing, VT Rental Subsidy, Sect. 8 Housing Choice Voucher/Project-based, subsidized affordable housing, VASH, DMH Housing Programs, Shelter+Care, HOPWA, market-rate housing, etc.]. (Sponsor/Applicant)

If selected, submit an accurate & complete Shelter+Care application to VSHA.

Process Shelter+Care applications, process yearly income recertification, etc. (VSHA)

Locate & secure appropriate housing. (Participant/Sponsor)

Determine fair market rent amount & conduct HUD HQS unit inspections. (VSHA)

Administer rental assistance (Housing Assistance Payment) to landlord. (VSHA)

Provide tenant rent payment to landlord. (Participant)

Support Shelter+Care participant with landlord & VSHA relations. (Participant/Sponsor)

Report any and all income or other household changes to VSHA (Participant/Sponsor)

Assist participant with Individual Service Plan to maximize income and housing retention through accessing mainstream resources. (Sponsor/Participant)

Provide/coordinate appropriate, sufficient supportive services. (Sponsor/Participant)

Other activities [HMIS, Annual Performance Report, cash match letter, etc.]. (Sponsor)

Coordinate annual project application/match and submit to HUD. (VSHA/Sponsor)

Conduct annual monitoring of sponsor performance. (VSHA)

Provide HMIS training & technical assistance. (DMH/Data Remedies) ***DO NOT secure any apartment before authorization from a VSHA Field Representative*** LOCATING UNITS & DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS: Shelter+Care Sponsor Agencies need to identify, establish and maintain positive relations with landlords including education, assistance, and the promotion of Shelter+Care program benefits:

o Reliability of monthly Housing Assistance Payment.

o Assurance that participants/tenants will receive quality supportive services.

o Strengthening of, and investment in, neighborhood and community. o Ending homelessness in Vermont and the U.S.

REASONABLE RENT: VSHA determines if the rental costs for a unit are both: o reasonable in relation to rents being charged for comparable unassisted units with similar

features and amenities; and o not more than rents currently being charged by the same owner for comparable unassisted

units. [See Section 582.305(b)]

CALCULATING TENANT RENT PAYMENTS: VSHA determines appropriate rent payments: 1. Calculate 10 percent of monthly gross income and 30 percent of monthly adjusted income.

2. Determine whether a welfare rent may apply, and, if so, calculate the amount.

3. Determine which of these three rent amounts is the highest.

4. Set the participant’s monthly rent contribution at this amount.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

INCOME RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: VSHA must reexamine Shelter+Care participants’ income at least annually and make needed adjustments to participants’ rent contribution amounts. S+C participants may request an interim reexamination if there is a change in family composition or a decrease in household income. Income increases during the year do not impact rent increases until the next scheduled (annual) reexamination.

HUD HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS (HQS): Before any rental assistance can be provided, VSHA must physically inspect each potential unit to ensure minimum housing conditions for interior living space, building exterior, heating and plumbing systems, & general health and safety. Any housing quality problems must be corrected within 30 days from start of the lease, and VSHA must receive verification that all problems have been corrected. VSHA must make physical inspections of all units at least annually to ensure units meet HUD HQS.

SHELTER+CARE OCCUPANCY AGREEMENT

o To promote housing stability, and consistent with Sect. 8, HUD has determined that S+C participants must be the tenant on a lease (unless sponsor-based grant) for a term of at least one year that is renewable (one month minimum) and is terminable only for cause.

o S+C participants may add non-participant members to their household unit (consistent with Section 8 program requirements) if such inclusion supports the participant’s service plan and does/would not adversely impact compliance with the S+C Program.

GRANT SAVINGS: The VSHA S+C grant is funded to serve 131 units at 100% Fair Market Rent, but when a household increases income, requiring less than 100% Housing Assistance Payment, then VSHA may provide a security deposit or serve more households (funding permitted). HOUSING RETENTION WITH PERSON-DIRECTED SERVICES: Sponsor Agencies assist each S+C participating household establish & maintain an Individual Service Plan (ISP) with goals adjusted through ongoing assessments. The primary objective of an ISP is for the household to attain housing stability, economic self-sufficiency & self-determination.

