City of Durham, Continuum of Care Grant Funding Application 2015

City of Durham, Continuum of Care Grant Funding Application – 2015

CITY OF DURHAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANTS PROGRAM

GUIDELINESPRE-APPLICATION

2015

Mailing Address

City of Durham

Community Development Department

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

Office Location

City of Durham

Community Development Department

807 E. Main Street, Bldg. 2, Suite 200

Durham, North Carolina 27701

Funded by: United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

City of Durham

Community Development Department

Continuum of Care(Coc) Program

2015Grant Pre-Application Package

Introduction

The City of Durham’s Community Development Department is accepting pre-applications for the 2015 Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Grants Competition for new and renewing projects. The Durham CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand has been calculated to be $1,125,456.The exact amount of funds available to Durham in this competition will not be known until the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) later in 2015. The City is releasing this “2015CoCGrant Pre-Application Package” at this time to allow CoC project applicants as much time as possible to complete this pre-application and to prepare to complete the application in E-snaps, HUD’s online grant application website.

The City is using the term “pre-application” for this document todistinguish it from the application in HUD’sE-snaps website.

All projects should limit project administrative costs to no more than seven (7) percent of the project budget, in order to maximize the Durham CoC’s competitive advantage.

The City reserves the right to change this pre-application based on the NOFA’s regulations. Applicants will be informed via email of any changes to the pre-application that are required by the NOFA.

Applicants are encouraged to review the CoC Program Interim Rule (24 CFR part 578) as it provides the requirements for implementation and administration of the CoC Program. Instructions for the pre-application itself begin on page five, and the pre-application begins on page eight.It is imperative that all project applicants are familiar with the requirements of the CoC ProgramInterim Rule before applying forrenewal or new CoC funding.

A Pre-application Workshop has been scheduled for April 24, 2015, 10 AM to 12 PM, in the Main Conference Room of the Community Development Department, 807 E. Main Street, Bldg. 2, Suite 200, Durham.

HUD’S HOMELESS POLICY AND PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Applications submitted to HUD for the FY 2015 CoC ProgramCompetition will be evaluated in part based on the extent to which they further theachievement of HUD’s goals as articulated in HUD’s Strategic Plan and the Opening Doors:Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (FSP).

Below are HUD’s policy priorities, related to these goals, as set forth in the 2015 CoC Registration Notice, released on April 28, 2015 for the 2015 CoC Program Competition, on pages 27 through 30.

1. Strategic Resource Allocation. Using performance and outcome data, CoCs shoulddecide how to best use the resources available to end homelessness within thecommunity, including CoC and ESG Program funds, state and local funds, public andassisted housing units, mainstream service resources such as Medicaid, and philanthropicefforts. Decisions about resource allocation should include the following:

a. Comprehensive Review of projects. CoCs should reallocate funds to new projectswhenever reallocation would reduce homelessness. Communities should useCoC-approved scoring criteria and selection priorities to determine the extent towhich each project is still necessary and addresses the policy priorities listed in

this Notice.

b. Maximizing the use of mainstream resources. HUD strongly encourages CoCsand project applicants to ensure that they are maximizing the use of allmainstream services available. While 24 CFR part 578 allows for the payment ofcertain supportive service costs, it is more efficient for CoCs to use mainstreamresources where possible. CoCs should proactively seek and provide informationto all stakeholders within the geographic area about mainstream resources andfunding opportunities, particularly new opportunities made available under theAffordable Care Act and related technical assistance initiatives. Additionally,where homeless assistance projects are providing specialized services, such asemployment services, mental health services, or substance abuse recoveryservices, they should be coordinating with state or local agencies responsible foroverseeing those services to ensure that they are using best practices and thatthere is appropriate oversight of their programs.

c. Partnerships. CoCs should partner with other stakeholders within the communitysuch as Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), philanthropic organizations, and otherentities that have resources that could be used to serve persons experiencinghomelessness.

