Family at Home
Virginia Homelessness Update
In This Issue
Homelessness Related Legislation
Governor McDonnell Visits Homeless Assistance Program
Impact of State Budget Cuts on Homelessness
Virginia Makes Plans to Access TANF Funds
Make Sure Everyone Is Counted
Grant Funds for Ex-Offender Programs
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DHCD Affordable / Special Needs Housing Program - HOME Input Sessions

Where and When?
 
Tuesday - January 26, 2010 (10 a.m.) - Wytheville
Wytheville Meeting Center
333 Community Boulevard
Mtg. Rm. 2
Wytheville, Virginia 24382
Toll-free: 866-694-8287
Direct: 276-223-3416
wythevillemeetingcenter.com
 
Thursday - January 28, 2010 (10 a.m.) - Richmond
DHCD Board Room 133 - 11th Floor
600 Main Street Centre
Richmond, VA 23219
www.dhcd.virginia.gov

Tuesday - February 2, 2010 (10 a.m.) - Prince William County
Dr. A. J. Ferlazzo Building
Locust Shade Conference Room
15941 Donald Curtis Dr.
Woodbridge, Va 22191
703-792-4997
www.pwcgov.org/housing
 
Thursday - February 4, 2010 (10 a.m.) - Chesapeake
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
723 Woodlake Drive
Chesapeake, VA. 23320
Ph: 757-420-8300
Fax: 757-523-4881
www.hrpdcva.gov
 
Do you need more information?
 
Contact:
 
Kevin E. Hobbs
Housing Program Administrator
DHCD, Housing Finance
600 East Main Street, Suit 300
Richmond VA 23219
(804) 371-7120
[email protected]
General Assembly Will Act On Homelessness-Related Legislation
The General Assembly legislative session began on January 13, 2010, and there has been a lot of focus on the $4 billion state budget deficit and the proposed cuts to social service programs including homeless prevention and assistance. VCEH's main priority is to restore the cuts to the Homeless Intervention Program, State Shelter Grant, Child Services Coordinator Grant, and the Indoor Plumbing Rehabilitation Program.

However, there are a number of bills that have been introduced that would have a very positive impact on preventing and ending homelessness in Virginia.  VCEH will be speaking in support of these bills, and we encourage you to do so as well.

Click here for a list of the bills that will impact efforts to prevent and end homelessness.

Make sure to visit the websites of the Virginia Housing Coalition and Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) who are tracking additional housing related legislation.
Governor McDonnell Visits Carpenters Shelter in Alexandria
Governor McDonnell with Carpenters Shelter Executive Director Fran BeckerAs part of his pre-inauguration activities, Governor McDonnell toured Carpenters Shelter - a homeless assistance program in Alexandria.

Click here for media coverage on the event and Executive Director Fran Becker's quote on the impact of the state budget cuts on homelessness.

Photo courtesy of WTOP

Photo caption: Governor McDonnell helps make grilled cheese sandwiches with Carpenters Shelter Executive Director Fran Becker.
Housing Advocacy Day Brings 100 Housing and Homelessness Advocates to the General Assembly
VA State CapitolThis year's Housing Advocacy Day, held on Tuesday January 26,  brought together almost 100 housing and homeless advocates to visit with legislators and encourage their support for housing and homelessness related legislation. 

The day began with a keynote address from Senior Economic Advisor Robert Sledd who highlighted opportunities with the McDonnell Administration on housing, homelessness, prisoner re-entry, and job creation. 

Following a training on important pieces of legislation, advocates headed to the General Assembly to meet with their Senators and Delegates.

VCEH was a proud sponsor of the event along with Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Virginia Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity Virginia, Partnership for Housing Affordability, Richmond Community Development Alliance, and the Consumer Alliance of Virginia.

Click here for homelessness related legislation in the General Assembly.

Click here for the VCEH Policy Brief on the impact of the cuts to state homeless programs.

