Western MA Regional Network to End Homelessness 1

Western MA Regional Network to End Homelessness 1 Update on DHCD Homelessness Initiatives October 23, 2014

Highlights of FY 13 and 14 2 � Assisted approx. 2, 000 households with MRVP mobile vouchers � Awarded 730 project-based MRVPs and 200 Section 8 PBVs to serve extremely low income households in new housing � Helped an additional 4, 000 families in shelter to obtain permanent housing with Home. BASE Household Assistance � Prevented 6, 000 families from becoming homeless with RAFT Program � Expanded shelter capacity by more than 725 beds � Reached goal of 1, 000 supportive housing units in FY 14, two years early � Expanded Secure Jobs Program by $1. 5 M (total $2. 5 M) and placed 560 families in jobs � Awarded funds for approx. 6, 000 units of permanent affordable housing (production and preservation); reached milestone of 20, 000 affordable units since 2007

FY 15 MRVP Update 3 Overall plan in consultation with working group for FY 15: --1, 058 new mobile vouchers --350 new project-based vouchers -- Rent level increases for existing project-based vouchers � LHAs began issuing 892 “unfrozen” vouchers in September � RAAs will begin issuing 166 “unfrozen” vouchers in December (application period runs from October 6 -November 3) � 75 vouchers for Secure Jobs participants will be issued in November (lottery to be held mid-October) � 200 mobile vouchers to under-represented regions will be issued in November (Metro. West and Cape Cod) � New project-based commitments will be made this fall and in 2015

FY 15 Home. BASE Update 4 �Increased benefit to $8, 000 for exits and $6, 000 for diversions (as of July 1, 2015) �HPST is being used for up to $2, 000 for exits (HAS) through an additional $3 M in economic dev. bill �Both exits and diversions have increased substantially compared to last summer �Co-location of shelter provider staff in local offices to increase diversions � 507 exits using Home. BASE household assistance or 32% of exits (July-September 2015)

FY 15 RAFT Update 5 �Started up on July 1 for first time in many years �$1. 5 M increase in budget ($11 M total) �Increase in households served: --July-Sept FY 14: 557 approved --July-Sept FY 15: 972 approved �Breakdown of households served (FY 15 YTD): --Below 15% of AMI: 27% --16 -30% of AMI: 46% --31 -50% of AMI: 27%

EA Entries and Exits 6 Q 1, FY 14 (Jul-Sept) Q 1, FY 15 (Jul-Sept) EA Entries 1, 775 1, 575 Front Door Diversions 72 165 EA Exits 1, 106 1, 588 Home. Base “Only” Exits 341 507 Motel Change (7/110/14) +727 -43 Avg. Daily Total EA Caseload Change +21. 6% +3. 6% Avg. Daily Caseload Change in Motels +50. 8% -1. 6%

Emergency Shelter Re-housing Initiative 7 � Experienced 44% increase in shelter entries, FY 13 to FY 14 (4, 272 vs. 6, 167) � Phase-out of Extended Stay hotels � Focusing on exits using $8, 000 of Home. BASE; renewed contracts with RAAs for rehousing � Leading the Way Home (Boston Housing Authority); 724 new Section 8 vouchers for Boston families in EA shelter � New Lease Program; 70 families placed/in process of leasing private affordable housing (YTD) � Started new case management with shelter providers in targeted hotels � Continuing close coordination with DPH, DCF and local volunteers � Hired Assistant Director of Hotel/Motel Field Operations � Expanded staff capacity in field offices, compliance, placement, and hearings units � Continuing congregate expansion in high demand regions

Other Emergency Shelter Initiatives 8 �Increased Individual Shelter contracts by 4% �Invested in increased staffing resources to improve HMIS data quality in both EA and Hotels �Increased staffing resources to meet HEARTH ACT federal requirements �Assisting HMIS and Co. C leads regarding Coordinated Assessment/Intake �Transferred Management of Shelter Plus Care Grant to the Division of Housing Stabilization’s Federal Unit for greater oversight and synchronicity with other federally funded projects

Interagency Council on Housing & Homelessness 9 �Unaccompanied homeless youth point-in-time count completed (first-in-the-nation); beginning plans for 2015 count �Report released on homelessness among older adults �Interim goals reached in homeless veterans plan �Integration task force on domestic violence implementing new policies �DPH grant for housing placement and supports for 180 chronically homeless individuals with substance abuse and mental health disorders �Nearing completion of report on ICHH initiatives and accomplishments since 2007

Workforce Development 10 �Secure Jobs expanded with use of HPST of $1 M; funds awarded in April 2014 �Approx. 506 families placed in jobs since Feb. 2013 �New Secure Jobs appropriation in Fy 15 budget of $500, 000; RFP issued in August and awards announced on October 7 �Self-Sufficiency Initiative with Community Action Agencies resulted in 515 families enrolling in job programs since 11/13; 36% increased their incomes

Supportive Housing Initiative 11 �Reached goal of 1, 000 supportive housing units in April, approx 2 years early �Completed first year progress report of Supportive Housing Steering Committee (18 state agencies); now developing 2015 action plan �Awarded funds for 335 new units in April and 200 new units in July �$6 million in FY 15 supplemental budget for “mini” supportive housing round this fall – NOFA released 10/21/14 �Social Innovations Financing (SIF) expected to launch this fall (500 units)

Public Housing Revitalization 12 � Won passage of major consensus reform legislation � Public housing advisory committee has formed five working groups to implement reforms (training, performance, regional pilots, regional capital teams, resident services) � Reached milestone of bringing nearly 500 vacant units back online with special initiative � Launched Mass. LEAP Program (Learning, Employment, Assets Program); awarded funds in May � Statewide, online application and waiting list is under active development; expected to launch pilot in early 2015 � Expanded Supportive Housing Program in elderly/disabled developments by 10 new sites (with EOEA) � Releasing NOFA in October for expansion of Transitional Housing Program (THP) for homeless families

Other DHCD Initiatives 13 �HEAT/EAT takes effect in October; $1. 3 M in LIHEAP will assist 163, 000 households with additional SNAP benefits � 10, 000 unit multifamily unit goal: 4, 782 through August, triple since 2011 �Received significant increases in FY 15 capital budget for Housing Stabilization Fund (+$8. 1 M), Facilities Consolidation Fund (+$4. 1 M), Housing Innovations Fund (+4. 4 M) and Home Modifications Loan Program (+2. 5 M)

Other DHCD Initiatives, continued 14 �Reached milestone of preserving 14, 000 expiring use units since 2009; formed 13 A working group in June �Section 811 initiative for people with disabilities now underway; first “state match” vouchers issued in Sept. � 100 new vouchers for people with mental illness (DMH Rental Assistance Program increase of $1 M) � 2015 Qualified Allocation Plan to be finalized in November (hearing held on October 16); focus on managing development costs