Annual report, 2005

ANNUAL REPORT
January 1, 2006
Programs Administered by: Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Mike Beatty, Commissioner

Introduction
The goal of developing a well functioning continuum of assistance remains a distant and somewhat elusive task. We, this Commission as well as the State of Georgia Interagency Homeless Coordination Council, are both determined to develop systems of housing and care that will efficiently address episodic short-term homelessness primarily related to poverty - as it occurs. We also remain committed to the elimination of longer-term or recurring homelessness most often related to behavioral issues associated with disability - for all who experience it.
The Council, comprised mostly of representatives from state agencies, recently published its "2005 Annual Progress Report." It is my pleasure to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the details contained in the Council's report to show how this collaboration is improving housing and services for those who experience homelessness in Georgia.
First of all, the Council is working to connect homeless persons to Federal, state and other services commonly available to persons in poverty, but typically under-utilized by homeless persons. Upon assessment, many persons experiencing homelessness are found to have a disability. This past year Georgia participated in a Federal technical assistance initiative designed to help homeless providers make better connections to SSI and SSDI benefits. The Georgia Department of Labor joined in this effort by providing training for nonprofit homeless providers in Athens, Atlanta and Savannah. The enhancement of a client's ability to a gain stable income is critical to his or her long term success, and is a key to the success of all of the housing programs assisted by the Commission.
With direct financial support from this Commission, DCA utilized its capacity to develop a HUD application leading to 108 new Shelter Plus Care units. DCA also assisted with the development and opening of new supportive housing complexes in Atlanta, Canton and Macon. Clients living in all of these units will receive ongoing support services from agencies partnering with a key Council member, the Department of Human Resources.
In 2005 a collaborative was formed between Council membership from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Affairs. Its purpose is to provide assistance to local entities offering to house homeless offenders who are unable to procure housing resources upon exit from prison. The Commission is participating by lending DCA staff from the Housing Trust Fund workgroup to assist with applicant review, contracting and financial management.
The work of the Commission during the past year has been integral to many of the achievements of the Council's effort. I am pleased to take this opportunity to congratulate the Interagency Council on its success. As we move forward into the next year, we will continue to support this important collaboration as we remain focused on our core programs. We will also look for new resources and opportunities so that appropriate shelter, housing, and/or services are available to all Georgians facing homelessness.
Respectfully submitted,
i|z||t Zt, Chair
State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMISSIONERS STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND FOR THE
HOMELESS

Honorable Virginia Gray, Chairman Commissioner, Clayton County Riverdale

Pastor Jeffery L. Appling Senior Pastor, Grove Level Baptist Church
Commerce
Terry Ball Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Honorable Brenda J. Garland, M.D. Commissioner, Habersham County
Physician, Heritage Internal Medicine Cornelia
Walter R. Huntley, Jr. Board Member,
Georgia Department of Community Affairs President, Huntley & Associates Atlanta

Honorable Nick Masino Mayor, City of Suwanee Division Manager, Ablest, Inc.
Suwanee
Jo E. Maypole, Ph.D. President/CEO, United Way of the CSRA
Augusta
C. David Moody, Jr. President/CEO, C.D. Moody Construction
Lithonia
Neatha Young President Pro Tem, Flipper Chapel AME Church
Trustee Board President, Sila Women's Auxillary
Savannah

The State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs / Georgia Housing Finance Authority
Note: Commissioners &/or Staff of the State Housing Trust Fund can be contacted at: State Housing Trust Fund
Georgia Department of Community Affairs 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329
If you have a disability and would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please contact the Georgia Department of Community Affairs at 404.679.4915 or 1.800.736.1155 (TDD).

The mission of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless is to support the efforts of organizations that provide housing and essential services for individuals and families striving to end their state of homelessness. These groups include:
Nonprofits
Faith-Based Organizations
Community Homeless Provider Networks, and
Public Programs
The mission of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless will be accomplished by:
Providing Resources For The Groups Listed Above
Supporting Opportunities That Promote Self-. .Sufficiency, and
Forming Partnerships With Organizations That Embrace The Goal Of Ending Homelessness In Georgia

