Crashing the Party: Competing for Mainstream Federal Resources

1. Crashing the Party: Competing for Mainstream Federal Resources

2. HOME Investment Partnership Program • HOME is the largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. • HOME provides formula grants to States and localities use- often in partnership with local nonprofit groups- to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low income people.

3. HOME • Federal Agency: HUD • Administered by: In California, California Department of Housing and Community Development, Community Affairs • Funding Status: Each year it allocates approximately $2 billion among the States and hundreds of localities nationwide. $1,899,680,000(FY 2005), $1,757,250,000(FY 2006)

4. HOME- Types of Assistance • HUD establishes Home Investment Trust Funds for each grantee, providing a line of credit that the jurisdiction may draw upon as needed. • Program’s flexibility allows governments to use HOME funds for grants, direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit enhancement or rental assistance or security deposits.

5. HOME- Eligible Activities • Participating jurisdictions may choose among a broad range of eligible activities: • Home purchase or rehabilitation financing assistance to eligible homeowners and new homebuyers, • Building or rehabilitating housing for rent or ownership, • “Other reasonable and necessary expenses related to the development of non-luxury housing” including site acquisition or improvement, demolition of dilapidated housing to make way for HOME assisted development, and payment of relocation expenses, or • Tenant based rental assistance contracts of up to 2 years.

6. HOME- Eligible Applicants • HOME funds are awarded annually. • States are automatically eligible for HOME funds and receive either their formula allocation or $3 million, whichever is greater. • Local jurisdictions eligible for at least $500,000 under the formula ($335, 000 in years when Congress appropriates less than $1.5 billion for HOME) also can receive an allocation.

7. HOME- Eligible Applicants • Communities that do not qualify individually can join with one or more neighboring localities in a legally binding consortium whose members’ combined allocation would meet the threshold for direct funding. • Other localities may participate in HOME by applying for program funds made available by their State.

8. HOME- Eligible Beneficiaries • Eligibility for households for HOME assistance varies with the nature of the activity • For rental housing and rental assistance, at least 90% of benefiting families must have incomes that are no more than 60% of the HUD-adjusted median family income for the area • In rental projects with 5 or more assisted units, at least 20% of the units must be occupied by families with income that do not exceed 50% of the HUD-adjusted median • Income of households receiving HUD assistance must not exceed 80% of the area median • HOME income limits are published each year by HUD.

9. HOME- Match • Participating Jurisdictions (PJ) must match every dollar of HOME funds used (except for administrative costs) with 25 cents from nonfederal sources, which may include donated materials or labor, the value of donated property, proceeds from bond financing, and other resources. • Amount may be reduced if the PJ is distressed or has suffered a Presidentially-declared disaster.

10. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) • Purpose: To develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.

11. CDBG • CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled metropolitan cities and urban counties to implement a wide variety of community and economic development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development and the provision of improved community facilities and services.

12. CDBG • Federal Agency: HUD • Administered by: Local jurisdiction or, depending on population of locality, state. • In California, Housing and Community Development distributes to local government and CBOs apply to the local jurisdiction • Funding Status for all CDBG: $4,701,781,000 (FY 2005), $4,177,800,000 (FY 2006)

13. CDBG- Types of Assistance • Each entitlement grantee receiving CDBG funds is free to determine what activities it will fund as long as certain requirements are met, including that: • each activity is eligible and • meets one of the broad national objectives: • benefit persons of low and moderate income, • aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, • or meet other community development needs of particular urgency.

14. CDBG- Eligible activities • Eligible activities include, among other things: • Acquisition/disposition of real property; • Public improvements and facilities (e.g., senior citizens center, recreation center, day care center); • Clearance; • Public services (e.g., child care, health care, job training/education programs, recreation programs, drug abuse counseling/treatment, and services for homeless persons);

15. CDBG - Eligible Activities (cont.) • Interim assistance; • Relocation payments/assistance; • Rehabilitation of residential, commercial/industrial, or other nonprofit owned, nonresidential buildings; • Lead based paint hazard evaluation and reduction; • Assistance to microenterprises;

16. CDBG - Eligible Activities (cont.) • Homeownership assistance; • Urban renewal completion; • Technical assistance to increase capacity of public/private non-profits; • Assistance to institutions of higher education; and • Program administration costs related to planning and execution of CDBG assisted activities.

17. CDBG- Ineligible Activities • CDBG funds cannot be used for buildings for the general conduct of government, general local government expenses, and political activities.

18. CDBG- Eligible Applicants • States • Certain metropolitan cities and urban counties • CDBG allocations by State and County: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/budget/disbursementreports/index.cfm

19. CDBG- Administration • Grants determined by formula including community needs, poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing and population growth lag in relation to other metropolitan areas. • Grantees must submit a Consolidated Plan, an annual action plan and certifications to HUD.

