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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-05-20; 6-c - Emergency Housing Assistance Program Update and Request for Supplemental Funding 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 5, 2020 Action Agenda Item No. 6-c SUBJECT: Emergency Housing Assistance Program Update and Request for Supplemental Funding DEPARTMENT: Housing and Community Development ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Attachment 1: Summary of Emergency Emila Sutton, Director, Housing and Housing Assistance (EHA) Community Development, (919) 245-2490 Fund Attachment 2: OCHCD COVID-19 Response Summary — September Attachment 3: EHA Partner Testimonials PURPOSE: (1) To update the Board of Commissioners on the work of the Housing Department in pandemic response through the Emergency Housing Assistance fund, and (2) to request the transfer of $100,000 from the Local Rent Supplement Program to the Emergency Housing Assistance program to provide additional funding for ongoing eviction prevention activities that are not eligible costs under other programs. BACKGROUND: In March 2020, at the onset of the public health crisis caused by COVID-19 and seeing the need for increased housing assistance for those impacted, the Orange County Housing Department and staff from the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough began discussions on how to combine our existing eviction prevention and housing stabilization efforts to best serve residents. Staff from all jurisdictions agreed that combining existing efforts into one program, with one application process and singular policies, would improve provision of emergency housing assistance throughout the County. The Emergency Housing Assistance program (or "EHA") was created as a result, and Orange County began administering eviction prevention and housing stabilization funds on behalf of the Towns as well as the County (see Attachment 1). At the same time, the Department also began managing Coordinated Entry for the community — providing an efficient and evidence-based method of serving those experiencing a housing crisis. The Department renamed and rebranded Coordinated Entry as the "Housing Helpline" so residents more readily understood how assistance could be requested. Both of these programs saw an exponential increase in demand quickly after the pandemic hit, and both programs scaled up quickly in order to meet the increasing demand (see Attachment 2). One way the program successfully and quickly scaled up to meet the need was by requesting assistance and partnership from local non-profits. Several organizations stepped up to help, to include El Centro Hispano, Refugee Community Partnership, Community Home Trust, EmPOWERment, and the Community Empowerment Fund, as well as other Orange County Departments such as Family Success Alliance (Health Department), Department on Aging, and Department of Social Services (see Attachment 3). These rapid collaborative efforts and community partnerships allowed the program to serve people as they presented for assistance through the Housing Helpline and through the partner referral network – and reaching a diverse range of communities to include non-English-speaking households and families with extremely low incomes (see tables below). Table 1: EHA Funding by Income Bracket of Beneficiary AMI 30% 50% 60% 80% Grand Total Amount $1,242,140 $387,497 $56,757 $1,095 $1,687,490 Percentage 73.61% 22.96% 3.36% 0.06% 100.00% Client Count 562 171 29 1 748 Percentage 75.13% 22.86% 3.88% 0.13% 100.00% Table 2: EHA Funding by Race/Ethnicity of Beneficiary Race/Ethnicity Unidentified Asian Black Latinx Middle Eastern Multiracial Native American White Grand Total Amount $594,230 $55,420 $394,514 $460,215 $26,458 $6,088 $8,249 $142,317 $1,687,490 Percentage 35.21% 3.28% 23.38% 27.27% 1.57% 0.36% 0.49% 8.43% 100.00% Client Count 290 26 160 209 9 3 3 62 748 Percentage 38.77% 3.48% 21.39% 27.94% 1.20% 0.40% 0.40% 8.29% 100.00% Financing History: EHA was seeded with local Orange County funds for Risk Mitigation and Housing Stabilization activities and Town contributions, and later CARES funding from the Towns and County. Due to the high demand for funds caused by the COVID-19 health crisis, these funds have almost been fully expended. Since the start of the pandemic, $2.1 million has been invested by the County and Towns. As of October 20, about $276,000 remains uncommitted, which staff anticipate will last another two and a half weeks, based on the current rate of expenditure and the queue of more than 100 applications awaiting review. As such, the County sought funds from the State in order to continue the work – first through the HOPE program ($797,133) administered by NCORR and second through an application to the NC Commerce Department for Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds ($900,000). The HOPE program portion of the work began on October 19, 2020 and will end December 31, 2020 per the funding regulations, and the County hopes to hear about the CDBG-CV application for funding by the end of the year. Both of these funding sources are limited to providing only rent and utility arrears and payments. This means that the other housing stabilization activities that had been provided through other EHA funding sources are not eligible under these new programs. These stabilization activities include security and utility deposits, moving costs, and application fees all of which are important for helping residents secure housing at a time when having a stable home is crucial for staying safe and avoiding COVID exposure. Further, flexible EHA funding is needed for those residents who do not qualify for the HOPE program or CDBG-CV funds, i.e. not having required documentation for federal funds and/or landlord not agreeing to lease addendum required by the HOPE program. There is also need for urgent funds for those facing imminent eviction or who are working with the 2 Eviction Diversion Program attorney, for those needing reasonable modifications to their homes due to their disability that is necessary to keep them stable in housing, and for homeowners’ facing foreclosure as HOPE does not provide funds for mortgage assistance. The Housing Department has also used flexible EHA funds to increase the utilization of Housing Choice Vouchers. The Department recently sent out more than 100 applications for the Housing Choice Voucher program for residents meeting the homelessness preference in the Orange County Housing Authority’s Administrative Plan. While the new Housing Access Coordinator funded by the County and Towns has helped recruit landlords in accepting vouchers, security deposits are needed as well as application fee assistance for these units in order for residents in need of affordable housing to access them – especially those who are the most vulnerable in our community. Since January 2020, 2.5% of EHA funding (about $42,000) has gone to these activities. Based on these numbers and in anticipation of increased need, as families fall out of housing due to lost income and the expiration of CARES funds and eviction protection at the end of 2020, we anticipate that at least $60,000 is needed in order to continue providing security and utility deposits, moving costs, and application fees through June 2021. In order to continue providing flexible EHA rent and utility assistance for those who do not qualify for the supplemental State and Federal funds, we anticipate at least $200,000 additional funding is needed for EHA through June 2021. Research shows that housing assistance, such as that provided through EHA, reduces hardship and increases economic opportunity for low-income families.1 .There is also research showing that preventing eviction can reduce costs to the health care system, lower costs and reduce the burden on shelter and other emergency housing programs, ease the administrative burden on the courts, reduce job loss, reduce negative educational outcomes, and prevent the decline of communities that occurs when people are displaced.2 This combined impact is due to the continuing community-wide effort to prevent evictions and homelessness in Orange County. Additional local funds allows the Housing Department to continue this work to keep people stable in housing and access new affordable housing through the County’s existing Emergency Housing Assistance fund. FINANCIAL IMPACT: $100,000 allocated to the Local Rent Subsidy Program will be reallocated to the Emergency Housing Assistance fund to help pay for security deposits, moving costs, and application fees for residents who need access to affordable housing. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this item: • GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND INEQUITY 1 Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (2019, December 5). Research Shows Rental Assistance Reduces Hardship and Provides Platform to Expand Opportunity for Low-Income Families. https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/research-shows-rental-assistance-reduces-hardship-and-provides-platform- to-expand 2 Stout Risius Ross. (2018, November). Economic return on investment of providing counsel in Philadelphia eviction cases for low-income tenants. Philadelphia Bar Association. https://www.philadelphiabar.org/WebObjects/PBA.woa/Contents/WebServerResources/CMSResources/Philadelphi aEvictionsReport.pdf 3 The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color; religious or philosophical beliefs; sex, gender or sexual orientation; national origin or ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic status. • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. • GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang activity, substance abuse and domestic violence. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There are no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impacts applicable to this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the transfer of $100,000 from the Local Rent Supplement Program to the Emergency Housing Assistance program to provide additional funding for ongoing eviction prevention activities. 4 Attachment 1 Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) The Emergency Housing Assistance fund was created under the Risk Mitigation and Housing Displacement Fund to help Orange County residents with low incomes secure and maintain stable housing. Assistance is available to households in Orange County that (1) earn no more than 60% of the area median income (AMI), (2) have an urgent need for housing assistance, and (3) do not have adequate savings to cover the cost of their housing need. The most current income limits for Orange County are: • 1-person household: $38,220 • 2-person household: $43,680 • 3-person household: $49,140 • 4-person household: $54,540 • 5-person household: $58,920 • 6-person household: $63,084 • 7-person household: $67,680 • 8-person household: $72,000 Eligible Costs Emergency Housing Assistance may pay for security deposits, utility connections and arrears, rental payments and arrears, and, in certain emergency situations and upon OCHCD approval, other urgent housing-related costs (e.g., mortgage payments/arrears, moving costs), especially for hard-to-house individuals and families, such as large families with