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Welcome to the December 2013 issue of Network News, the Supportive Housing Network of New York's monthly e-newsletter. In this issue, you'll find stories on the release of a new survey of NYC homeless youth, a major restoration of cuts to HIV/AIDS supportive housing, the release of several new RFPs and NOFAs and more. As always, we welcome story ideas and tips for future issues. Thanks for reading!
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Mayor Bloomberg fully restores HASA cuts
Move ends annual budget dance to preserve HIV/AIDS supportive housing contracts
 | | NYC Council Members Annabel Palma (left) and Julissa Ferreras address the crowd at a rally to protest cuts to human services programs, including HIV/AIDS supportive housing, on March 29, 2012. Members of the NYC Council have been instrumental over the past five years in preventing cuts to HASA supportive housing. |
We are delighted to report that, as part of his final budget modification, Mayor Bloomberg has fully restored all cuts to HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) supportive housing contracts!
Five years ago, Mayor Bloomberg proposed cutting HIV/AIDS supportive housing contracts by $1.876 million. In subsequent years, he increased that cut to $5.1 million. Each year, the Network's staff and members fought vociferously alongside VOCAL, Housing Works, the Momentum Project and other advocates to convince the City Council to restore the funding. Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Christine Quinn and General Welfare Chairs Annabel Palma and then-Council Member Bill de Blasio, the funding was restored each of the past five years. Each year, however, the administration failed to restore this funding to what's known as "the baseline budget" for permanent restoration. Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg did just that. In short: The annual HASA budget dance is no more.
The Network wants to thank all the members, tenants and advocacy partners who came out year after year for rallies, press conferences, meetings and testimony. We also want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for making this permanent restoration and applaud his efforts to leave Mayor-elect de Blasio with a balanced budget.
For more information on this multi-year budget battle, visit here.
To see Mayor Bloomberg's press release and budget documents, visit here and here (p.29).
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OMH releases RFP for 700 units
Funding available in NYC, Hudson River, Long Island and Central and Western New York
 The NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) has announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for 700 units of Supported SRO housing. This funding will be available statewide and phased in over a two-year period through fiscal year 2014-2015. Click here to read the RFP.
OMH will fund up to $300,000 per unit and provide operating and services funding, which will range from $14,875 upstate to $16,481 downstate per unit per year. These amounts are subject to annual appropriations.
OMH will allocate funding for units in the following New York regions:
NYC: 300 units
Hudson River: 150 units
Long Island: 100 units
Central New York: 75 units
Western New York: 75 units
As you apply for these units, keep the following dates in mind:
- Mandatory Letter of Intent: December 16, 2013
- Mandatory bidders' conference: January 8 or 9, 2014
- Application due date: February 10, 2014
OMH has stated a preference for mixed-development projects with funding from other sources to complete the financing for non-OMH units. The agency has limited the applicant pool to nonprofits with current OMH contracts and organizations that also participate in Health Homes.
For any additional questions, email the Network's Steve Piasecki.
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Homeless youth survey findings released
2013 survey offers a wealth of data on NYC homeless youth
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Participants speak at a policy briefing on the release of A Count of Unaccompanied Homeless Youths in New York City on November 19. (left to right) Network Deputy Executive Director Nicole Branca, USICH Regional Coordinator Robert Pulster, New School Associate Professor Darrick Hamilton and Forty to None Project Director Jama Shelton.
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A new report on youth homelessness offers insights on the plight of young adults living on the street in New York City.
On November 19, the New York City Coalition on the Continuum of Care (NYC CCoC) released a report on the results of a 2013 survey of unaccompanied NYC homeless youth. The report synthesizes the results of a 27-question survey administered to homeless young adults on the night of January 28, 2013.
Among its startling findings, A Count of Unaccompanied Homeless Youths in New York City reveals that the median duration of homelessness for these young adults is 730 days, or roughly two years. You can read the entire report here. For a quick summary of its findings, see this handout.
The report was commissioned by the CCoC's Youth Committee, a body co-chaired by the Network and the Ali Forney Center. The report reveals a number of distressing traits about those surveyed. For an overview of both the report and a November policy briefing to unveil its findings, head over to Network Newsfeed!
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MRT HHAP funding still available
Funding to spur growth of supportive housing in Upstate NY
Reminder: The NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has up to $13.2 million still available to fund supportive housing projects through its Medicaid Redesign Team Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (MRT HHAP). This program, like the original HHAP program, provides grants and loans to acquire, construct and rehabilitate housing for persons who are or would otherwise be homeless. You can read the recently-updated Request for Proposals (RFP) here.
Projects eligible for MRT HHAP funds must provide permanent supportive housing to homeless single individuals. Tenants must also exhibit conditions or histories recognized to be associated with high Medicaid usage and be located in the upstate and suburban metropolitan regions of New York. Examples of eligible populations include, but are not limited to, people who have experienced chronic homelessness, physical disability, mental illness, substance abuse and/or other disabling conditions.