Click here for media coverage of the impact of the cuts on state homeless programs. 
Fairfax County Board Adopts Comprehensive Housing Plan
From the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance:

Jan 27, 2010
Both the Washington Post and the Fairfax Times provided coverage in today's papers of Tuesday's decision by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to accept the Blueprint for Housing, a comprehensive plan developed through a partnership of housing advocates, human service providers, advisory board members and related county agencies. The Board action was a major accomplishment for housing advocates who were unsuccessful in their efforts to keep the County's One Penny Fund for Housing in the FY2010 budget.
 
While Tuesday's vote did not endorse funding the priorities listed in the Blueprint, it did endorse the goals and objectives of the plan, and agreed to use the Blueprint as the framework for funding housing programs in their budget discussions for FY2011.
 
Lessons Learned: The strategies that Fairfax County advocates used to achieve this outcome can be instructive for housing advocates across the region:
 
Working Collaboratively. Human service providers, affordable housing developers, faith community advocates, disability services advocates and housing advocates came together and hammered out a plan and funding priorities.  There was much discussion and, at times, strong disagreements, but all realized the importance of presenting a united front from a broad coalition of interests.
 
Supporting the Continuum of Housing Needs. This plan was praised for documenting and outlining the entire continuum of housing needs, and identifying possible solutions to addressing those needs. While the Board had indicated that their focus will be on homelessness and those with extremely low incomes, the strategy to lay out the entire spectrum of need was adopted. This approach will help support future advocacy efforts to identify a reliable, dedicated funding source for housing.
 
NVAHA was pleased to be a participant in this effort, along with the Fairfax County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Wesley Housing, Reston Interfaith, Communities of Faith United for Housing, Good Shepherd Housing, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, New Hope Housing, RPJ Housing, The Alliance for Human Services,  Fairfax County Redevelopment Housing Authority, and others.
 
We thank the Board of Supervisors for their support and endorsement of the goals and objectives of the Blueprint, and the also thank the County's Department of Housing and Community Development and the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness for co-sponsoring our meetings and deliberations. The Blueprint could not have been done without the tremendous support of the staff.
 
Links to media coverage:
 
Washington Post: "Fairfax County Supervisors Approve Affordable Housing Plan"

Fairfax Times: "County Weighing New Approach to Housing"

To read the Blueprint for Housing, click here
Gear Up for the April 2010 Census; Make Sure Everyone Is Counted
Census
Latest News: Take the Census over the Phone!

The Census Bureau is considering setting up phone lines not only for general assistance, but also for completing census forms over the phone. This new tool would help make sure that people experiencing homelessness get counted. We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available. 

Why the Census is Important to Our Work:
Too often the public and elected officials say "We don't have homeless people in my town."  This myth offers an excuse for not funding or creating programs that assist those who experience homelessness.  Inclusion in the census will prove that homelessness impacts every community. Make sure people who experience homelessness are counted in the April 2010 Census.

Visit the Nonprofits Count website for suggestions for how your agency can get involved in ensuring that people who experience homelessness are counted.

Many communities have formed Complete Count Committees to ensure that there is a strategy for communities that have historically been under-counted, including homeless populations.

Contact the closest local census office to find out about complete count committees in your community.
Grant Solicitation Released for Nonprofits Serving Ex-Offenders

On January 19, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for Second Chance Act mentoring grants to nonprofit organizations (Section 211). Funding under this section is available to help nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes implement mentoring projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of adults who have been incarcerated.

Click here to download the solicitation.

The deadline for applications is 8:00 p.m. ET on March 18, 2010.

Inquiries about the solicitation should be directed to Dr. Gary Dennis, sSenior pPolicy advisor, Bureau of Justice Assistance, at 202-305-9059 or [email protected].

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, will release a solicitation for mentoring grants targeting juveniles returning from correctional facilities later this spring.

Click here to learn more about the Second Chance Act.
About Us
The Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in the Commonwealth of Virginia through community collaboration, capacity building, education, and advocacy.

Join us today.