Vermont Rental Subsidy Program

How we got here and where we are going!

Governor’s Summit on Housing the Homeless June 7, 2011

• 6 proposals from work groups• VT state subsidy program• Increasing Permanent Housing Options• Security Deposit/Risk Pool• Access: Barriers to Housing• Specialized Housing Options• AHS Housing Policy

Vermont Rental Subsidy Program

Identify a VIABLE subsidy option for homeless families and

individuals with extremely low incomes

• An average subsidy of $6,400 per year could stabilize a very low-income household for one year = 84 days in a motel!

• Household pays 30% of income toward housing (rent & utilities)

• Housing Review Team in every AHS Region• DCF ESD administers the program• State wide list based upon highest need• Case management is a required program

component

• Inspections for habitability• Relationship with the landlord• Upon successful completion of the subsidy

program, the client is given preference for section eight housing voucher

• Many will actually obtain Family Reunification voucher or Section Eight with in the first year!

• Client builds rental history and reference from landlord, possibly even a credit history!

Eligibility • Must be currently homeless ~ HUD definition• Must have applied for all other housing

subsidies, FUV, Housing Authority etc…• Cannot be receiving any other voucher or

subsidy• Must not have voluntarily given up a housing

subsidy/voucher or lost a subsidy/voucher due to no longer being a tenant in good standing

• Must be in compliance with RU or GA/EA, sanctions resolved

Application• Use the checklist• Only completed

applications will be processed

• Must be reviewed by local housing review team and signed off on by field services director

• Must have ESD review for accuracy prior to sending to CO

• Scan and email to Chris Dalley

• Fax to Chris Dalley• Snail mail to Chris

Dalley

30 % of income goes to housing

• Must apply for all other housing programs• Must apply for section 8 AFTER subsidy is

granted to get preference • Must be ELIGIBLE for Section 8, this precludes: • individuals subject to lifetime registration under

a state sex offender registration program • individuals convicted of the manufacture or

production of methamphetamine in federally assisted housing.

Budget

• Budget must be sustainable• Income must be greater than expenses!• Exception example=Tax return in bank to

offset expenses monthly• Explore ways to make sustainable • Example pay rent every two weeks rather

than monthly if Landlord is agreeable

Criteria for Prioritizing Subsidies

• Only one box in each category: Household type, Household size, Housing situation, and Income sources

• Cannot change the form-please do not fill in more information

• No additional information needed on form-it will only prolong the process!

Signatures

• Client must sign• Reach Up case manager must sign OR• Voc Rehab worker must sign• If long term SSI recipient still must have

Voc Rehab look at to determine if there is anyway to increase income

• Field Services Director must sign (representing housing review team)

Applications must be complete!

• Must be legible• Must include landlords name, address,

phone number, etc.• Lease must include dates, amounts,

signatures of both client and landlord• Legal binding contract

Chris is not a Private Investigator!

Family Unit Sizeas defined by VSHA 5-II.B.

• Standards that determine the number of bedrooms needed for families of different sizes and compositions

• Subsidy standards must provide the smallest number of bedrooms needed to house a family with out overcrowding

• In joint custody cases, we only consider larger rental unit size if the applicant has 50% physical custody of the children

• Applications where it is stated that they will have the child/ren returning if they receive housing, we cannot figure the children into the rental unit size until they are physically back in the household

• A family that consists of a pregnant woman (with no other persons) must be treated as a two person family

• Any live-in aide (approved to reside in the unit to care for a family member who is disabled or is at least 50 years of age) must be counted in determining the family unit size

VRS will reference the following chart in determining number of bedrooms

Subsidy Size Persons in Household1 Bedroom 1-22 Bedroom 2-43 Bedroom 3-64 Bedroom 4-85 Bedroom 6-10

Maximum Allowable Rent

• Includes utilities (Heat, Hot Water and Electricity)

• IF any utilities are not included you must back them out of the maximum rate listed

• We have negotiated with Landlords to include utilities or reduce the rent in some cases

• Be sure to sign up for seasonal fuel!

InspectionsMUST have Tentative Approval Grant Letter

• Cliff Bergh at VSHA (802)828-0427• Call Cliff with name and number of tenant, name and

number of landlord, the address of the unit and the number of children under 6 in the household

• At the same time, email same info to: cliff@vsha.org• Cliff will pass on the info to the appropriate Field Rep

who will contact the landlord, conduct the inspection and notify the landlord of the result via email

• If the unit failed the landlord will contact the referring agency when the work is done, IF /she chooses to do the repairs, and the above process is repeated

Case Management

• Must continue the entire time on subsidy• Report to HRT progress and needs• Relationship with landlord• Point of contact with landlord• Walk through apartment at least monthly• Check in with landlord monthly• Be creative in resourcing case

management!

Lease and Shelter Expense Report

• Must have lease/lease addendum and shelter expense completed

• Must be legible• Must be signed by both tenant and

landlord• Is a legally binding contract• Housing Support Worker must sign lease

addendum• Tenant’s share is on Grant Letter!

Reporting Changes• If client is approved for any other subsidy

program• If client is evicted• If client is charged with criminal offense that

precludes section 8 eligibility• Client’s income increases/decreases

substantially• RU or SSI status changes• Any other lack of compliance• Address Changes

Chris Dalley• Scanning to email is preferred:• AHS – ESD – VRS inside AHS• AHS – ESD – VRS@state.vt.us outside AHS• chris.dalley@state.vt.us • Fax: 802-769-2186• Snail Mail: Chris Dalley

» Economic Services Division» Administrative Services Unit» A Building, 2nd Floor» 103 South Main Street» Waterbury, VT 05671-1201

Thanks!• kristin.prior@state.vt.us• 802-527-5438