CalWORKS Housing Support Program

2014/2015

*Tuolumne County

*Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County’s population estimate for 2013 was 53,874

Total area is 2, 274 square miles and the majority of land is rural

Sonora is the County Seat, has the most urbanized areas, and is the only incorporated city in the county

The city of Sonora is comprised of an estimated 4, 808 residents

*Homeless in Tuolumne County

Sheltered23%

Unsheltered46%

‘Couch Surfing’ or Other Non-HUD

Definition31%

2013 Point-in-Time Homeless Survey

Of the Sheltered Homeless:

38% were Ages 25-59 11% were Ages 18-24 28% were Ages 6-17 23% were Age 5 or under

Of the Unsheltered population:

13% were Ages 60 or older 76% were Ages 25-59 9% were Ages 18-24 1% were Ages 17 or under

Of those surveyed who reported to be ‘couch surfing’ or experiencing other unstable housing circumstances not included in the HUD definition of homelessness:

17% were Ages 60 or older 53% were Ages 25-59 8% were Ages 18-24 13% were Ages 6-17 9% were Ages 5 or under

*CalWORKS in Tuolumne County

CalWORKS caseload consists of approximately 630 cases

As of February 2015, approximately 56 reported being homeless. However, many fail to report their situation as homeless, but do report experiencing unstable housing or ‘couch surfing’ as barriers to employment

Nearly 42% of the CalWORKS population resides in the rural regions of Tuolumne County

Of the 630 CalWORKS Assistant Units, approximately 76 receive earned income in addition to CalWORKS assistance

The average monthly income earned is roughly $794.00

The WTW caseload consists of approximately 220 cases

*HSP Proposed Target Population

Active Welfare to Work Participants in Unstable Housing

Employed full-time or part-time

Intensive job search activities

Single parent families

Victims of Domestic Violence

Active Welfare to Work Participants who report being literally homeless

*HSP Target Population

Active Welfare to Work Participants who are literally homeless

Full-time or part-time employment

Intensive job search activities

Victims of Domestic Violence residing in a shelter or hotel/motel

CalWORKS recipients who are literally homeless and have begun the process to re-engage in the Welfare to Work process

*Housing Support Program Goals

Assist 25 CalWORKS and WTW families locate affordable housing

Provide families with financial assistance to sustain housing

Through our partnership with Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency (A-TCAA), provide housing case management support, landlord engagement, and WTW case management support

Support these families in gaining Self-Sufficiency

Direct Services Budget

Direct Services Budget

Financial Assistance Rate Families Amount

Short-Term Rent (3 months @ $750.00) $2,250 15 $33,750

  Medium-Term Rent

(6 months @ $750.00) $4,500 10 $45,000

 Extended Rent

(12 months @ $750.00) $9,000 4 $36,000

 Security Deposits $704 12 $8,450

 Utility Deposits & Payments $135 25 $3,375

 Motel Vouchers $75 10 $750

 Direct Services Cost Total: $127, 325

Administrative Budget

Administrative Budget Administrative Cost Amount

ATCAA.5 FTE 18.5 hrs/week to start 18.5 X $22.32 = $412.92 per week for 8 weeks $3304

 ATCAA .15 FTE @ 9.75 hrs/week 9.75 X $22.32 = $217.62 per week for 43 weeks $9358

 

DSS Admin $2,371

Total Administrative Cost: $15,033

*HSP Allocation & Budget

Tuolumne County was awarded $142, 358.00

*Partnership

Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency (A-TCAA)Our community expert agency in meeting the needs of our homeless

population since 2007 Has operated a Rapid Re-Housing Program since 2009 using an Emergency Solutions

Grant through HUD, and using the HUD definition of “literally homeless” to determine eligibility

Operates homeless shelters in Tuolumne and Amador counties

Are Community experts of HUD requirements, Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), Continuum of Care (CoC) requirements

Utilizes an evidence-based Housing Stabilization Assessment Tool to determine eligibility for assistance

Provides homeless and housing case management services

Recruits landlords and foster landlord relationships

Utilizes a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to collect data

Is integral to the Tuolumne County Homeless Taskforce

*Partnership “coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working

together is success” - Henry Ford

CalWORKS Housing Support Program

WTW Social Worker(SW)

CalWORKS/WTW Integrated Caseworker(ICW)- WTW/CalWORKS

Family reports they are homeless or

requests HSP support

A-TCAA

• Makes an assessment of the family’s housing needs to determine whether they qualify for a referral for HSP.

• The family is determined to be literally homeless, residing in a place not meant for or ordinarily used for regular sleeping, or residing in shelter completes a referral to HSP.

• A collaborative conference call is held weekly to discuss new referrals and program eligibility between A-TCAA and WTW SW

Denied

Approved

• Client referred for other housing resources through A-TCAA, or other community agencies (i.e. Section 8)

• Assessed for eligibility in other WTW programs, such as Family Stabilization.

