hope for the future, help when you need it. tenant based rental assistance partnering with families...
TRANSCRIPT
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCEPartnering with families to achieve stability and academic success
Introductions
HousingAmanda Guthrie Housing Program Manager,
BCDHHS
Julia GrubbOccupancy Supervisor,
BCDHHS
Human ServicesMelissa Frank-Williams
Programs Manager, BCDHHS
Mollie Faughnan TBRA Program Coordinator,
BCDHHS
School Districts
Ema Lyman MKV Liaison,
Boulder Valley School District
Luis Chavez MKV Liaison,
St. Vrain Valley School District
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
Wisdom, Best Guesses and Lessons LearnedAKA: What will we be sharing with you today
• Introductions
• What is the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program : Overview and Need• Nuts and Bolts of program design and implementation• Program Outcomes• Challenges and Barriers• Community Engagement:
• What’s happening in your own backyard? What’s next?• Panel Discussion/ Q & A
Objective is to share our experience, to provide you with ideas to engage your community in conversations and initiate partnerships to provide resources and housing options for families and children.
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
What do you know?On a scale of 1-3, how familiar are you with your local housing authorities and/or housing resources?
• 1: Extremely Familiar • 2: Somewhat Familiar• 3: Not Familiar
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
On a scale of 1-3, how familiar are you with your local human services, i.e. TANF, Food Assistance, Medicaid, Child Welfare?
• 1: Extremely Familiar • 2: Somewhat Familiar• 3: Not Familiar
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
As a front end early intervention approach, TBRA provides housing vouchers, intensive case management, and other supports to homeless or marginally housed families with children currently attending school in the County.
TBRA is based on the philosophy that children who are raised in a stable home with appropriate resources tend to continue with and excel in their education, and often play a significant role in breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
What is the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program?
2012-2013 2013-20141000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1389
1780Homeless Children and Youth Enrolled in Boulder County Schools
(source: McKinney-Vento data)
Need/History
Skyrocketing Need for Help
16k
42k
8.9k
20k
162% increase
124% increase
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
POVERTY IN BOULDER COUNTY
• The poverty rate is 14.2% with 6.9% (19,996 residents) living in extreme poverty.
• The poverty rate for single mother families with children under five is 36.2%.
• Families with children under 5 are more likely to experience poverty than other families.
• 31% of renters were considered severely cost-burdened meaning housing costs consume more than half of total household income.
• 29.1% is the poverty rate for residents without a High School Diploma.
• 15,317 Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch (preschool through 12th grade), meaning approximately 25% of students in Boulder County Schools are at risk of hunger.
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
PHILOSOPHY - COLLABORATION
l Determinants of Health & Pillars of Family Stability
Housing Continuum Overview at BCDHHS
An array of housing options to meet clients where they are:
HSP - DHHS
•Eviction prevention•Differential Response
•Utilities & Deposit or Rent
•Self-sufficiency focused
•Monthly case management
•Financial literacy•Job-focused•Lower-risk profile•4 mo to 12 mo
HSP - Community
• Same as DHHS, but with community-based referrals
• Community Based Organizations
• Safehouse and Safe Shelter
• Homeless Shelter and Bridge House
• Deposit-only avail
Family Self-Sufficiency
• Self-sufficiency focus
• 5-years of case management and rent support
• Focused on education and job training tracks
• Housing Development and housing choice
Short Term Housing
• Emergency housing
• 1 to 3 months• Furnished• Family-focused
on child safety• On-site case
management• Transitional
Housing
FUP Vouchers
• Open child welfare cases where child is at risk of removal
• Family-focused on child safety
• Intensive case management in home
• Chafee eligible
TBRA Program
• Homeless families with McKinney Vento Status
• Children must be enrolled in school district (BVSD or SVVSD)
• 2 years of intensive case management in home
• School and self-sufficiency focus
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
“ANY DOOR IS THE RIGHT DOOR” APPROACH TO SERVICE LINKAGE
• Purpose of the panel• Evolution of the panel• Current partners• Goals for expanding the panel• Post panel process
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
The TBRA Program Nuts and Bolts
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
TBRA is a Community-wide partnership
Community-based
Organiza
tions
Funders
Housing• Occupancy Support• Landlord Relations• Sect 8 vouchers
• Promote timely rent and utility payments
Human Services• Case management• Resource linkage
• Academic advocacy• Financial Stability and
Employment supports
School Districts• Referrals
• Data Sharing• Connections to
appropriate services/personnel
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
Families receive:
• Rental subsidy from BCHA. Families pay 30% of their income for rent with a minimum of $50 per month.
• Utility and security deposit assistance as needed
• Choice of where they wish to live in the private market (Boulder County)
• Housing and intensive case management support for two years and housing support after the program ends
• Coordinated support to achieve long-term self sufficiency goals (employment, school, child care, transportation, mental health, etc.)
• Advocacy and mentoring to improve academic successes of children
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
Targeted Service Delivery
Eligibility Criteria:
• Must have school-aged children enrolled in either of the County’s two school districts
• Qualify for McKinney-Vento services and enroll in the program
• Household’s income is at or below 30% area median income (AMI)
• All household members are lawfully present in the United States and head of household is over 18
Identificati
on
• Potential families identified by District Liaisons• Releases signed for communication
Establishin
g eligibility
• Additional information gathered and prepared for presentation• Housing Panel Reviews every two weeks
Lease - up
• Housing Orientation• Unit located and lease signed
Case Manageme
nt
• Intensive case management• Coordinated case management
Graduatio
n
• Most families move to Housing Choice Voucher
1-2 weeks
1-3 weeks
1 to 120 days
2 years
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
OUTCOMES
Since the program’s inception, we’ve helped provide housing for 184 children and their families.
83% of families improved their overall self-sufficiency
95% of families improved their income
85% of children had attendance of 85% or better
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES & LESSONS LEARNEDLEVERAGING RESOURCES
Challenges Opportunities
Deposits Partnership with CBOs
Temporary Housing (hotels) Partner with local family shelter
Low Vacancy Rate Landlord outreach and education
Measuring Academic Outcomes Data sharing MOU with schools
Ongoing Funding Leveraging TANF and other resources
Follow up after exit Provide ongoing support network for families that are exiting the program
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Hope for the future, help when you need it.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Mollie [email protected]
Melissa Frank [email protected]
Amanda [email protected]
Julia [email protected]
Luis [email protected]