National Alliance ConferenceJuly 11, 2007

“The Housing Authority and Atlanta’s Regional Commission on Homelessness”

July 2007

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• A Call to Action

– In November 2002, Mayor Franklin asked United Way to lead a broad based community effort to develop an action plan addressing homelessness

• Building the Plan

– United Way convened a 16-member Commission on Homelessness in December 2002

– The Commission carried out a comprehensive process during an approximate 90-day window

– Mayor Franklin and the Commission on Homelessness unveiled the Blueprint to End Homelessness in March 2003

• Implementing the Plan

– Commission expanded to Regional Commission in 2003

– Seven County governments and Atlanta appointed members

A Collaborative Solution A Brief History

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• A “Champion” – Horace Sibley, Chair

• Political Will – Mayor Shirley Franklin

• Strong intergovernmental cooperation

Implementing the Plan What Makes It Work Well?

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• End goal: Build a system– Five-Year Plan adopted by the Regional Commission in 2004*

– Plan implementation includes coordination of Supportive Housing components:

Capital

Subsidy

Services

• Five-Year Objective: Create access to 1750 permanent or transitional units– Met the first year goal of 300 units

– Met the second year goal of 300 units

– Met the current year goal of 300 units

Permanent Supportive Housing

*Access at: www.unitedwayatlanta.org/homeless/resources.asp

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Atlanta Housing AuthorityGOALS

HOPE VI Projects Set the Direction

Replace Public Housing with Mixed Income Communities

Change the Culture of Poverty

Rebuild Aging Structures

A Safe Place for Families

Focus on the Working Poor, Not the homeless.

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AHA Resident Standards

Pay the Rent

Get a Job of Job Training –”moving to work”

No Felons

Minimum rent of $125/month

Clean and Sober

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A Thee Person Meeting Yields A Commitment

Ms. Shirley Franklin, Mayor, City of Atlanta

Ms. Renee Glover, Housing Authority Executive

Horace Sibley, Chair Regional Commission of Homelessness

500 Project Based Subsidies over 5 years

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Targeted Population

The Long Term Homeless

A Diagnosed Condition

Moving from Street, Shelter, Assessment Center and Transitional Programs

Below 30% of Area Median Income

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The Process—A Slow Start

AHA – A “Moving to Work” Authority. More local control. Able to do their own demonstration projects

All Authorities can do a Homeless Set Aside if included in the annual plan.

1. United Way -- Request for Qualifications

Seven applicants and Five Selected by a committee.

2. AHA– Request for Proposal

Six properties and four selected.

3. HUD Environmental – 9 months for the first 100

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First 100

All Existing Housing

One Recent Tax Credit Renovation

Three C Grade Properties

Disappointment in the “high end” Tax Credit Developers

“We have had bad experience with those kinds of programs” A Tax Credit syndication fund.

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Implementation Struggles

Service Provider Staffing and Collaboration

Minimum rent – One Year Waiver

Utility Deposits and Past Due Amounts

Furniture

Documentation of Disabilities

Housing and Service Provider Learning Curve

Relations with the Management Office

Criminal Background Issues

Balancing Need vs Safety Risk

Service Providers have a simple appeal.

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First Four Programs—Target PopulationAssigned by Property

Persons with Severe and Persistent Mental illness Serve by an Assertive Community Treatment Team

Persons with Developmental Disabilities

Families with a person with Mental illness.

Women and Women with Children in Recovery

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Second Round Vouchers-- 98

Homeless Youth and Youth Aging Out—New Tax Credit

Employment Housing—Existing Housing

Chronically Homeless—Amendment to an existing HAP Contract

Families with Mental Illness—Tax Credit (4%)

Two Large Tax Credit Developers—5 units each. Housing Authority placed them in their regular tax credit process.

Units committed but only 16 are in operation.

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Third Round--200

New RFQ issued—More providers want into the program

The Largest Tax Credit Developer will Apply

Several Service Providers with Recently Acquired Housing

August Applications.

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• Tax credits– 12 extra points if 50% or more are supportive units

– Partnerships between housing and service providers

– Three projects awarded in 2005

– Will provide 194 units in 2007

Capital

• $22 million in Opportunity Bonds– Supportive Housing Trust Fund (3-year)

– Excess car rental tax backs the bond

– Debt-free units

– Committed to 11 projects, $9,016,000, with 312 units

• State Supportive Housing Fund-$3 million/year

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• $7.5 million Supportive Housing Fund– Raised from private sources

– Two-year grants awarded to service providers

Services

• New State Fund– $500,000 commitment from DHR for one year of case work

• Shift in State Funding in the Future– Planning new fee for service for clients connected to housing in

2009

• HUD Continuum Grants– Projects in five Member Jurisdictions of the Regional

Commission. Expanding shelter plus care.

– Regional Commission funds filled gaps

www.unitedwayatlanta.org/homelesswww.supporthousing.orgBolsterp@bellsouth.net

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Other Information

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The Results - Cost Benefit Analysis

The Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Program is

operated by Georgia Rehabilitation Outreach, Inc..

• 60 dual diagnosed clients who frequent jails and hospitals

• Multi-Specialty Staff to client ratio is 1:8

• One year of operation

• $1.1 million in savings

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The Results - Cost Benefit Analysis

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Advocacy for Service DollarsThe missing link

State Budget Request 2008--$3 million

75 Mental health Case Workers

Connected to Affordable Housing

State Wide Grant Program

Prioritize the Frequently Hospitalized Homeless

A DCA Housing Trust Fund program

No lapse at the end of the year

Faith based grants

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• Housing search system established– Electronic marketplace for affordable housing

– Identifies landlords with a “heart for the work”

– A much-needed tool for case workers

• Online Database – State wide access through: GeorgiaHousingSearch.org

– Expanded to 45,000 units state wide.

– Will have private data base for supportive housing vacancies.

Housing Search