RD113 - Report to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees: Fiscal Year 2004 Homeless Programs


Executive Summary:
This report was prepared to provide elected officials with information on the sheltered homeless in Virginia during fiscal year 2004. Prepared at the request of the 2004 General Assembly of Virginia, "Report to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees: Fiscal Year 2004 Homeless Programs" highlights the efforts of the Commonwealth to provide financial support to nonprofit and local government providers of homeless prevention services, emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent housing for the homeless. Although state and federal funds are allocated to numerous state agencies, these funds benefit specific homeless initiatives, such as education, health and mental health care, or domestic violence. This report will include only those programs administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). It is our hope that this report will continue to inform lawmakers and staff as to the number of Virginians who were at risk of homelessness, the number and characteristics of homeless individuals sheltered, the costs associated with shelter facility operations and the provision of supportive services to that population. Furthermore, financial data will convey the degree to which state and federal resources administered by DHCD annually contribute to sustain these efforts.

Throughout this report, the term "funded" refers to those shelters receiving state and/or federal assistance in the form of SHARE Shelter Support Grants (SSG) and SHARE Federal Shelter Grants (FSG) during fiscal year 2004. Additional definitions are included on page five of this document.

Provision of Shelter

• During fiscal year 2004, 16,802 households representing 24,045 persons were served through 106 funded emergency, transitional and day shelters.

• Shelter providers denied requests from 52,821 persons for emergency shelter and transitional housing because of a lack of bed space.

• Twenty-nine percent (29%) of all persons sheltered in funded programs were under the age of 18.

• Twenty-one percent (21%) of the persons sheltered were homeless due to eviction or foreclosure.

• Thirty-eight percent (38%) of all persons, including families and single adults, in funded programs were placed in permanent housing upon leaving an emergency shelter or transitional housing. The success rate is significant when the vulnerable nature of the population is considered.

• The SHARE Shelter Support Grant and/or SHARE Federal Shelter Grant funded a total of 5,847 beds in fiscal year 2004. Of these 2,461 were emergency shelter beds, 2,254 were transitional housing, 651 were domestic violence emergency shelter, 123 were winter shelter, and 14 were participants in day shelter programs.

Cost of Providing Shelter and Services

• The total cost of providing shelter and supportive services to homeless individuals and families in fiscal year 2004 was $52,634,937 including the SHARE Shelter Support Grant, SHARE Federal Shelter Grant and financial support from local governments.

• The cost of providing each bed of shelter for the fiscal year was $9,002; state-administered funds (SSG, FSG, and TANF) provided just over 11%.

• SSG and TANF provided $845 per bed to 5,503 beds and FSG provided an average of $393 per bed to 2,981 beds during the year.

• Project sponsors reported 527,184 volunteer hours with a value of $2,635,922 ($5.00 per hour), and donated goods and services valued at $5,398,161.

• DHCD allocated $3,275,711 in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds to SHARE Shelter Support Grant recipients, which accounted for 6% of the total budget for emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities. Excluding TANF funds, the SSG accounted for 3%. The SHARE Federal Shelter Grant accounted for 2%.

• Local governments provided 28% of the financial support for shelter and transitional housing.

• Providers estimated that $8,526,320 would be required to increase, expand and/or enhance supportive services to better address the needs of the homeless.

Homeless Prevention Services

• Twenty-seven (27) SHARE Homeless Intervention Program (HIP) grantees provided homeless prevention services. In fiscal year 2004, citizens in every jurisdiction in Virginia had access to program funds and services.

• The SHARE Homeless Intervention Program provided rent, mortgage and security deposit assistance to 2,337 households representing 6,453 persons.

• Rental assistance accounted for almost 74% of the total, mortgage assistance for 17%, and deposits and fees for 9%.

• Forty-four percent (44%) of the heads of household were employed on a full time basis, 16% on a part time basis, 25% were unemployed, 1% were retired, and 14% were disabled.

• Fifty-two percent (52%) of the persons in households receiving assistance were under the age of 18.

• In fiscal year 2004, $4.5 million in general funds were awarded to the 27 SHARE HIP grantees.

• An additional $780,171 in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program funding was also allocated to local programs.

• Local programs received $401,563 in loan repayments from households formerly assisted through HIP. Local programs may use up to one-half of these funds to offset administrative costs with the remaining balance available to provide client services.

Coordinators of Services for Homeless Children

• Twenty-eight full-time and 37 part-time coordinators of services for homeless children assisted 5,102 children in 57 emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities.

• In fiscal year 2004, an appropriation of $360,000 in state general funds and an allocation by DHCD of $511,786 in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds supported the program.

• Homeless children received services related to health, mental health, and education. In addition, they were screened for evidence of abuse and may have benefited from interventions and training provided to parent(s).

Child Care for Homeless Children

• In fiscal year 2004, DSS provided DHCD with $450,000 ($405,000 for services and $45,000 to cover administrative costs) from its block grant to support the Child Care for Homeless Children Program.

• 455 children received child care during the year at a per child cost of approximately $890.

• Two-thirds of the households receiving child care assistance had at least one parent employed at the time they exited the shelter.