Virginia’s Homeless Outcomes
Initiative Update
Presentation to
South Hampton Roads Regional Conference on Ending Homelessness
March 11, 2014
Virginia Homeless Outcomes Initiative
Homeless Outcomes Initiative


Goals & Strategies of the Homeless Outcomes
Initiative (HOI)
Progress of HOI
 Housing



Trust Fund
HOI related items in the Proposed 2014-2016
Budget
President Obama’s Proposed Budget 2015
Next steps for HOI
Governor McDonnell Issued
Executive Order No.10


Established Housing Policy Framework for the
Executive Branch
Purpose of the Housing Policy Framework:
Establish broad goals and policy direction related to housing
policy
 Coordinate a comprehensive and effective housing policy
with other public policy areas and initiatives across multiple
secretariats within the executive branch

Homeless System Transformation



Homeless reduction efforts are a significant part of the overall
state housing policy
Governor McDonnell established a goal of reducing
homelessness by 15% during his administration
Homeless Outcomes Advisory Committee established key
strategies to improve outcomes for homeless citizens





Increase number of permanent supportive housing units
Increase flexible funding and support for rapid rehousing
Improve statewide data collection and system coordination
Increase access to substance abuse and mental health treatment
Improve discharge policies and procedures for foster care, hospitals,
mental health facilities and correctional facilities
Secretariats
Health
&
Commerce Human
& Trade Resources
Public
Safety
Veterans
&
Homeland
Security
Homeless Coordinating Council




State Homeless Coordinating Council has focused on
each of the Outcomes Plan strategies
Improved coordination across state agencies,
regions and local service providers is having an
impact
A significant part of this effort has been on moving
to national best practices such as rapid rehousing
State effort has included both redirection of
existing resources and new funding
Working in Tandem to address
Homelessness
Virginia’s
Plan
Local
CoC
Plans
Federal Plan
Homeless System Transformation




Increased emphasis on rapid rehousing has shown
dramatic results
National studies show costs per exit for rapid
rehousing are significantly lower than for
emergency shelters and transitional housing
National Alliance to End Homelessness and the
Virginia Coalition to Homelessness - key partners in
helping agencies transition to rapid re-housing
Freddie Mac Foundation - $3 million over 3 years
The Right People on the Bus
Executive
Branch
State/Local
Govt
Agencies
Nonprofit
Service
Providers
Homelessness
Funding
Bodies
For-Profit
Businesses
DHCD Focus on Rapid Rehousing
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
Total state funding for
homeless shelters and RRH
State funding for RRH
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY 14
Results
Definitions of Homelessness
HUD
A person is considered homeless only when s/he
lives:

On the street,

In a place not meant for human habitation (e.g.
cars, campsites, and abandoned buildings),
in an emergency shelter,

In transitional or supportive housing (for people
coming from streets or shelter), or

In any of the above places prior to entering a
hospital/institution for short-term (30 days or
less).
A person is also considered homeless if he/she is
being

Evicted within a week from a private dwelling,
or

Discharged within a week from an institution
where they stayed long term, 31 days or more,
and a housing plan is not provided as part of
discharge planning.
McKinney-Vento Act




Homeless children are "individuals who lack a fixed,
regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act
provides examples of children who would fall under this
definition:
Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of
housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks,
or camp grounds due to lack of alternative
accommodations
Children and youth living in emergency or transitional
shelters

Children and youth abandoned in hospitals

Children and youth awaiting foster care placement



Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence
is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping
accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces,
abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train
stations
Migratory children and youth living in any of the above
situations
Overall Goal:
Reduce
Homelessness
By 15%
1
16% Reduction in Homelessness
16% Decrease in Total Homeless Individuals
9500
9080
9000
2.9%
8816
4.4%
8500
8000
8424
9.5%
7625
7500
7000
6500
2010
2011
2012
2013
17% Reduction in Family Homelessness
17% Decrease in Persons in Households
with Adults and Children
5000
4500
4000
3742
3585
4.2%
3500
3340
6.8%
3093
7.4%
3000
2500
2000
2010
2011
2012
2013
Positive Results for Other Populations
Homelessness by Subpopulation
2200
2047
2000
1854
1733
1800
1600
1571
1510
Chronic Substance Abuse
1531
1443
1400
1413
1262
1356
1200
30% decrease
Chronically Homeless Individuals
16% decrease
1291
1197
1000
881
800
Severely Mentally Ill
7% decrease
719
Veterans
18% decrease
600
2010
2011
2012
2013
THE HOUSING TRUST FUND
VHTF Background






Language in Item 108 G 1-5 of the 2012-14 biennial
budget and now in Code of Virginia
$8 million in GF appropriation for FY14
At least 80% to flexible loans for affordable rental
housing and homeownership
Up to 20% for grants to reduce homelessness
Loan repayments return to the Trust Fund
HTF Plan presented to the General Assembly
November 1, 2012
VHTF FY14 Roll Out

