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Office of Housing

HPRP
American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
www.recovery.gov logo and title

Homelessness Prevention &
Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP)

2009 Recovery & Reinvestment Act Funds

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, providing $787 billion to stimulate the economy. This crucial legislation included $1.5 billion for homelessness prevention, diversion and rapid re-housing that will provide assistance to homeless or at-risk individuals and families.

On March 19, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the guidelines and notice of allocations, application procedures, and requirements for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing program for grantees under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 [Docket No. FR-5307-N-01].  HPRP grant information is also located under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 14.257: Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).

The City of Chesapeake is eligible to receive $507,406 in funding for Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

HPRP funds will provide temporary financial assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services to individuals and families who are homeless or would be homeless but for this assistance.

The funds under this program are intended to target two populations of persons facing housing instability:

  1. individuals and families who are currently in housing but are at risk of becoming homeless and need temporary rent or utility assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless or assistance to move to another unit (prevention), and

  2. individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness (residing in emergency or transitional shelters or on the street) and need temporary assistance in order to obtain housing and retain it (rapid re-housing).

Reporting requirements:

In order to receive HPRP funds:

  1. The City must prepare and submit a substantial amendment to the Consolidated Plan 2008 Action Plan (“substantial amendment”). The substantial amendment and other required documents must be received by HUD within 60 days of the publication of the March 19, 2009 notice.

  2. In preparing the substantial amendment, the City must follow its citizen participation plan in accordance with 24 CFR part 91, except that the minimum time period for citizens to comment on the substantial amendment shall be reduced to 12 days. HUD does not require that City establish a second period of public comment regarding the process for determining subgrantees, but if a City has this requirement in place locally, this public comment period may be reduced to 3 days.

  3. Each substantial amendment submitted to HUD will be subject to the approval process set forth in 24 CFR 91.500, except that: HUD will approve or disapprove the substantial amendment by July 2, 2009; jurisdictions with disapproved substantial amendments may revise and resubmit a substantial amendment within 15 days after HUD sends the first notification of its disapproval; and HUD will approve or disapprove the revised substantial amendment within 15 days of receiving the resubmission.

  4. Grantees are not required to report on uses of HPRP funds in their Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Instead, the use of HPRP funds will be subject to the reporting requirements established by the Recovery Act, as specified by HUD and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Definitions

There are two definitions that cover two populations eligible to receive assistance under the HPRP:

  • At-Risk and requirements-client must have an initial consultation with a case manager or other staff who can determine the appropriate amount of assistance. Client must be at or below 50 percent of area median income (AMI).  Client must either be homeless or at risk of losing housing, and meet both the following: (1) have no appropriate subsequent housing options and (2) lacks the financial resources and support networks needed to obtain immediate housing or remain in existing housing.

  • Rapid Re-housing assistance-individual and families who meet HUD’s current definition of homelessness.

  • Homelessness- HUD’s definition include:

    1. those sleeping in an emergency shelter;
    2. sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, abandoned buildings, streets/sidewalks;
    3. staying in a hospital or other institution for up to 180 days but was sleeping in an emergency shelter or other place not meant for human habitation immediately prior to entry into the hospital or institutions;
    4. graduating from, or timing out of a transitional housing program; and
    5. victims of domestic violence. 

Outreach & Engagement

The Office of Housing provided an email notification on April 10, 2009 to Chesapeake Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) members. The CCH is comprised of over 30 public, non­profit, and faith-based organizations committed to serving the needs of homeless persons.

The Chesapeake Coalition for the Homeless met on April 14, 2009.  The HPRP grant was discussed and members offered suggestions on the proposed use of the funds.

An advertisement will be published in one local newspapers to notify citizens of a public hearing on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Indian River Branch Library, 2320 Old Greenbrier Road, Chesapeake, Virginia 23325-4916 to receive citizens’ comments on the use of these funds.  Written comments will be accepted by the Office of Housing until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.  Public notification was also provided on the City’s Cable Access Channel, Channel 48, and on the City’s web page.

A substantial amendment advertisement was be published in two local newspapers on April 20, 2009 to notify citizens of a public hearing on April 27, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Indian River Branch Library, 2320 Old Greenbrier Road, Chesapeake, Virginia 23325-4916 to receive citizens’ comments on the final FY 2008/2009 use of HPRP funds.  

Proposed Use of HPRP Funds


Activity Name Use
  • Flexible Financial Assistance
 To provide financial assistance for first/last month’s rent, deposits, utilities, rent assistance for a final month at a location, moving cost assistance, or other activities related to housing stability.
  • Short-Term or Medium Term Rental Assistance
 To provide time-limited rental assistance to homeless or at-risk households.
  • Case Management & Housing Stabilization
 To provide case management to people who receive assistance, link them to community-based services, and ensure their continued tenancy.
  • Outreach
 To identify people who are at risk of becoming homeless and to link to appropriate services.
  • Data Collection and Management
 Provide quarterly and yearly summary/report on clients served, etc.
  • Administrative Costs
 To provide HUD/City regulatory administrative compliance and oversight of the grant.


HPRP Public Hearing Documents

Any questions regarding the HPRP contact:
Alisa Winston, Housing Program Coordinator @ (757) 382-6925

 

This page was last updated on August 7, 2009

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City of Chesapeake, Virginia

 
 
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