Presented by Sharon Lee

Executive Director, Low Income Housing Institute

Seattle, Washington

The War After The WarBattling Homelessness in the USA

LIHI has been providing homes and services for Seattle and King County’s neediest citizens since 1991.

Low Income Housing Institute:

Owns and/or manages more than 1,700 units primarily in Seattle/King County.

80% of LIHI units are for households at 30% of Area Median Income or below –$17,000 for a one person household, $25,290 for 4 people.

LIHI provides housing development expertise to other nonprofits. Our staff has completed over 2,000 affordable units serving as development consultants.

Homeless

Emergency and

Rapid Transition to

Housing (HEARTH)

Act On May 20, 2009, President Obama signed the Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. The HEARTH Act amends and reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act with substantial changes, including:

A consolidation of HUD’s competitive grant programs;

The creation of a Rural Housing Stability Program;

A change in HUD’s definition of homelessness and chronic homelessness;

A simplified match requirement;

An increase in prevention resources; and,

An increase in the emphasis on performance.

HEARTH Definition of Homelessness

Homeless Veterans are estimated to be 160,000 nationally.

Veterans represent 12% of population, yet account for 25% of homeless population.

We are seeing more homeless women veterans and families. 85% increase in families from prior year (CHALENG sites).

Estimated homeless veterans in Florida: 2,500 in Orlando, 1,626 in Tampa, 1,116 in Miami, 1,600 North Florida.

―No Wrong Door‖ philosophy for Veterans in need of help, to prevent homelessness. VA will spend $3.2 billion on housing, medical services, and other services.

National Call Center for Veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness 1-877-4AID VET

phone line staffed 24/7 with trained counselors

For info on Veteran Affairs Homeless Program go to: www.va.gov/homeless

Check out H.R. 4810 End Veterans Homelessness Act of 2010 – provides $612 million

Five Year Plan to End Homelessness among Veterans includes more than $500 million on homeless programs in 2010, $799 million in 2011.

HUD-VASH provided 20,000 ―Housing Choice‖ Section 8 vouchers throughout the country.

$75 million appropriated for VASH in 2011. Florida will receive about the same funding level.

Non-profit sponsors should look at ―Project-base‖ Section 8 VASH vouchers for development of new housing serving homeless veterans.

Grant & Per Diem

ProgramVA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is offered annually (as funding permits) by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Programs to fund community agencies providing services to homeless Veterans. The purpose is to promote the development and provision of supportive housing and/or supportive services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or income, and obtain greater self-determination.

Only programs with supportive housing (up to 24 months) or service centers (offering services such as case management, education, crisis intervention, counseling, services targeted towards specialized populations including homeless women Veterans, etc.) are eligible for these funds. The program has two levels of funding: the Grant Component and the Per Diem Component.

Grant & Per Diem Program (GPD) provides:

65% of capital construction and renovation, sponsor to provide 35% match

24 months of transitional housing for eligible veterans

Per Diem reimbursement rate of $35.84 per day for housing and services

Veterans pay 30% of income for housing

Difficulties with GPD program:

Grant funds for capital are not compatible with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits

Does not address Housing First approach as stay is limited to 24 months

Housing must be clean and sober – no alcohol use allowed in entire building

Only addresses supportive needs of the veteran, not the entire family

VASH—

Veterans Affairs

Supportive

Housing

The HUD–VASH program combines HUD HCV rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Veterans Affairs at its medical centers and in the community.

Secretary Shinseki Details Plan to

End Homelessness for Veterans November 3, 2009

Five-Year Plan Unveiled at Homeless Summit

WASHINGTON – Today, at the ―VA National Summit Ending Homelessness among Veterans,‖ Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the department’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector.

―President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,‖ said Shinseki. ―Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.‖

Santos Place

Reuse of the Sand Point Naval Base in Seattle for 43 transitional housing units for homeless individuals.

•McKinney funded Section 8 Mod Rehab Program

•12 units for homeless vets under the Grant & Per Diem Program

Cate Apartments

31 units include studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms.

12 units set aside for homeless veterans (families & singles) through the Grant & Per Diem Program.

Cate Apartments, Seattle

15 units are set aside for currently homeless families with children under the Bill & Melinda Gates Sound Families Program.

Fleetwood Apartments

Olympia, WA (state capitol)

LIHI obtained this building as a result of the community protesting homelessness in Olympia. A group of activists occupied Sylvester Park across the street from this building. Eventually, the city facilitated LIHI’s purchase of this building to provide homeless housing.

Fleetwood—typical interior

43 units for homeless men and women.

Adaptive re-use of former telephone company switching station.

Spacious loft units in historic building.

Funded by McKinney SRO Mod Rehab Program.

11 units through the Grant & Per Diem Program.

Operated as Mutual Housing.

McDermott Place 75 service-

enriched units for homeless people with 38 units for veterans

Funding from United Way provides services to chronically homeless households

Opened in November 2009

12730 33rd Ave NE, Seattle

Ground floor features North Helpline Food Bank.

2nd floor houses RotaCare free health clinic.

Veterans at McDermott

First project in the nation to project-based VASH vouchers.

LIHI & Seattle Housing Authority sought a waiver from HUD for 10 VASH units.

Supportive Services

LIHI partners with Sound Mental Health (SMH) on case management, mental health, chemical dependency, and employment.

4 case managers, 7 days/week.

24 hour front desk security

Community space, kitchen, laundry, & computer lab

Hunger Intervention Program (HIP)

VA & King County Vet Program

North Helpline Food Bank

RotaCare Clinic—medical & dental care

Apartments

75 units (320-360 s.f.)

1 resident manager unit

All units are furnished

No smoking policy enforced

First project to coordinate lease-up with United Way Client Care Coordination Council to address chronic homelessness

Architects: Schemata Workshop &

Runberg Architecture Group

Contractor: Walsh Construction

Groundbreaking

Opening Celebration

Congressman Jim McDermott

It takes many partners to create a project like this!