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Monterey County Housing Support Program

The Monterey County Department of Social Services partnered with the Housing Resource Center of Monterey County, an independent nonprofit housing organization, to provide Rapid Re-housing and support services to homeless CalWORKS families.

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Referral Process• The Department of Social Services is responsible for referring homeless

CalWORKS families to the Housing Resource Center.

• Once a family contacts the CalWORKs eligibility staff and identifies as being homeless, the Eligibility Worker issues a Housing Support Program referral.

• When the referral is received by the 501-Housing Support Program shared email, active status is verified and the referral is forwarded to the Housing Resource Center.

• The Housing Resource Center has three (3) business days to contact the referred client to set up an appointment.

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Housing Resource Center Role

• Evaluates each referred family and determines their housing needs and barriers.

• Partners with other Monterey County housing agencies.

• Determines the financial assistance needed, including rental assistance, security deposit, moving expenses, utility and utility deposits, emergency motel/hotel payments and unexpected financial burdens.

• Provides monthly case management to determine continuing need, income changes, compliance, and progress toward goals.

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The Housing Resource Center Role • Intensive Case Management includes:

Progressive, ongoing case management services

Assessment of family barriers that may impede access to being housed; and provides necessary referrals

Monthly office and home visits

Financial literacy education, including budgeting and money management

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Housing Specialist Role

• Landlord outreach, recruitment, engagement, and RECOGNITION

• Inventory of available units

• Conducts habitability and basic safety inspections of each unit

• Conducts 30-day inspections of each unit where the client has been permanently housed

• Works with each family to set housing goals

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Working with Landlords

Outreach, Recruitment and Information:Reach out to landlords and property owners. Introduce and provide information about the agency and the services offered

Negotiation and Engagement:Discuss the housing barriers clients are facing, and explain the benefits of a partnership. Outline specific incentives:• steady stream of tenants guaranteed• minimized number and length of vacancies• decreased advertising costs for new tenants• pre-screened clients ready to rent.

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Addressing Housing Barriers

• Background Checks

• Income

• Credit and Rental History

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Accomplishments:

• Steady stream of referrals into the program

• Good channel of communication between Social Services and the Housing Resource Center

• Monthly case review meetings

Challenges:

• New programs take time to implement when working with outside agencies

• “Homeless” definition versus housing prevention

• Challenging rental market • Clients’ motivation