children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and people with justice system involvement. Emergency Housing Assistance may not duplicate any assistance provided by any other program. Maximum Assistance The total amount of assistance provided to any household may not exceed $6,500. Rent and utility payments may only cover arrears and/or payments for the current month or next upcoming month; assistance will not be granted for months further in the future. For example, if an applicant applies on June 15, assistance may be granted to cover any arrears for past rent owed, rent owed in the current month (June), rent to be owed in the upcoming month (July), but not for rent owed in future months (August or beyond). However, applicants may request assistance again in future months, if needed, up to the $4,000 maximum. How to Apply for EHA Option 1: Online Application Portal 1. Go to our online application portal: https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/ORANGECOUNTYNC/Participant/ 5 2. Create an account, confirm it using the link that will be sent to your email, and sign into your account. 3. Under "Start a New Application", select Emergency Housing Assistance, and create an application. Along with submitting the application, you will be required to provide: a. Documentation verifying total gross household income b. Documentation verifying total household savings/assets/cash c. Copy of the lease or other documentation from the landlord showing the amount of funds needed (as applicable) d. Statement or invoice from utility provider (as applicable) 4. Be sure to click "Complete & Continue" after each section of the application is complete. You can also click "Save" to come back and complete a section later. 5. Submit your application through the portal once all sections are complete. Option 2: Apply by Email 1. Complete an Emergency Housing Assistance application (which can be downloaded from the "Documents" section) and provide: a. Documentation verifying total gross household income* b. Documentation verifying total household savings/assets/cash* c. Copy of the lease or other documentation from the landlord showing the amount of funds needed (as applicable) d. Statement or invoice from utility provider (as applicable) 2. Submit your application and attachments by email to HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov * See the EHA Application for a checklist of the acceptable source documentation Documents • EHA Application (English) • Solicitud para Asistencia de Vivienda de Emergencia (Espanol) • EHA and Housing Helpline Flyer • Folleto del Programa de Asistencia de Vivienda de Emergencia y la Linea de Ayuda de Vivienda (Espanol) • EHA and Housing Helpline Progress Report • Risk Mitigation and Housing Displacement Fund Policies Questions? Contact the Housing Helpline at HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-2655 6 OCHCD COVID-19 Response Summary www.orangecountync.gov/Housing The Board of Commissioners created the Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) fund in 2018. In 2020, the Board of Commissioners significantly supplemented funding for this program and endorsed OCHCD’s recommendation to enhance service delivery to: • STABILIZE housing with financial assistance to 691 households, January – September • PREVENT eviction and homelessness • STREAMLINE referrals and eligibility with funding in the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough • ADMINISTER funds for the Towns and County, improving access and efficiency Orange County Housing and Community Development (OCHCD) promotes affordable housing, economic opportunity, and living free from discrimination. With support from Orange County Department of Social Services and Federal ESG-CV funds for case manager positions, OCHCD created the Housing Help Rapid Re-housing program in March 2020, for people experiencing homelessness to secure and maintain stable housing with a flexible mix of: • HOUSING SEARCH to locate units that match client needs • CASE MANAGEMENT and linkages to programs and services • FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE for housing costs over a few months or more OCHCD administers the Orange County Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to provide long term housing affordability to people with low incomes, including recent initiatives to: • CREATE new preferences for vulnerable populations • ISSUE 100 HCV applications to include more than 50 people expe- riencing homelessness, 30 of whom are staying at IFC emergency shelter. • SECURE NEW HOUSING for Orange County residents with vouchers via the Landlord Incentive Program by providing a $2,000 leasing bonus for affordable units for people with low incomes. In partnership with the Towns, in August OCHCD hired a Housing Access Coordinator that will • RECRUIT landlords to accept vouchers • PROVIDE a point of contact for landlords in the community • UTILIZE landlord incentives to provide a $2,000 lease-signing bonus to landlords willing to accept tenants with housing subsides/vouchers 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2020 2019*This number reflects new households assisted; 58 households also received repeat assistance. Total number of households assisted in 2019: 26 TOTAL JAN-SEPT 2020 691 Diverted from eviction and/or homelessness 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2020 2019 OCHCD partners with the Orange County Part- nership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) to run the Housing Helpline. Staff on the Helpline assist callers and emailers to: OCPEH HOUSING HELPLINE # OF PEOPLE # OF CALLS # OF EMAILS APRIL 113 210 5* MAY 