In this Week's Edition
News
SHA Member Meeting - August 4, 2021
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NJ DHS Releases Proposed
HCBS FMAP Spending
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Groundbreaking 5-Year Denver-based Supportive Housing Project
Achieves "Remarkable Success"
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New NLIHC Report:
The Road Ahead for Low-Income Renters
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New Jersey Future Report Guides
Age-Friendly Land Use Decisions
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HUD Exchange Resource
COVID-19 Homeless System Response:
Long-Term Financing of Permanent
Supportive Housing Projects
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A.C.T.I.O.N. Campaign Updates Housing Credit
and Legislative Sheets for Advocacy
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OCC Proposes Rescinding Final 2020
Community Reinvestment Act Rule
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DMHAS RFP for Gambling
Disorder Clinician Services
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NJHMFA Updates:
Proposed Amendments to
Tenant Selection Standards
Final Reminder: The 2021 9%
Timeline, Application Submission
Process, and LIHTC information
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DDD to Offer Training Stipend Payments
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Nominate Excellence in Housing by August 6th
Join SHA's Awards and Conference
Sept 27th, Nov 9th and Nov 10th
Resources & Virtual Forums
Governor's Office Holding Two Virtual Hearings on Distribution of
American Rescue Plan Funds in NJ
July 27th and July 28th
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Foothold Technology Webinar
Data Analytics 101
Guiding Principles For Your Data
July 29, 2021
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HUD: Advancing Equity
in the Home Valuation Process
July 29, 2021
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Webinar Series: Coordinating
HHS Housing-Related Supports and Services with HUD Housing Assistance for
People Experiencing Homelessness
August 12th & 16th, 2021
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Next SHA
Members Meeting
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Next SHA
Developers Meeting
1:00–3:00PM via Zoom
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Save the Date!
NJ DMHAS
Opioid Summit
September 21-22, 2021
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Save the Date!
September 27, 2021
SHA Supportive Housing Awards Reception
The Palace - Somerset, NJ
Save the Date!
November 9-10, 2021
SHA 23rd Annual Supportive Housing Conference
Virtual Event
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Save the Date!
Virtual Celebration
September 28, 1-5 pm ET
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Registration Open
Virtual Event
September 29th & 30th
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New Housing Opportunities in Morris County |
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Opportunities from Morris Habitat For Humanity coming soon in
All potential Habitat homeowners must attend a Program Information Meeting.
Wednesday, July 28th 6-7pm
Saturday, July 31st 10-11am
Wednesday, August 4th 6-7pm
Saturday, August 7th 10-11am
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SHA Welcomes New Members In 2021 |
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Please mark your calendars for our next Member Meeting:
August 4, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Virtual Meeting Agenda:
State Partner Updates
Special Guests:
Jennifer Langer Jacobs
Assistant Commissioner
Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services
and more
– Featured Presentations –
Supportive Housing Serving the LGBTQ Community
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Elaine Helms
The Rain Foundation
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Mabel Elmore
YMCA Newark
and Vicinity
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Asish Patel
COO, Monarch Housing
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NJ DHS Releases Proposed HCBS FMAP Spending |
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As part of the opportunity to take advantage of a 10% increased investment in FMAP spending, the Department of Human Services released its proposed spending plan. New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Home and Community-Based Services Enhanced FMAP spend plan has been submitted to Medicaid federal partners for approval and $416 million in federal funding over the next three years to strengthen and expand home and community-based Medicaid services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. With this plan, DHS is prioritizing independence, community options and person-centered care. For the first time, the proposed spending with use Medicaid funding to invest in housing, one of the most important social determinants of health.
Highlights include:
- Investments to develop new healthy homes - deed restricted, subsidized and accessible rental units - for Medicaid beneficiaries
- Increasing Personal Care Assistance Rates to $23 per hour
- Increasing Personal Preference Rates to $19 per hour
- Sustaining recently enacted assisted living rates and boosting rates for facilities that serve a high percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries
- Investments in person centered planning capacity building
SHA is especially excited for the proposed four-year investment of $53 million toward the development of housing for Medicaid recipients. Healthcare and housing are undoubtedly linked, and these investments will help enhance health and well-being for many New Jersey residents.