Examples of Supportive Services either provided and/or coordinated by the S+C Sponsor are:

Housing (support with VSHA/landlord paperwork, general housing assistance, ready-to-rent, other life skills preparation, advocacy, tenant rights, personal enrichment, community involvement, applying for mainstream housing, etc.)

Income/Benefits (applying for mainstream resources and other benefits options, budgeting, vocational/education/training services, childcare, transportation, etc.)

Disability-Related Services (health care, mental health, substance abuse treatment services, peer support, counseling and/or group therapy, etc.)

Educational Assurances for Households with School-Age Children (if applicable): o The Sponsor Agency’s project policies and practices must be consistent with the laws related

to providing education services to individuals and families. o The Sponsor Agency’s project must have designated staff person to ensure that the children

are enrolled in school and receive educational services, as appropriate.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

TRANSFERING SHELTER+CARE: Program participants who have complied with all program requirements during their residence may retain the Shelter+Care rental assistance if they move to a different county within the Vermont Balance of State Continuum of Care geographic area (all counties, except Chittenden) AND are connected to a VSHA S+C Sponsor Agency.

Additional considerations may be made for program participants who have experienced domestic violence and are imminently threatened by harm from further domestic violence.

S+C program participants may move outside the Vermont Balance of State Continuum of Care by accessing another CoC’s S+C program, but the VSHA S+C subsidy does not go with them. BEYOND SHELTER + CARE: The HUD Shelter+Care Program is considered a Permanent Supportive Housing for the Homeless with the primary goal of promoting housing stability, economic self-sufficiency, and self-determination. In order to meet these goals, S+C Sponsors should orient supportive services to strengthen household income through employment, benefits, and life skills training for an eventual transition to mainstream permanent housing.

Mainstream housing options:

Participant household income increases to support 100% of rent or mortgage payments.

Directory of Affordable Rental Housing. ALL tenant-based or project-based rental assistance and units in Vermont, including from VSHA & municipal Public Housing Authorities.

VSHA S+C program participants residing successfully for at least three years may apply for the Shelter+Care preference of the VSHA Sect. 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, even if the waitlist is closed (pending availability).

SERVICES MATCH REQUIRMENT: Appropriate & sufficient services are essential to assisting participants increase income and attain/maintain housing stability.

Although HUD regulations require S+C grant applicants to secure a minimum 25% cash match value in services compared to rental assistance, 150%+ is preferred and receives a higher score.

Although S+C Sponsors are required to record/report cash match values for supportive services, those services may also be provided by other entities, and include paid staff or volunteers.

Institutional care cannot be counted toward the cash match value. Example: treatment bed, hospital stay, nursing home, corrections/jail, etc.

The match is the combined value for supportive services provided to ALL Shelter+Care participants. S+C participants with consistently low levels of supportive service needs may be appropriate candidates for transitioning to mainstream housing. MATCH DOCUMENTATION: In order to get recognition for meeting the statutory match requirement, the following supportive services must be adequately documented:

Salaries paid to staff to provide supportive services directly to Shelter+Care participants.

The in-kind value of supportive services provided to participants by other organizations or by professionals volunteering their services.

Supportive services provided by other volunteers (at the rate of $10 per hour).

Prorated lease value on a building used for supportive services to S+C participants.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

UNIT ABSENCE/VACANCY (temporary & long-term): As soon as possible, S+C Sponsors must inform their VSHA Field Representative and Occupancy Tech Lead (Linda Usle) if any participant will be/is experiencing a short or long-term absence from their unit. Check with a VSHA Field Rep about continuance of rental assistance during a temporary absence. TERMINATION OF RENTAL ASSSISTANCE: If a Sponsor Agency wants to forcibly exit a current participant from the S+C Program it means that they are requesting to terminate continuance of a household’s S+C rental assistance. VSHA will not terminate S+C rental assistance if the action would result in housing instability.

Exceptions: Non-compliance with occupancy or lease OR alternative housing stability is attained (employment/income/benefits, VSHA Sect. 8 HCV preference, and/or other subsidized permanent housing or rental assistance) OR long-term absence from unit.

