The Ties that Bind: Developing & Maintaining

Lasting Partnerships

Eboni E. Bryant Statewide Housing Director

PA Department of Public Welfare

2010 PATH Grantee Meeting December 8-9, 2010

Housing Barriers

Top Housing Barriers

Housing Barriers: Lack of affordable housingLack of accessible housingLack of integrated, community-based housing Competition with individuals affected by the foreclosure crisis Reduced value of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)Lack of general community supports to help a person maintain housingInsufficient housing for homeless individuals

Top Housing Barriers

Housing Barriers: Various barriers to working with public housing authorities statewideLimited knowledge of how to access and leverage county housing trust fund dollarsLimited coordination of funding resources for housing/homelessness

Lack of communication among systems – local, state, and federalFor individuals in institutions, limited staff knowledge of how to connect consumers with local housing resources

Collaborative Efforts to Increase Housing

Opportunities in Pennsylvania

Project Based Operating Assistance

• Purpose: The Project Based Operating Assistance (PBOA) Program provides project-based operating subsidies to targeted rental units in the community. The target populations for the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units are OMHSAS and County priority consumers – typically individuals leaving or not needing to be in institutional or group settings.

• Partners:DPW Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse ServicesCounty MH/MR Offices & MH Housing SpecialistsPA Housing Finance Agency

NHT Tenant Based Rental Assistance

• Purpose:The Nursing Home Transition Tenant Based Rental Assistance (NHT TBRA) program was developed as a 24-month bridge to a permanent subsidy with other housing partners, including public housing authorities. This program is now state-wide.

• Partners:DPW Office of Long Term LivingNHT PartnersPA Housing Finance Agency

Regional Housing Coordinator Program

• Purpose:Implemented in 2002, the RHC Program was designed to provide technical assistance, outreach, education, training and coordination between service providers and housing providers. Each RHC serves as a single point of contact for technical assistance and information related to housing and services for waiver eligible consumers in that region.

• Partners:DPW - Office of Long Term LivingPA Housing Finance Agency Self-Determination Housing Project

Technical Assistance to PHAs

• Purpose: The provision of technical assistance to public housing authorities has helped encourage PHAs to apply for various types of Housing Choice Vouchers, including HCVs for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities and Family Unification Program Vouchers. These vouchers assist more vulnerable individuals and families gain access to housing in the community.

• Partners:PA Department of Public WelfarePublic Housing AuthoritiesDiana T. Myers & Associates (consultant)Technical Assistance Collaborative (consultant)Regional Housing Coordinators

Home Modification & Assistive Technology

• Purpose:This initiative is one of several programs that OLTL and PHFA jointly administer to reduce service gaps between providers of affordable housing and housing information and social services entities. Funded since 2008-09, its focus has been on improving the service delivery infrastructure for Home Modifications as well as serving as a funder of last resort.

• Partners:PA Housing Finance AgencyDPW - Office of Long Term Living

Local Lead Agency Program

• Purpose:Local Lead Agencies (LLAs) help bridge the gap between housing providers and the service systems in a community. LLAs help address concerns that exist with housing low- and extremely low-income tenants, and support developers and property managers who endeavor to provide housing opportunities.

• Partners:PA Department of Public WelfarePA Housing Finance AgencyRegional Housing CoordinatorsDiana T. Myers & Associates (consultant)Technical Assistance Collaborative (consultant)

State Supportive Housing Award

• Purpose:The annual Housing Award recognizes successful initiatives and honors the leadership and dedication of individuals and organizations who increase housing opportunities in Pennsylvania.

• Partners:PA Department of Public WelfareDPW - Office of Long Term LivingPA Department of AgingPA Housing Finance AgencyIndividuals and Organizations Statewide

Affordable Housing Training Program

• Purpose:To identify and address statewide housing training needs with the goal of expanding affordable accessible housing opportunities for low and moderate income families and individuals with disabilities. The focus is affordable, accessible rental housing, with limited information on homeownership.