d. Transitional Housing. Recent research shows that transitional housing isgenerally more expensive than other housing models serving similar populationswith similar outcomes. HUD also recognizes that transitional housing can be aneffective tool for addressing certain needs–such as housing for homeless youth

who are unable to sign a lease, safety for persons fleeing domestic violence, andassistance with recovery from addiction. HUD strongly encourages CoCs andrecipients to carefully review the transitional housing projects within the CoC’sgeographic area for cost-effectiveness, performance, and for the number and type

of eligibility criteria to determine if rapid re-housing might be a better model forthe CoC’s geographic area.

2. Ending chronic homelessness.

a. Increasing Units: In order to increase the number of units for chronicallyhomeless individuals and families and work towards the goal of ending chronichomelessness, HUD encourages CoCs to create new projects through reallocationthat exclusively serve chronically homeless individuals, including unaccompaniedyouth, and families. Chronically homeless and permanent supportive housing aredefined in 24 CFR 578.3. Projects cannot discriminate against chronicallyhomeless families with children.

b. Targeting: Chronically homeless individuals and families should be givenpriority for PSH beds not currently dedicated to this population as vacanciesbecome available through turnover. PSH renewal projects serving specificdisabled subpopulations (e.g., persons with mental illness or persons withsubstance abuse issues) must continue to serve those groups as required in theircurrent grant agreement. However, chronically homeless individuals and familieswithin the specified subpopulation should be prioritized for entry. CoCs areencouraged to implement a process for prioritizing persons experiencing chronichomelessness consistent with Notice CPD-14-012: Prioritizing PersonsExperiencing Chronic Homelessness in Permanent Supportive Housing andRecordkeeping Requirements for Documenting Chronic Homeless Status.

3. Ending family homelessness. Most families experiencing homelessness can be housedquickly and stably using rapid re-housing, although some will need the long-term supportprovided by a permanent housing subsidy or permanent supportive housing. CoCsshould adjust the homeless services system for families to ensure that families can easilyaccess rapid re-housing and other housing assistance tailored to their needs. CoCs shouldalso be working with their affordable housing community to facilitate access toaffordable housing units. CoCs should also ensure that their projects address the safetyneeds of people fleeing domestic violence.

Rapid re-housing is designed to assist homeless individuals and families, with or withoutdisabilities, to move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stabilityin that housing. Rapid re-housing assistance is time-limited, individualized, and flexible,and should complement and enhance homeless system performance. HUD encouragesCoCs to use reallocation to create new rapid re-housing projects for families.

4. Ending Youth Homelessness. CoCs should understand the unique needs of homelessyouth and should be reaching out to youth-serving organizations to help them fullyparticipate in the CoC. CoCs and youth serving organizations should work together todevelop resources and programs that better end youth homelessness and meet the needsof homeless youth, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning(LGBTQ) youth. When evaluating the performance of youth programs, CoCs shouldtake into account the specific challenges faced by homeless youth. When CoCs identifylower performing youth-serving projects, they should seek to reallocate funds from thoseprojects to better projects serving youth.

5. Ending Veteran Homelessness. Ending veteran homelessness is within reach for manycommunities, and CoCs should take specific steps to reach this goal including:

a. CoC Program-funded projects should, to the extent possible, prioritize veteransand their families who are ineligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)services. When it is determined that a veteran, and their family, is ineligible forVA housing and services has the same level of need as a non-veteran asdetermined using a standardized assessment tool, the veteran should receivepriority.

b. CoCs should work closely with the local VA and other veteran-servingorganizations and coordinate CoC resources with VA-funded housing andservices including HUD-VASH and Supportive Services for Veteran Families(SSVF).