In accordance with HUD CoC Regulations 578.91, rental assistance may be terminated if a program participant violates program requirements or conditions of occupancy, but must only be exercised as a rare option of last resort. In the event that termination of assistance is necessary, principles of due process must be followed:

1. Termination of assistance. After a reasonable effort has been made to inform a participant of the intention to terminate rental assistance due to a program violation or conditions of occupancy, the S+C Sponsor may then submit a formal request to the VT State Housing Authority. Termination does not automatically bar access to future assistance.

2. Due process. In response to a potential approval for termination of rental assistance, VSHA will provide a formal process that recognizes the rights of individuals receiving rental assistance under the due process of law which will consist, at minimum, of:

a. Providing the program participant with a written copy of the program rules and the termination process before the participant begins to receive assistance;

b. Written notice to the program participant containing a clear statement of the reasons for termination;

c. A review of the decision, in which the program participant is given the opportunity to present written or oral objections before a person other than the person (or a subordinate of that person) who made or approved the termination decision; and

d. Prompt written notice of the final decision to the program participant.

3. Hard-to-house populations. VSHA and the S+C Sponsor Agencies providing permanent supportive housing for hard-to-house populations of homeless persons must exercise judgment and examine all extenuating circumstances in determining when violations are serious enough to warrant termination so that a program participant‘s assistance is terminated only in the most severe cases.

HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS): All HUD CoC/ESG and VA homeless programs must operate the HMIS software selected by the HUD Continuum of Care (VT Balance of State). 100% data quality must be maintained through compliance with HMIS Standards for required Universal Data Elements [age, gender, etc.] and other household data. Training & technical assistance is available upon request to the HMIS Administrator.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT (APR): At the end of the Shelter+Care grant period, the HMIS Administrator will assist each Sponsor Agency in producing an APR draft for review. It is critical that all participant data be accurate and complete. S+C Sponsor Agencies are then required to provide complete & accurate APRs to VSHA within 30 days of the end of the grant operating year. VSHA, VT Balance of State CoC, and HUD all evaluate APRs to determine technical assistance needs, project/participant performance outcomes, and funding allocations. PERFORMANCE MEASURES: It is critical that we prove to HUD & Congress that Shelter+Care and other CoC Programs are worth funding each year through successful participant outcomes:

Persons remain in permanent housing [S+C] at end of operating year or exit to permanent housing (subsidized or unsubsidized) during the operating year. AND

Adults increase total income (all sources) at the end of the operating year or program exit.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

“What is Housing First” (National Alliance to End Homelessness) http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/what-is-housing-first - Focus to help participants access & sustain housing (not time limited) as quickly as possible. - Service emphasis on a housing placement for housing stability & individual well-being. - Such services are time-limited or long-term depending upon individual need. - Housing not contingent on compliance with services –participants must comply with a standard

lease agreement & provided with necessary supports to achieve success.

“Permanent Supportive Housing Toolkit: Tools for Tenants” (HHS) http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA10-4510/SMA10-4510-04-ToolsforTenants-PSH.pdf

- Affording a Place of Your Own. Your Housing Preferences. Fair Housing is Your Right. - What is a Lease? Your Support Needs. Being a Good Tenant. Time to Move On?

“PSH Toolkit: Training Frontline Staff” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA10-4510/SMA10-4510-03-TrainingFrontlineStaff-PSH.pdf

- Visit another existing S+C program! Prepare agency-specific information. - Encourage referrals. Conduct outreach to potential tenants. - Responding to tenant concerns. Find housing. Tenant legal rights. - Care for yourself as a worker. Learn about benefits programs. Advocacy. - Housing retention. Flexible services. Home visits. Promoting personal recovery.