HTF Plan developed with broad based participation

Priority placed on matching grants and loans to housing policy goals




Homelessness reduction

Special needs housing

Addressing the effects of foreclosure

Preservation of affordable housing
DHCD and VHDA working collaboratively on program
implementation
Demand for grants and loans, as expected, far exceeded available
resources
All funds have been allocated and projects are proceeding
Allocation of Initial $8 Million



Grants
 Foreclosure Counseling
 Homeless Reduction Grants
Loans
 Foreclosure Rehabilitation Loans
 Affordable Housing Loan Pool
Administration
Total
$500,000
$930,000
$1,000,000
$5,400,000
$170,000
$8,000,000
Housing Trust Fund - Looking Ahead



Introduced budget includes $4.0 million each year of
biennium
DHCD would seek additional input from partners and
potential applicants on priorities for use of the fund
Continue focus on linking activities to broader state policy
objectives including special needs housing, reduction in
homelessness and addressing other community affordable
housing priorities
2014-2016 Proposed Budget
Overview
 Support
for Housing Trust Fund - $4.0 in GF each
year of Biennium
 Rapid
Rehousing - $500K in GF each year of
Biennium
 Homeless
Data Collection and Coordination $585K in FY15 and $92K in FY16, all GF
Homeless Related Budget Initiatives




New budget initiatives focus on expanding rapid
rehousing and improving homeless data collection
Additional funding will help address increased
demand for rapid rehousing
Data collection proposal responds to the need for
better data to further target homeless assistance at
the state and local level
Moving to common data elements in homeless
information systems will help identify needs and
outcomes by subpopulations
Introduced Budget Highlights


Virginia Housing Trust Fund (Homeless Outcomes Goal 1)
 Establishes $4 million in general fund appropriation in each year of the
biennium for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund.
 The funding supports efforts to reduce homelessness by providing lowinterest loans and grants through eligible organizations.
Rapid Re-Housing Program (Homeless Outcomes Goal 2)
 Provides an additional $500,000 in each year of the biennium for the
rapid re-housing program, which brings the total for the program to $1
million in each year.
 The program assists households experiencing homelessness to quickly
obtain permanent housing.
Introduced Budget Highlights


Enhanced Data Collection on Homelessness (Homeless Outcomes Goal
3)
 Adds $585,413 the first year and $91,782 the second year in general
fund appropriations.
 The new database system will help to evaluate the successfulness of the
programs being administered throughout the Commonwealth and to
establish new avenues for aid to this population.
Substance Abuse Programs (Homeless Outcomes Goal 4)
 Peer Support Recovery – $550,000 in FY 2015 and $1,000,000 in FY
2016 to provide support to people with behavioral health needs by
people who are themselves in recovery from such problems and are
trained as peer providers.
 Substance Abuse Community Recovery Program – $300,000 each year
for the community recovery program which combats substance use
disorders through employment and long-term recovery.
Introduced Budget Highlights


Re-Entry Initiatives (Homeless Outcomes Goal 5)
 Provides funding for emergency housing for offenders upon release. Provide temporary
lodging for hard to place offenders to minimize public safety risks and to assist with reentry. Adds $533,517 the first year and second year of the biennial budget.
 Provides funding for the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment grant match. The
Department of Corrections was awarded a federal grant to provide substance abuse
treatment services to improve its re-entry services. The grant program serves over 300
inmates and is established in 11 correctional facilities. For FY14 the state match is
$342,147; and the state match for the first year is $537,660 and $586,538 for the
second year of the new biennial budget.
Provide foster care and adoption payments for young adults up to age 21 (Homeless
Outcomes Goal 5)
 The Governor’s introduced budget makes $10.3 million total funds ($1.9 million general
fund) available to expand foster care and adoption subsidies to age 21 per federal
Fostering Connections provision beginning in FY 2016.
What’s Next



Governor McAuliffe plans to continue the focus and to take
addressing homelessness to the next level
Secretary Bill Hazel and newly appointed Secretary Maurice Jones
will lead the effort
Issues carried over & new focus








Rapid Re-Housing
Permanent Support Housing
Coordinated Data Collection
Substance Abuse
Veteran Homelessness
Youth Homelessness
Workforce Development
Prisoner Re-Entry
What’s Next

Discharge Policies
 Youth
in Transition
 Aging
out of Foster Care
 Formerly incarcerated Youth
 Prisoner
Re-Entry
 Substance
Abuse
What’s Next…
Virginia’s
Plan
Local
CoC
Plans
Federal Plan
President Obama’s Proposed
FY 2015 Budget

Continued commitment to end homelessness among
Veterans and their families
 $1.64
billion for VA programs that prevent or end
homelessness

Strategic investments to implement the HEARTH Act
 $2.4
billion for HUD’s Homeless Assistance grants
 Supports
proven solutions like: rapid re-housing, PSH and
Housing First
 New Supportive Housing

330,000 HUD-funded Beds
Questions?
Contact
Pam Kestner, MSW
Homeless Outcomes Coordinator
Pamela.kestner@governor.virginia.gov
804.225.3048