The Sacramento region is receiving 494 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) through the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which appropriated $5 billion for EHVs across the country. 70,000 EHVs were awarded to approximately 700 Housing Authorities through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).Â
These EHVs are separate and distinct from the existing Housing Choice Voucher program administered locally by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), who serves as the Public Housing Authority for the City and County of Sacramento.Â
The EHV program has specific eligibility requirements and offers housing search services to support households issued a voucher. The EHVs are limited to:
- Households who are homeless – individuals or families;
- At-risk of homelessness;
- Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking; and
- Recently homeless.
Another requirement of the program is that all referrals must come through the Continuum of Care’s Coordinated Entry System. As the lead agency for the Sacramento City and County Continuum of Care (CoC), Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF) is coordinating all referrals from homeless service providers through the Coordinated Entry System.
The Sacramento CoC has further prioritized subpopulations within the EHV eligibility criteria to serve those most in need. The coordinated entry system for the EHVs will prioritize:
- Chronically homeless
- Literally homeless;
- At-risk seniors age 62 and older;
- Households through the domestic violence survivor system;
- People ready to move on from permanent supportive housing; and
- Those needing longer housing subsidies than can be provided from rapid rehousing programs.
Homeless service providers currently working with clients who are eligible for the EHVs may complete an assessment in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Assessments are then reviewed and prioritized by SSF’s coordinated entry team who makes the referrals to SHRA. SHRA will then work with the provider to complete an EHV application and begin the housing search process.
SHRA has set an ambitious goal of having all 494 EHVs leased up by November 2021 in order to qualify for HUD’s incentive of potentially receiving additional vouchers.
With this unprecedented opportunity to house nearly 500 households in Sacramento, SSF, SHRA, the City and County of Sacramento, and homeless service providers are working in close collaboration to ensure its success.Â
Learn more about the Emergency Housing Voucher program and how it is being implemented in Sacramento!