Members Take Note: Jennifer Langer Jacobs, Assistant Commissioner, Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services will join our next member meeting on August 4th.
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Groundbreaking 5-Year Denver-based Supportive
Housing Project Achieves "Remarkable Success"
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With thanks to CSH for sharing this story, the innovative five-year research program, the Denver Social Impact Bond (SIB) Initiative has released their findings on the strong link between housing and supportive services. The individuals who were in the study represented people who had histories of experiencing chronic homelessness, and the results showed greatly improved stability and health in those who received housing and services.
The SIB researchers identified more than 700 individuals in Denver who were chronically homeless, had numerous arrests, and were battling substance use and mental health challenges. Roughly half (365) were selected randomly to receive supportive housing, with the remaining receiving services as they normally would through their interactions with multiple systems.
The study was groundbreaking in that it measured outcomes of people who received supportive housing over three years, where most studies measure results over one or two years. Also, the randomized control trial revealed that those connected to supportive housing improved their well-being, decreased their use of costly emergency care, and reduced their stays in jail and overall interactions with police.
The five-year project ended in December of 2020, and the Urban Institute released the final results.
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New NLIHC Report:
The Road Ahead for Low-Income Renters
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NLIHC released a new report, “The Road Ahead for Low-Income Renters,” summarizing research on how renters have fared during the pandemic and their likely needs going forward. The report provides an overview of what we have learned over the last year and a half from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey and other sources.
Approximately 6.5 million renter households were behind on rent in early July, though the largest surveys do not yet provide an estimate of the aggregate size of accumulating rental arrears. Surveys suggest that many renters have paid the rent only by relying on unsustainable, harmful methods like taking on additional debt or cutting back on basic needs. The note also explains why we have good reason to believe renters of color, low-income renters, and renters with lower educational attainment are experiencing greater struggles.
The report describes the challenges emergency rental assistance programs will face in getting assistance to all renters in need and erasing accumulated arrears. Multiple, independent surveys suggest many renters remain unaware of available resources; over a fourth of the lowest-income renters cannot access online applications at home; and many renters may disqualify themselves or hesitate to apply because of documentation requirements. Renters who have taken on debt to keep current on rent may be ineligible for assistance, even if they will face greater challenges in the future as a result.
Finally, the report examines the struggles low-income renters will continue to face, even as the economy recovers from the downturn of 2020. Employment has been slower to rise for low-wage workers, many have additional debts to address that will add to existing burdens, and rents have continued to climb throughout the pandemic in many cities. Even if an economic recovery is robust and sustained, simply returning to a pre-pandemic status quo would leave millions of low-income renters in a dire position.
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New Jersey Future Report Guides
Age-Friendly Land Use Decisions
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HUD Exchange Resource
COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Long-Term Financing of Permanent Supportive Housing Projects
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The recent influx of Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program funding in jurisdictions across the country as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides communities with funds to prevent people at risk of homelessness from experiencing homelessness and to rehouse those experiencing homelessness. However, to serve individuals and families with higher-acuity needs, many communities are looking to invest in permanent supportive housing (PSH) to accommodate this population long-term. This document serves as a primer on PSH and details both established and innovative strategies and sources for financing PSH.
Visit the Disease Risks and Homelessness page on the HUD Exchange for a full list of resources related to COVID-19 infectious disease prevention and response for homeless providers.
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A.C.T.I.O.N. Campaign Updates Housing Credit
and Legislative Sheets for Advocacy
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The A Call To Invest in Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) Campaign is a national, grassroots coalition of over 2,300 national, state, and local organizations and businesses calling on Congress to address our nation’s severe shortage of affordable rental housing by expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. Advocating to strengthen low-income housing tax credits by educating your legislators on local impacts is made easier with these new resources.
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is our nation’s most successful tool for encouraging private investment in the production and preservation of affordable rental housing. Since it was created in 1986, it has been a model public-private partnership, financing more than
3 million affordable apartments to low-income families while transferring risk from the government to the private sector.
