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Glossary

Here's a handy glossary of terms used by those addressing the issues of homelessness, housing, poverty, social services and nonprofits. You can search for a term by clicking on the appropriate letter of the alphabet or enter a word in the search box to the right.

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

All

2-1-1

2-1-1 is a special abbreviated telephone number reserved in the United States and Canada as an easy-to-remember three-digit telephone number meant to provide quick information and referrals to health and human service organizations. In Pinellas County, 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc. is the nonprofit organization providing information, referral, and volunteer training service for homeless and low-income people in Pinellas County.

ADA

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) provides civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age or religion. It guarantees said individuals equal access to employment, public accommodations, transportation, government services and telecommunications. It prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in all programs, services and activities of public entities.

Addiction

Addiction implies that a drug dependency has developed to such an extent that it has serious detrimental effects on the user (referred to as an addict). They may be chronically intoxicated, have great difficulty stopping the drug use, and be determined to obtain the drug by almost any means. The term addiction is inextricably linked to society's reaction to the user, and so medical experts try to avoid using it, preferring dependence instead.

Adequate housing

Adequate housing - housing that conforms to basic standards with regard to security of tenure, availability of services, materials, facilities, and infrastructure, affordability, habitability, accessibility, location, and cultural adequacy.

While the definition of "adequacy" with regard to housing is influenced by social, economic, cultural, climatic, ecological, and other factors, certain aspects of the right are applicable in any context. These are:

Legal security of tenure. Security of tenure means that all people in any living arrangement possess a degree of security against forced eviction, harassment, or other threats. States are obliged to confer this security legally.
Availability of services, materials, facilities and infrastructure. To ensure the health, security, comfort, and nutrition of its occupants, an adequate house should have sustainable access to natural and common resources, safe drinking water, energy for cooking, heating and lighting, sanitation and washing facilities, means of food storage, refuse disposal, site drainage and emergency services.
Affordability. Affordable housing is housing for which the associated financial costs are at a level that does not threaten other basic needs. States should take steps to ensure that housing costs are proportionate to overall income levels, establish subsidies for those unable to acquire affordable housing, and protect tenants against unreasonable rent levels or increases. In societies where housing is built chiefly out of natural materials, states should help ensure the availability of those materials.
Habitability. Habitable housing provides the occupants with adequate space, physical security, shelter from weather, and protection from threats to health like structural hazards and disease.
Accessibility. Adequate housing must be accessible to those entitled to it. This includes all disadvantaged groups of society, who may have special housing needs that require extra consideration.
Location. The location of adequate housing, whether urban or rural, must permit access to employment opportunities, health care, schools, child care and other social facilities. To protect the right to health of the occupants, housing must also be separated from polluted sites or pollution sources.
Cultural adequacy. The way housing is built, the materials used, and the policies supporting these must facilitate cultural expression and housing diversity. The development and modernization of housing in general should maintain the cultural dimensions of housing while still ensuring modern technological facilities, among other things.

Adjusted Gross Household Income

All income that is received in the form of money, property, and services and that is not explicitly exempt by law.

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is housing for which the associated financial costs are at a level (housing costs, including utilities and rent or mortgage expenses, that are no more than 30% of the adjusted gross household income) that does not threaten other basic needs and represents a reasonable proportion of an individual’s overall income.

In Florida, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $941. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $3,138 monthly or $37,653 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $18.10.

In Florida, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.25. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 107 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 2.7 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

In Florida, the estimated mean (average) wage for a renter is $13.14 an hour. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment at this wage, a renter must work 55 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, working 40 hours per week year-round, a household must include 1.4 worker(s) earning the mean renter wage in order to make the two-bedroom FMR affordable.

Monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for an individual are $637 in Florida. If SSI represents an individual's sole source of income, $191 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $792.

Allocation

The process of designating certain resources for certain purposes

Americans with Disabilities Act

See ADA

AMI

Area median income (AMI) -- The point at which half the households in an area make less and half make more. The median annual income figures are adjusted for family size and calculated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for every regional area in the country.

Appropriation

Money set aside (as by a legislature) for a specific purpose; legislation that funds an agency or program by directing the expenditure of money from the Budget Office or the Treasury.

Area Median Income

See AMI.

At-Risk of Homelessness

On the edge of becoming homeless, often because of extremely low incomes and having to pay a large percent of the adjusted gross household income for housing expenses.

Authorization

Legislation that formally establishes a program or activity and sets a funding limit for that program or activity

Board of Directors

Board of Directors is a group of individuals elected by a corporation's members or directors to oversee the management of and assume legal responsibility for the corporation. The members of a Board of Directors are not compensated for their service, but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses related to their service as a director. The corporation's senior-most employee (e.g., executive director, CEO, etc.) also serves on the board as an ex-officio (does not vote) member. Generally, no member of the board should hold more than one office at the same time.

Capital Request

A planned undertaking to purchase, build or renovate space or building or to acquire equipment.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

See CPR

Case Management

Services focused on identifying goals, developing action plans and coordinating resources to assist clients in attaining greater self-sufficiency. See also intensive case management.

Case Plan

Case Plan is a client-driven planning document completed by the client, with the assistance of his or her case manager, to set forth an overall service goal and the associated objectives, steps, resources, person(s) responsible and timeline. The case plan addresses and supports financial stability, including employment, education, benefits, child care and transportation, and manages household well-being in the areas of mental and physical health, social interaction and accessing community resources. The plan is designed to empower the client to overcome barriers in order to achieve housing, wellness and self-sufficiency.

CDBG

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) -- A federal block grant program administered by HUD and provided to local communities to support community development through acquisition, construction, rehabilitation and operation of public facilities and housing.

CG

Homeless Assistance Challenge Grant -- Created in 2001, the homeless assistance Challenge Grant is available to assist in implementing the services and activities contained within local homeless continuums of care plans. This locally developed plan details the community vision for how to coordinate efforts to prevent homelessness; provide outreach to those who become homeless to direct them to services; to provide emergency sheltering; ensure the availability of supportive services to address health, education, employment, and family needs; and to make permanent housing available.

The grant can fund any activity that is contained within this continuum of care. The funding is available on an annual competitive application process. The designated lead agency of the local continuum of care effort is the eligible applicant. The lead agency may apply on behalf of any of the local providers of service or housing, consistent with their local plan.

Challenge Grant

See CG.

Chronically Homeless

“Chronically Homeless” persons are defined as unaccompanied homeless individuals with a disabling condition (e.g., substance use disorder, mental disorder, or co-occurring substance use and mental disorder), who have either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR have had at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the past three (3) years.