6. Using a Housing First Approach. Housing First is an approach to homeless assistancethat prioritizes rapid placement and stabilization in permanent housing and does not haveservice participation requirements or preconditions such as sobriety or a minimumincome threshold. Projects using a housing first approach often have supportive services;however, participation in these services is based on the needs and desires of the programparticipant. HUD encourages all types of projects to adopt a Housing First approach.Specific steps to support a community-wide housing first approach include the following.

a. Removing Barriers: CoCs should review system- and project-level eligibilitycriteria to identify and remove barriers to accessing services and housing that areexperienced by homeless individuals and families. Many projects currently havebarriers to entry.

b. Centralized or Coordinated Assessment System: Centralized or coordinatedassessment is a key step in assessing the needs of homeless individuals andfamilies requesting assistance and prioritizing those households for assistance.The establishment and operation of a centralized or coordinated assessmentsystem is a requirement of 24 CFR part 578.

c. Client-centered service delivery: Housing and service options should be tailoredto meet the unique needs of each individual or family presenting for services.Participants should not be required to participate in services that they do notbelieve will help them to achieve their goals

d. Prioritizing Households Most in Need: CoCs should prioritize persons who areidentified as most in need (e.g., those who have been living on the street thelongest, homeless households with children living in unsheltered situations, thosewho are considered most medically vulnerable) for placement into appropriatehousing.

e. Inclusive Decisionmaking: CoCs should ensure that the needs of all individuals and families experiencing homelessness are represented within the CoC structureby including providers serving groups such as domestic violence survivors, theLGBTQ community, victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied youth, andother relevant populations. Including these groups in the decisionmakingstructure of the CoC ensures that service delivery is both client-centered andculturally competent.

GETTING INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

HUD HRE Website: All Federal Register publications, user guides, and other resources related the FY2015 Competition, and the CoC programs may be obtained from the HUD One CPD website, CoC applicants are advised to reference this website and its resources to all persons that will be working on or completing the CoC pre-application and the application in E-snaps.

HUD Homeless Assistance Listserv: Notification regarding the availability of the FY2015 CoC NOFA and reminders about registration and application deadlines will be released via the HUD Homeless Assistance email-based mailing list. To join the mailing list, refer to the following web-site:

Questions may be directed to:

Lloyd Schmeidler, Project Manager

City of Durham, Community DevelopmentDepartment

807 E. Main Street, Bldg. 2, Suite 200

Durham, North Carolina 27701

(919) 560-4570 x22267

(919) 560-4090 (FAX)

A Pre-application Workshop has been scheduled for April 24, 2015, 10 AM to 12 PM, in the Main Conference Room of the Community Development Department, 807 E. Main Street, Bldg. 2, Suite 200, Durham, NC.

All pre-applications must be received in the Community Development Department no later than 4 PM on Friday, June 5, 2015. If planning to mail the pre-application, please plan to put the pre-application in the mail several days before the deadline. The Community Development Department will not be responsible for pre-applications delivered late. Late pre-applications will NOT be considered; funds associated with late renewal pre-applications may be reallocated.

Pre-applications must include one CDor flash drivewith an electronic version of the pre-application in MS Word or pdf format and an electronic version of all attachments. Note that a complete pre-application contains the pre-application itself, required budget worksheets in MS Excel (distributed in a file separate from this MS Word document), and all applicable supporting documents as described in Attachments A and B.

Mailing Address

City of Durham

Community Development Department

ATTN: Lloyd Schmeidler

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

Office Location

City of Durham

Community Development Department

ATTN: Lloyd Schmeidler

807 E. Main Street, Bldg. 2, Suite 200

Durham, North Carolina 27701

Pre-application Review & Recommendation Process

All pre-applications will be reviewedby the Community Development Department to ensure that they meet the minimum threshold requirements established for the pre-application. Pre-applications meeting the minimum threshold requirements will be scored and ranked by the Citizens Advisory Committee according to the relevant Scoring Criteria. Ranking recommendations of the Citizens Advisory Committee will be forwarded to the Homeless Services Advisory Committee (HSAC).The HSAC will make funding recommendations to HUD.

