Homelessness

HUD Awards $10 Million in Funding for Family Unification Program Vouchers

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On December 19, in a press release sent via email, HUD announced that it was awarding approximately $10 million in funding for new family unification program (FUP) vouchers. These vouchers serve families whose lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child in out-of-home care or youth exiting the foster care system who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

To administer these vouchers, housing agencies work collaboratively with public child welfare agencies (PCWAs). These PCWAs refer potentially eligible households to the housing agency, which provides the voucher and any other services.

The awards were made to the housing agencies listed below.

 PHA NameVouchers AwardFunding
1.Santa Clara County Housing Authority42$1,175,590
2.Sonoma County Housing Authority53$1,182,229
3.Housing Authority of the County of San Diego49$1,131,976
4.Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver52$862,761
5.Hialeah Housing Authority44$566,650
6.Chicago Housing Authority55$778,477
7.Jefferson Parish Housing Services and Development District46$417,064
8.Mississippi Regional Housing Authority VIII52$376,940
9.Home Forward (Portland, OR)56  $788,081
10.Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation28$354,369
11.Housing Authority of the City of Austin50$772,020
12.Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake dba Housing Connect50$628,548
13.King County Housing Authority (WA)48$934,197  
 Total Award625  $9,968,902

NAHRO congratulates these agencies on receiving these vouchers.

Reallocation of EHVs for Calendar Year 2024

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On October 13, HUD published a notice titled “Revocation and Reallocation of Emergency Housing Voucher Awards CY2024” [Notice PIH 2023-31 (HA)]. The notice explains the process by which HUD intends to revoke EHVs from certain PHAs and reallocate them to other PHAs.

The Department will target housing agencies that have 10 or more Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) and less than 75% utilization according to data in IMS/PIC or the Housing Information Portal (HIP) as of February 15, 2024. After that date, HUD will identify PHAs with this criteria and revoke the EHVs, though HUD will not revoke vouchers in cases where voucher holders are searching for a unit. When notified that vouchers will be revoked, PHAs must verify that its voucher issuance numbers are correct as of February 15, 2024. HUD will take into account the number of voucher issuances when deciding on the number of EHVs to revoke. HUD estimates there are currently 104 PHAs that may be subject to this revocation. Housing agencies should return any funds associated with EHVs including ongoing administrative fees and unspent fees.

The Department will then reallocate the vouchers to PHAs with “a demonstrated capacity to administer an EHV program.” To reallocate vouchers, HUD will identify PHAs that have reported EHV utilization of at least 75% or greater and award them vouchers. If there are multiple PHAs in states that have a 75% or higher utilization, the vouchers will be allocated on a “prorate basis according to the the number of EHV awards that PHAs have reported leased . . . .” There will be a minimum award of 5 vouchers. If there are states that have no PHAs with at least 75% utilization of EHVs or if some PHAs do not want additional EHVs, the Department will distribute the award nationally.

Housing agencies that receive additional EHVs will also receive issuance reporting fees ($100 per new EHV that is leased if the PHA reported it within 14 days of issuance); additional ongoing administrative fees; and service fees ($3,500 per EHV to be used for eligible services). After September 30, 2023, PHAs may not reissue the EHV when assistance for a family ends.

The full notice can be found here.

HUD Expands Uses of EHV Services Fees

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On Aug. 29, HUD published a notice titled “Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV): Expanded Use of the EHV Services Fee” [PIH 2023-23 (HA)]. Emergency housing vouchers are vouchers for families who are experiencing homelessness; at risk of experiencing homelessness; fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or were recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family’s homelessness or having high risk of housing instability. This notice expands the scope of eligible activities for which EHV services fees may be used.

New activities for which EHV services fees may be used include the following:

  • Housing search assistance – funds may be used to provide housing mobility services to encourage moves to high opportunity neighborhoods;
  • Rental arrears – a PHA may provide applicants funding for some or all of an applicant’s rental arrears to a private landlord if the rental arrear is a barrier to leasing an EHV unit;
  • Owner incentive payments – funds may be used for owners that have accessible units or will make units accessible for a person with disabilities;
  • Moving expenses – funds may now be used for storage expenses and lock change fees;
  • Services that support EHV families in fulfilling their family obligations under the EHV program – PHAs may use funds to mitigate barriers that a family may face in maintaining occupancy of an EHV units; Examples include the following:
    • case-management;
    • wrap-around services;
    • life skills training (e.g., balancing a budget, paying bills on time, opening a savings account, maintaining a living space, securing a credit card, and paying off debt, etc.);
    • financial stability training;
    • mental health care (e.g., travel costs to counseling, co-pay charges, etc.);
    • providing a stability counselor;
    • remedying a lease violation;
    • preventing an eviction (e.g., rectifying unsanitary living conditions, property damage);
    • Paying fees to obtain vital documents to establish program eligibility or documents required by a landlord (application fees and costs for birth certifications, reasonable transportation costs for social security cards or other eligibility documentation, etc.);
  • Essential household items – funds may be used for furniture, toiletries, and cleaning supplies; the PHA may also provide a pre-paid gift card to the family, if the PHA verifies that family purchased essential household items through appropriate supporting documentation.

