Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing

Homeless prevention, diversion,
rapid re-housing and housing first
funded at $40.9 Million for New Jersey
Provides transformative opportunity
to implement plans to end homelessness

Resources

Click here for the full HUD Guidance.

Click here Substantial Amendment Form.

Click here HPRP Certifications.

Click here for General Certifications.

Allocations for NJ

Listen to the Audio Conferences

Full text of the legislation

Mercer Housing Now Proposal

NAEH Overview

NAEH Recommendations

NAEH Web site

Planning Guide

Recovery web site

Secretary Donovan’s Letter

Steps in Planning

TANF Emergency Contingency Fund

Using HPF and TANF Funds to Help Homeless and At-Risk Families

On March 19, 2009, HUD released a fifty-eight page guidance document for the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program the formal name for the Homelessness Prevention Fund. A formal review of the document by the Advocacy Network and our national partners will be provided as soon as possible. For our preliminary review click here.

President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, provided $787 billion to stimulate the economy. The Homelessness Prevention Fund is crucial to our efforts to end homelessness. Over the last few years as we have worked to move from managing homelessness to ending homelessness we have been frustrated in our efforts by the lack of resources to simultaneously maintain the current system and build a new one. We have in effect been trying to change the tires on our car while driving above the speed limit. The Homelessness Prevention Fund is a once in a lifetime transformative opportunity to implement and develop a comprehensive and systemic plan to end homelessness in New Jersey. The Advocacy Network has made the implementation of the Homelessness Prevention Fund a top priority for 2009.

Eligible activities are:

1. short- or medium-term rental assistance,
2. housing relocation and stabilization services,
3. housing search assistance,
4. mediation or outreach to property owners,
5. credit repair,
6. security or utility deposits,
7. utility payments,
8. rental assistance for a final month at a location,
9. moving costs assistance,
10. case management, and
11. other appropriate activities for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing of persons who have become homeless.

Grantees must use HMIS or a comparable database. Up to five percent can be used for administrative costs, and funding will be distributed to jurisdictions using the Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) formula. Although it will be distributed through the ESG formula it is important to note that this is not funding for the traditional ESG program.

Grantees will have to spend 60 percent of the funds within 2 years of obligation from HUD and 100 percent within 3 years. HUD may reallocate funds from a grantees that do not meet the 2-year requirement to those that do.

HUD has 30 days to issue guidelines about the use of funds. Thus, the guidelines should be available on or before March 19, 2009.

Opportunities. In the midst of the worst economy in decades, the homelessness prevention funding gives communities the opportunity to further their plans to end homelessness and make their homelessness prevention and homeless assistance more effective.

Preparation. Homeless assistance providers, city, county, and state officials who administer ESG and who administer homelessness funding and services, homeless advocates, community-based agencies that serve people at risk of homelessness, and entities that administer the Continuum of Care should begin right away to plan how they will utilize funding. Key questions include:

1. What are the fundamental goals – what outcomes does the community want to see as a result of this funding and how will they be tracked?
2. How will the community identify the people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness who will be served?
3. Who can administer short- or medium-term rental assistance and other financial assistance?
4. Who will provide housing location and stabilization services, including outreach to landlords? How will they be selected?
5. How will information be tracked in HMIS or another data system?To read our posts on this subject click here.