Community responds to work requirements for federal housing funds

Presenter: The nation’s flagship program for addressing homelessness, the biggest source of federal funding for housing and wraparound services, continues to move in a new direction set by the Trump administration. With an overview for the Poverty and Homelessness Board on June 18, Lane County ‘s Continuum of Care Program Services Coordinator, Amanda Borta: 

Amanda Borta (Lane County, CoC program services coordinator): There is a lot of content in the new Notice of Funding Opportunity or NOFO that was released on June 1.

They’re looking to really restore the CoC program to its original goals and very much emphasizing optimizing self-sufficiency by focusing on outcomes, expanding competition, prioritizing treatment and economic independence, and emphasizing law and order.  

They sort of made a point to define self-sufficiency, which has always been part of the CoC program, but wasn’t really called out. They are very clear, through quoting two dictionary definitions within the NOFO, that it is the ability to meet basic needs, including a place to live, without public or private assistance.

So again, they are really emphasizing moving on to unsubsidized locations and getting folks moved on from government assistance much more than has been the case in previous years.

Presenter: Some federal housing programs will soon have a service requirement, which can be met by volunteer work or employment. Amanda Borta:

Amanda Borta (Lane County, CoC coordinator): The new transitional housing projects, you’ll remember, had a 40-hour service requirement in the last NOFO. They’ve reduced that to 20 hours. So a small positive, that’s a win. I think they heard that feedback, that 40 hours was a bit much. And so they have reduced that to 20 hours, with employment counting towards that requirement.

So I think that’ll be, I think a little bit more manageable for projects to wrap their heads around how they will do that. They’re clear that the 20-hour service requirement does not create new reporting or documentation requirements. I think there were a lot of questions around how HUD will verify that requirement is being met. 

Not all of the projects will have work requirements, mostly those TH projects. but permanent housing projects might have service requirements or might—especially for those that have no income—might be emphasizing that more with folks, of finding some source of income or some development towards self-sufficiency. 

Presenter: With concern about how this might play out on the ground, Poverty and Homelessness Board member Genevieve Schaack: 

Genevieve Schaack: I will admit that I have a fear of this administration pushing towards, like, work camps, and things like that. So I think that a potential solution around that is: In cases of emergency, there’s a system called ORVID, which has volunteer opportunities.

I think the way that folks were expressing that there was opportunities to engage in organizations that maybe are not providing housing might be something that would help people meet that requirement. And I know that that is maybe a little bit of an alarmist take, but that’s kind of where I’m at.

Presenter: From the city of Eugene, Regan Watjus:

Regan Watjus (Eugene): Hi. I’m actually asking a question on behalf of the mayor who just sent me a couple questions. She’s having trouble coming off mute. How many households are likely to be impacted by these changes? Do we have a sense?

Presenter: Amanda Borta:

Amanda Borta: Once we finish evaluating our renewals and we see what we might need to reallocate, we’ll know what that shift of units will be. I know we’re trying really hard to make sure, you know, some of our site-based projects are secured that have, you know, significant investments. Those are some of our larger projects. 

And we do have those folks that are transitioning to a transitional housing project. So while we will still have units there, they’ll be slightly different. So we will provide an update once we have that detail, and probably we’ll be able to do that near the July meeting, of an exact sort of shift of units and what that looks like. 

Regan Watjus (Eugene): The other question is that given that we’re hearing from Health and Human Services that Medicaid will also have eligibility work requirements: How can the PHB or subcommittees mobilize to mitigate any negative impacts?

Is there, you know, some coordination? These, it seems like these service and work requirements are hitting different populations that are funded by different federal agencies. So, ideally we’d be doing some of this mobilization to prepare for those impacts. And wondering what this body can do to help…

The city of Eugene, for our part, is interested in reaching out to partners like the United Way and the Chamber and maybe connect and think about, maybe, opportunities through our city organization to help meet this requirement that seems to be hitting populations across different agencies like we mentioned.

And wondering, from the mayor (if we’re interested) and Springfield and Lane County want to collaborate on kind of making those connections and with some different agencies and collaborate on that.

Presenter: Amanda Borta:

Amanda Borta:  Well, I would say I’ll leave that to this body to sort of discuss honestly, but I think, there’s definitely opportunities to coordinate with Lane County Workforce Services who do a lot of great employment work. 

I think we can use this as an opportunity to sort of leverage a lot of those resources, the work of other organizations like Goodwill and other job connection programs and then potentially utilize partnerships with the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and others to sort of connect with employers and form partnerships there. 

So I think it’s a good opportunity. And perhaps this group can find a place within a committee or other group to strategize around that effort. 

Regan Watjus: Amanda, can you just clarify too, is it solely work or is it like volunteer? Are there other ways to meet that requirement?

Amanda Borta: Yeah, there are other—so, it’s not just employment, although they are emphasizing employment over increasing any sort of government assistance. But it is volunteer opportunities. It’s participating in treatment. It’s participating in, you know, other life skill-building groups, case management, a variety of other program supports.

Presenter: Debi Farr:

Debi Farr: I just wanted to mention that there’s a lot of work happening in the community around the work requirement—what organizations are doing, what we can do collaboratively to create opportunities in our community. 

So I’m thinking this group might be a good one to be part of that convening or to be involved somehow. So I just wanted to mention that because I know sometimes our community can duplicate effort in multiple ways, and it would be great if, in this instance, we were all together on the same page.

Presenter: Manager of Lane County’s Human Services Division Kate Budd:

Kate Budd (Lane County Human Services Division, manager): I just want to take a moment and just thank Amanda for the clarity and comprehension that she just shared with us today. The Continuum of Care application is challenging and a very large effort before these changes were implemented. 

And now she is having to wrangle one of the largest logic puzzles that I have ever seen with some really, really challenging questions and changes that we just could not have anticipated. So Amanda, thank you so much for everything that you’ve done and you’ll continue to do to help support the Continuum of Care. We are very fortunate to have you at the forefront of this work. 

Presenter: The PHB also heard two quick announcements. Kate Budd:

Kate Budd: I just wanted to give folks a heads up that Lane County has been partnering with Scholz Nonprofit Law to offer a training focused on nonprofit compliance in a rapidly changing environment—which I think that’s an understatement, right?–for those of you in nonprofit, and it comes from more of a legal perspective, particularly around: What are all the changes coming up at the federal level? And, you know, what would an attorney advise around those? 

So I wanted to share with you the upcoming time and date, which is July 23 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and you can sign up.

Presenter: Lane County will be putting out a new contract next year for the Navigation Center. They’re looking for a work group to share recommendations.  Commissioner Pat Farr:

Commissioner Pat Farr: The Nav Center is a marvelous facility that nobody believes we’re using it to the highest and best possible use. And I think over the course of the next year, we can help, with the help of the Poverty and Homelessness Board membership, or your designee, as it may be, that we could really come up with a model that really does get as close to the highest and best use of what is a wonderful location, a wonderful facility.

So I’m plugging: If you do have time or if you have somebody you can recommend for this work for the Poverty and Homelessness Board, it is big stuff and I disqualify myself from that workgroup, by the way. But it’s going to have significant impact.

Presenter: The Trump administration continues to change the rules for federal housing funds, with more emphasis on self-sufficiency and employment. In support of neighbors who rely on these funds, local government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits will work together to provide employment and service opportunities.