April 28 Webinar on New Housing Choice Vouchers for People with Disabilities; Information on New HCV
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Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness
(703) 250-4904
[email protected]    www.vceh.org

This Wednesday, April 28, the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) will host a free webinar designed to assist public housing agencies (redevelopment and housing authorities) and partner service organizations in applying to HUD for new housing choice vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities.
 

On April 7, HUD released a Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) announcing funding for new vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities, including 4,300 vouchers for non-elderly disabled households on a PHA waiting list, and 1,000 vouchers to enable non-elderly households with disabilities to transition from nursing homes and other health care institutions into the community.
 
The webinar will be on April 28 from noon to 2 pm ET. To join the webinar, register online.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS
New HUD NOFA for Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities

Applications due to HUD by July 7, 2010
 
Makes new Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) available for people in two categories:
 
Category 1 Vouchers are targeted to non-elderly disabled households on Public Housing Agency (PHA) waiting lists.

Category 2 Vouchers are targeted to non-elderly households with disabilities transitioning from institutions into the community. Institutions include Nursing Homes, ICFs, and State or private psychiatric hospitals, but exclude ALFs or other community-based congregate settings. Psychiatric hospitals are included in this definition where there are resources available to provide the needed services and support for the people who are transitioning to the community.
 
Eligible Applicants
Limited to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) currently administering a Section 8 HCV program. VHDA estimates that all Virginia PHAs meet at least one of the following threshold experience criteria:
    �    At least 20 percent of the PHA's HCVs are used by non-elderly disabled families; or
    �    The PHA operates a non-HCV program that serves non-elderly disabled families; or
    �    The PHA has previously awarded one of the following special purpose voucher allocations:
    ◦    Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities in Support of Designated Housing Plans
    ◦    Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities related to Certain Types of Section-8 Project Based Developments
    ◦    Mainstream Housing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
    ◦    Project Access Pilot Program
 
Each PHA can apply for a total of between 50 and 200 vouchers, depending upon the size of its current program, and a separate application is required for each category. PHAs applying for vouchers in either category must fully describe the resources for supportive services for non-elderly people with disabilities. Support services for Category 2 vouchers must include the provision of care/case management, in addition to other needed health and social services.  
 
These vouchers will help augment Medicaid's Money Follows the Person (MFP) grant program, which as been extended through 2016. MFP services are targeted to people coming out of Nursing Homes and Training Centers, but are not available for persons aged 21-65 who transition from a psychiatric hospital (i.e., other service resources must be identified for them).
 
Suggested Actions
  • Meet with your local public housing authority and community services board to discuss applying.
  • If the housing choice voucher waiting list is closed, or does not include enough non-elderly disabled individuals, ask the PHA to reopen a list prioritized for individuals coming out of institutions and those in the community who are at risk of institutionalization (including homeless individuals with disabilities).
More information and link to funding announcement

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