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To:	Contra Costa County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
From:	Joseph Villarreal, Housing Authority
Date:	May 12, 2015

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Award of HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Grants

Action of Board On: 05/12/2015

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, Commissioner
Candace Andersen, Commissioner
Mary N. Piepho, Commissioner
Karen Mitchoff, Commissioner
Fay Nathaniel, Commissioner
Jannel George-Oden, Commissioner

ABSENT:

Federal D. Glover, Commissioner

Contact:

925-957-8028

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 12, 2015
,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATIONS

ACCEPT report on the award of HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers to the Housing Authority from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND (CONT'D)

HACCC currently houses 111 veterans through the HUD-VASH program. This new allocation of 45 vouchers, combined with 48 VASH vouchers awarded late last year and the existing vouchers will permit HACCC and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affair (VA) to house over 200 veterans through the VASH program. The VASH program will be an important component in helping the County reach its Zero: 2106 goals. Zero: 2106 is a national campaign that aims to end veteran and chronic homelessness.

HUD-VASH is a joint effort between HUD and the VA designed to move veterans and their families out of homelessness and into permanent housing. HUD provides Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance, thus allowing homeless veterans to rent privately-owned housing, and the VA offers case management and clinical services for participating veterans at VA medical centers and community-based outreach clinics.

The HUD-VASH program is for veterans who:

Are eligible for VA health care services;
Are chronically homeless, meaning homeless for a year or more or 4 or more times in the past 3 years;
Have a history of medical, mental health or substance abuse problems that are now stabilized;
Are ready for independent housing in the community, but need ongoing case management services to maintain it;
Have some type of income to pay for their housing;
Are motivated to improve the quality of their lives by working with a VA case manager; and
Are actively participating in treatment through the VA for their conditions.

To apply for the HUD-VASH program, veterans can contact the VA Homeless Program at (925) 372-2061. The VA's HUD-VASH Admission Team will assess eligibility for the program. Eligible veterans will then be referred by the VA to HACCC to obtain a voucher. HACCC will then determine if the veteran meets HUD’s regulations for the HUD-VASH program. Veterans can also contact HACCC at (925) 957-7042 or (925) 957-7010 to be placed on a referral list that will be provided to the VA Homeless Program.

FISCAL IMPACT

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa (HACCC) $636,120 in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2015 funding to support 45 new vouchers under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION