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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-406-Housing-MOU-Memorandum of UnderstandingMemorandum of Understanding This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been created and entered into on July 22, 2021. Orange County Housing Authority 300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC 27278 Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness 300 W. Tryon St, Hillsborough, NC 27278 I.Introduction and Goals a. The Orange County Housing Authority (hereinafter, the “PHA”) and The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (hereinafter, the “CoC”) are commited to administering Emergency Housing Vouchers (hereinafter, the “EHVs”) in accordance with all program requirements. b. The PHA and CoC commit to administer the EHVs in alignment with equity principles and local goals, including racial equity, disability equity, and other local priorities. c. The PHA has the following goals and standards of success in administering the program:  Ensuring that EHVs are distributed proportionally and equitably to reflect the demographics of people experiencing homelessness in Orange County  Ensuring that all recipients possess the knowledge of local resources to reduce the likelihood of returning to homelessness  To ensure that the service fees associated with each voucher are used to 1) support the stability of the participants’ housing to the greatest possible degree, and 2) assure them a dignified living space. The PHA will be implementing a continuous quality improvement process to make necessary shifts over time. The continuous quality improvement process will include monitoring the distribution of EHVs for equity and will incorporate the voices of persons with lived experience of homelessness. d. The PHA and CoC are committed to equitably serving clients in all of Orange County, NC.. e. The PHA and CoC are committed to collaboratively collecting sufficient data to analyze how and to whom EHVs are allocated, with the ability to analyze for equity and retention of the vouchers over time. DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 f. The PHA and CoC have identified the following lead EHV Liaisons: For the PHA: Blake Rosser, Housing Choice Voucher Program Manager For the COC: Rachel Waltz, Homeless Programs Manager II. Populations eligible for EHV assistance. Homeless Category 1 – Literally Homeless i. Individual or household who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning: a. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation b. Is living in a publicly or private operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs); or c. Is exiting an institution where (s)he resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution Homeless Category 2 – Imminent Risk of Homelessness ii. Individual or household who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that; a. Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance; b. No subsequent residence has been identified; and c. The individual or household lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing Homeless Category 3 – Homeless under other Federal statutes iii. Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who: a. Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statutes; DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 b. Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application; c. Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during in the preceding 60 days; and d. Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period time due to special needs or barriers Homeless Category 4 – Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence iv. Any individual or household who: a. Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence b. Has no other residence; and c. Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing Orange County Housing Help Program Participant: An applicant who is a participant in the Orange County Housing Help Rapid Re-housing Program, administered by Orange County Housing and Community Development and Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH). Orange County HOME Committee Participant: An applicant experiencing homelessness who is referred through an agency participating in the OCPEH HOME Committee. The referring agency must be an active participant in the HOME Committee and be recommended for a HCV by HOME Committee members prior to HCV applications being accepted from agency referrals in this preference category. Move On Program: An applicant who is referred through Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness’ Move On Program. The applicants must be referred by an approved Move On participating pr ogram agency to include having a signed MOU with the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness. III. Services to be provided to eligible EHV families DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 1. Partnering service providers will support individuals and families in completing applications and obtaining necessary supporting documentation to support referrals and applications for assistance; while aiding households in addressing housing barriers. 2. Partnering service providers will support PHAs in ensuring appointment notifications to eligible individuals and families and will assist eligible households in getting to meetings with the PHA. 3. PHAs will establish windows of time for EHV applicants to complete intake interviews for EHV. 4. Partnering service providers will provide culturally relevant housing search assistance for eligible individuals and families 5. Partnering service providers will provide counseling on compliance with rental lease requirements. 6. Partnering service providers will ensure people who need assistance with security deposits, utility hook-up fees, utility deposits, etc. are connected to relevant resources. 7. Partnering service providers will assess and refer individuals and families to bene fits and supportive services, where applicable. 8. Partnering service providers will ensure services are culturally relevant and tailored to individual needs, language needs are accommodated, preferences are taken into account, and people are in the driver’s seat of their own housing and services plan. IV. PHA Roles and Responsibilities 1. Coordinate and consult with the CoC in developing the services and assistance to be offered under the EHV services fee. 2. Accept direct referrals for eligible individuals and families through the CoC Coordinated Entry System, the HOME Committee. 3. Commit a sufficient number of staff and necessary resources to ensure that the application, certification, and voucher issuance processes are completed in a timely manner. 4. Commit a sufficient number of staff and resources to ensure that inspections of units are completed in a timely manner. 5. Designate a staff to serve as the lead EHV liaison. The PHA has designated Blake Rosser, Housing Choice Voucher Program Manager, to serve as its lead EHV liaison. 6. Identify a process to ensure equity is a primary focus of EHV efforts and continuous improvement processes are built in that ensure frequent monitoring of data and outcomes against local equity priorities. DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 7. Collaborate with the CoC to ensure sufficient data collection to analyze how EHVs are allocated, including the ability to disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, disabling condition, age, household type, and other intersections of individual and household identity the community sets as a priority to be able to analyze for equity. 8. Comply with the provisions of this MOU. V. CoC Roles and Responsibilities 1. Designate and maintain a lead EHV liaison to communicate with the PHA. The CoC has designated Rachel Waltz, Homeless Programs Manager, as its lead EHV liaison. 2. Facilitate a community-based process to determine an EHV prioritization process  Work with the Coordinated Entry Planning Group to incorporate EHVs into the HCV prioritization process  Determine opportunities for utilization of EHV that will further racial and other equity goals  Analyze any existing assessment tools or processes for prioritization that the CoC willuse for EHV prioritization  Utilize both qualitative and quantitative data in all analyses 3. Refer eligible individuals and families to PHA using the community’s coordinated entry system. 4. Support eligible individuals and households in completing and applying for supportive documentation to accompany admissions application to the PHA (i.e. self -certifications, birth certificate, social security card, etc.). 5. Attend EHV participant briefings when needed. 6. Assess all households referred for EHV for entitlement eligiblity and supportive services available to support eligible individuals and families through their transition. 7. Identify and provide supportive services to EHV families. (While EHV participants are not required to participate in services, the CoC will assure that services are available, accessible, and culturally relevant to the best of the CoC’s ability.) 8. Ensure continuous improvement process is built into the EHV effort, including quantitative data and human experience data to be analyzed regularly and inform process and policy shifts in alignment with local priorities. 9. Collaborate with the PHA to ensure sufficient data collection in HMIS to analyze how EHVs are allocated, including the ability to disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, disabling condition, age, household type, and other intersections of individual and household identity the community sets as a priority to be able to analyze for equity. DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 10. Comply with the provisions of this MOU. VI. Program Evaluation The PHA and CoC agree to establish a local EHV evaluation plan with clear metrics, including an analysis of outcomes broken down demographically. The PHA and CoC commit to incorporating qualitative data into the program evaluation process, including the voices of persons with lived experience and minoritized communities. The qualitative data will be used to frame and understand the quantitative data analysis. The PHA, and CoC agree to cooperate with HUD, provide requested data to HUD or HUD - approved contractor delegated the responsibility of program evaluation protocols established by HUD or HUD-approved contractor, including possible random assignment procedures. This MOU is effective when signed, and shall continue until terminated in writing by either party. The parties agree to review the terms of this MOU annually. This MOU may only be modified by written amendment duly executed by authorized representatives of both parties. Signed by Corey Root Executive Director, PHA Date Rachel Waltz CoC Lead Staff Date DocuSign Envelope ID: BBC6C7DC-B013-4978-9F76-89D788E0AA25 7/21/2021 7/21/2021