COMMUNITY HOUSING INNOVATIONS INC

IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, CHI'S EMERGENCY HOUSING APARTMENT PROGRAM (EHAP) PROVIDES SCATTERED-SITE TEMPORARY HOUSING IN TRADITIONAL APARTMENTS. THE EHAP PROGRAM WENT TO RFP IN LATE 2022. CHI WAS AWARDED FIVE ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS FOR 2023-2027. IN 2024, THE CHI EHAP BUDGET TOTAL WAS $2,547,600 TO PROVIDE UP TO 66 UNITS OF EMERGENCY HOUSING UNITS (EHUS) LOCATED IN MT. VERNON AND NEW ROCHELLE RENTAL BUILDINGS. THE CONTRACT IS FOR ONE YEAR WITH FOUR ONE-YEAR RENEWALS. DSS'S CASE MANAGEMENT UNIT DOES THE FULL FAMILY HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH THE FAMILIES IN THE EHAP REGARDING THEIR NEEDS (ACADEMIC, VOCATIONAL, MENTAL HEALTH, TREATMENT, ETC.). CHI EHAP STAFF ARE HOUSING SPECIALISTS WHO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON ASSISTING FAMILIES TO SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING. THEY ASSESS THE FAMILY'S HOUSING NEEDS AND BUDGET, TEACH FAMILY MEMBERS HOW TO MAINTAIN THE UNITS, TO SELF-ADVOCATE WITH THE BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT, AND PROVIDE CRITICAL SKILLS NEEDED AS THEY SEEK PERMANENT HOUSING. THEY CALL AND ADVOCATE FOR THE CLIENTS WITH LANDLORDS, DO ROLE-PLAYING WITH FAMILIES FOR HOUSING INTERVIEWS, ASSIST IN OBTAINING NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO OBTAIN HOUSING AND MOVES, MEET WITH LANDLORDS, AND CONDUCT HOUSING QUALITY STANDARD REVIEWS OF EHUS AND PERMANENT HOUSING UNITS. A CHI MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN FULFILLS UNIT MAINTENANCE REPAIR REQUESTS, CLEANS, AND PREPARES UNITS FOR RE-OCCUPANCY, SETS UP FURNITURE, ASSESSES BUILDING NEEDS, AND COORDINATES WITH SERVICE STAFF. A CHI OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ORDERS FURNITURE, MANAGES THE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN, AND COLLABORATES WITH PROPERTY OWNERS. CHI EHAP PROGRAM IN 2024: O 60 FAMILIES WERE HOUSED 158 PEOPLE (62 ADULTS, 96 CHILDREN) O THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR ALL FAMILIES SERVED IN 2024 INCLUDING MOVE OUTS - 512 DAYS O THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR FAMILIES ACTIVE IN THE PROGRAM IN DECEMBER 2024 - 414 DAYS O 20 FAMILIES MOVED INTO THE EHAP PROGRAM O 22 FAMILIES LEFT THE PROGRAM 2 FAMILIES RETURNED TO A CONGREGATE SHELTER 20 FAMILIES MOVED OUT TO HOUSING O 3 UNITS WERE ADDED TO THE ROSTER O 2 UNITS TAKEN OFFLINE AND RETURNED TO THE LANDLORD RENTAL SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM (RSP)RENTAL SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM (RSP) PROVIDES RENTAL SUPPLEMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT CHILDREN, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FACING IMMINENT LOSS OF HOUSING, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. ELIGIBILITY FOR CHI'S RENTAL SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM WILL BE LIMITED TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAKING NO MORE THAN 50% MFI. REFERRALS COME FROM THE LOCAL DSS AND THE COC.IN SEPTEMBER 2022, WCDSS AWARDED CHI THE RSP. THE SECOND (23/24) AND THIRD (24/25) CONTRACT RENEWALS WERE HELD FLAT FOR THE ONE YEAR BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1 - MARCH 31 WITH 87% OF THE $3,029,533 BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR DIRECT RENTAL SUBSIDIES. THE BUDGET HAS REMAINED FLAT FUNDED. ON 12/31/2024, 147 HOUSEHOLDS WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE WC RSP.IN 2024, CHI WAS ALSO AWARDED A RSP CONTRACT IN SUFFOLK AND NASSAU COUNTIES. SUFFOLK COUNTY RSP CONTRACT, WHICH TOTALS $1,181,249, HAS A PRIORITY FOR HOMELESS SINGLE PEOPLE WITH INCOME OR ON DISABILITY. THE NASSAU COUNTY RSP TOTALS $304,243 AND FOCUSES ON FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.

CHI HAS TWO NYS OMH FUNDED SUPPORTED HOUSING PROGRAMS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY. IN 2024, THE MODERN SERVED A TOTAL OF 21 PEOPLE IN 22 BEDS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITH OPERATING FUNDING FROM OMH. ONE PERSON LEFT THE PROGRAM. THREE PEOPLE MOVED IN. THE 2024 NYS OMH CONTRACT TOTALED $535,785.IN 2024, THE MAYFAIR APARTMENTS ESSHI PROGRAM HOUSED 20 PEOPLE IN 20 UNITS OF HOUSING. THE UNITS ARE FOR HOMELESS SINGLE ADULTS WITH A DISABILITY OVER THE AGE OF 62. NO ONE LEFT THE PROGRAM. THREE NEW TENANTS MOVED IN. THE 2024 NYS OMH CONTRACT TOTALED $526,149.