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OCC Proposes Rescinding Final 2020
Community Reinvestment Act Rule
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Following a review initiated by Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced yesterday that it will propose rescinding its final Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rulemaking. The OCC’s CRA rule was adopted in June 2020 without the support of the other two U.S. banking regulators — the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors—despite publishing a joint notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to modernize the CRA with the FDIC in January 2020. Additionally, the three U.S. banking regulators issued a joint statement committing to working together on developing a joint rule that would strengthen and modernize the CRA.
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DMHAS RFP for Gambling Disorder Clinician Services |
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The New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) announces the availability of funding for Gambling Disorder Clinician Services Program. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to develop gambling disorder services rendered through a Gambling Disorder Clinician to provide treatment and case management for individuals with a dual disorder of gambling and substance use. Individuals with a co-occurring mental health disorder shall not be excluded. This RFP is funded through DMHAS.
Total annualized funding for this RFP is $1.2 million subject to State appropriation, is expected to be available. DMHAS anticipates making ten (10) awards to providers licensed as substance use disorder (SUD) providers who are interested in treating individuals with a gambling disorder. Awarded providers will hire, at minimum, 1 FTE equivalent Gambling Disorder Clinician and provide case management services provided by the clinician or additional staffing.
The awards will be chosen regionally and based on need in order to offer statewide gambling disorder services. Gambling services can be added to treatment at the following ASAM levels of care: Standard Traditional Outpatient (1.0), Intensive Outpatient (2.1), Medically Managed High Intensity Residential Services (3.5), and Medically Monitored Intensive Residential Services (3.7). Gambling counseling will be in addition to substance abuse treatment services required by regulation and contract.
In addition to treatment services, the Gambling Disorder Clinician will work with individuals to assist with issues that often occur concurrently with gambling disorders, such as financial ruin, broken relationships, legal issues, need for social services, etc.
Bidders applying for more than one (1) county must submit separate proposals for each county.
No Mandatory Bidders Conference.
Proposal Due Date – no later than 4:00 p.m. on August 17, 2021
Notify Date – September 10, 2021
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NJHMFA Updates:
Proposed Amendments to Tenant Selection Standards
Final Reminder: The 2021 9% Timeline, Application Submission Process, and LIHTC information
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The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (Agency) is proposing amendments to its tenant selection standards rules at N.J.A.C. 5:80-7. The tenant selection standards rules instruct housing sponsors, owners, and managing agents in the selection of tenants at Agency-financed housing projects so as to comply with Federal, State, and local fair housing laws. The proposed amendments clarify certain provisions and update the rules to correspond with current terminology and to remain current with legal standards arising from applicable State and Federal statutory and regulatory requirements related to fair housing, including guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Final Reminder: The 2021 9% Timeline,
Application Submission Process, and LIHTC information
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9% Application Deadlines:
Family, Senior, and
Supportive Housing Cycles
August 31 at noon
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Mixed Income Reserve
June 9 – August 31 at noon (rolling)
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QAP: No changes to the QAP will be made for the 2021 9% round.
UNIAP: The 2021 UNIAP is posted.
LIHTC Resources:
Underwriting Guidelines:
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Equity Range No equity range will be established for the 2021 9% round. Applicants should underwrite at pricing based upon a commitment from their equity investor. Applications without a firm commitment from an equity investor shall be underwritten at $.90.
- Applicable Percentage
9.00% for the 70% present value credit
4.00% for the 30% present value credit
Average Income Set-Aside:
Please be advised that 9% Applicants will not be permitted to underwrite assuming the new "Average Income" or "Income Averaging" federal minimum set-aside election in 2021 applications.
All 2021 applicants must select either the 20% at 50% or 40% at 60% minimum set aside and adhere to current underwriting parameters (units underwritten above 60% of Area Median Income will be treated as market rate or unrestricted). After award, owners should notify the Agency of any substantive changes to the project, including a requested change in minimum set aside by no later than carryover/ binding commitment.
Inclusionary Reviews:
All 4% and 9% LIHTC applications involving the development of new affordable units, including 100% affordable, mixed-income and mixed-use development, must undergo an Inclusionary Review. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete Step #1 in advance of submitting an application for either Agency financing and/or LIHTC. In the event Step #1 is not completed prior to submission, the Inclusionary Review must be submitted and completed as part of the application review. However, be advised that it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all applicable steps are completed. Failure to complete the necessary steps in a timely fashion may result in an extended delay or an application being declared incomplete.
