2019 FSHA presentation: FYI Overview and Implementation

1. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
FSHO
FYI Tenant
Protection Vouchers
Overview and Technical
Assistance

2. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FSHO Coalition, led by
Foster ACTION Ohio includes
54,000 foster care alumni and
allies. The Coalition works in
partnership with the National
Center for Housing & Child
Welfare, Reps. Turner and Bass,
and HUD to combine existing
federal programs to eliminate
the gaps through which foster
youth fall into homelessness.

3. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The Foster Youth to
Independence initiative (FYI) will
reduce youth homelessness by
targeting housing assistance to
youth aging out of foster care.

4. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
FYI will offer tenant-based
housing vouchers on-demand to
public housing authorities to
prevent or end homelessness
among young adults under age
25, with a foster care history,
including:
- foster family homes
- foster homes of relatives
- group homes, emergency
shelters, residential facilities

5. About
History
FSHO history
Foster Care Alumni have been working with Congress, HUD, & housing
experts for years to get FSHO right
Sen. Bond adds
youth to FUP
FUP for families has
been an eligible use
of HUD’s TPVs since
1990. Youth are
added and eligible to
receive time-limited
(18 mo.) vouchers
through FUP.
2000
Youth identify FUP
synchronization
problems
Few youth are referred
to FUP because the
vouchers are not
timed with
emancipation.
Vouchers are also
only available in
limited areas of the
U.S.
2013
HUD research
identifies
synchronization
problems
PHAs & PCWAs report
problems making FUP
referrals due to the
unpredictable nature
of FUP voucher
availabiltiy
2014
Rep. Leutkemeyer
extends FUP to 3
yrs, Sen. Murray
creates FUP-FSS
DemoYoung people form
the FSHO Coalition
and begin devising a
way to universalize
FUP-FSS demo for
their brothers &
sisters in care
2016
Fostering Stable
Housing
Opportunities Act
Reps. Turner & Bass,
HUD & young people
tap FUP TPV eligibility
& the FUP-FSS Demo
to universalize
assistance for all
youth leaving care
2019

6. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The Public Child Welfare Agency
will certify that the youth is at
least 18 years old and not more
than 24 years old (has not
reached his/her 25th birthday),
that he/she left foster care at
age 16 or older or will leave
foster care within 90 days, in
accordance with a transition
plan, and is homeless or at risk
of homelessness.

7. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
If your state has extended foster
care supports until age 21, the
FSHO Coalition recommends that
you use this route first. Then,
refer the young person to FYI
within 30 days of their 21st
birthday. This makes best use
of existing resources and
provides a continuum of
supports between age 18-25, to
support the young person’s
success.

8. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
Step
1
PCWA files
paperwork
with PHA,
6 months
ahead of
time.
Step
2
Step
3
Step
4
PHA
requests
the FYI
TPV from
HUD
HUD
dispenses
the FYI
vouchers
“on
demand.”
PHA
administers
FUP-FSS to
landlord
and youth.
PCWA
assists with
landlord
recruitment
and
The FYI voucher
process

9. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
Step
1
Transition
Plan
Step
2
Step
3
Step
4
Smooth
referral Housing
success
Move
towards
independen
ce
The FSHO vision

10. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FYI process
1.) First, all public child welfare
agencies (PCWAs) should
establish a point of contact at
their local public housing
authority (PHA) and begin to
develop a relationship with
their peers at that organization.

11. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FYI process
2.) Next, public child welfare
agencies (PCWAs) use a variety
of independent living funding
sources to prepare young people
who are likely to reach
adulthood in state care, such as:
- Chafee funds
- Work Innovation Opportunity
Act (WIOA) funds

12. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FYI process
3. As young people move along
this continuum of services,
public child welfare agency
(PCWA) staff should monitor if a
young person is at risk of
homelessness and interested in
the stability of renting their own
apartment.

13. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FYI process
4.) If it is the case that a young
person will not be able to afford
to rent an apartment without a
government subsidy then, the
public child welfare agency
(PCWA) staff will notify their peer
at the local public housing
authority (PHA) about three to
six months prior to
emancipation that the young
person is eligible for and

14. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The FYI process
5. Public child welfare agencies
(PCWAs) should also begin to
forecast and predict how many
young people will need vouchers
within their caseload so that they
can request vouchers in batches
from their local public housing
authority (PHA).

15. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
The National Youth in
Transition Database (NYTD)
report indicates that 20% of
19-year-old alumni (1,576)
and 28% of 21-year-old
alumni (1,991) experience
homelessness.

16. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
Given these figures, the
FSHO Coalition estimates
that approximately 2,000
youth people who are
leaving foster care could
benefit from FYI/FUP for
youth.

17. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
1. Why is HUD targeting
former foster youth?
Former foster youth are at
high risk for homelessness.
FYI provides a platform to
help them achieve self-
sufficiency.
Frequently Asked
Questions

18. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
2. How will ongoing training
about FYI be provided?
HUD is sending out FAQs and
hosting a webinar. The FSHO
Coalition will provide additional
technical assistance training
regionally across the nation for
public housing authorities and
public child welfare agencies.
Frequently Asked
Questions

19. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
3. How many vouchers will
be made available?
HUD has not set a cap on the
number of vouchers that will
be provided under this
initiative.
Frequently Asked
Questions

20. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
4. What are the steps to
apply?
The public child welfare
agency (PCWA) and public
housing authority (PHA)
formalize a partnership. The
PCWA refers specific youth to
the PHA, who then requests a
FYI Tenant Protection
Frequently Asked
Questions

21. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
5. Can public housing
authorities collaborate with
more than one public child
welfare agency?
Yes, they just need to
establish a partnership
agreement with each public
child welfare agency, in order
to administer FYI Tenant
Frequently Asked
Questions

22. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
6. Can youth referrals come
from agencies other than
public child welfare agencies?
Yes, but they need to partner
with their local public child
welfare agency in order to
confirm the young person’s
eligibility.
Frequently Asked
Questions

23. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
7. What documentation is the
public housing authority
required to have on file
regarding the eligibility
determination?
All they need to maintain is
just the referral or
certification from the public
child welfare agency. Full
Frequently Asked
Questions

24. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
8. Can the 36-month time limit
on an FYI voucher be waived?
No, due to statutory
requirements (1937 U.S Housing
Act, Section 8x). Public housing
authorities can work with their
local public housing authorities
to develop transition plans for
participating youth.
Frequently Asked
Questions

25. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
9. Under what circumstances
can a public housing authority
terminate an FYI Tenant
Protection Voucher?
This must be consistent with
HCV regulations (24 CFR Part
982, Subpart L).
Frequently Asked
Questions

26. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
10. Are administrative fees
available for administration of
FYI Tenant Protection
Vouchers?
Yes. Administrative fees are
paid based on the number of
units under leave.
Frequently Asked
Questions

27. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
1. Since FYI vouchers are for
individuals, what happens if a
youth gives birth after she has
leased up under an FYI Tenant
Protection Voucher?
She would still be eligible for
the full 36 months of
assistance.
Handling Specific
Scenarios

28. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
2. Can FYI Tenant Protection
Vouchers be used in shared
housing situations?
Yes. If a foster youth shares a
two-bedroom unit with shared
common space, the voucher can
be used for their half of the rent.
Or two former foster youth who
each have vouchers could room
Handling Specific
Scenarios

29. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
3. Can a public housing
authority absorb a FYI TPV
youth into its regular Housing
Choice Voucher program?
Yes, and if they do so, that
young person would become
a regular HCV participant,
with none of the limitations of
a FYI TPV.
Handling Specific
Scenarios

30. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
4. Can a public housing
authorities restrict the
portability for youth for the
first year or for the full
months of assistance?
No. The PHA may not restrict
or deny portability for any
reason other than those
specified by existing Housing
Choice Voucher regulations.
Handling Specific
Scenarios

31. About
History
Eligibility
Process
Scope
FAQs
5. What if the young person
wants to move, while
maintaining their FYI voucher?
Do they have to move to a
jurisdiction that administers
FYI TPVs?
No. The existing voucher
moves with them.
Handling Specific
Scenarios