46-103 GR Housing Subsidy and Case Management Project

.Purpose

Policy

Background

Release Date:

December 28, 2022

Definitions

Requirements

Verification Docs

GENERAL RELIEF

46-103 General Relief Housing Subsidy and Case Management Program

Purpose

( ) To release a new policy

( ) To release a new form

( ) To convert existing policy to new writing style – with concept changes

(X) Revision of existing policy and/or form(s)

What changed?

1. The references to the LEADER Replacement System were changed to the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) throughout the document.

2. The references to the Electronic Document Management System were changed due to the implementation of the CalSAWS Imaging Solution (CIS) on April 25, 2022.

3. The definitions for: At-risk of Homelessness and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) have been added.

4. The General Relief (GR) Housing Subsidy and Case Management Program (GRHSCMP) Referral process has been revised to allow the PA 6146, Pre-Screening Referral to be submitted to the participant’s home office as indicated in CalSAWS.

5. Instructions for staff to offer an accommodation to applicants/participants who have disclosed they have a disability or when DPSS staff is aware that a customer has a disability.

6. Instructions for Eligibility Workers (EWs), Eligibility Supervisors (ESs), and District Deputy Directors (DDDs) to refer to the GRHSCMP Desk Aid, prior to entering and confirming GRHSCMP issuances in CalSAWS.

7. Instructions for EWs, Customer Service Center (CSC) EWs, and Customer Service Representatives (CSRs), to notify GR Homeless Case Managers (GRHCMs) within 24 hours after making an address change for existing GRHSCMP participants.

8. The deletion of the Assembly Bill 109 (AB 109) qualified procedures, which are now obsolete due to the exhaustion of funding for justice involved participants.

9. Instructions for staff when new vendors are requesting to participate in the program have been added.

10. Case transfer instructions have been added as guidance, when the participant’s GR case is being handled by another district office.

11. The reference of the Accounts Receivable Section (ARS) to Fiscal Operations Division (FOD) throughout the document.

12. The enhancement of the monthly call process that requires the GRHCM to contact the participant at least once per month to confirm housing, and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or job search progress.

13. The tracking of participants seeking housing has been increased from 60 to
90 calendar days, due to the challenges faced with locating affordable housing.

14. The elimination of utilizing the Vendor Payroll Warrant Register in CalSAWS when conducting the GRHSCMP Reconciliation with the exhaustion of AB109 funding.

Note: Changes are shown highlighted in gray throughout the document.

Policy

A GR applicant/participant experiencing homelessness or being at-risk of homelessness must be informed at intake, appraisal or at any point of contact, of the GRHSCMP if they express interest in obtaining rental assistance. The referral of the applicant/participant via email or in person must be made by the:

a. CSC Intake EW;

b. CSC EW;

c. EW;

d. GR Opportunities for Work (GROW) Case Manager (GCM);

e. Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services Team (CBEST) Advocate; or

f. GRHCM.

The GRHSCMP provides a rental subsidy of up to $475 per month for one person and up to $950 for a couple case. The GR participant must pay $100 per month from the GR grant toward their rent. The $475 subsidy plus the $100 contribution totals $575 per month for a single participant or $1,150 ($950 plus $200 contribution) for a couple case. The maximum allowable rent for a single adult is $575; for an adult couple, the maximum is $1,150.

GRHSCMP participants may also qualify for a once-in-a-lifetime Move-In-Assistance payment to assist with moving expenses of up to a maximum of $500, and can be used for:

1. Security deposit;

2. Move-in costs/deposits (e.g., key deposits, etc.);

3. Utility deposit/turn-on fees;

4. Moving expenses (including truck rental);

5. Overdue storage facility fees;

6. Refrigerator and/or stove (if the rental lacks the appliance); and

7. Any other required miscellaneous expenses.

GRHSCMP assistance payments are paid monthly directly to the approved landlord/vendor via check.

The target populations for the program are:

GR Unemployable and/or disabled participants who are pursuing SSI or Veterans Benefits (VB), including Transition Age Youth (TAY) between the ages of 18-24; and
GR Employable participants enrolled in GROW, including TAYs.

The Department will pursue reimbursements for housing subsidy payments for GR

participants who are approved for SSI through the Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR) program at a rate of 100%, and these savings are reinvested in the project to add additional housing subsidies to the project.

Background

The GRHSCMP assists homeless GR participants with a housing subsidy and other necessary supportive services to stabilize their housing, increase potential for employment, and/or obtain SSI/VB benefits. The GRHSCMP was implemented on
July 25, 2006, in six GR district offices: South Special 07; Southwest Special 08;
Civic Center 14; Rancho Park 60; Lancaster 67; and Metro Special 70. The seventh, San Fernando 32, was implemented in July 2014.

On August 17, 2015, the Board of Supervisors launched the Homeless Initiative (HI) to combat the homeless crisis in Los Angeles (L.A.) County. The HI developed a coordinated set of recommended strategies to combat homelessness. To achieve this objective, the HI conducted 18 policy summits on nine topics from October 1, to December 3, 2015, which brought together County departments, cities and other public agencies, and a wide range of community partners and stakeholders.

On June 30, 2016, as part of L.A. County’s HI, Strategy B1, Provide Subsidized Housing to Homeless Disabled Individuals Pursuing SSI and a component of Strategy B5, Expand General Relief Housing Subsidies, were implemented. The GRHSCMP expanded to the San Gabriel Valley District 20 and Wilshire Special District 10. The five remaining GR district offices: Pasadena District 03; South Central District 27; Glendale District 02; Pomona District 36; and Metro East District 15 were implemented on
August 15, 2016.

