indiana housing and community development authority

HEARTH ACT: HOMELESSNESS DEFINITION AND DOCUMENTATIONJULY 25, 2012 – 10-11:30AMORJULY 26, 2012 – 10-11:30AM

CALL IN INFORMATION: 1-800-992-0185PASSCODE: 6598172#Indiana Housing and Community Development

AuthorityPresenter: Kelli Barker, Homeless Prevention Programs Analyst**NEW ESG Shelter Program Coordinator: Angie Hass317-317-234-7579ahass@ihcda.in.gov

2

MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT

• First significant federal legislative response to homelessness

• Intense advocacy campaign across the country

• Legislation was passed by large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress

• Signed into law by President Reagan in July, 1987

• Originally had 15 programs providing spectrum of services to people who are homeless

3

MCKINNEY VENTO REAUTHORIZATION

• On May 19, 2009 both houses of Congress passed S. 896 - Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which included the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH Act) as an amendment.

• HEARTH Act is the first significant reauthorization of McKinney Vento in 2 decades.

• Signed into law by President Obama on May 20, 2009

4

PURPOSE OF HEARTH ACT

1. Consolidate homeless assistance programs

2. Codify the continuum of care planning process

3. Establish a goal of ensuring that families who become homeless return to permanent housing within 30 days

HOMELESS DEFINITIONS & DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

HOMELESSNESS DEFINITIONSHomelessness Definition has 4 categories:Category 1: Literally homelessCategory 2: Imminent Risk of Homelessness - within 14

days, no subsequent residence, or resources or supportCategory 3: Unaccompanied Youth or Families with

Children and Homeless Under Other Federal Statute and 3 additional criteria requirements

Category 4: Fleeing/Attempting to Flee DV and subsequent residence, resources or support networks.

*NOTE: “At Risk of Homeless” definition does not fall under the definition of Homeless, and is not included in Indiana’s ESG program

7

CATEGORY 1: LITERALLY HOMELESSIndividual or family who lacks fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:1.An individual or family with a primary nighttime

residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human being

2.Individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter for temporary living arrangements

3.Individual exiting an institution where he/she temporarily resided ‐ Immediately prior to entering institution resided in

emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation

‐ “temporarily resided” now means a period of 90 days or less

8

CATEGORY 2: IMMINENT RISK

• Individuals or families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days AND

• Have no subsequent residence identified AND• Lack the resources or support networks

needed to obtain other permanent housing• There are 3 cases which may be evidenced to

qualify as imminently homeless1. Is subject to a court order to vacate or2. Lacks the resources to continue staying in a hotel/motel or3. Is no longer allowed to stay by the owner or renter with

whom the individual or family may be staying

CATEGORY 3: OTHER FEDERAL STATUTES

Unaccompanied youth under 25 or homeless families with children and youth who otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who meet the following 4 criteria:

1) Meet homeless definition in other federal statutes; AND

2) Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing in the last 60 days; AND

3) Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more in the last 60 days; AND…

9

CATEGORY 3Must meet all 3 eligibility criteria:

4) Expected to continue in instable status for an extended period of time because of:• chronic disabilities, OR• physical or mental health conditions, OR• substance addiction, OR• histories of domestic violence or childhood

abuse, OR• presence of a child or youth with disability, OR • 2 or more barriers to employment (see below)

‐ Lack of high school degree or GED equivalent,

‐ Illiteracy, ‐ Low English proficiency, ‐ History of incarceration, ‐ History of unstable employment.

10

11

CATEGORY 4: FLEEING FROM DV SITUATION• Individual/family fleeing or attempting to

flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other life threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member that has either taken place within the individual’s or family’s primary nighttime residence or has made the individual/family afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence, and

• Has no other identified residence and • Lacks the resources and support networks

to obtain other permanent housing

DOCUMENTING HOMELESSNESSDocumentation Sources: (in order of preference)•3rd Party Written Verification – notices/statements on letterhead, signed & dated•3rd Party Oral Verification – recorded oral statement by intake staff, 3rd party providing verification, signed and dated by intake staff as true and complete

• Recommend standardized form for program•Intake Observations – intake staff notes observations & assessments, signed and dated by intake staff as true and complete

• Recommend standardized form for program•Self Certification – individual/head of household statement, written, signed and dated as true and complete

DOCUMENTATION TIPS• Use checklist to make documentation easier

for front line, intake staff• Check for existing documentation

• HMIS• Discharge paperwork (hospital, jail, etc)

• Use tracking forms when possible• Must be able to document due diligence in

attempting to obtain documentation (emails, phone logs, copies of letters, etc) and outline the outcome and any barriers encountered – staff should sign and date as true and complete

DOCUMENTATION BY CATEGORY

•Category 1 – referrals from other service providers, written observation by an outreach worker, institution letter stating begin and end dates of residence.•Category 2 – eviction/notice to quit from landlord/family/friend, evidence of motel/hotel unaffordability•Category 3 - Written records of the statements by each of the owners or renters where household resided is preferred however if these statements are unobtainable, a written record of the due diligence exercised by the intake worker to obtain these statements is allowed•Category 4 – oral statement documented by self-certification or intake worker certification. Statements do not need to be verified.

DOCUMENTING DUE DILIGENCE (RECORD INTAKE STAFF EFFORTS)

•If you cannot obtain 3rd party documentation (in all cases except DV), must show due diligence •Should describe efforts to obtain 3rd party documentation:

• May include phone logs, e-mail correspondence, copies of certified letters, etc.

• Outcome of effort, including obstacles• Signed and dated by intake staff as true and

complete

• Will be included in standardized form to document

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

1. How do you train front line staff on new definitions?

2. What additional information would be helpful as you begin implementing the new definitions in your programs?

3. What are your concerns about implementing the new definitions?

16

IHCDA SPONSORED UPCOMING TRAININGS OPPORTUNITIES

1.ESG Shelter Program Award Webinars (Required)1. Grant Administration Webinar2. Definition & Documentation Webinar

2.Statewide Housing & Community Development Conference (9/18/12-9/19/12)

3.Victim Service Providers & HEARTH: 10/9/12– in conjunction with Annual ICADV Conference; 3 sessions: HEARTH Act & victim service providers, ClientTrack Database, Best Practice Models

4.Transitional Housing Program Models under HEARTH - November

5.Motivational Interviewing – for case management staff- Date TBD

HUD HOMELESS RESOURCE EXCHANGE RESOURCEShttp://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewReadySETGo

Select “Emergency Solutions Grant”

Webinars and Presentations:•Determining Homeless and At-Risk Status, Income and Disability•Homeless Status: Recordkeeping Requirements

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

QUESTIONS? CONTACT: KELLI BARKER (UNTIL AUG. 2)

HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS ANALYST317-233-4611

KBARKER@IHCDA.IN.GOVOR

ANGIE HASSESG COORDINATOR317-234-7579

AHASS@IHCDA.IN.GOV POWERPOINT WAS CREATED BY :LINDSEY BISHOP, CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING312-332-6690 EXT.12LINDSEY.BISHOP@CSH.ORG