RCEDA 8.5x11 Report d3

Overview of Special Programs Team At the heart of the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside (HACR), is its mission to reignite hope and restore human dignity through the acquisition, development and operation of high quality housing. Although households experiencing homelessness are serviced by HACR’s mainstream programs such as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, the agency has made a concerted effort to create a specialized team to help develop, coordinate and deliver housing assistance programs exclusively for this population. The HACR has established partnerships with the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Riverside University Health System (RUHS) – Behavioral Health, Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) and other public and private partners to coordinate the county’s task of ending homelessness. The HACR’s Special Programs Team has developed the following programs in accordance with evidenced-based practices such as Housing First, HarmReduction, Peer Support, Progressive Engagement and Permanent Supportive Housing which have proven successful in removing barriers faced by high-risk and high-needs individuals who are often at a loss to access services. During year 2017-2018 the HACR’s Special Programs Team has assisted 1,640 households and furthered the county’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness in Riverside County. These successes include:

• Assisting 554 formerly homeless veterans and their families with permanent housing through the Housing & Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD VASH) Housing Choice Voucher Program . In partnership with the VA Loma Linda Healthcare system, the HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance administered by the Housing Authority with VA supported services to eligible veterans. • Providing 20 veterans with homeless prevention and temporary financial assistance to resolve their homelessness through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. The SSVF program is designed to augment housing assistance provided through the HUD-VASH program and provide homeless prevention and rapid re-housing assistance to veterans and their families who require short-term supports to sustain permanent housing. • Providing permanent housing to 108 of the county’s hardest to reac” individuals including chronically homeless and disabled youth and adults through its Continuumof Care programs. The program provides permanent supportive housing to chronically homeless and disabled youth and adults. Partnerships with the Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health, Foothill AIDS Project, Desert AIDS Project, and Operation Safehouse ensure households assisted through the program are provided with ongoing supportive services. • Provided 37 households with Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) to prevent and end homelessness through its TBRA project HOME II (Home Investment Partnership). The program provides Housing Authority administered rental assistance and supportive services to individuals and families who are homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless for up to 12months. • Ended homelessness for 253 families and their children by connecting them to a private landlords and providing temporary financial assistance to resolve their homelessness through the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP). The program is a collaboration between the Department of Public Social Services, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside and Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health which provides housing navigation services, financial assistance towards housing and supportive services to families with children who are eligible for CalWORKs and are experiencing homelessness.

• Provided 14 households with direct assistance to end their homelessness and relocate to a permanent home through the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Housing First Program . Services provide temporary financial assistance and ongoing case management to both individuals and families. • Assisted 74 youth, individuals and families with obtaining and sustaining permanent housing through its Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Project HOME Program, Emergency Assistance and Homeless Prevention Programs . The program provides individuals families who are experiencing homelessness with short-term supports to successfully sustain and relocate into permanent housing. • Provided 188 families with move-in assistance towards their security deposit through the CDBG Security Deposit and HOME Security Deposit Assistance program . • Assisting more than 392 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families with financial assistance to sustain and/or obtain access to affordable and permanent housing in Riverside County through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program. The City of Riverside (CoR) receives the HOPWA allocations for both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and has partnered with the Housing Authority to serve as the HOPWA Sponsor in Riverside County for over 15 years. The Housing Authority has partnered with Foothill AIDS Project, Desert AIDS Project, Catholic Charities, and TruEvolution to help carry out HOPWA activities.

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