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Special-Needs Housing
Homeless and Special-Needs Housing
OHCD helps provide permanent and transitional housing
for homeless people and other low-income people with specialized housing
and service needs.
Emergency Shelter Grant Financing
The mission of the Office of Emergency Shelter and Services (OESS) is
the provision of emergency food, short-term shelter and supportive services
to homeless individuals and families. OESS administers all emergency
shelter and shelter-related support service funding available to the
City. A major funding source of the provision of emergency housing is
the federal Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program which is allocated
to the City as an entitlement program through OHCD.
The proposed usage of ESG funds remains to
augment the City’s array of shelter and support services, in addition
to leveraging local operating and available state funding for emergency
homeless housing. OESS will allocate the ESG funding through a Request
for Information (RFI) process wherein selected providers are notified
to submit documentation.
Housing Assistance/Mental Health
OHCD responds to the need for assisted housing for persons with mental
illness. OHCD provides funds for the provision of rental
assistance for persons receiving supportive services under programs
administered by the Office of Behaviorial Health (OBH). The supportive
services provided include treatment, case management, socialization,
recreation and residential support to this targeted population.
Rental Assistance to the Homeless
OHCD supports the Philadelphia Transitional Housing Program which provides
housing counseling, case management and rental assistance to homeless
persons to promote self-sufficiency. OHCD supports the Tenant Union Representative Newtwork (formerly TAG/
TRAC) to provide rental assistance to persons with HIV/AIDS.
OHCD provides administrative oversight to the
competitively awarded federal Shelter Plus Care (S+C) Program. S+C provides
rental assistance to homeless persons/households with histories of mental
illness, substance abuse or persons with AIDS through contracts with
various non-profit organizations.
Homelessness Prevention
The City funds activities designed to prevent low-income individuals
and families with children (especially those with incomes below 30 percent
of median) from becoming homeless. These activities are funded with
non-federal dollars.
Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS
(HOPWA)
Based on an increase in the incidence of new cases relative to other
highly impacted regions, Philadelphia continues to receive around $7 million annually in
HOPWA funding.
Consultation and Coordination
The original HOPWA regulations issued by HUD mandated that the City,
as grantee, work closely with the Ryan White CARE Act Planning Council
for the region in allocating funding and in designing HOPWA-funded housing
programs for persons with AIDS. OHCD coordinates with Ryan White CARE
Act Planning Council by meeting monthly with the Housing Committee of
the Philadelphia HIV Commission, the Ryan White Title I Planning Council
for the entire region. In 2000, the City restructured the Ryan White
Planning Council. OHCD now appoints an HIV/AIDS Housing Advisory Committee.
Through this committee, local government representatives as well as
advocates, persons with HIV/AIDS, and service and housing providers
meet to advise OHCD on HIV/AIDS housing policy and programs.
Project Sponsor Selection
OHCD contracts with existing project sponsors
for emergency grants, rental assistance, operating costs and supportive
services, and housing counseling activities carried out by suburban
providers. Philadelphia agencies providing housing counseling activities
for persons with HIV/AIDS are selected as part of a broader housing
counseling RFP.
Urgent Needs to be Met
OHCD supports the most urgent and immediate housing needs by concentrating
on direct housing assistance, including rental assistance vouchers,
short-term (emergency) payments to prevent homelessness and direct operating
costs for community-based and other residences. Funding is continued
for information/referrals (housing counseling) and for supportive services
linked to housing services for persons with mental illness and substance-abuse
issues.
Technical Assistance and Planning
OHCD funds technical assistance and planning efforts to support homeless and special-needs housing initiatives. OHCD funds the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition
which assists other private organizations through workshops on homeless
housing and supportive services. OHCD funds the provision
of technical assistance to organizations developing housing for, or
providing assistance to, persons with disabilities. Additionally, OHCD
supports the senior housing workshops series.
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