Baltimore-Towson Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA)
HOPWA in the Baltimore-Towson EMA is funded under two categories Category 1: Formula - City of Baltimore MOHS Homeless Services Program is the Grantee - 15 Project Sponsors are contracted annually to provide services to PLWHAs residing in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard and Queen Anne s counties - Funding provides housing, support services and supports costs for permanent housing projects.
HOPWA funds 3 primary types of services in the EMA. Housing Assistance - Tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) - Short Term, Rent, Mortgage and Utilities (STRMU). Supportive Services - Case management - Housing placement services. Development for permanent housing
Primary use of funding supports tenant based rental assistance (TBRA) for PLWHAs and their families. During FY 13, 682 households were supported in the EMA with TBRA. Currently, Baltimore city provides TBRA to 441 households. For FY 15, 581 housing slots are planned to assist PLWHAs and their families.
Short-term rent, mortgage and utilities assistance is used in the EMA as a means of eviction prevention. Due to limited funding under this activity, Project Sponsors elect to use this resource as a one-time only assistance. During FY 13, 111 households were supported with eviction prevention type services. 271 households are planned for STRMU assistance in the EMA for FY 15.
Support services in the EMA address the core needs of PLWHAs and their families During FY 13, services were provided to 1,928 individuals and families. 1.8 million has been awarded to provide support services in Baltimore City for FY 15. Services include, but are not limited to case management, outreach, permanent housing placement, medical care services, transportation assistance and nutrition services.
An estimated $567,867 will support case management, outreach and advocacy efforts for PLWHAs in Baltimore city during FY 15. During FY 15, an estimated $416,976 will support transportation and employment services in Baltimore city. In addition to services, transportation funding will offer a trainee program to (12) PLWHAs who are able to move back into the workforce.
In the last 10 years, partial funding has supported several development projects in Baltimore City. - Maryland Avenue Permanent Housing - Restoration Gardens Permanent Housing for youth - Healthcare for the Homeless Fallsway Facility 9 active housing slots for PLWHAs are supported through these projects. 25 households are planned for a housing project being developed, leased and/or operated for FY 15.
The primary use of the (6) county s funding supports PLWHAs and their families with rental assistance including eviction prevention services. The plan for FY 15 is to support 209 households with housing assistance. An estimated $149,795 will support the households of PLWHAs with essential services. Support services funding will provide medical case management, health education, nutrition, utility and security deposit assistance and transportation services to 175 households.
Anne Arundel County currently has 77 waiting for housing. Baltimore County has 100 waiting for housing. Harford County referrals are being accepted for housing. Howard County has no wait list for housing. Queen Anne s County currently has 19 waiting for housing.
Since 2007, there have been 500 PLWHAs waiting on the list for housing in Baltimore City. Last Fall, a plan to purge the wait list was developed so that applicants could be removed from the list and housing placement be established. The purge plan was implemented in two phases. Phase I involved a purge of the current list to identify the need of those waiting to be housed. Phase II will involve a data match within the local Continuum of Care HMIS.
Phase I of the purge procedures included outreach by way of public notice via local newspapers, emails to partnering agencies and announcements to local HIV planning groups. The purge procedures also involved a mass mailing to Community Based Organizations identified as the referring agency on record for wait list applicants.
147 of the 500 waiting have been confirmed as still in need of housing. The 147 from the list who have responded were assigned position numbers and will be contacted within the fiscal year to provide an update on the status of placement. Currently, our office is completing an analysis to determine how many of the 147 will be the first recipients to receive a voucher for housing. Our plan is to begin removing from the current list and house the first 147 applicants over the next two years.
The housing need of the 350 clients not confirmed will be processed through Phase II of the purge plan. Phase II will involve the MOHS utilizing the Homeless Management Information System to locate the 350 clients who have not responded to the public notices. A data match of wait list client names and SSNs will be searched within the local Continuum of Care s HMIS to access client whereabouts and housing status.
The plan is to open the list for new applicants once the HMIS data match has been completed and the final purge count confirmed; the list will remain closed until the HMIS data match is completed. Future plans include new procedures being developed to shorten wait times in the City more efficiently to bridge housing gaps. The ideal procedure will govern a community list that will prioritize and centralize housing applicants more seamlessly.
Category 2: Baltimore City s Competitive Funding - Special Projects of National Significance - Grantee City of Baltimore - At the Door targets ex-offenders - Housing Health targets those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness - Project CONNECT Healthcare for the Homeless is the Grantee
Baltimore City received (2) 3-yr awards for competitive projects with a combined total of $8.4 million. Funds are used to provide various supportive services for PLWHAs and their families. Funding supports housing assistance for PLWHAs and their families. During FY 14, housing and support services addressed the needs of 82 PLWHA s and their families.
In the last two years, MOHS - Homeless Services Program has renewed funding to continue services offered through competitive projects providing services to PLWHAs. A 4.5 million dollar award will support short term and long term housing for ex-offenders. A 3.9 million dollar award will support long term housing for PLWHAs at risk of being homeless. The combined awards will provide the opportunity for 67 additional housing slots in Baltimore City.
During FY 15, through the use of competitive funds and leveraged resources: Long term and short-term housing for 92 households are planned. Support services will be provided for 129 persons. Support services include employment development, treatment services and case management.
Providers in our continuum provided a response on service delivery outcomes under Ryan White Part A funded activities: Overall, no changes with regard to housing services delivery were reported for programs receiving Ryan White Part A funding. The healthcare clinics and service providers reported that changes in the act have provided greater support for HIV Testing efforts and women s health with regards to wellness. Other areas providers reported greater outcomes in were mental health and substance abuse treatment services.
Some providers reported minimal or no change to service delivery especially, where services are administered to PLWHAs receiving medical assistance. One provider reported that the reorganization of staff at healthcare clinics provided some challenges to clients accessing or maintaining engagement to care. Most providers reported that the impact on support services delivery has yet to be determined.
Services funded under HOPWA The dollars allocated and number of HIV-infected clients served, per jurisdiction The average waiting period for enrollment ACA and Services Delivery Housing Assistance Supportive Services Short Term Rent Mortgage and Utilities HOPWA Formula 581 housing slots planned for FY 15 and $1.9 million awarded to provide support services in Baltimore-Towson EMA. HOPWA Competitive $7.5 million awarded to service 92 clients over a 3 year period. 500 waiting to be housed. Currently, the list is closed. Wait time for housing 147 clients is up to 2 years. Goal for fiscal year 15 is to open the list to new applicants. Overall, no changes with regard to housing services delivery were reported for programs receiving Ryan White Part A funding.
D Andra Pollard Program Administrator Mayor s Office of Human Services Homeless Services Program 7 E. Redwood St., 5th Floor Baltimore MD 21202 D Andra.Pollard@baltimorecity.gov 410-545-1629