350 617 116 JUNE 391 1,005 194 JULY 365 915 598 AUGUST 507 1,527 1,579 SEPT 626 1,459 905 *Housing Helpline began email access on April 28, 2020 • ACCESS programs and services • REFER to shelter and housing programs • DIVERT people from homelessness • PRIORITIZE people on housing waiting lists “I do not think you understand the stress and worry that has been lift- ed off my shoulders. This will allow me to get back on track so much.” — Orange County Resident assisted by EHA “I truly hope your organization knows how much of a life saver this help is. Thank you again for everything.” — Orange County Resident assisted by EHA “Thanks for responding so quickly and you’re so thoughtful and kind with your words and helping me feel important still in these times.” — Orange County Resident assisted by EHA HOUSEHOLDS ASSISTED Attachment 2 7 OCHCD COVID-19 Response Summary www.orangecountync.gov/Housing Orange County service providers meet monthly at the HOME Committee meeting to COORDINATE CARE and PRIORITIZE HOUSING for people experiencing homelessness in Orange County. This group reviews a by-name list of households and case conferences housing solutions – people can choose to participate on the list using their legal names, using other names, or using a completely anonymous number. MEETINGS MARCH 16-SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 NUMBER OF MEETINGS AVERAGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 30 26 MEETINGS MARCH 26-SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 NUMBER OF MEETINGS AVERAGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 22 11 VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS HOUSED JAN-SEPT 2020 HOUSED SINCE 2012 66 264 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 202020192018201720162015201420132012 78 51 18 2119 887 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HOUSED 66 AS OF SEPT 2020 OC Homeless System COVID-19 Coordination HOUSING THROUGH COLLABORATION OC Homeless System COVID-19 Coordination Unsheltered WorkgroupAt the onset of the health emergency caused by COVID-19, OCPEH began hosting biweekly housing and homelessness stakeholder coordination calls to • COORDINATE the response to COVID-19 for homelessness and housing agencies in Orange County • Ensure RESOURCE delivery for proper health and safety mea- sures • SHARE information among service providers Group members include health care professionals, service providers who serve people experiencing homelessness including staff from the homeless shelters and permanent housing programs. This subset of the overall Coordination group meets weekly to: • IDENTIFY unmet need and • DIREC T STRATEGIES related to the COVID-19 outbreak for people living unsheltered in Orange County. Group members include service providers who serve people expe- riencing unsheltered homelessness – people living in a place not meant for human habitation. HOME Committee participants include representatives from the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service (IFC), the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department, DSS, Chapel Hill Public Housing, Orange County Housing, UNC Healthcare, the Durham VA and other veterans organizations, law enforcement, Cardinal Innovations, and the group is coordinated by the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness. OCHCD partners with the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, the Town of Chapel Hill, Orange County Emergency Services, and OCPEH on Noncongregate Shelter Conversion to: • PROTECT people at homeless shelters from COVID-19 • MOVE homeless shelter to hotel in May 2020 • FUND safety modifications to shelter The Board of Commissioners created the Eviction Diversion Program in June 2020. OCHCD partners with OC Human Rights & Relations and OC Criminal Justice Resource Department to: • Provide an attorney to COUNSEL and REPRESENT people in eviction with court proceedings • LINK tenants to services and Emergency Housing Assistance 8 1 Attachment 3 Emergency Housing Assistance Partner & Resident Testimonials Meagan Clawar, Refugee Community Partnership The EHA has been so helpful to our families up until this point because many do not have documentation and are not eligible for other supports; each month EHA has been the difference between getting an eviction notice that month or not. Most have not worked since March and their jobs are not coming back anytime soon. EHA gave families back some sense of minor security each month in a span of over 6 months of insecurity and panic. EHA is a huge lifesaver and we need it to get more funding! Otherwise we will be shifting gears from keeping families in homes to figuring out what to do once families are evicted… and then the County will have an even more serious problem on its hands! Mariela Hernandez, Family Success Alliance Family Navigator I been helping families in the community for a long time and housing assistance was in the pass not so hard if the community member was employed. But saying that we are in not going through a period of time were employment for everyone is really hard to keep end meet. And even harder for the community that are lacking NC government ID or other documents. So when EHA was put in place it was a life changing opportunity for our community. Some of this families have been laid off since March and the also face the sickness of this virus. The EHA program in my cases have kept at least 7 families at the point of being evicted so the capacity of this program keep this families in their home. I have tried sending families to other resources but has for document that some of this community can’t provide. So they are