Application Submission:
Submit one electronic copy of your application through LeapFile to the LIHTC mailbox by the deadline (noon on August 31) – no paper applications will be accepted. Please separate your application into 4 distinct files/ folders and label accordingly (Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV), LeapFile instructions can be found on the LIHTC Resources and FAQs page.
Application Fee:
The 9% application fee is $4,000. Payment of the application fee is required in order for a 9% application to be considered complete. For wire payment instructions, please contact Johanna Peña at jpena@njhmfa.gov.
Important: The application fee is due by the application deadline or the application will not be accepted.
Questions?
Written questions may be sent to the LIHTC mailbox and the answers will posted in the FAQs. Project-specific questions, including document review and/or confirmation of eligibility for threshold requirements or points, are not permitted.
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DDD to Offer Training Stipend Payments |
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Training Reimbursement Payments for PPL Self-Directed Employees
The Division is pleased to announce that effective July 15, 2021, PPL will begin processing one-time training stipend payments for PPL self-directed employees (SDEs) who have completed all required trainings. The PPL training stipend is paid by the state and not deducted from the individual budget.
To receive this one-time training stipend, the PPL SDE and employer (current or former) must complete and sign the new Training Certification Form and submit it to PPL any time from July 15 forward. Payments will be issued to eligible SDEs according to the PPL SDE Payment Schedule.
PLEASE NOTE:
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Current PPL SDEs or SDEs enrolled previously with PPL have until December 15, 2021 (six months from July 15) to complete all required trainings and submit the signed Training Certification Form.
- New PPL SDEs (with a service start date on or after July 15) will have the standard six months after first date of service to complete all required trainings and submit the signed Training Certification Form.
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Join SHA for the 23rd Annual
Supportive Housing Conference
and Nominate Excellence in Housing
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September 27, 2021
The Palace – Somerset, NJ
Join us this September at The Palace as we celebrate our honorees during the 2021 Supportive Housing Awards Reception. Attendees will have opportunities to reconnect, speak with sponsoring partners, and network over refreshments before honoring our 2021 Award recipients.
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November 9, 2021
November 10, 2021
Join us this November from the comfort of your computer as we provide two half-days of excellent workshop presentations and discussions. Registered attendees won't miss a moment as all sessions will be recorded and accessible to attendees for 3-months following.
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Over the past year the Supportive Housing Community watched people Renewing and Rising, showing us the very best we can be as we strive to build supportive, affordable, and inclusive communities. Help us honor those whose examples inspire our progress.
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Do you know an example of Excellence in Supportive Housing?
Nominate by August 6th — Winners notified by September 1st
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Project of the Year
Use the form below to nominate a supportive housing project which demonstrates excellence. Each project must:
- Receive a certificate of occupancy after April 2020
- Be completed by December 2021
Full eligibility details in linked form below and multiple projects may be selected for this award.
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Housing Hero Leadership
Use the form below to nominate a housing hero who demonstrated leadership and excellence over the past year. Awardees may include but are not limited to:
Executive Directors, Clinical staff, Direct Support Professionals, Administrators, Operations Managers, Tenants, Volunteers, Teams, Elected Officials, Municipalities
Full eligibility details in linked form below and multiple heroes may be selected for this award.
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Resources & Virtual Forums |
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Governor's Office Holding Two Virtual Hearings on Distribution of American Rescue Plan Funds in NJ |
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As part of the Governor’s commitment to an inclusive and participatory decision making process regarding the use of the American Rescue Plan funds, the Governor’s office is hosting two virtual hearings to accept testimony from invited organizations. These hearings will be held on Tuesday, July 27th at 4pm and Wednesday, July 28th at 10:30am. These hearings will be open to public, and can be watched or listened to by registering for the zoom webinars.
If you would like to provide testimony, we have a limited number of slots available and will do our best to accommodate your request. The form to register to testify is found here. Only people pre-registered and confirmed will be able to provide testimony on the day of the hearings.
