Oregon Balance of State HIV/AIDS Housing & Services Systems ...

52 Oregon HIV/AIDS Housing and Services Systems Integration Plan
service providers, advocacy groups, and community- and faith-based organizations. Select a few
agencies that are either receptive to partnership, represent significant resources in areas of need, or
both to develop and pitch specific potential joint ventures. Successful early partnerships with
housing providers can serve as examples for future collaborations in other regions of the state.
7. Seek housing development opportunities in which relatively modest HIV/AIDS-specific
resources can leverage significant investment from other sources.
Steering Committee members underscored that even modest commitments of funding for operating
costs and supportive services in affordable housing development applications can be persuasive to
government funders. For example, in one case, just $35,000 allocated by the Division of Addictions
and Mental Health for housing development has leveraged $1.5M in Oregon Housing and
Community Services (OHCS) funds.
Given the limited resources available for HIV Care and Treatment and OHOP, focus development
or rehabilitation partnerships on units integrated into buildings (rather than stand-alone units).
Promote set-asides for tenants living with HIV/AIDS who already receive case management and
services, and thus are unlikely to create challenges or administrative costs for property managers.
Homeless Services
8. Focus attention on improving coordination with planning, data, and other elements of
homeless systems.
Connect with, and track the activities of, the state Ending Homelessness Advisory Council (EHAC).
Participate regularly in Continuum of Care and state and local 10-Year Plan processes, using
strategies described in the previous sections. Seek integration of data at the client level by linking
information systems across mental health, HIV care, and homeless services, including partnering
with OHCS to compare OHOP and HIV/AIDS epidemiology data with homeless services
information.
9. Promote Shelter Plus Care and other bonus projects through agreements to streamline
or share sponsor administrative costs.
Seek to allay the concerns of Continuum of Care partners and potential sponsors of “bonus” projects
for serving chronically homeless people through coordinated planning to share administrative
responsibilities. OHOP cannot allocate additional overhead above the administrative percentage
allowed by its grants, but coordination between OHOP staff and partners may create efficiencies. If
successful, initial partnering with existing Shelter Plus Care (S+C) providers can enhance and
demonstrate the capacity of OHOP staff to seek additional S+C projects with new partners.
10. Conduct outreach and seek partnerships with landlords and property managers.
Link with regional housing centers that conduct fair housing and other trainings for landlords and
potential landlords (including faith-based organizations), to promote the inclusion of information on
the housing challenges and resources available to people living with HIV/AIDS. Effectively use
existing tenant certification programs, such as St. Vincent de Paul’s Second Chance renter
rehabilitation program, that connect landlords to tenants who have completed certification. Explore
opportunities to create or participate in a landlord risk mitigation fund for clients who have histories
of homelessness or other risk factors.