RD303 - Virginia’s Homeless Programs 2009-10 Program Year


Executive Summary:
Homelessness directly affects thousands of Virginians annually. According to the annual 2010 point-in-time count conducted by localities statewide, at least 8,883 individuals were homeless during a 24-hour snapshot in January 2010. Four to five times that number may actually experience homelessness at some point during the year, according to national homeless studies. Many of these persons have special needs based on situations ranging from physical or mental disabilities to chronic substance abuse. Of the total homeless population, many are also victims of other circumstances such as job loss or domestic violence. The Commonwealth of Virginia utilizes a variety of approaches to serve the needs of a diverse homeless population.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) directly addresses the problems associated with homelessness by administering several core programs that provide financial support to local governments and nonprofit providers of housing and supportive services to the homeless.

• Child Care for Homeless Children Program (CCHCP)
• Child Services Coordinator Grant (CSCG)
• Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
• State Shelter Grant (SSG)
• Homeless Intervention Program (HIP)
• Housing Opportunities for Person with AIDS (HOPWA)

The following summarizes funding and number of persons served during the 2009-10 program year:

• CCHCP

* DHCD received a $350,000 block grant for the CCHCP program
* 445 children received child care through the program

• CSCG

* Funding included $500,000 in state general funds and $589,375 in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program funds
* 7,923 homeless children in 48 emergency and transitional housing facilities assisted

• Shelter Programs

* ESG is a HUD allocation of $1,676,590
* SSG is a state-funded program with $3,475,247 in TANF funds and $2,882,293 in State general funds
* ESG and SSG programs together assisted 6,157 shelter beds

• HIP

* Funding included $4,050,000 million in State general funds and $600,000 TANF funds
* Financial assistance was provided to 1742 households (4,639 individuals). Non-financial assistance (case management, housing counseling, etc.) was provided to 2,189 households (5,929 individuals)

• HOPWA

* Funding included $667,943** in federal funds through the Department of Housing and Urban Development
* Funding was distributed through 9 project sponsors across the state to serve 268 individuals (258 Households).

**Actual award amounts to sub-grantees vary due to carry forward funds from prior years

• Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP)

* In addition to DHCD’s core homeless programs, a grant was received in August 2009 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This limited one-time 3 year grant of 11.4 million for the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) was allocated to 23 sub-grantees that serve both entitlement and non-entitlement jurisdictions throughout the state. These funds are used for a variety of activities towards homelessness prevention and rapid-re-housing. As of September 30, 2010, over 50% of all HPRP funds have been expended to serve 3,047 households struggling with housing during the recession.

This report serves as a means to report overall conditions and progress made related to the administration of the State’s homelessness programs in compliance with Budget Item 103 D.

"The Department shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance, the House Appropriations Committees, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget by November 4 of each year on the state's homeless programs, including, but not limited to, the number of (i) emergency shelter beds, (ii) transitional housing units, (iii) single room occupancy dwellings, and (iv) homeless intervention programs supported by state funding on a locality and statewide basis. The report shall also include the number of Virginians served by these programs, the costs of the programs, and the financial and in-kind support provided by localities and nonprofit groups in these programs. In preparing the report, the Department shall consult with localities and community-based groups."