“Enhancing Shelter Plus Care Guide” (HUD) https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/EnhancingS+C.pdf

- Obtaining Housing-Working with Landlords (pages 7-8) - Participant Outreach & Retention Strategies (pages 13-15) - Tracking Supportive Service Delivery & Cash Match (pages 18-20)

“Renting in Vermont: Information Handbook for Tenants & Landlords” http://www.cvoeo.org/downloads/housing/RENTINGinVERMONT.pdf

Vermont 211 (simply dial 2-1-1), a United Ways of VT program. www.vermont211.org. Information and referral assistance to mainstream resources and other human services.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

Vermont State Housing Authority SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAMS FOR THE HOMELESS

STATEWIDE Pathways Vermont (PVT) * 116 Birge Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301 Devan Forbes * 888-492-8218 x102 * [email protected]

Vermont CARES (CARES) * P.O. Box 5248, Burlington, VT 05402 Melissa Farr * 863-2437 ext. 19 * [email protected]

ADDISON Counseling Services of Addison County (CSAC) Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) Ingrid Pixley * 388-6751 Sharon Wickman * 388-3608 89 Main Street, Middlebury, VT 05753 P.O. Box 165, Middlebury, VT 05753 [email protected] [email protected]

BENNINGTON United Counseling Services (UCS) * 100 Ledge Hill Drive, Bennington, VT 05201 Amie Niles * 442-1238 ext. 479 * [email protected]

ESSEX/ORLEANS NE Kingdom Human Services (NKHS) * P.O. Box 724, Newport, VT 05855 & CALEDONIA Jim Proctor * 334-7457 * [email protected]

*CHITTENDEN Burlington Housing Authority * 65 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401 Kelley Newell * 864-0538 * [email protected] * Chittenden CoC FRANKLIN & NW Counseling & Support Services (NCSS) Samaritan House, Inc. (SHI) GRAND ISLE Mariah Murphy * 393-6453 Linda Ryan * 527-0847 107 Fisher Pond Rd, St. Albans, VT 05478 24 Kingman St, St. Albans, VT 05478 [email protected] [email protected]

LAMOILLE Lamoille County Mental Health (LCMH) * 72 Harrel Street, Morrisville, VT 05661 Shannon Perry * 635-7174/888-5026 * [email protected]

ORANGE Clara Martin Center (CMC) * P.O. Box G, Randolph, VT 05060 Christie Everett * 728-4466 ext.563 * [email protected]

RUTLAND Rutland Mental Health Services (RMHS) Rutland County Housing Coalition (RCHC) Kim Mayo * 775-7195 Deborah Hall * 775-9286 P.O. Box 222, Rutland, VT 05701 46 Evelyn St, Suite 201, Rutland VT 05701 [email protected] [email protected]

WASHINGTON Washington County Mental Health (WCMH) * 9 Heaton Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 Dickey Balzano * 229-8011 * [email protected]

*WINDHAM Brattleboro Housing Authority (BraHA) * P.O. Box 2275, West Brattleboro, VT 05303 David DeAngelis * 254-6071 ext. 11 * [email protected] (South of Bellows Falls.)

WINDSOR Health Care & Rehab Services (HCRS) Springfield Supported Housing Program (SSHP) Greg Veresan * 295-9337 Richard McInerney * 885-3034 P.O. Box 709, Hartford, VT 05047 P.O. Box 178, Springfield, VT 05156 [email protected] [email protected]

Upper Valley Haven (UVH) * Renee Weeks * 478-1820 713 Hartford Ave, White River Junction, VT 05001 * [email protected]

*Burlington & Brattleboro Housing Authorities independently administer their own Shelter Plus Care grants.

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

VSHA Shelter Plus Care Program

SUBSIDY ALLOCATION POLICY (original 9/16/11; revised 2/19/2014)

VSHA works with several Sponsor Agencies to administer Shelter Plus Care (S+C) Programs throughout the VT Balance of State Continuum of Care (VT BoS CoC). VT BoS CoC consists of all counties in Vermont, except Chittenden County (which is administered by the Burlington Housing Authority). Brattleboro Housing Authority’s S+C Program is located within the VT BoS CoC, but not administered by VSHA.