The full notice notes certain restrictions (e.g., services and training must be voluntary) and can be read here.

HUD Allocates New Vouchers and Administrative Fees

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On August 2, HUD published a notice titled “Allocation of New Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers and Special Administrative Fees” (Notice PIH 2023-21 (HA)). The notice explains the process for awarding approximately four thousand new general purpose vouchers to PHAs and also explains how administrative fees related to these vouchers will be distributed. To be eligible for these vouchers, an entity must be a PHA that administers the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program through an existing Consolidated Annual Contributions Contract.

The Department will notify PHAs of their allocation. The notification will specify the number of vouchers allocated and provide instructions for declining the vouchers. Agencies may decline a voucher by replying to NewHCVs@hud.gov by the deadline indicated in the notice.

Continue reading →

HUD Publishes Notice on 2022 VAWA Changes

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On Jan. 6, HUD published a notice in the Federal Register detailing several changes that were made in the 2022 revision to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The changes were made in several sections. Many of the changes became effective on Oct. 1, 2022. The Department is seeking comment on the proposed changes by March 6, 2022.

Changes to VAWA Definitions

The revision amends the definition of “domestic violence” to include “any felony or misdemeanor crimes committed under the family or domestic violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant funding.” This definition includes “in the case of victim services, the use or attempted use of physical abuse or sexual abuse, or a pattern of any other coercive behavior committed, enabled, or solicited to gain or maintain power and control over a victim, including verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse that may or may not constitute criminal behavior” by certain individuals including current or former spouses, current or former co-inhabitants, people sharing a child, or people who commit acts against people protected from acts by family or domestic violence laws of a jurisdiction.

The definitional change occurred on Oct. 1, 2022. While the change is only for grants authorized under VAWA, HUD notes that the current definition of domestic violence covers all of the additional conduct specified in VAWA 2022, and HUD interprets the existing regulatory definitions of “domestic violence” and “stalking” to encompass all of the revised conduct.

Additional Covered Housing Programs

The revision expands the scope of covered programs to include the Section 202 Direct Loan Program, the Housing Trust Fund, and any other federal housing programs. For the Housing Trust Fund, the Department already considers it a covered program through its regulatory authority. The Department will issue new regulations to cover all the additional programs.

Continue reading →

Emergency Housing Vouchers: A How-To Guide for PHAs

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

HUD has published a guide for using Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs). The purpose of the guide is to provide an overview of EHVs, highlight program best practices, and reduce inequities. Topics covered by the guide include the following :

  • Background and Purpose [of EHVs];
  • Key Features of Emergency Housing Vouchers;
  • Partnerships and Collaborative Planning;
  • Emergency Housing Voucher Program Design;
  • Use of the Service Fee;
  • Coordinated Entry and Emergency Housing Voucher Referral Processes;
  • EHV Waiver and Alternative Requirements Checklist;
  • Sample Memorandum of Understanding;
  • Example of a Homeless Provider’s Certification;
  • Example of a Victim Service Provider’s Certification;
  • EHV Referral Packet Template: Sample Forms; and
  • EHV Portability Scenarios.

The full guide can be found here.

Voluntarily Returning EHV Awards

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On March 5th, HUD released a notice describing how PHAs could voluntarily relinquish their Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) back to HUD and the procedure by which HUD would reallocate those vouchers to other housing agencies. The notice is titled “Emergency Housing Vouchers – Reallocation of Awards” [Notice PIH 2022-06 (HA)].

Returning EHVs

The process to voluntarily return an EHV award may involve multiple steps. First, PHAs that wish to return their EHVs should inform HUD (email ehv@hud.gov). The PHA will then work with a financial analyst in the Financial Management Center (FMC) to identify all funds associated with EHVs which must also be returned to HUD. Emergency Housing Voucher Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), services fees, and administrative fees are restricted to EHV program activities. If the housing agency improperly used any EHV-associated funding, it must be repaid. Housing agencies will also be required to cooperate with the FMC and other HUD staff in determining which funds should be returned.

Reallocation of Voluntarily Returned EHV Awards

HUD’s reallocation formula is based off of the initial allocation formula in Notice PIH 2021-15. The reallocation formula also considers EHV utilization. The reallocation formula will look for high-capacity PHAs (i.e., those PHAs with a with a high homeless need or those PHAs with a high estimate of at-risk homelessness, while ensuring geographic diversity and adjusting for PHAs below the minimum threshold to receive a voucher) that have a history of high EHV utilization (95% or higher). Housing agencies that are selected by this method will be notified by HUD and given the opportunity to accept or decline the additional EHVs.

