GEORGIA HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY

For the largely rural Balance of State Continuum, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) concluded that a regional implementation of HPRP would be most successful in serving both homeless and at-risk populations in the 151 counties in our service area. The approach has ensured that service coverage exists where, in some cases; there may be no local providers. The HPRP implementation was designed and carried out as a hands-on collaboration between DCA and its sub-recipients. At program inception we trained sub-grantees to use both prevention and rapid re-housing best practices models. In addition, we hosted regular webinars addressing time-sensitive issues facing sub-grantees, as well as ongoing issues such as case management and other best practices. We worked closely with providers on a daily basis to ensure compliance with the rigorous HMIS data entry and maintenance standards established at grant inception. The Balance of State’s HPRP implementation achieved positive housing outcomes for most clients served with HPRP funding. In total, approximately 98 percent of Balance of State HPRP program participants exited the program with permanent housing outcomes. In addition, we served clients in 151 of 151 counties and have spent 100% of our total grant allotment. HPRP was an essential resource to accomplishing two key goals of the State’s 2008 Consolidated Plan. First, rapid re-housing services provided the State’s homeless with access to rental housing and other supportive services in order to achieve housing stability. HPRP activities helped to “increase access of Georgia’s homeless to a continuum of housing and supportive services which address their housing, economic, health, and social needs.” In addition, preventing homelessness altogether the state “increase(d) the number of low and moderate income households who have obtained affordable rental housing which is free of overcrowding and structurally substandard conditions.” Finally, largely due to the increased housing services provided through HPRP, the DCA set and accomplished the objective of avoiding an increase in homelessness in a time of almost unprecedented economic instability. The number of homeless individuals in the Georgia Balance of State service area went from 11,033 in 2009 to 10,242 in 2011. Homelessness in our state effectively decreased by 7.17% during the time that the bulk of HPRP services were provided.

Clarification of Codes