Home Run“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

~Babe Ruth

Jennifer Cerecedes: Home Run Coordinator

Brandy Marsh: Home Run Coach

Myca Pearson: Home Run MSW Intern

What Is It?

A population specific housing coaching program which strives to get homeless individuals housed and stabilized.

Who Qualifies?

An individual or family who is homeless or at risk for homelessness. (HUD Definition) What does “at risk” mean?

Someone who has received an eviction notice or has been asked to leave their current place of residence (must be verifiable).

Who Qualifies?

-Must be at 30% Area Median Income (AMI) or below.

-Must be paying no more than 30% of income for rent.

Ideal Client #1

An individual or family who is currently living in Section 8 Project Housing or is on a Section 8 Choice Voucher who has received an eviction notice from their landlord.

Why is this ideal? This client meets the income requirements and

their rent is no more than 30% of their total income.

Ideal Client #2

An individual/family who has had to take leave without pay and now cannot make rent.

For Example:

Susy makes $1,000 gross per month, her rent is $250 at Riverwalk. Because she hurt her back, she had to miss her labor intensive job for 2 weeks unpaid. She was not able to pay her rent.

Ideal Client #3

A family or individual who is close to receiving or has just received their Section 8 Choice Voucher or whose application has come up at a Section 8 Project Housing complex (ex: The Richard Allen).

How Does It Work?

Participants enroll in the responsible renter’s program.

Renter’s Rights and Responsibilities Class Find a Home Class Money Management Class

Participant receives coaching to help find appropriate housing

Participant may be eligible for a matched savings program to help with initial housing or re-housing expenses.

Assessment

Self-Identification Barriers Criminal History Credit/Eviction History “Do you believe a landlord would rent to you?” “Do you believe you will be able to maintain

housing for a minimum of 2 years?”

Orientation

Explanation of Guidelines Participant Coach Contract Sign-up for Life Skills Classes Official Enrollment Housing Search Budget Affordability Calculator Identification and Income Verification Collected Housing Stability Plan

Outlines steps/expectations and tracks progress

Coaching

Identification of housing barriers Frequently Identified:

Criminal History Evictions Lack of Rental History Fear of Landlords Poor Credit History Unacquainted with Renter Rights Disability Lack of income/inability to effectively budget Expectations

Coaching in a Nutshell

Coaching participants in effectively communicating with present/future landlords.

Educating participants on how to effectively find permanent housing Affordability Landlord-Tenant Law Nature of Fees and Deposits Prioritizing

Landlord-Tenant Meeting

Open lines of communication Clearly identify expectations Verify housing meets Fair Market Rent

standards Inspect unit (Housing Quality Inspection)

Rental Assistance

Participant Services $200.00 Participant can access for screening

fees, cost of housing search (bus pass or gas), Identification Cards, etc.

Made available after Orientation Appointment Savings Match

4:1 (SNAP: Qualified Participant) $800.00 Cap

$800.00 Can be used towards security deposit, rent, utilities deposit, or any other expense that would help obtain or maintain permanent housing.

Outcomes

101 Participants Enrolled Attended Assessment, Orientation and fulfilled a

life-skill requirement 49 Participants obtained Permanent Housing 45 Participants accessed some or all rental

assistance funds through savings match program

Challenges

Restrictive Guidelines (30% AMI and no more than 30% of income going towards rent) Finding Appropriate Participants! Struggle to save Struggle to find housing

Section 8 Voucher Freeze Efficiency of Process Amount of Case Management