OTDA's Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation (HHAC) will determine a project's eligibility for this funding. Factors such as the population served, the support services offered and the location of the residence will determine eligibility.
It is critical that OTDA allocate this funding by the end of the fiscal year. For more details on this RFP, see our complete coverage over at Network Newsfeed.
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HUD announces Continuum of Care NOFA
Sequestration will likely result in a 5% cut to programs
 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has opened the competition for Continuum of Care (CoC) funding for the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years. New York State's 25 CoCs must each submit a comprehensive application by February 3, 2014. Providers must submit their project applications in e-snaps at least 30 days prior to this. You can read the HUD Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) here.
Unlike previous applications, the recently-released community application spans two years: FY 2013 and 2014. This move will allow HUD to get its application process back on track and hopefully avoid cutting funding for renewal projects, as is happening in this round. It is also a strong indication that there will likely be no new funding to address homelessness for the foreseeable future.
This application includes a number of other noteworthy changes from prior years. Chief among them is the stipulation that the only way to create a new project is through reallocation of existing funding. This is due to sequestration, which has eliminated any funding for bonus projects this year. HUD further stipulated that new (reallocated) project funding can only be used for supportive housing for people who are chronically homeless or rapid rehousing for families.
HUD has also required CoCs to create two tiers of projects -- the second tier being the list of projects that will likely get defunded due to sequestration. Like other HUD programs, CoCs are being told to plan for a 5% reduction in funding. In New York City alone, that is a loss of nearly $6 million, affecting housing and services for over 1,200 homeless individuals and families.
To read other noteworthy changes in the NOFA, see our complete story over at Network Newsfeed.
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Network delivers testimony on NY/NY III
Need for a new agreement stressed before the NYC Council
 The Network testified at a New York City Council hearing on the status of the New York/New York III Supportive Housing Agreement on December 3. The public hearing, held by the Council Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services, provided an opportunity for government agencies and advocates to present on the status of the agreement now in its eighth year of implementation.
The hearing was led by the chair of the committee, Council Member G. Oliver Koppell. He was joined by fellow Council Members Gail Brewer and Ruben Wills.
Dr. Adam Karpati, Executive Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Mental Hygiene at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), provided a thorough testimony on the status of DOHMH's NY/NY III commitment. Dr. Frank Lipton, Executive Deputy Commissioner for Customized Assistance Services for the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) and Jessica Katz, Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Special Needs Housing at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), were also on the record for the Q&A portion of the testimony.
The Network provided testimony following the City, highlighting the major successes of the agreement and the tremendous progress that has been made thus far. You can read our testimony in full here.
For a full recap of the day's events, see our complete coverage at Network Newsfeed:
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Network heads to DC for federal advocacy
Meetings held with HUD Secretary, nine New York reps
The Network joined advocates from 18 states last month to encourage lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to fully fund affordable housing programs.
As part of a two-day effort spearheaded by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Network met with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and other senior HUD staff to discuss a wide range of housing-related issues. Our conversation touched on three major concerns: the ability to allow project-based Shelter Plus Care rental assistance funding to be utilized with greater flexibility, the capability to target rental assistance to specific groups such as seniors and the need to create a dedicated funding stream for the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF).
Regarding the NHTF, Sec. Donovan pledged his support for this plan and presaged the possible confirmation of U.S. Rep. Mel Watt as Federal Housing Finance Agency Director. The next day, the Senate approved the so-called nuclear option, which lowers the number of votes needed to confirm a presidential appointee and could pave the way for Rep. Watt's confirmation. The Network is hopeful that, as Director, Mr. Watt would begin to fund the NHTF.
The Network also joined its New York allies from Tenants & Neighbors and the National Rural Housing Coalition on visits to the offices of nine of New York's elected officials. During these visits, we met with lawmakers and their staff to promote the United for Homes campaign to fund the NHTF. We also encouraged officials to support a budget that eliminates sequestration cuts and restores funding to all HUD programs.
We thank the National Low Income Housing Coalition for organizing this very productive visit to D.C.! |
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Supportive housing providers reduce veteran homelessness across New York
Network members lead the fight to end this national tragedy
 | | (left to right) Jericho Project's Kingsbridge Terrace, a supportive housing residence for veterans; a tenant at The Knickerbocker, a transitional residence for vets from Services for the UnderServed (SUS); and the crowd outside the grand opening of the Richard J. Conners Veterans Home, a supportive housing residence from Albany Housing Coalition. Tenant photo courtesy of SUS. |
Last month, we took Veterans Day as an opportunity to highlight the national tragedy of veteran homelessness.
