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Slide 2 HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) Program February 9, 2011 Slide 3 Agenda ~ Welcome ~ Program Overview ~ Interactive Session ~ Question and Answer Slide 4 Introductions Divisions of Community Services Department ~ Housing and Community Development ~ Economic Development ~ Transit Services ~ Social Services ~ Financial ~ Administrative Services Development Staff ~ Christy Lambright, Assistant Director of Planning and Development ~ Mayra Bontemps, Development Manager ~ Shanna LeBrum, Senior Program Analyst ~ Kelly Opot, Program Analyst ~ Mai Nguyen, Housing Analyst ~ Toni Candis, Program Analyst Slide 5 Years of Experience ESG* stands for what? Some Experience Expert! Expert! *trick question Welcome Slide 6 Program Overview Program Funding Available Annually ~ Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program ~ Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) Program ~ HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program Special Program Funding ~ Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) ~ Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) Slide 7 Understanding Harris County Consolidated Plan 2008-2012 http://www.csd.hctx.net/PYConsolidatedPlan.aspx Outlines Harris Countys goals and objectives for serving the community Annual Action Plan http://www.csd.hctx.net/PR_AnnualActionPlan.aspx Lists all projects funded for each entitlement year Funding Opportunities http://www.csd.hctx.net/rfq.aspx http://www.csd.hctx.net/ps_rfp.aspx Competitive process for distributing all available funds CSD Overview Slide 8 Funding for PY 2011 Slide 9 Overview The Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program is designed to be the first step in a continuum of assistance to prevent homelessness and to enable homeless individuals and families to move toward independent living Slide 10 Overview Helping individuals and families in crisis Temporary or emergency assistance Stabilizing individuals and families who may not need anything else Slide 11 HUDs view Outreach and assessment to identify a homeless persons needs Immediate (emergency) shelter as a safe, decent alternative to the streets Slide 12 *Disclaimer* Emergency Shelter Grants is changing to Emergency Solutions Grants Based on Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act More information to come Slide 13 How does it work? Harris County receives the Emergency Shelter Grants entitlement from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The County selects agencies to carry out the work through a Request for Proposal (RFP) Slide 14 Who are the clients? Homeless* A homeless person is someone who is living on the street or in an emergency shelter, or who would be living on the street or in an emergency shelter without HUDs homelessness assistance. At-risk of homelessness* Families who have received eviction notices or notices of termination of utility services *According to HUD Slide 15 What can you do? Rehab or convert a building to become a shelter General operations for a shelter Provide essential services for homeless Provide emergency financial assistance to families at risk of homelessness Slide 16 What is Renovation? Rehabilitation of a building that costs less than 75% of the value of the building before rehabilitation Building to be used as a shelter for three years It isnt Building maintenance and repairs Staff training or fundraising Slide 17 What is Major rehabilitation? Rehabilitation that costs over 75% of the value of the building before rehabilitation Building must be used as a shelter for ten years It isnt Property clearance or demolition Rehabilitation administration Slide 18 What is Conversion? A change in the use of a building to an emergency shelter The cost of conversion and any rehabilitation costs exceed 75% of the value of the building after conversion Building must be used as a shelter for ten years It isnt Acquisition New Construction Slide 19 What is Operations? Costs associated with operating a shelter such as Rent Utilities Insurance Food Fuel Equipment It isnt Staff training or recruitment Bad debts Mortgage payments Fundraising costs Depreciation Slide 20 Are there limitations under Operations? Yes! Staff salaries (including fringe benefits) are limited to 10 percent of the request Maintenance and security salaries are not subject to the 10 percent cap Slide 21 Did you follow that? Shelter ABCs request for operations is: $10,000 for rent $5,000 for utilities $30,000 for security guard salary $6,000 for 10% of the program managers salary Are all these costs eligible? What changes should be made? Slide 22 What is Essential services? Services associated with employment, health, drug abuse or education. Such as Employment counseling Assistance securing housing Job training Substance abuse treatment Assistance retaining benefits Salaries associated with these activities It isnt The Executive Directors salary (or any salary not directly related to the program) Advocacy or capacity building activities Staff recruitment or training Slide 23 What are the limitations? Costs for essential services must be For new or expanded service For salaries linked to the program Directly for the program (no general admin) Slide 24 What is Homeless Prevention? Short-term subsidies for rent, mortgage or utilities Mediation for landlord disputes Salaries related to program delivery It isnt Direct