• Partners:PA Department of Public WelfarePA Housing Finance AgencyPA Department of Community & Economic DevelopmentPA Department of AgingOver 20 statewide housing & service agencies (Advisory Committee)Individuals & Organizations Statewide

PA Affordable Housing Locator Service

• Purpose:To ensure individuals and service providers have online access to information on affordable and accessible rental housing, homeownership, and disaster housing opportunities statewide, as well as call center support, if needed.

• Partners:PA Housing Finance Agency PA Department of Public WelfarePA Department of Aging PA Emergency Management AgencyPA Department of Community & Economic DevelopmentHousing providers statewide

OCYF Housing Initiative

• Purpose:Implemented in 44 counties, the Housing Initiative funds are designed to meet the housing needs for dependent and delinquent children and youth to (1) Prevent children from entering out of home placement; (2) Facilitate the reunification of children with their families; and (3) Facilitate transition of youth aging out of placement.

• Partners: DPW - Office of Children Youth and FamiliesCounty Children & Youth OfficesPublic Housing AuthoritiesOther local housing providers

Total Senior Care Initiative

• Purpose:The “Total Senior Care” Initiative was conceived to help rectify the imbalance in the oversupply of nursing facility beds and the undersupply of alternative housing and service opportunities. The initiative accomplishes this by (1) providing incentives for providers to reduce their bed complement, and (2) providing capital investment in the form of lower cost loans to HCBS start-ups and reconfigured nursing homes.

• Partners:DPW Office of Long-Term LivingPA Housing Finance Agency

Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program

• Purpose: Recently, a new state requirement of the LIHTC program was established: 10% of LIHTC units are to be set-aside for persons at or below 20% of the area median income, with half of those units being accessible. This assures that those with low incomes and who need accessibility features have access to affordable and accessible housing.

• Partners:PA Department of Public Welfare PA Housing Finance AgencyHousing developers Local Lead AgenciesLocal supportive services agencies

HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance

• Purpose:HOME funds are used to augment and expand the target population for the rental assistance program. These funds were committed to provide an immediate subsidy for people with disabilities on the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list. Just like the NHT TBRA program, HOME TBRA serves as a temporary subsidy for the applicant until they receive the Housing Choice Voucher.

• Partners:PA Department of Community & Economic DevelopmentPA Housing Finance AgencyLocal supportive services agencies

• Purpose:Enacted by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, and extended by the Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans Act of 2010, the MFP Rebalancing Demonstration is part of a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to assist states in making widespread changes to their long-term care systems. Transitioning consumers from institutions to community living is the primary goal of the program.

• Partners:PA Department of Public WelfareNHT Coordinators Regional Housing CoordinatorsProvider organizations statewideHousing organizations statewide

Money Follows the Person Demonstration

Continuum of Care

• Purpose: The Continuum of Care planning process is multi-faceted. It includes assisting in the application for funding for regional/local homeless programs (including the Supportive Housing, Shelter Plus Care, and Single Room Occupancy Programs), establishing the state’s strategic plan to end homelessness, and advising the PA Housing Advisory Committee on issues regarding homelessness. Recent efforts have resulted in strategies to prevent institutionalization.

• Partners:PA Department of Public Welfare PA Department of Community & Economic DevelopmentPA Housing Finance AgencyDepartment of EducationDepartment of HealthDepartment of Military & Veterans AffairsVeterans AdministrationRegional Homeless Advisory Boards

Barriers to Collaboration

Barriers to Collaboration

• Top BarriersThe housing barriersSevere budget cuts at state levelIncreased homeless populationIncreased need for housingLimited staff time & resourcesLack of information flowStaff turnover

Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration

Overcoming Barriers

• Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Acknowledgement of the Problem & BarriersBenchmark-SettingCommitment of StakeholdersDedicated StaffEngagement of StakeholdersFlow of Information

Questions??

Contact Information

Eboni E. BryantStatewide Housing Director ▪ PA Department of Public Welfare330C Health & Welfare Building ▪ Harrisburg, PA 17120Phone: (717) 265-8446 ▪ Fax: (717) 772-2062Email: ebbryant@state.pa.us