20. CDBG- Eligible Beneficiaries • All projects that receive CDBG funding must: • Principally benefit low and moderate income persons, • Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight, or • Be designed to meet needs having a particular urgency.

21. CDBG- in California • State of California CDBG Grants (for Nonentitlement Jurisdictions, Entitlement Jurisdictions are direct applicants to HUD) include: • Enterprise Fund- for creating or preserving jobs for low income and very low income persons • General, Native American and Colonias Allocations- to fund housing activities, public works, etc. in small, typically rural communities • Economic Development Allocation, Over the Counter Component- to create or retain jobs for low-income workers in rural communities

22. Community Mental Health Services Block Grant • Grant intended to fund community based treatment approaches targeting adults with serious mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbances

23. CMHS Block Grant- • Formula based allocation from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the States • Federal Agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services • Administering Agencies: In California, California Department of Mental Health • Funding Status: Approximately $433,000,000 (FY 2006), for California $55,333,534 (FY 2006)

24. CMHS Block Grant • States receive block grants. • In California, the California Department of Mental Health then administers the majority of the allocation to county mental health departments through a formula grant, which they have discretion to use for a variety of services, but $8 million of California’s allocation must be set aside for treatment of individuals with dual diagnoses. There are also a few competitive grant programs.

25. CMHS Block Grant- State Plans • Each state must develop and submit plans that articulate specific goals, objectives and performance standards for the use of allocated funds, including the State’s outreach to and services for individuals who are homeless • Plans must meet statutory requirements before funding is approved • Consistency with this plan is monitored through annual reports that the state is required to file • 5% of the available funding is set aside for TA, data collection and program evaluation activities

26. CMHS Block Grant- Ineligible Activities • States cannot use CMHS Block Grant funds: • To provide inpatient services • To make cash payments to intended recipients of health services • To purchase land or buildings

27. Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant • SAPT block grants are the cornerstone of state substance abuse prevention efforts, accounting for approximately 40% of all public funds expended on substance abuse prevention activities and treatment.

28. SAPT Block Grant- Purpose • Grant is to support substance abuse treatment and prevention services • Provides financial assistance to plan, carry out, and evaluate activities to prevent and treat substance abuse and for related public health activities

29. SAPT Block Grant • Federal Agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention • Form: Formula base award to States on an annual basis • Amount: Approximately $1,775,000,000 (FY 2006) • California $250,038,523 (FY 2006)

30. SAPT Block Grants- Types of Assistance • States have broad discretion in expending the funds on a variety of substance abuse treatment and prevention programs, statutory and administrative regulations place specific emphasis on treatment and primary prevention for intravenous drug users and pregnant women

31. SAPT Block Grant- Ineligible Activities • Specific activities precluded under the SAPT block grant include inpatient hospital substance abuse programs (except when deemed medically necessary), cash payment to recipients, capital development and needle-exchange and provision programs.

32. SAPT Block Grants- State Reports • States must submit annual reports on their expenditure of SAPT block grant funds, describing how they expended funding in the previous fiscal year, and how they intend to use the funding for the current cycle. • Each state is charged with developing its service delivery system to meet the specific local substance abuse problems. • Since 2000, states have had the option to voluntarily report performance outcomes in their annual reports, and 80% of states currently report these statistics.

33. SAPT- Eligible Beneficiaries • All states must set aside and expend a significant portion of the Block Grant for programs for pregnant women and women with dependent children.

34. SAPT- in New York • New York State’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services uses SAPT Block Grant funds to directly support case management and transitional services to individuals in HUD Shelter Plus Care and other supportive housing programs. • Supports services including outreach and referral, case management, crisis/emergency services, inpatient and residential treatment, outpatient treatment, permanent supportive housing and pilot programs for special populations.

35. “Combining Affordable Housing Funding Sources” (Published in 2005) • This guide provides a brief overview of common funding sources for affordable housing development and the issues that developers may encounter when trying to combine different funding sources. A detailed chart or "matrix" provides a framework for exploring a range of potential combinations and understanding some of the challenges and issues that should be considered. • www.aidshousing.org/ahw_library2275/ahw_library_show.htm?doc_id=305735

36. California’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) • Introduced as Proposition 63, it was passed by the California State Legislature in 2004 • Imposes a 1% income tax on personal income in excess of $1 million • Expected to generate $683 million in 2005-06 and increasing amounts thereafter • The focus of the MHSA is on wellness, recovery and the reduction of involuntary services.

