Effective

Re-Housing Strategies

National Alliance to End Homelessness

National Conference on Ending Homelessness

July 13, 2010, Washington DC

Presented by

Beyond Shelter1200 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 600

Los Angeles, CA 90017

� Crisis Intervention and Short-Term Stabilization

� Intake, Assessment & Planning

� Assistance Moving into Permanent Housing

� Home-Based Case Management(time limited & transitional or long term)

BASIC COMPONENTS of theRapid Rehousing/Housing First Approach

This approach to ending homelessness helps homeless families & individuals (including those with special needs) to move into permanent housing as quickly as possible – and then offers home-based services (time-limited & transitional or sometimes longer-term) to help them stabilize & prevent recidivism. Permanent housing may be of many different types, including housing in the private rental market made affordable through a rent subsidy.

MAKING RENTAL HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE

ACCESSING SECTION 8

Due to the high cost of rental housing in most rental markets, it is essential to develop working collaborations with local housing authorities. This often requires new dialogue and innovative planning with housing authority administration. Do not assume that it cannot be done.

Sometimes there are special “set asides” or preferences that can be developed (particularly for families and/or people with special needs).

When there are no Section 8 vouchers available, alternative sources of funding for rent subsidies can often be developed.

Some states and local jurisdictions are using

TANF-funded or HOME-funded subsidies.

These funds may serve as “bridge” or stand-

alone subsidies.

Other communities are using state and/or

local trust fund dollars to provide rental

assistance.

Many communities are experimenting with short-term and/or shallow rent subsidies, using public, private, and/or faith-based dollars, often combined with workforce development strategies.

Subsidized Housing Resources

There are a number of additional ways that housing subsidies can supplement the cost of housing, including:

� Project-based subsidies to supplement tenant rent

� Master leasing

� Developer set-asides of new units for program participants

� Project based set-asides of existing units

Assistance

Accessing

& Moving Into

Permanent Housing

NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES & Landlord Incentive/Protection Efforts

� Persuading landlords to rent to homeless families & individuals through landlord outreach.

� This effort often includes offering incentives to landlords or setting policies to overcome concerns that might prevent a landlord from providing a rental unit to a homeless person or family unit.

Outreach to the Real Estate Industry

� Strong, targeted communication is essential in obtaining participation from landlords.

� Some communities have been able to develop partnerships with landlord associations.

� Other communities have developed relationships with property owners who will provide advice to program administrators.

� Provision of educational services for real estate brokers about particular programs and services of negotiating agency.

� Incentives or finders fees for leasable apartments.

� Landlord recruitment campaigns.

� Tools for improved landlord communication.

� Support for the development of relationships with landlord associations.

� Involvement of landlords as advisors to design and evaluate programs.

� Hotline for landlords for crisis resources.

MARKETING TO LANDLORDS

� Know What You Are “Selling”

� Develop Marketing Materials

� Emphasize Program Benefits

Pre-screened Tenants

Non-Financial Incentives

Financial Incentives

Case Management Support

Monetary Incentives and Protections

� Tenant-based rent subsidies.

� Rent deposits (for instance triple deposits for high risk tenants).

� Finders fees & lease signing bonuses.

� Holding fees (payment of rent while tenant is clearing credit checks or in crisis beds or treatment temporarily).

� Public loans to rehabilitate structures.

� Use of public assistance funds and Social Security Insurance payments for rent.

Tenant Supports

� Supportive services that provide housing stability and an interface between the landlord and client have been effective inencouraging landlords to rent to people with special needs.

� Landlords often view tenants who have access to strong supportive services as less of a financial risk.

� Service providers often build relationships with willing landlords, who in turn rent to their clients because of the trust that has been built between the two entities.

� Evidence that a tenant will be provided an array of services andwill have frequent contact with case managers can ease a landlord’s concern over protecting other tenants and their property.

Examples of tenant supports for high risk or special needs populations:

� Strong on-site or off-site case management.

� Tenant education on landlord/tenant rights/obligations, budgeting skills, credit counseling, and repair, etc.

� Support groups and mental health and chemical dependency treatment and counseling.

� Payment for back rent to offset debt or other financial risk considerations (i.e. damage to apartment).

Facilitating Shared Living Arrangements:

� Homeless family or individual may be assisted in moving into a rental unit with non-homeless relatives or friends (assistance is provided in leasing larger unit responsive to the needs of all).

� Sometimes friends who meet in homeless programs attempt to lease permanent housing together; this takes great effort, however, to ensure shared values, compatible housekeeping and/or parenting styles, & “house rules” that all can agree upon.

Leaseholder Considerations

Conventional lease

Co-lease

Master-lease

Master Leasing

� A social services agency or housing provider leases individual units, blocks of units, single-family homes, or an entire building.

� The agency is the lease-holder and assumes responsibility.

� The units are then sub-leased at an affordable cost to program participants.

� Master leasing works best in communities with an active market in residential rental properties in healthy neighborhoods.

Advantages of Master-Leasing

� As primary lease-holder, the social service or housing provider agency assumes responsibility for rent, damages, etc.

� There is opportunity for a built-in support network when the social services agency is the primary lease-holder and service provider to the tenant.

� Housing providers can often secure units quickly.

� Allows residents to build rental history and develop living skills while receiving supportive services.

� Community acceptance issues can often be avoided by pursuing this strategy.

� Residents can integrate into the community.

� It also is effectives in cases where owners have vacant structures and have not yet determined its use or the extent of rehabilitation to be undertaken.

� Landlords can receive longterm rent guarantees prior to initiation of the rehabilitation, helping them to obtain financing.

� Some models include up-front capital payments to the owner to help finance the rehabilitation.

� To be a successful housing model for those with criminal, drug, mental health, or homelessness histories, support services should also be available that can meet the needs of residents inthe leased location(s).

�Scattered-site apartments in the community at-large can provide more family-friendly shelter options.

�It can be a cost-effective way to expand access to shelter while permanent housing plans are developed and executed.

�The model can provide high tolerance shelter for families and individuals with special needs.

�Families and individuals can often “transiton in place.”

Using Master-Leased Housing

as Emergency Shelter