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Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program
A study conducted by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Economic Development bears out national findings that homelessness is not only caused by a lack of shelter, but also involves a variety of unmet needs and underlying social problems including economic gaps, lack of understanding and education, and the need for job training.
In spite of the best efforts of compassionate persons and agencies, many families "fall through the cracks" of any state's social or housing system. In an effort to fill these gaps, the state has combined the Nebraska Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund (HSATF) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESGP) into Nebraska's Homeless Assistance Program. The goal of combining the two programs is to foster a continuum of housing opportunities and support services for the homeless and near-homeless and to reduce homelessness through education, outreach and prevention programs.
The Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program considers four areas for funding:
Client Services: funds awarded provide assistance in costs of food, clothing, transportation, child care, medical assistance, substance abuse treatment and counseling, and staff salaries that provide case management services to homeless clients.
Operations: funds provide shelters assistance in rent, utilities, telephone, maintenance, insurance, audits, and office supplies.
Homeless Prevention: includes short-term subsidies to defray rent and utility arrearages when there is an eviction or utility shut off notice, security deposits or first month's rent to assist the homeless in obtaining housing and salaries to provide case-management to near-homeless clients in order to prevent homelessness.
Rehabilitation: Labor, materials, tools and other cost or maintenance and/or improvement of homeless facilities.
Funds are available to eligible community or neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations that assist in the alleviation of homelessness and provide temporary shelter and/or permanent shelter for homeless persons. To make better use of limited resources, applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other agencies and groups on the development and delivery of services and programs to the homeless and in the application for funds.
The funds distribution process is designed to treat all geographic areas of the state equitably and to ensure the development of quality projects.
Nature of ESGP Program: The 100% federal funds are provided to the State by HUD. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis. A dollar-for dollar match is required.
Nature of HSATF Program: Funding is generated from home buyers and other purchasers of real estate. In 1992, the Nebraska Legislature created the fund by raising the cost of documentary stamps on real estate sales from $1.50 to $1.75 per $1,000. The additional money was designated for the Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund.
Contact:
Fayette Carpenter
Nebraska Health and Human Services System
P.O. Box 95044
Lincoln, NE 68509-5044
(402) 471-9370 or (800) 430-3244
Fax: (402) 471-8259
Rental Assistance: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Eligibility: Funds are awarded from FEMA on the area poverty level.
Benefits: This program works to provide a first's months rent or payment for those with eviction notice to keep them from becoming homeless. One time usage per client per funded year.
Nature of Program: Funds are awarded to subgrantees based on the area poverty level and agencies ability to administer funds. This money can be used to pay first months rent or rent to keep from being evicted, but not deposits.
Contacts:
Richard Nation, Executive Director
Blue Valley Community Action
P.O. Box 273
Fairbury, NE 68352
(402) 729-2278
Fax: (402) 729-2801
Jose Zapata, Director
Central Nebraska Community Service
P.O. Box 509
Loup City, NE 68853
(308) 745-0780
Fax: (308) 745-0824
Robin Snyder, Director
Goldenrod Hills Community Services
P.O. Box 280
Wisner, NE 68791
(402) 529-3513
Fax: (402) 529-3209
Tina Johnson, Family Development Services Manager
Greater Omaha Community Action
2406 Fowler Street
Omaha, NE 68111
(402) 453-5656
Fax: (402) 451-3057
Beatty Brasch, Director
Lincoln Action Program
210 "O" Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 471-4515
Fax: (402) 471-4844
Karen Lueck, Director
Mid-Nebraska Community Action
P.O. Box 2288
Kearney, NE 68848-2288
(308) 865-5675
Fax: (308) 865-5681
Joan Cromer
Executive Director
Panhandle Community Services
3350 Tenth Street
Gering, NE 69341-1700
(308) 635-3089
Fax: (308) 635-0264
Darrel Knote
Executive Director
Northwest Nebraska Community Action Council
270 Pine Street
Chadron, NE 69337
(308) 432-3393
Fax: (308) 432-5799
Ryan White Program
Eligibility: HIV-infected persons who meet income eligibility guidelines.
Benefits: Housing services may be authorized for assistance in locating and obtaining suitable shelter. Payments are limited to situations where no other resource exists to locate and obtain suitable shelter.
Nature of Program: Funding for this program comes from Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency CARE Act.
**Please Note: Individuals must receive Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Ryan White authorization PRIOR to receiving services. The program will not reimburse for services that are provided prior to authorization.
Contact:
Ross Wren
Ryan White Program
Nebraska Health & Human Services System
301 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68509-5007
(402) 471-0362
Web Site: www.hhs.state.ne.us
Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation
Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) for Homeless Individuals
Nature of Program: Federal aid to homeless individuals in connection with the moderate rehabilitation of SRO dwellings. Provides rental assistance on behalf of homeless individuals in connection with the moderate rehabilitation of SRO dwellings. Funds may be used for rental assistance and to administer the rental assistance. Rehabilitation from another funding source is required, with a minimum of $3,000 per unit, with payback of the loan included in the rental assistance grant amount. Term of the program is 10 years. Funds appropriated for FY 1994 were $140,000,000. No funds were awarded within the Omaha Office's jurisdiction in FY 1994.
Contact:
Community and Planning Development Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Omaha Office, Region VII
Executive Tower Centre
10909 Mill Valley Road
Omaha, NE 68154-3955
(402) 492-3144
Web Site: www.hud.gov/
Shelter Plus Care
Nature of Program: Federal aid to support homeless programs for persons with disabilities. Provides rental assistance funds for homeless persons with disabilities, primarily those who are seriously mentally ill, have chronic drug or alcohol problems, or who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or related diseases. Federal rental assistance funds were available in FY 1993 in four forms:
tenant-based rental assistance
sponsor-based rental assistance
project-based rental assistance (PRA); and
Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation for Single-Room Occupancy (SRO).
Federal assistance is in the form of rental assistance only, with a requirement that the applicant match the rental assistance amount dollar-for-dollar in supportive services over the life of the program. Program terms are either 5 or 10 years if rehabilitation is involved (PRA and SRO programs only). Applicants could be states, units of general local government, and public housing authorities.
Contact:
Community and Planning Development Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Omaha Office, Region VII
Executive Tower Centre
10909 Mill Valley Road
Omaha, NE 68154-3955
(402) 492-3144
Web Site: www.hud.gov/
Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
Nature of Program: The purpose of this program is to promote the development of supportive housing and supportive services, including innovative approaches to assist homeless persons in the transition from homelessness, and to enable them to live as independently as possible. Grants are awarded on a nationwide competitive basis. The Supportive Housing Program funds may be used to provide:
transitional housing designed to enable homeless persons and families to move to permanent housing within a 24-month period, which may include up to six months of follow-up services after residents move to permanent housing;
permanent housing provided in conjunction with appropriate supportive services designed to maximize the ability of persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible within permanent housing;
supportive housing that is, or is part of, a particularly innovative project for, or alternative methods of, meeting the immediate and long-term needs of homeless individuals and families;
supportive services for homeless individuals not provided in conjunction with supportive housing, or
facilities in which supportive services are provided in conjunction with supportive housing.
The eligible activities include acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction, leasing, supportive services, operating and administrative costs.
Matching Requirements: Dollar-for-dollar match for acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction. By law, SHP funds can be no more than 80% of the total supportive services budget. By law, SHP can pay no more than 75% of the total operating budget
Contact:
Community and Planning Development Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Omaha Office, Region VII
Executive Tower Centre
10909 Mill Valley Road
Omaha, NE 68154-3955
(402) 492-3144
Web Site: www.hud.gov/
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Housing Development 