Fees Accompanying EHVs

Housing agencies that accept additional EHVs will be eligible for additional funds.

  • Issuance Reporting Fees – PHAs will receive $100 for each new EHV that is leased if the PHA reported the issuance within 14 days of issuance.
  • Ongoing Administrative Fee – PHAs will receive the full Column A administrative fee amount (per Notice PIH 2021-15, page 10).
  • Service Fee – PHAs will receive $3,500 for each additional EHV they accept. The scope of allowable activities is determined by Notice PIH 2021-15.

Later this year, HUD will issue another notice that describes the process for revoking and reallocating EHVs for PHAs that do not utilize a high percentage of them. Although this notice will be published later in 2022, at this time, NAHRO does not anticipate HUD will involuntarily reallocate EHVs until 2023.

The full notice can be found here.

HUD Awards Over $1 Million for FYI HCVs

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

HUD announced, in a press release published on Dec. 16, that it was awarding over $1 million to 26 PHAs in 20 states for its Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative. The initiative provides housing assistance and supportive services to young people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Housing agencies can be eligible to receive FYI funding if they administer a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, enter into a partnership with a Public Child Welfare Agency (PWCA), accept people referred by the PWCA, and determine that the referred people are eligible for HCV assistance. HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Housing and Voucher Programs Danielle Bastarache notes that “[e]very young person deserves the opportunity to live with housing stability.”

The agencies listed below were awarded assistance.

Continue reading →

HUD and HHS Launch Housing and Services Resource Center

~ Tushar Gurjal ~ Leave a comment

On Dec. 8, in a press release, HUD–in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)–announced the launch of a national Housing and Services Resource Center. According to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, “[t]his new joint HHS and HUD center will help communities break down the silos and coordinate the provision of services with housing to ensure that these new resources reach our most vulnerable homeless neighbors.” The press release notes that in every state, there are a number of entities that can help people access housing and supportive services. Many people experiencing homelessness and older individuals need access to community based services like “behavioral health services, personal care assistance, tenancy supports, accessible transportation, and home-delivered meals.”

The goal of the Housing and Services Resource Center is to help coordinate resources to PHAs as well as other entities. The website brings together “Medicaid-funded home and community-based services, behavioral health support, vouchers, and other housing programs.” It also provides examples of successful partnerships and will provide new technical assistance resources. People using the site can do the following:

  • “Learn about how to develop and expand partnerships,
  • Quickly find tools designed for community collaborations;
  • Increase knowledge to support people with disabilities, older adults, and people experiencing homelessness to get and/or keep affordable and accessible housing and voluntary services, and
  • Discover innovative models and strategies.”

The Housing and Services Resource Center can be accessed here.

House Passes $1.75 Trillion Build Back Better Plan

~ Georgi Banna ~ Leave a comment

House Takes Steps Toward Historic Housing Investments

The largest single housing investment in American history took a monumental step forward this morning, passing the House by a narrow 220-213 margin. The Build Back Better Act now moves to the Senate for further consideration. 

NAHRO led the fight to fully fund the Public Housing Capital Fund backlog at $70 billion, strongly championed the expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and ardently supports the increase in Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance contracts.  

NAHRO members – thank you for raising your voices in support of affordable housing! The more than 50,000 letters you sent to Congress and the White House this year, maintained the spotlight on housing as infrastructure and made sure the critical housing provisions remained in the Build Back Better bill. But the fight isn’t over yet! Be ready to speak out after Thanksgiving to preserve housing in the bill as it moves to the Senate.  

The vote was originally scheduled for Thursday night, but an extended floor speech by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) delayed the final vote. Build Back Better passed along party lines, with a single Democrat opposing.  

The path forward is not clear in the Senate, as several Democratic Senators have issues with several provisions. Negotiations are expected to heat up after Thanksgiving, aiming for a final vote in the Senate by Christmas. Though there is widespread support for the housing provisions in Build Back Better, it is possible that changes to the bill could put the housing investments at risk. If the bill is approved by the Senate, it is likely to go back to the House for another vote. 

NAHRO member advocacy will be needed to ensure these critical housing resources remain in the Build Back Better bill as it is debated in the Senate. NAHRO will be reaching out to you through future Direct News emails and also follow NAHRO on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin) for the latest information. 

The bill currently proposes the largest one-time investment in housing and community development programs ever, including: 

  • $65 billion for Public Housing investments 
  • $24 billion for Housing Choice Vouchers 
  • Expanded Low-Income Housing Tax Credits 
  • $15 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund 
  • $10 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program 
  • $3 billion for Community Development Block Grants 
  • $1 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance 
  • $450 million for Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities 
  • $450 million for Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly 

Want more information? Check out NAHRO’s detailed breakdown of the bill’s housing provisions.