In an era of fierce partisanship in Washington, D.C., ending homelessness among veterans remains one of the few issues both Democrats and Republicans can support. The Obama administration hopes to end veteran homelessness for good by the end of 2015. The administration, and the country, has a long way to go: According to the most recent estimates, nearly 63,000 homeless individuals identify as veterans in the United States. More than 6,000 of these men and women live in New York State.
New York nonprofits have taken a vigorous approach to lowering these numbers. Our state saw a 14% decrease in veteran homelessness from 2011 to 2012. We can attribute much of this drop to increased funding for Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers and the work of our more than 220 supportive housing providers in New York.
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Network Jobs Board Check out these job openings and many others on our Jobs Board. Network members can post their employment opportunities for free!
Case Manager Henry Street Settlement
Staff Attorney Goddard Riverside Community Center Psychiatrist Center for Urban Community Services |
Website Updates
The Network has added several new sections to its website, shnny.org.
First, our Youth Programs page has been greatly expanded to include mini-profiles on 11 supportive housing programs that house youth. This section of the site also includes a list of resources on housing, employment and education programs for youth in New York City. We've also added a Campaigns page that offers a brief introduction on three housing-related campaigns we support: Housing First!, United for Homes and United to End Homelessness. Lastly, we've created a handy Acronym Guide to help you decode the many acronyms used in New York supportive housing.
We hope you enjoy these new additions to our website!
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News Clips
The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran a terrific piece on NIMBYism and supportive housing on November 30. The paper writes: "Revisiting the site of a controversial supportive housing initiative in Minneapolis, we find that things didn't turn out so badly."
The Los Angeles Times covered the opening of a supportive housing residence in LA on November 29. The piece highlights how the residence has given "a home for the holidays" to some of the city's most vulnerable.
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Member Updates
The New York Housing Conference honored CAMBA today during its 40th Annual Awards Program. The Brooklyn-based supportive housing provider received the Nonprofit of the Year award at the ceremony in New York City. CAMBA opened its newest supportive housing residence in October. The Furman Center also received the Empire Award for Leadership in Affordable Housing at today's reception. Congrats to both organizations on their respective honors!
Broadway Housing Communities celebrated its 30th anniversary on December 3 with "30 Years/ 30 Heroes," an evening to both mark the organization's anniversary and honor the key members of our community. The Network was very grateful to be among the "30 Heroes" recognized during the event. We congratulate Broadway Housing Communities on 30 years of excellence.
Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS) is hosting a talent showcase to highlight the creative work of young adults in supportive housing. The event will include music, visual art, poetry and more. "Gallery Night: A Creative Arts Showcase" will take place on December 13 at LeftField (87 Ludlow St.) in New York City.
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Comings & Goings
The Lantern Organization has named Laura Lazarus its new Executive Director. Ms. Lazarus most recently worked as Chief Program Officer at Lenox Hill in New York City. In previous positions, she's served as Senior Vice President at the Telesis Corporation, where she helped develop affordable housing and rebuild blighted areas in NYC. She has also acted as President of Women in Housing and Finance in New York. She begins her tenure at Lantern on January 6.
Caroline Nagy has begun her new job as Senior Associate for Policy and Communications at the Center for New York City Neighborhoods. Until last month, Ms. Nagy had served as the Policy Associate for Housing and Homelessness at Citizens' Committee for Children (CCC). Ms. Nagy has played an essential role in the Network's youth-related advocacy and in the United to End Homelessness campaign. We're genuinely sad to see her leave CCC, but thrilled to see her remain in the housing arena. We wish her the best of luck.
Elana Shneyer is the new Policy Director for NYS Representative Danny O'Donnell. Ms. Shneyer took on the role last month after having worked at Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) for more than five years. Ms. Shneyer served in a variety of positions at PACC including her last role as Chief Program Officer. We wish her nothing but the best in her new role and congratulate Rep. O'Donnell on the wonderful new addition to his staff!
Bob Miller has announced his retirement from Westhab. After 30 fruitful years with the organization, Mr. Miller will retire as President and CEO on February 21 - his 70th birthday. Mr. Miller has run Westhab nearly since its inception. Prior to joining the organization, he served in senior positions at the Westchester County Department of Social Services and the Berkeley Housing Authority in California.
Westhab has also announced that Richard Nightingale, the organization's current Vice President of Youth and Family Services, will succeed Mr. Miller as President and CEO. Mr. Nightingale has served in a number of roles in the Youth and Family Services division at Westhab since 2001. We congratulate him on his appointment and wish Mr. Miller a long and happy retirement!
Suzanne Reisman has left her post as Senior Program Officer at Lantern Community Services. As of November 25, Ms. Reisman is now the Program Manager of the National Bank On 2.0 Initiative at the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund. The National Bank On 2.0 Initiative will attempt to create a national approach to delivering affordable banking products and services through municipal programs to low-income residents. Ms. Reisman joined Lantern in 2012. We wish her the best of luck in her new role!
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