In the event that funding allows (due to attrition and/or grant savings) VSHA will make available new S+C subsidies based upon three general benchmarks:

1. Compliance, Capacity, and Cooperation.

a. Sponsor Agency Awareness: Appropriate S+C Sponsor Agency staff are fully informed of the HUD CoC Program and VSHA S+C Program with trainings & internal referral policy/procedures.

b. Outreach, Referrals & Community: S+C Sponsor Agency conducts comprehensive outreach to identify/serve homeless persons, with HUD Chronic Homelessness being the highest priority, including those with longest histories of Literal Homelessness; develops/maintains effective external referral process; actively participates with local CoC /Housing Review Team; maintains positive relationships with service providers & community at large; etc.

c. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): Sponsor effectively participates in the HMIS as selected by the VT BoS CoC; enters participant household data elements completely, accurately and in a timely manner; attends trainings and effectively addresses technical challenges; maintains dedicated data entry staff; complies with HMIS standards; etc.

d. Supportive Services: Sponsors will maintain sufficient capacity to provide and/or coordinate appropriate services and other aspects of the S+C program to ensure housing stability; engage participants in a respectful manner that supports person-directed choice through an Individual Service Plan; compliance with all applicable McKinney-Vento legislation & other laws; etc.

e. Participant Outcomes: Sponsor effectively assists participants to increase & maintain income through enrollment in cash benefits & non-cash programs, employment and/or other sources; maintain permanent housing within the Shelter Plus Care Program OR exit S+C to other sustainable permanent housing (if applicable), including Sect. 8 HCV, market-rate, etc.

f. PSH Evidence-Based Best Practices: practice of a Housing First model whenever feasible; decent, safe, affordable housing; choice in housing & living arrangements; functional separation of housing services; community integration & rights of tenancy; access to housing & privacy; and flexible, voluntary, and recover-focused services.

g. Additional Compliance Measures: Sponsor maintains open communication & responsiveness with all applicable VSHA staff; submits complete/accurate/timely grant cash match letters, participant applications, Annual Performance Reports, and all requests for information; maintain compliance with other state/federal grants (ESG/CoC, CHG/FSH, DMH-HCF/PATH, etc.).

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VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY – SHELTER PLUS CARE PROGRAM - February 2014

2. Minimum Allocation. The VSHA S+C Statewide grant is funded to serve a minimum of 131 units and VSHA

strives to provide an equitable distribution of S+C rental subsidies for each S+C Sponsor Agency to ensure that all 131 units are utilized (at minimum), but reserves the right to dedicate the allocation of new subsidies, upon turnover, to serve households that meet the HUD definition of Chronic Homelessness and those with the longest histories of homelessness.

If a Sponsor consistently does not meet VSHA and HUD program guidelines and/or does not have the capacity and/or need to serve the minimum subsidy allocation then VSHA reserves the right to reallocate unused S+C subsidies to other VSHA S+C Program Sponsors.

3. Waitlist Preferences. If a Sponsor otherwise meets program & grant requirements AND there is an

identified need for additional S+C subsidies in the catchment area of the Sponsor Agency AND all S+C Sponsor Agencies have the opportunity to attain their minimum allocation to serve applicants that meet the HUD definition of Chronic Homelessness; THEN applicants will be selected from a time-limited VSHA’s S+C waitlist in accordance with the following preference system:

a. 1st to be served: Adult individuals and/or households with children which includes at least one

eligible adult who meets the HUD definition of Chronic Homelessness (when Sponsor first starts application) will have the highest priority, according to VSHA date/time receipt of application.

*See VSHA S+C Guide or contact VSHA S+C Program Administrator (D. Blankenship) for details.

b. 2nd to be served: Participants residing in a HUD CoC Transitional Housing Programs for the Homeless

or Safe Haven (TH/SH) who met the HUD definition of Literal Homelessness immediately prior to entering the HUD CoC TH/SH program AND certified by the referring HUD CoC TH/SH Sponsor Agency. These applicants will then be served, provided all eligible households meeting the HUD definition of Chronic Homelessness have been served, according to date/time of application.

*Certification is required of Literal Homelessness immediately prior to entering HUD CoC TH/SH.

c. 3rd to be served: Eligible households, who otherwise meet the HUD definition of Literal

Homelessness at time of submitting a complete VSHA S+C application, will then be served based upon date/time of application, provided all applicants with preferences listed above are served.