stuck not been able to access anything. The EHA was an essential program for our community and the feeling of relief I hear from this community when I tell them that they have been approved. Their voice is trembling of happiness and always ask me to thank all the people behind this program and blessing to all. Pilar Rocha, El Centro Hispano In these difficult times where our Latinx community has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, it is very important and crucial to have organizations and local governments that are willing to devote services and resources to support. But more important is that they recognize the barriers they have to deliver this support and to recognize their assets in the community to create valued and true partnerships. We feel very honored and thankful for the partnership we have with OCHCD. Together we have made a big difference for our families in the Orange County community. There are many families that have been helped with this program. Many families are dealing with difficulty paying rent and are some months behind. One specific family was threatened to be sent to court if they didn’t pay by certain date that was two days ahead. They contacted us and through this partnership we were able to pay on time and the family avoided going to court and probably be evicted from their home 9 2 Diiv Sternman, Community Empowerment Fund The EHA has been one of the most effective and impactful programs CEF has ever partnered with. The sheer number of evictions and housing crises that our members were able to avert during this pandemic because of the EHA is testament to the quality of the program and how much our community needs it.The EHA has been able to work seamlessly with local program partners to be responsive to community members' urgent needs because of the local flexible funding that went into it. That is so important for the peace of mind of the members we serve at CEF! The toxic stress of facing homelessness has huge negative impacts on people (physical and mental health, economic, vocational, relational, etc.) and when we're able to rapidly assure someone that they are safe and will not lose their home, that goes a really long way towards freeing them from the harmful impacts and trauma of that crisis. We can only do that because the EHA gives us the tools to do so.In addition to reducing housing instability, this is another way the EHA is reducing the impacts of trauma and toxic stress in our community! Lori Woolworth, Community Home Trust Community Home Trust has had the privilege of partnering with OCHCD to administer the EHA Program. We had the opportunity to help dozens of community members apply for assistance. We heard countless stories about how the EHA Program allowed people to stay in their homes, keep their utilities on, and provided stability in a time when virtual learning and a lack on employment was causing a significant amount of additional stress on families. One specific applicant was a manager at a restaurant who saw her hours cut significantly due to COVID. I helped her gather her documents and submit her application for rent assistance. When her landlord received the check, they refused to accept it because of her past due status. Because of our partnership with OCHCD, I was able to go to the bank and secure a certified check to drop off at the property manager’s office to help the applicant avoid eviction. A few of our homeowners also found themselves facing financial hardship due to COVID-19. We were able to help them apply for assistance with their mortgage and HOA dues to avoid foreclosure. One homeowner recently had a baby, however, due to the virus when the time came for her to return back to work, she no longer had a job to return to. She struggled to stay current on her mortgage and got several months behind on her HOA dues. She was able to apply to the EHA Program and received the assistance she needed to prevent future foreclosure. I has been an honor to play a small part in helping residents of Orange County remain in their homes. We have received many messages of gratitude and appreciation for the assistance that was provided. One applicant said, “This is a struggle for me and my daughter to keep above water and I wouldn't be able to put a roof over their heads if it weren't for you. You have no idea how many people you are a blessing to and we appreciate you so much! Thank you!” The County Housing Department staff has been great to work and we appreciate the continued partnership. Delores Bailey, EmPOWERment Inc. EmPOWERment Inc.’s housing counselors have helped many families access The Orange County Emergency Assistance Funding. We believe it has literally saved the homes of hundreds of families in Orange County. I will share three examples: 1) As a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency, EmPOWERment’s two nationally certified counselor are trained to counsel renters and homeowners all over the State. During this pandemic we received 10 3 phone calls from homeowners desperately seeking assistance with their mortgage. Our counselors assisted several Habitat for Humanity- Orange County homeowners file the proper paper work to “stay” foreclosure on their homes. 2) A couple called seeking assistance to pay their rent. They were about to be evicted. Her husband was ill, and she had been released from her job. She had sold everything she could to raise money for the upcoming rent payment, but they were behind. What she did not reveal until later was she had lost her job because her husband had tested positive for COVID-19 and she had to be home to take care of he and their child. She was ashamed to tell us that. Ms. Reid was able to help her gather the paperwork to file for the Emergency Housing Assistance Funding and they were able to stay in place. 