Report: Homelessness Prevention A Vital Strategy for Florida
The foreclosure and economic crises are significantly increasing homelessness in communities across the country. The growing homelessness problem makes prevention programs particularly timely and urgent. The State of Florida is one of 25 states that uses state and federal funding to help prevent homelessness, according to a recent study conducted by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.
Entitled "An Ounce of Prevention," the report concluded that preventing homelessness -— helping people stay in their homes -— makes moral, practical and financial sense. It avoids the trauma of homelessness, which can cause life-long harm, particularly to children. Similarly it avoids disruption to school, work and community ties. Additionally, preventing homelessness is cost effective: according to a recent nine-city study by The Lewin Group, homelessness costs more than housing and supportive services.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus package) signed by President Obama includes an increase of $1.5 billion for the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and $100 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both are programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the major federal homeless assistance legislation. The stimulus package not only provides significant new ESG funds, it also specifies that the eligible uses for those funds include short-term or medium-term rental assistance; housing relocation and stabilization services such as housing search, credit repair, mediation or outreach to property owners; security or utility deposits; utility payments; rental assistance for a final month at a location; moving cost assistance; and case management, as well as other related activities deemed appropriate by HUD.
The State of Florida offers direct housing assistance through the Office on Homelessness in the Department of Children and Families. Housing assistance is provided through the Emergency Financial Assistance for Housing Program (“EFAHP”). EFAHP provides a one-time payment of up to $400 to families who face the loss of shelter because of non-payment of rent or mortgage or who are totally without shelter.
The Office on Homelessness has indicated that to receive assistance, applicants for EFAHP applicants:
• must have at least one child under the age of 18 living in the household;
• must live in Florida, or be working or looking for work in Florida;
• must have at least one child or caretaker in the household who is a U. S. citizen or legal resident;
• must have proof of a housing emergency (e.g., a copy of a court ordered eviction or foreclosure notice);
• must have insufficient funds in their checking/savings accounts, or insufficient cash to pay their rent or mortgage;
• must meet certain household income guidelines;
• must have financial problems that are caused by a real emergency and not mishandling of money;
• must provide proof of their present living address (e.g., a rent receipt, utility bill, or other paperwork that lists the name of the head of household or other caretaker, and the present address); and
• must sign and date the application.
All income received during the month of application is considered, except for those household members who receive SSI.
The Department on Children and Families reported that during the 2006-2008 grant period, 9 local homeless prevention programs reported assisting 1,814 individuals to avoid the loss of their housing.
The primary cause of homelessness in the United States is a lack of affordable housing; 13.7 million Americans pay over 50% of their income on rent or live in substandard housing, putting them at high risk for homelessness. Even before the economic downturn, there was a lack of affordable housing available to low-income workers, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In no county in the country could a person working full-time at minimum wage afford the Fair Market Rent for an efficiency apartment. Effective homelessness prevention strategies must also include funding for production of permanent housing stock affordable to extremely low-income persons.
For further information about Florida's homelessness prevention programs, contact:
Office on Homelessness
Florida Department of Children and Families
(850) 922-4691
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/homelessness/
Council on Homelessness
Department of Children and Families
1317 Winewood Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700
(850) 922-4691
