The HUD McKinney/Vento Homeless Assistance programs have formed the backbone of local efforts intended to address the needs of homeless individuals and families, including the creation of new supportive housing. In 1994, HUD introduced the Continuum of Care model to encourage communities to address the problem of homelessness in a more coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic fashion. With the introduction of Continuum of Care planning, communities were encouraged to envision, organize, and plan comprehensive, long-term solutions to address the problem of homelessness. HUD Continuum of Care policies strongly emphasize the expansion of permanent supportive housing, with incentives that included up to $750,000 in bonus funding in the FY 2003 competition for new permanent supportive housing projects selected as the Continuum of Care system’s number one priority project.

HUD’s McKinney/Vento Homeless Assistance Programs include the Shelter Plus Care (S+C) program, Section 8 Moderate Rehab Single Room Occupancy (Section 8 SRO) program, and the Supportive Housing Program (SHP). All of these programs provide valuable rental assistance funding for supportive housing for homeless people with disabilities. The SHP program can also provide up to $400,000 in capital funding for permanent supportive housing, but it must be “matched” with at least an equal amount of non-McKinney/Vento capital funding. Sources of match funding in Florida include any of the capital programs described in Section Two below. It is important to note that HUD McKinney/Vento programs can only assist people with disabilities who meet HUD’s restrictive definition of “homeless” and cannot be used for those at risk of homelessness.

Federal officials are continuing to direct more HUD McKinney/Vento funding towards new permanent supportive housing by increasing permanent housing “bonus” funding and through permanent housing scoring incentives. As a result, fewer funds are available for the renewal of non-permanent housing projects, including some existing transitional housing and supportive services projects. In “mature” Continuums of Care that have successfully competed for HUD funding for many years, the “renewal burden” to sustain existing projects may mean that little or no funding for new permanent housing or other initiatives. Homeless advocates should anticipate that these trends in HUD McKinney/Vento funding will continue and that additional emphasis on permanent supportive housing, particularly for chronically homeless individuals, will be included in this year’s HUD competitive application.

The federal government’s current policy agenda to end chronic homelessness in ten years means that these funds are likely to be protected in any future Congressional appropriations battles – at least for the near future. Shelter Plus Care rent assistance program renewals also seem secure, as members of Congress have appropriated separate funding for these renewals since FY 2001. In order to successfully leverage HUD’s permanent housing bonus funding, each Continuum of Care should receive the technical assistance it needs to ensure that one new permanent supportive housing project is submitted to HUD each year during the Continuum of Care competition. In order to add to the permanent supply of supportive housing, Continuums should be encouraged to use these funds for new housing production activities, including project-based Shelter Plus Care and new Supportive Housing Program capital and renewable operating subsidy funding.

2005 Continuum of Care awards (announced 12/20/05).
2004 Continuum of Care awards (announced 1/25/05).
Local Continuum of Care contacts.