Supportive Housing Collaborations Miami Dade Examples Presentation to Southeast Institute on Homelessness and Supportive Housing September, 2012 Olga Golik, Esq. Citrus Health Network, Inc.
Why do you need collaborations? It expands the impact you can make. It expands access to a more diverse group of populations. HUD is requiring it for housing/service funds for the homeless under the HEARTH ACT. Florida Housing Finance Corporation is requiring it to access supportive housing set asides under the LINK Initiative.
Local Collaborations in Miami-Dade County: Miami Dade Homeless Trust (CoC Lead Agency) Housing Assistance Network of Dade HAND (Prevention, Rapid Re-Housing/ LINK) Florida Dept. of Children and Families/Florida Supportive Housing Coalition
Miami Dade County Homeless Trust In 1993, the Florida Legislature, supported by Governor Chiles and the Miami-Dade County Commission, made it possible for there to be a 1% sales tax on food and beverages sold in the larger restaurants in our community. Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust (the Trust) is a 27- member Board created to administer the proceeds of this tax and implement the Homeless Plan. The Trust is the overall coordinating body for the continuum of care and acts as the lead agency/applicant for HUD McKinney/HEARTH funding.
Members of the Homeless Trust Chamber of Commerce Florida Dept. of Children and Families Faith Based Organizations Formerly Homeless Persons County Commission Courts Homeless Coalition Housing and Service Providers League of Cities School Board
Housing and Services funded by Homeless Trust local tax: Central Housing Helpline Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Emergency Shelters Emergency Motel Outreach Transitional Housing Permanent Housing Jail Diversion and Discharge Coordination Legal Services Supplemental Behavioral Health Services (Most of the above serve as match for state and federal programs)
Housing Assistance Network of Dade ( HAND ) The HAND Program was started by Citrus Health Network, a nonprofit organization in Miami Dade County. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded over ten million in HPRP funding to the County, the State and local Cities which pooled their funds to create HAND, a multiagency public and private partnership as the lead agency for the countywide prevention and rapid re-housing efforts. The Housing Assistance Network of Dade, now known as the HAND Program, has provided a helping hand to over 5,000 persons since it started in September, 2009. HAND has continued the housing network for prevention and rapid re-housing rental assistance and as a Referral Agency for Florida Housing Finance Corporation s LINK Initiative.
HAND Network of Providers Lead Agency, Citrus Health Network, Inc.: Centralized Intake Line/Homeless Helpline: Camillus House Legal Services: Legal Services of Greater Miami Discharged persons from jails and hospitals: Miami Homeless Assistance Program Referral of Homeless persons on the street: Outreach Teams Shelters and Transitional Housing Providers Mental Health and Substance Abuse treatment providers Providers serving veterans: Advocate Program: lead agency for second grant for Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF). Victims of Domestic Violence: Miami Dade Coordinated Victims Assistance Center (CVAC), an intake site for victims of domestic violence. Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Our Kids/Citrus will provide case management in partnership with their member case management agencies to youth aging out of foster care. Financial Services: South Florida Urban Ministries will provide credit counseling and repair, case management to persons in the general public and other financial services. Persons with Disabilities: Center for Independent Living and Developmental Disability Providers Other Partner Providers providing case management: Harvest Fire International Outreach Ministries, Inc., faith based group that will provide case management primarily in the Miami Gardens area. Miami-Dade County Community Action Agency (CAA): will host Citrus case managers and provide financial assistance programs throughout the County.
HAND as a LINK Referral Agency Coordinates with Network of Special Needs Service Providers Receives and processes referrals from supportive service providers Executes agreements with Special Needs Service Providers. Maintains and regularly updates a list of eligible special needs households interested in applying; Designates a point of contact to receive notices from a Development s property management when there is a reserved unit available; Upon notification that a reserved unit is available, selects the household at the top of the list waiting for that unit type and contact their service provider that an ELI unit is available; Coordinates the first contact between the selected special needs household, the household s service provider and the Development s property management within a timely manner; Addresses application or tenancy issues or concerns by the Development s property management, supportive services provider and/or household if they are not able to be adequately resolved or handled by the primary parties;
How is HAND Network Funded? HUD Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Rapid Re-housing and Prevention Local funding from Miami Dade Homeless Trust FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Florida Dept. of Children and Families Child Welfare Lead Agency for Youth Aging Out and Families in Child Welfare Veteran Administration s SSVF funds for veterans
Florida Dept. of Children and Families/Florida Supportive Housing Coalition DCF funded FLSHC to provide housing forums in the state to promote supportive housing for persons with behavioral health and housing needs. In Miami, a forum was held and the DCF managing entity (South Florida Behavioral Health Network) has agreed to follow up on goals that were identified at the forum
GOALS Identified in Miami Forum 1. Create more supportive housing opportunities which do not require that persons be homeless first in order to be eligible. Increase networking and collaborations with developers and Florida Housing Finance Corporation. 2. Increase advocacy on a state and local level. Coordinate advocacy efforts among various groups on local and state level. Document effectiveness of Supportive Housing to strengthen advocacy efforts. Locally target local public housing authorities for HOME and Voucher set asides. 3. The local managing entity, South Florida Behavioral Health agreed to host a Housing Initiative to continue further work in this area. 4. Increase employment opportunities. 5. Identify centralized gatekeeper to maximize resources, such as a centralized affordable housing intake site, (ie, Aging Resource Center). (www.floridahousingsearch.org mentioned as an online centralized housing database).