3) The last example was discovered quite by accident. We were doing a “wellness check” on the Minority Business calls EmPOWERment used to facilitate every Monday once COVID started. Originally the calls were about how minority businesses could access PPP/SBA funding. During this call, one of the owners was sharing her condition: she was struggling with her business and was about to lose her apartment because she was $1,500.00 short on her rent. Once we heard the situation, we connected her again to EI counselors who helped her access the EHA funds, and safe her from eviction!!!! Chapel Hill Social Worker Please know all the social workers in this area are so grateful for the work you all are doing. We have never seen a program with such impact. Rebecca Buzzard, Housing and Community Services Director, Town of Carrboro, Loryn Clark, Housing and Community Director, Town of Chapel Hill, and Margaret Hauth, Planning Director/Assistant Town Manager, Town of Hillsborough Before the pandemic, each Orange County jurisdiction had their own rental assistance program, all with different eligibility criteria and varying amounts of available assistance. The regional housing departments worked collaboratively when the pandemic hit to examine the urgent community need for rental assistance and adjust and streamline our programs to better meet that need. Our goal was to simplify the process for our community members so that they would have one set of guidelines and one “place to go” for housing help. We worked hard to agree on the changes to our programs and present them to our boards, commissions, and councils in a timely manner. Without the leadership of the Orange County Housing Department – stepping up to administer the program for all of our residents – we would not have been able to serve as many community members and keep them housed during these unprecedented times. We are so grateful for the close partnership with OCHD! Tiffany Bullard, Local Reentry Case Manager, Criminal Justice Resource Department Merriam-Webster dictionary defines housing as ‘any shelter, lodging, or dwelling place’ and although a functional and simple definition, for the clients I work with housing is something far greater. Housing is accomplishment, it is pride. Housing is recovery, it is sanctuary. Housing is health, it is peace, it is calm, it is…home. As the LRC Case Manager, working with returning citizens presents seemingly unsurmountable challenges, particularly for housing. Returning citizens are challenged with the task of obtaining affordable, safe housing 11 4 without a financial safety net to support them in doing so. The outcomes of referring clients to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program yielded the critical financial support for our clients to obtain and retain housing for themselves and their families. The continuation of this program is not just about paying for housing for folks; it is truly about welcoming people home. Keith Patterson, Orange County Local Reentry Council The Local Reentry Council is tasked with helping formerly incarcerated individual address the barriers faced when reentering society. One of the most pressing issued is housing. Housing not only provides shelter but also the security needed to take someone from survival mode to a place of focus and hope. The LRC receives funding that is limited in amount and designated use. It is through our work with Orange County Housing and Community Development that we have been able to meet the needs of many of our clients. Instead of having to tell a client that, “we cannot help you”, we have been able to turn to a community partner and access resources that decrease the chances of recidivism. It is because of such partnerships that we have been able to function as a community of agencies working to effectively support the community at large. The continued support of the Emergency Housing Assistance will help to strengthen the efforts of multiple agencies providing wrap-a-round services to at-risk populations in Orange County. Affordable Housing Provider Katie Palmer, Resident Services Coordinator Thank so very much for this much-needed update. I am especially appreciative for this resource on behalf of my residents at INCHUCO- Chase Park and Elliott Woods Apartments. Orange County Resident Testimonials Three resident testimonials shared by Katie Palmer: The rental assistance program was a Godsend. It helped me be able to focus on staying healthy for my children and not worry about being put out KJ God is awesome! Thank you so much for your assistance. ST THANK YOU SO MUCH! You're an Angel!!! MS Resident Testimonials from the Orange County Housing Helpline I do not think you understand the stress and worry that has been lifted off my shoulders. This will allow me to get back on track so much. I truly hope your organization knows how much of a life safer this help is. Thank you again for everything. I cannot describe how grateful I am for the help and how stunned I am to be in this place and how incredible it has been to work with you guys and experience genuine kindness without judgment regarding my 12 5 circumstances – that has impacted my mental wellness in a positive way. I hope that when the tide shifts for me I am able to contribute in a meaningful way back to my community here in Orange County. I salute you guys, I do not wear a hat but if I did I would take off my hat. No one else is doing this. It is pretty amazing. Thank you it is a blessing and you are a blessing. You are all heroes. 13