payments to individuals Long-term ( >90 days) assistance Housing or services for homeless individuals Slide 25 What are the limitations? Clients must be at or below 80% Median Family Income* There must be a sudden reduction in income Clients must live in Harris County service area * http://www.csd.hctx.net/GM_mediafamilyincomelimits.aspx http://www.csd.hctx.net/GM_mediafamilyincomelimits.aspx Slide 26 Service Area Unincorporated Harris County and its 15 cooperative cities: Bellaire Seabrook Deer Park Shoreacres Galena Park South Houston Humble Tomball Jacinto City Waller Katy Webster LaPorte West University Place Morgans Point ** Houston, Baytown and Pasadena receive their own entitlement funds and are not included in the Harris County service area. Slide 27 Slide 28 Other requirements ESG requires that subgrantees Document homelessness or income eligibility for homeless prevention Have a termination of participation and grievance procedure Have a homeless or formerly homeless person participating in policy-making and operations Ensure confidentiality for participants Provide 100% match Participate in HMIS Slide 29 Documenting Homelessness At entry into program, documentation from a third party (police, hospital, referring agency, etc) Must be maintained in client file while they are in program Individual Eligibility Form is required Harris County documentation Slide 30 Slide 31 Documenting Income What is eligible? Pay stubs Award letters: SSDI, TANF, Food Stamps, VA, Child Support, etc. Letter from employer If there is no income a currently dated unemployment printout from Texas Work Source Slide 32 Grievance Procedures What is a termination of participation and grievance procedure? Policies and procedures in place that clearly outline how an agency will deal with termination of services and client grievances (Not how you will deal with terminated employees) Slide 33 Homeless or formerly homeless requirement How is this possible? Staff member Board member Client volunteer Advisory board member One person can do both Slide 34 Confidentiality Ensure safety for any client fleeing domestic violence Clear procedures No public disclosure of address Keep all client records guarded and allow limited access Slide 35 Match ESG requires 100% MATCH Eligible sources of match include Other grants Staff time directly related to the project In-kind donations Volunteer time (at $5/hour) Value of a building owned by agency Slide 36 Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Participation in HMIS is required by Harris County for PY 2012 and by the State (TDHCA) Managed by the Houston/Harris County Coalition for the Homeless Used for reporting to Congress and influences local funding Non-funded programs benefit from HMIS More info: www.homelesshouston.org and www.homelesshouston.org www.hmis.info www.hmis.info Slide 37 Check your knowledge Kellys Services has an old shelter that is worn down and wants to build a new shelter on the empty lot adjacent to their building. Which funding category (Operations, Essential Services, Homeless Prevention) should they apply under? Slide 38 Check your knowledge Kellys Services receives $55,000 in homeless prevention funds to provide utility and mortgage assistance to their clients. Can they use the program managers $55,000 salary as match? Slide 39 Harris County Website http://www.csd.hctx.net http://www.csd.hctx.net HUD website http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/esg/index.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/esg/index.cfm ESG Desk Guide Homeless Resource Exchange (HRE) website http://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewEsgProgram http://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewEsgProgram Other ESG Resources Slide 40 HEARTH Act Signed by President Obama May 20, 2009 Reauthorizes and amends the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act First reauthorization since 1992 Slide 41 HEARTH Act Changes include A consolidation of HUDs competitive grant programs The creation of a Rural Housing Stability Program A change in HUDs definition of homelessness and chronic homelessness A simplified match requirement An increase in prevention resources An increase in the emphasis on performance Slide 42 HEARTH Act How it will (probably) affect you Increased funding HEARTH has been reauthorized to include more funding than current levels Funding will be targeted to new programs Rapid Re-Housing Permanent Supportive Housing Homelessness Prevention Slide 43 HEARTH Act Definition of homelessness Expanded to include families and those at risk of homelessness Proposed in April 2010, final definition has not yet been released Slide 44 HEARTH Act How it will affect you Emphasis on prevention Targeting resources Eliminates cap on Homelessness Prevention Expands eligible services Slide 45 HEARTH Act How it will affect you Essential Services New cap (formerly 30%, now 60%) Includes shelter rehab, renovation and conversion Includes street outreach Includes shelter operations Slide 46 HEARTH Act How it will affect you Emphasis on performance Participation in HMIS New reporting requirements Slide 47 HEARTH Act When will we know? We dont know! Best resources to know more HUD Homeless Resource Exchange www.hudhre.info National Alliance to End Homelessness www.endhomelessness.org Slide 48 Question And Answer Slide 49 Contact infomration Kelly Opot Program Analyst (713) 578-2108 kelly.opot@csd.hctx.net