37. Mental Health Services Act • Counties must address a broad continuum of prevention, early intervention and service needs—and the necessary infrastructure, technology and training. Key mandated elements include: • Supportive housing • Wellness Recovery Action Planning • Integrated substance abuse and mental health services • Integrated services with law enforcement, probation and courts

38. WA State Funds for Operating Low-Income Housing (HB 2060) • Enacted by the WA State Legislature in 2002 • Funded by a $10 document recording fee on real estate transactions in all counties • Counties keep 60% of revenue; 40% goes to the State housing agency for a statewide grant program • Provides primarily operations support (and capital) • Targets housing made affordable at 50-80% of area median income (AMI) through capital development grants from the State Housing Trust Fund • Includes up to 5 years of rental subsidy to buy down rent levels to households earning 15% of AMI

39. Homeless Housing & Assistance Act(HB 2163) • Enacted in 2005, it copies the HB 2060 model • Levies an additional $10 document recording fee • Acknowledges the commitment needed from all sectors is necessary to end homelessness in WA • Requires all counties and the State to implement a plan to reduce homelessness by 50% by 2015 • Funds housing and services administered at the local level, with counties as the lead • 60% of funds stay within the county; while 40% goes to the State for re-granting for special projects

40. Homeless Housing & Assistance Act • HB 2163 funding: • Anticipates $12-16 million per year for homeless housing and services • Essentially any activity that leads to reducing homelessness is eligible, if it complies with the State and local plan priorities, including technical assistance and capacity building • Complements HB 2060 low-income housing operating funds through attaching support services

41. Veterans and Human Services Levy • Approved in 2005 for King County (greater Seattle) • Provides $13.3 M per year for next 6 years • First year focus on information systems, training, equipment, one-time and capital improvements • After first year, $1 M each year for capital needs • Funds are split between veterans (and their families) and other low-income populations in need • Used to complement HB 2060 and HB 2163 funds to fill gaps in 24/7 services for chronically homeless and populations discharged from institutions

42. Veterans and Human Services Levy • Goals: • Reduce homelessness and emergency medical costs • Reduce criminal justice system involvement at both client and systems levels • Increase self-sufficiency and independence by means of employment

43. The Sound Families Initiative • Funds housing & support services for homeless families in the Puget Sound Region • Established through a $40 million challenge from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Seven regional housing authorities committed project-based Section 8 vouchers & project-based exit vouchers for up to 1,500 units • The steering Committee includes representatives from 3 counties, local government jurisdictions, public housing authorities, and Washington State

44. Building on the Experiences and Evaluation of Sound Families… • Taking Sound Families statewide through building on relationships with: • Legislative champions • Statewide advocates • Housing and homeless coalitions and providers • Public housing authorities • Local governments • Business • Philanthropy

45. Philanthropic Collaborative Success • Requires: • Strong philanthropic leadership • Educating other potential funders • Key partnerships in governmentand business sectors • Leveraging public and other philanthropic funds • A nonprofit intermediary with a solid track record

46. Washington Families Fund (WFF) • WFF provides 10 years of support service funding. • It is a public-private partnership that leverages and increases funding for services statewide. • The initial $2 million investment of State funds required matching private contributions. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $2 million, with their second $1 million as a challenge grant. • Eleven local foundations/corporations and more than 100 individuals made the $1million match. • Housing operations costs are covered by Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers or other rental subsidies.

47. What is Medicaid Administrative Match (MAM) ? The federal Medicaid agency (CMS) will reimburse eligible agencies & their subcontractors for a portion of the costs of activities that support the Medicaid program. Many of these activities are part of the work of community-based provider staff who contract with eligible agencies, but… Time spent on match activities must bedocumentedand applied against the costs of the program and the proportion of the enrolled Medicaid populationmust be documented and applied to some of the activities.

48. Activities that Earn MAM Dollars • Outreach to community members to educate and inform about Medicaid and to assist community members to apply for Medicaid programs. • Linkage to the kinds of services that are covered by Medicaid including: Medical, dental, maternity support, infant case management, HIV targeted case management, mental health, substance abuse service • Systems-level work with providers and agencies to improve access to and quality of Medicaid covered services

49. Avenues for Accessing Medicaid Administrative Match Funding Matching funds for Medicaid administrative activities to inform & link people to the Medicaid program (MAM) Medicaid payments for direct client services (under managed care programs, waivers, fee-for-service payments) Available only to:- School Districts- Local Health Jurisdictions- Tribes . . . that have an contract agreement in place with the state Medicaid agency for this program

50. Strategies for Maximizing MAM Reimbursement • Look for opportunities to apply local, state, and private funds to matchable activities in order to generate MAM. • Consider job functions in crafting new positions – pay attention to matchable vs. non-matchable activities. • It boils down to how well staff understands the activity/ billing codes and documents time and activities properly. • Housing agencies need a designated staff person who coordinates with nurses & other on-site services staff.