• Continues to receive WTW employment and training case management

• Completes “Housing Stabilization Assessment Tool”

• Assists with affordable housing search and placement and works with landlords

• Determines financial assistance for housing needs

• Housing habitability inspections

• Assists with credit rehabilitation

• Track data in HMIS

• Joint intensive case management

• Joint home visits • Assistance with budgeting• Weekly client contact• Referrals to other Community

Agencies

• WTW appraisal/assessment• Development of a WTW Plan• Assessed for Family Stabilization

Program• Assessed for SEP/WEX/MLJT/ESE• WTW Supportive Services (i.e.

transportation, child care, etc.)

Transfers case to WTW SW

*Rapid Re-Housing Model Tuolumne County was able to hit the ground running once the funding

was awarded and the Board of Supervisors approved the contract.

A-TCAA utilizes the Rapid Re-Housing Model and the procedures already developed.

HSP consumers are screened through the use of the Housing Stabilization Assessment Tool, which includes their current housing status, recent housing history and eligibility for housing, and service needs.

The following is taken into consideration during an assessment of a family’s housing status:

Household composition

Monthly budget, bills, and what can the household afford

What besides financial assistance is needed in order to support stabilizing the family in housing

How much financial assistance will assist the family with stabilization and the duration of financial assistance

Housing support specialist makes a recommendation to the family and the HSP WTW case managing social worker.

HUD.GOV/Recovery

*Financial Assistance

A-TCAA determines the level of financial assistance to meet a family's housing needs

Short, medium, or long-term rental assistance

Extended assistance

Full or partial rental subsidy

Re-housing costs, including first and last month’s rent and deposits, turning on utilities, and utility arrearages

Hotel/motel vouchers

*Support and Services

Once a family has been approved for the HSP program they may receive the following support and services depending upon their needs appraisal and WTW plan:

Intensive case management through the Family Stabilization (FS) Program

Referral to Mother Lode Job Training for job search activities, Work Experience (WEX) program, On-The-Job Training (OJT) program, or Subsidized Employment Program (SEP) through CalWORKS contract placed in a private sector employment opportunity

Expanded Subsidized Employment (ESE) and placed in a public sector employment opportunity position

Vocational Training

GED preparation courses, community service activities, parenting, life skills education

Families may also receive other services through other community partnering agencies to assist with addressing other barriers to employment, such as: substance abuse treatment, mental health, domestic violence, learning difficulties, etc.

Supportive Services, such as: child care costs, transportation costs, job/school related costs (i.e. interview clothes, CNA supplies, etc.), DMV registration and drivers licenses

*Support and Services Cont.

Together with A-TCAA they will receive:

Joint Home Visits

Joint Case Management Services

Monthly Budgeting Assistance

Weekly contact T E A MTogether Everyone Achieves More

*Program Challenges

Lack of affordable housing, low-income housing, and long waiting lists

Average rental amount in Tuolumne County is between $750.00 and $850.00

Average earned monthly income for Tuolumne County CalWORKS recipients is approximately $794.00

Rural county and transportation barriers, lack of child care providers, and jobs

Families experiencing unstable housing vs. literal homelessness

The unknown availability of future funding

Discontinuance from CalWORKS due to full-time employment

*HSP Today

Nine families have been referred

Two families are in pending status, as they are in the process of searching for affordable housing, and receiving HSP support.

One referral was denied based on not meeting the homeless criteria, and one family discontinued from the program for reasons unknown, but was employed at the time.

Four families have identified housing and continue to receive HSP services, including partial subsidies for monthly rent.

After the 3 month re-evaluation and intensive case management, one family has been terminated from the HSP program due to lack of compliance and cooperation. They continue to be housed, and one parent is continuing their participation in the WTW program.

One family has transitioned out of HSP due to no longer requiring HSP assistance.

There are four adults of four different Assistant Units employed and three are meeting WPR.

Approximately $16,000 has been expended of the HSP funding awarded to Tuolumne County.

Housing Support Program Highlights

*Data Tracking

A-TCAA tracks data in the Bell Data System, an approved HUD HMIS computer tracking data system

WTW Staff tracks in the C-IV system as part of a families WTW plan and appraisal

A-TCAA staff and WTW staff jointly track referrals and information required of the HSP monthly data CDSS data report on an Excel spreadsheet

A-TCAA provides an excel spreadsheet as an attachment to their monthly invoicing

*What’s Next

Continue to refer families in need, but at some point need to determine a date to no longer accept referrals

Continue intensive case management to assist these families achieve self-sufficiency, including permanent housing

The status of each family receiving HSP assistance will need to be re-evaluated at some point prior to the end of the fiscal year

Complete a request for funding for fiscal year 15/16 should funding become availableMoving

Forward

*Questions