In March 2017, Los Angeles County voters approved Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax increase to help pay for homeless services. With the passing of Measure H, DPSS was to implement another component of Strategy B5, by increasing the monthly GR housing subsidy from $400 to $475, effective December 1, 2017.

On April 3, 2017, DPSS, in collaboration with the Department of Health Services (DHS), successfully transitioned participants in the GR SSI and Medi-Cal Advocacy Program (SSIMAP) to DHS. The program headed by DHS is known as the CBEST Program, which assists individuals with obtaining SSI and Cash Aid Programs for Immigrants benefits. CBEST Advocates are remotely available to all 14 GR district offices.

Single adults experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness in L.A. County must be offered the GRHSCMP. These adults are enrolled in the program when they meet GR eligibility, and pursuing SSI/VB or enrolled in the GROW Program.

Definitions

Term	Description
At-Risk of Homelessness	An individual who has insufficient resources immediately available to maintain housing who may be in jeopardy of being evicted and becoming homeless.
Case Management	Case management for GRHSCMP participants is designed to offer a client-centered, strength-based approach aimed at empowering and working with the participants to ensure their individual needs are met to become self-sufficient.
Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services Team	Assists homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness to apply for and obtain SSI or other related benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
Employable	A GR participant who has been evaluated as Employable (able to work), and participating in employment preparation activities through the GROW Program or maintaining employment.
GRHSCMP Enrollment Date	The GRHSCMP “enrollment date” is established upon the completion and signing of the PA 6182, GRHSCMP Agreement by the applicant/participant and the GRHCM.
Homeless	The definition for DPSS is the following: 1. Lacks a permanent, fixed, and regular nighttime residence; 2. Shares a residence with family or friends on a temporary basis; 3. Resides in either a publicly or privately-operated and supervised accommodation for human beings; or 4. Resides in a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
Homeless Initiative	The L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ plan representing a comprehensive effort by the County to combat homelessness. The HI includes 47 strategies to address the homeless crisis in the County.
Homeless Initiative Strategy B1	HI Strategy B1 provides a housing subsidy to homeless disabled individuals pursuing SSl.
HMIS	A system used to collect pertinent data from homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness in order to provide housing and services.
Housing Subsidy	A payment used by a tenant to assist them with paying their housing cost and is paid directly to a landlord or property owner.
IAR	When a participant is approved for SSI, DPSS is reimbursed for all GR benefits received and any housing subsidy payments paid on behalf of the participant while their SSI application was pending. The Social Security Administration (SSA) reimburses DPSS for this interim assistance from the participant's initial retroactive SSI payment. Note: The GRHSCMP move-in-assistance payment is excluded from IAR.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Identification Number (TIN)	A number that is assigned to a tax paying business or individual for identification and record keeping purposes. The TIN number allows the IRS to track taxpaying entities.
Move-In-Assistance Fund (MIAF)	Funds provided to assist participants with the costs associated with moving into housing to pay for: security deposits, refrigerator, or stove (if unit lacks one), utility deposits, moving expenses and other required move-in costs.
Pursuing SSI	A GR participant is deemed as pursuing SSI if they are enrolled in the CBEST Program or has provided documentation of filing an SSI application with the SSA, to secure an approval for SSI.
Potential SSI	A GR participant who has a mental or physical disability who has applied or is in the process of applying for SSI benefits with the SSA, CBEST Advocate, an outside agency, or other entity to secure an approval for SSI.
Single Adult Model (SAM)	A multi-departmental housing collaborative with the Chief Executive Office (CEO), DHS, Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Public Health (DPH), and Community Development Commission (CDC). SAM assists homeless single adults who have a physical/mental health condition, and who may also have a co-occurring substance use disorder and are the heaviest users of County services with a permanent housing subsidy. Note: SAM is currently at capacity and no longer accepting referrals.
Transition Age Youth (TAY)	A TAY is a GR applicant/participant between the ages of 18-24.
Unemployable	A GR participant who has a mental or physical limitation and has been determined by a medical professional that they are unable to work.
Veteran	One who has served in the United States Armed Forces.

Requirements

GRHSCMP Participation

Participation in the GRHSCMP is voluntary and is limited to three occurrences in a lifetime for any eligible GR participant. Any request beyond the third maximum occurrence is to be evaluated by GR Program. All participants must meet and maintain GR eligibility requirements. Once a GR participant loses eligibility for GR, the housing subsidy will terminate.

A participant’s homelessness or at-risk of homelessness status is self-declared and is defined as:

1. Lacking a permanent, fixed, and regular nighttime residence;

2. Sharing a residence with family or friends on a temporary basis;

3. Residing in either a publicly or privately-operated and supervised shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations;

4. Residing in a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or

5. Is in jeopardy of eviction and meets the following criteria to prevent the eviction:

a. Provide verification (notice of eviction or three-day notice to pay or quit);

b. Agree to the maximum $100 direct rent deduction from the approved GR grant for an individual case; maximum $200 direct rent deduction for a couple case; and

c. Landlord agrees via a written statement/telephone not to evict the participant, if approved for the housing subsidy.

The allocation of subsidy slots is based on each of the 14 GR Housing districts homeless population. Each district’s slot allocation will fluctuate based on demand and funding limitations. The subsidy slot allocations are monitored closely to ensure funding is available to maintain the approved subsidies.

Verification Documents

N/A