We are also accepting written testimony submitted to Outreach@nj.gov. Please know that written testimony is read by the same team that will be listening to the sessions, and carries the same weight and significance. So if you cannot testify, we encourage submission of written testimony.
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Foothold Technology Webinar
Data Analytics 101 - Guiding Principles For Your Data
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Thursday, July 29, 2021 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
Data is integral to a provider’s success and each provider is at a different place in their data journey. Whether you feel you are only scratching the surface on what you can do with your data or feel you are ahead of the curve, there are guiding principles that can assist you as you continue to utilize data within your organization. Come join me in a conversation with Alex Attinson, Integrations Manager, at Foothold Technology and Nicole Gniewkowski, MPA, Director of Performance Improvement & Corporate Privacy Officer, at Volunteers of America - Greater New York as we discuss some best practices to approach data analytics.
What You'll Learn
- Learn about guiding principles to help your agency as you continue to utilize data.
- Hear examples of how providers are using data to help you develop strategies that will allow you to unlock the power of your data.
- Learn about different ways to utilize data to make data driven decisions that impact service delivery, funding, operations and more.
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Alex Attinson
Integrations Manager,
Foothold Technology
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Nicole Gniewkowski, MPA
Director of Performance Improvement & Corporate Privacy Officer, Volunteers of America Greater New York
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HUD: Advancing Equity in the Home Valuation Process |
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Thursday, July 29, 2021 | 2:00-4:00 PM ET
On July 29, 2021, HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) will host an event focused on how racial bias in the home valuation process contributes to racial wealth disparities in the United States. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge will discuss President Biden’s recent charge to HUD to lead the interagency task force on appraisals, an initiative HUD now calls PAVE – Property Assessment Valuation Equity. A panel of experts will reflect on home appraisal bias and the related but distinct systematic devaluation of homes in minority neighborhoods, delving into topics including the potential for automated valuation models to help identify appraisal bias.
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Webinar Series: Coordinating HHS Housing-Related
Supports and Services with HUD Housing Assistance
for People Experiencing Homelessness
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This webinar series will introduce Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), Continuums of Care (CoCs), and other housing stakeholders to U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opportunities that fund and provide housing-related supports and services. Each webinar will provide information on partnership opportunities and on-the-ground examples of successful approaches to pairing HHS agency resources with HUD housing assistance for people experiencing homelessness, including the 70,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) awarded by HUD to PHAs through the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
The series will introduce HHS opportunities and resources offered by:
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Training Objectives
Attendees will be equipped to:
- Identify available HHS resources that fund and cover housing-related supports and services in their state and communities
- Locate their state and local agencies responsible for funding and delivering these resources
- Reach out and form partnerships to ensure successful referrals, lease-up, and ongoing tenancy
Who Should Attend?
This series will be informative for affordable housing stakeholders, including PHAs, CoCs, HUD Multifamily operators, affordable housing owners/operators, local funders, and community partners, who are looking to pair services with their housing subsidy to better serve clients experiencing homelessness.
The series will be particularly useful for CoCs and PHAs administering the EHV program; PHAs with a homeless admission preference; and PHAs with a special purpose voucher program such as Mainstream, Family Unification Program, HUD-VASH, etc.
Registration and Schedule
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CMS-Medicaid Resources for Housing Supportive Services
August 12, 2021
3:00 - 4:30 PM EDT
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ACF Resources
for Housing
Supportive Services
August 16, 2021
3:00 - 4:30 PM EDT
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There are many great ways of supporting SHA: Join as a member, send donations, or shop with AmazonSmile. Thank you for your support!
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Want all the member benefits with SHA? Visit our website or contact Joseph Christensen to apply or manage your membership.
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Members can post jobs to find applicants within the wider supportive housing community. Click on the button to visit our job page.
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Diane Riley, Executive Director
Joseph Christensen, Membership & Communication Manager
Kate Kelly, MSW – Integrated Community Project Manager
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Advocate ● Educate ● Support
The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey unites its diverse coalition of members engaging development, resources, and information to sustain supportive housing systems within New Jersey. Since 1998, our statewide mission seeks to enhance lives and accessibility to enable independent living within our communities.
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Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey
185 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ 07079
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