HUD has published a new guidebook, Emergency Housing Vouchers: A How-To Guide for Public Housing Agencies. The guidebook provides public housing agencies (PHAs), Continuums of Care (CoCs), and Victim Services Providers (VSPs) with an overview of the operating requirements of the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, including partnerships and referral processes, use-of-service fees, housing-search requirements, and applications of EHV waivers and alternative requirements. The guidebook also offers considerations for PHAs designing EHV programs, as well as best practices for implementation. Although the guidebook was written for PHAs, CoCs, and VSPs, advocates may also find it helpful.
The Emergency Housing Voucher program is a new housing voucher program funded by the “American Rescue Plan Act.” Through EHV, HUD is providing 70,000 housing choice vouchers to PHAs to assist individuals and families who are homeless; at risk of homelessness; fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or recently homeless or facing a high risk of housing instability (see Memo, 5/10/21).
EHV requires PHAs to partner directly with CoCs and VSPs to provide tenant-based voucher assistance to households most in need of assistance. EHV referrals must come primarily through a local CoC’s coordinated entry (CE) system but can also come through other direct referral partners, such as VSPs, in limited situations.
The guidebook also aims to help CoCs and VSPs better understand the EHV program and its operating requirements. PHAs, CoCs, and VSPs are urged to review Notice PIH 2021-15 for a complete description of all EHV requirements. The HUD EHV website has many resources and is updated frequently with EHV-related information, such as PIH Notices, FAQs (see Memo, 2/28), training announcements, and archived webinars and Office Hours meetings.
Emergency Housing Vouchers: A How-To Guide for Public Housing Agencies is available at: https://bit.ly/35HIexr