Recommendation Announcements and Appeals Processes

Project pre-applicants will be informed via email of the funding recommendations of the HSAC within 48 hours of the HSAC’s decisions. The communication to projects not recommended for funding by the HSAC will include the reasons for the rejection. Projects wishing to file an appeal of a rejection to the HSAC must file a written appeal with the Community Development Department within 72 hours of being notified of the project’s initial rejection. Funding recommendations made by the HSAC after consideration of any local appeals shall be final. Projects that believe they were not allowed to participate in a fair and open process and that were rejected by the CoC also may appeal the rejection directly to HUD by submitting a project application as a Solo Application in E-snaps prior to the HUD application deadline, per HUD’s instructions in e-snaps and/or the NOFA.

Submission to HUD

All eligible projects also must submit their application(s) to HUD via E-snaps ()by the deadline stated in the NOFA, whether or not they are recommended by the Durham CoC to HUD for funding.Most of the information requested in the pre-application is taken directly from the E-snaps application form for the 2014 CoC Grants Competition.

Evaluation Criteria

Pre-applications for new projects will be scored and ranked locally based on: 1) Organizational Capacity, 2) Performance, 3) Project Budget, Leverage & Match, 4) CoC & HUD Priorities5) Scope of Services, and 6) Relationship to the Community & Participants. Pre-applications for renewing transitional and permanent housing projects will be scored and ranked locally based on 1) Utilization of Mainstream Resources & Employment, 2) Housing Performance, 3) Financial Performance, 4) HMIS Participation, 5) CoC Participation, and 6) HUD & Local Priorities.A copy of the Scoring Criteriawill be available for download from the Community Development Department’s website or the Durham Opening Doors website after April 24, 2015.

New project applications must provide evidence that the organization has implemented similar projects in the past and evidence that the similar projects have met or are meeting the performance standards identified as required in the Scoring Criteria.

The score of projects that were first funded in the 2014 CoC Homeless Grants Competition and the 2014 score of housing projects that have not yet completed an Annual Performance Report for the first year of operations will be used to rank these projects with other projects. Due to the transition of HMIS administration from the North Carolina Housing Coalition to the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, the score of Durham’s CoC HMIS grant from the 2014 CoC Homeless Grants Competition also will be used to rank this project with other projects. ALL projects must complete the applicable sections of the pre-application. New project pre-applications must complete the following sections:

• Parts I, page 8,
• Part II, page 9,
• Part III, page 14,
• Part V, page 25,
• Part VI, page 28, and
• Part VII, page 29.

Renewal project pre-applications must complete the following sections:

• Parts I, page 8,
• Part IV, page 21,
• Part V, page 25,
• Part VI, page 28, and
• Part VII, page 29.

All required supporting documents must be included with the pre-application. Incomplete applications, i.e. with missing supporting documents, will not be considered.

Important Information

1. This is a competitive process for limited funding. Applicants are not guaranteed an award.
2. Successful projects may be funded for less than the amount requested.
3. Agencies that are currently receiving other funds, e.g. CDBG, HOME, ESG, from the City who are applying for these funds, must be in compliance with all terms of their current agreement(s) and must not have any outstanding audit findings, monitoring findings or concerns as determined by the City or HUD.
4. Nonprofit organizations must have an active Board of Directors documented by submitting an attendance list of board members at meetings for the previous twelve (12) months and a board membership list that includes at least one identified homeless or formerly homeless person.
5. All pre-applications must be submitted in electronic format only, with all required documents in separate electronic files identified as indicated. Signature pages must be submitted with a hand-written signature, preferably in .pdf format. Pre-applications may be submitted on a Compact Disc or flash drive. Pre-applications that do not contain a copy of a hand-written signature on the appropriate signature page(s) will not be considered.
6. For additional information, please contact Lloyd Schmeidler, Program Manager, at 919-560-4570 x22267 or via email to .

CITY OF DURHAM