The 2015 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is anticipated to be released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), late May 2015, with the application cycle to follow soon thereafter. In preparation, Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) would like to invite current CoC grantees the opportunity to discuss options for changing current programs -- either in response to the 2015 NOFA and/or to also seek an amendment to your soon-to-be-under-contract 2014 awards. As was discussed at the recent Annual Statewide CoC meeting, HUD's priorities are focusing on permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing with less transitional housing and support service only projects. HUD has stated that permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing programs are the most effective in ending homelessness; as well as being less costly than transitional or support service programs.

 

HUD has indicated that transitional housing projects for survivors of domestic violence and those for substance abuse will continue to be supported and are a valued component for those sub-populations. We do not anticipate transitional or support service projects to be eliminated in 2015, but those projects may not score as well as permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing projects in the application cycle. 

 

At this time, KHC would like current CoC grantees to examine how your programs are structured and operated, including expenditure rates. If your program has consistently been unable to spend down the full award, it would be prudent to consider asking for less funding in the 2015 CoC renewal application.

 

We anticipate that HUD will offer the opportunity for reallocation projects to be proposed in the 2015 CoC application for new permanent supportive housing programs for chronically homeless and new rapid rehousing programs for families with children. We will not know specifics about other opportunities to amend current programs until the CoC NOFA is released. However, prior to the NOFA release, KHC is strongly encouraging agencies to review your current program and determing if changes are needed. 

 

If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Chrisman at 270-519-4422; or email lchrisman@kyhousing.org. 

KHC and HUD are taking steps to end veteran homelessness in Kentucky by the end of 2015. The KHC Board of Directors approved dedicated housing assistance for 100 homeless Kentucky veterans to be available immediately through the new Veterans Emerging Towards Transition (VETT) Program. This effort supports the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, announced by First Lady Michelle Obama in June 2014.

 

Through the VETT Program, KHC will designate a preference for 100 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) for qualified homeless veterans in the 87 counties KHC serves under the HCV Program. This special assistance will help qualified veterans pay for housing and ultimately reduce the number of homeless veterans in Kentucky. Through KHC, local service providers will coordinate the completion of certification checklists to be used as referral tools to qualify homeless veterans for the housing assistance.

 

The VETT Program referral process is as follows:

• Agencies or local elected officials can nominate a veteran for the program you will need to work with the veteran to complete the Homeless Veteran Certification, as well as the KHC Tenant Assistance Programs Preapplication.
• Agencies should check the list of committed Mayors and/or County Judge Executives, to identify if your local leader has committed to the challenge. If so, ask them to complete the Challenge To End Veteran Homelessness VETT Voucher Designation Form. This form allows them to delegate authority to you submit the necessary paperwork to KHC. If they prefer to make the reference themselves than you can help them complete the necessary Homeless Veteran Certification form, as well as the KHC Tenant Assistance Programs Pre-application. 

The completed forms should be submitted to KHC's waiting list by mail to Waiting List, Kentucky Housing Corporation, 1231 Louisville Road, Frankfort, KY 40601; or fax to Waiting List at 502-564-9964; or email to khcrentalwaitinglist@kyhousing.org.

    

For more information on the VETT Vouchers, please visit KHC's website, under Specialized Housing, under Programs Available.     

 

Veterans in need of housing assistance in areas without mayor or county judge participation, please contact HUD's Thomas Ryan at 502-618-8167.  

A series of seven training videos are now available as either a refresher or new user training. These videos total approximately two hours of content, including details on how to remain compliant with HUD's 2014 Data Standards when entering client data into KYHMIS. The playlist for these videos can be found here on KHC's YouTube training channel.

We are implementing a new process for completing annual continuing education requirements for KYHMIS. Formerly, existing KYHMIS users were required to attend at least one refresher training session per year in order to comply with this standard. However, in order to better serve our agency partners, this new process will save staff and travel time, and be more efficient and cost-effective.

 

For this new process, existing users must simply watch all seven training videos, mentioned above, then complete and submit a survey. Once we receive the completed survey, the user will receive credit for completing the annual continuing education requirement.

 

KHC will not offer KYHMIS refresher training sessions, but will continue to focus on training new users. Users must ensure that this continuing education requirement is done annually in order to maintain a KYHMIS license, as per our External Policies and Procedures. 

The Kentucky BoS CoC will conduct a series of regional CoC meetings in May 2015. HUD Louisville Field Office Director, Christopher Taylor, will be a featured guest at the Regional CoC meetings too discuss the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.

The meetings will take place as follows:

 

Region 1

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Pennyroyal Mental Health Center Regional Office

3999 Ft. Campbell Blvd.
Hopkinsville, KY  42240
10 a.m., CT         

Region 2

Wednesday, May 13, 2015 

Economic Justice Institute

2109 Old Louisville Road
Bowling Green, KY  42101 

10 a.m., CT       

Region 3

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Northern Kentucky Area Development District

22 Spiral Drive
Florence, KY  41042 

10 a.m., ET    

Region 4

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 

Public Library Conference Room

175 Beacon Hill Drive
Morehead, KY  40351 

10 a.m., ET
(Region 4 hosts will serve lunch.)  

Region 5

Wednesday, May 27, 10 a.m. (ET)

Shiloh's Roadhouse Restaurant

218 Russell Dyche Memorial Highway 

London, KY  40741
10 a.m., ET     

Region 6

Thursday, May 7, 10 a.m. (ET)

Liberty Place Recovery Center
218 Lake Street
Richmond, KY  40475
10 a.m., ET 

 

If you have any questions about the training, please contact Lynn Chrisman at 270-519-4422 or email lchrisman@kyhousing.org. 

The 2015-2019 Consolidation Plan for Kentucky's Block Grant Housing programs is available for public comment through Wednesday, May 6, 2015.

 

The Consolidated Plan and annual Action Plan is the Commonwealth's application and distribution plan for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) Programs (HOME, ESG, CDBG and HOPWA), and is submitted by KHC and the Department for Local Government.

 

Kentucky has drafted the five-year Consolidated Plan and annual Action Plan and is receiving written comments to obtain public input. Written comments will be accepted and, where applicable, will be incorporated into the document. The Consolidated Plan covers the time period of July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2020.

 

The Consolidated Plan is available for review on KHC's website under Data Library, Consolidated Plan. Please email written comments to Bernadette Hillman at bhillman@kyhousing.org or mail them to KHC, 1231 Louisville Road, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.

April is National Fair Housing Month and commemorates the 47th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The Fair Housing Act provides equal opportunity to all who buy, sell, rent, finance, or insure housing. It broadens the real estate market by making all housing and property available to all Kentuckians and protects the individual's basic right to choose where to live. Join us for this year's "Get on the Bus" tour in Shelbyville!   

 

"Get on the Bus: the Path Toward Equal Housing Opportunity" Tour in Shelbyville
Tuesday, April 21, 12:30-4 p.m.
Shelby County Public Library
309 8th Street
Shelbyville, KY 40065

• Participants will take a guided bus tour to examine the historical impact of segregated housing in the community.
• Free event and open to the general public.
• Preregistration is required due to limited seating.
• Sponsored by HUD, KHC, Bowling Green Human Rights Commission, and the Lexington Fair Housing Council.
• For more information, please see the event flier and register online at www.lexingtonfairhousing.com, or contact Arthur Crosby toll-free at 866-438-8617 or 859-971-8067, or email crosbylfhc@hotmail.com.