Prevention

Emergency Shelter

Permanent Supportive Housing

Outreach/Intake Assessment

Transitional Housing

S u p p o r t i v e

S e r v i c e s

Permanent Housing

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) develops an annual Continuum of Care Plan for the `Balance of State'. This document serves as the state's blueprint for providing a series of comprehensive and progressive resources to homeless individuals and families such that they become self-sufficient and permanently housed. The plan outlines specific projects and activities that the DCA and the Trust Fund will undertake in the coming year. In addition to being used as a planning tool, the continuum of care document is also a means for accessing federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Each year since 1998, the State and its many community partners have developed a plan that to date has generated over thirty-one million dollars for transitional housing, mental health programs, day facilities, child-care and a host of other programs. What follows is a description of initiatives operating during the period July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005.
Prevention
The first line of defense against homelessness is the prevention program. In State Fiscal Year (SFY05), $435,000 was awarded to thirty-four organizations to help them stabilize families that experienced a temporary economic setback. Prevention funds are used to pay security deposits, past due rental and/or mortgage payments, and utility bills. Once a family provides proof of financial need, the grantee makes a direct payment to the landlord, mortgage company, builder, or utility company. In addition to making these payments, many grantees coordinate consumer credit counseling courses and other services to help families increase their employability, learn financial management skills, and minimize the possibility of future episodes of financial distress. Data on persons served through Homeless Prevention Programs around the State has been separated out from the data on homeless persons served through the Supportive Services Programs for the first time this year. Through these programs, a daily average of 335 individuals &/or persons in families received homeless prevention assistance. During this reporting period, agencies throughout the State reported providing homeless prevention assistance to over 50,000 eligible persons. The majority of persons who received this type of assistance were persons in families (87%).

Emergency Shelters
Emergency shelters are the points of entry for thousands of persons that have become homeless. Families and individuals living in these emergency facilities receive food, shelter and essential services designed to stabilize them for a period of thirty to sixty days. On some occasions, a family may stay in a shelter for six months. Shelters are frequently distinguished by large open dormitory style rooms furnished with one to several hundred blankets, cots or beds. Emergency shelter staff guide clients through the maze of social services available to them, including social security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), employment training and other resources designed to return them to permanent housing.
Transitional Housing
The next phase in the Continuum of Care is transitional housing. These facilities are frequently co-located with emergency shelters or may exist as apartments or houses scattered throughout a city. Families and individuals in transitional housing typically have private to semi-private living quarters. The daily regimen in these facilities is more relaxed than in shelters, but greater responsibilities are placed on the families to adhere to a plan for selfsufficiency. Participants typically stay in transitional housing for up to twenty-four months. In SFY05, the Trust Fund assisted 108 grantees in providing 4,819 bed spaces in emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities with an average of 3,858 clients receiving housing per day.
Supportive Services
In addition to housing, the Trust Fund awards money to organizations that provide services designed to address issues that may have contributed to the individual's or the family's homelessness. The range of services include things such as housing counseling, childcare, education, employment training, financial counseling, legal aid, mental health counseling, primary health care, and substance abuse therapy. In SFY05, the Trust Fund assisted 69 grantees in providing supportive services to an average of 8,703 clients per day.
Homeless Management Information System
In the 2002 Balance of State Continuum of Care, DCA was awarded funds from HUD for a comprehensive, state-wide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) initiative. The purpose of HMIS, as mandated by Congress, is to generate an unduplicated count of each continuum of care's homeless population. As data is accumulated there will be a much more comprehensive picture of the homeless population's needs and demographics, and we will be able to see how those needs and demographics change over time. This data will allow agencies to better allocate resources and serve their communities in their mission, and the State's, to end homelessness. Through this HUD grant, DCA has provided funding to eligible agencies to assist with hardware procurement, internet connection fees, and supportive software to make this project successful. During SFY2005, $71,394 was expended to 47 different organizations through DCA's HMIS grant, making it possible for many agencies to become active with HMIS or increase their level of participation. Significant progress has been made in the last 12 months, both in the number of agencies and the quality of data input, in the statewide implementation of the Pathways Community Network's HMIS. Pathways lists 186 member agencies in Georgia, which represents a net increase of 7 agencies over last year's statewide membership. Fifty-one of these agencies (27%) do not receive direct funding from HUD or DCA. Thirty of these agencies work predominantly or exclusively with a protected

class clientele (clients are HIV positive, fleeing domestic violence, etc.). Each of Georgia's continuums has a substantial number of homeless service providers using the HMIS system and more are expected to join over the next 12 months. There is representation from many sectors of the homeless service/shelter system information and referral, emergency shelters, transitional housing, HOPWA providers, domestic violence shelters, and service-only agencies.
Acquisition & Rehabilitation
Each year the Trust Fund helps local governments and nonprofit organizations acquire land and buildings, or to make substantial repairs to facilities used to house or provide services to homeless persons. As there is a growing need for emergency shelter space, the Trust Fund makes the largest portion of its development budget available to organizations seeking to develop additional space for shelter beds. The Trust Fund awarded $84,000 for one acquisition and rehabilitation project in SFY05. During this same period, the State reimbursed over $278,000 for five other acquisition and rehabilitation projects through this program.
The Rainbow Center Diversity House Project Macon
Daniel-Flagg Villas Savannah

Some homeless individuals may never become completely independent of charitable assistance from the public and private sector because of the complex nature of their homelessness. These individuals suffer from a range of medical issues that include physical disabilities, mental illnesses, and/or chemical addictions and may require long-term social and psychological support. To keep such persons housed and treated, a comprehensive support mechanism is often needed.
Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS
HOPWA is a federally funded program that has been in operation since 1994. It was borne out of Congress' desire to address the housing crisis associated with the AIDS epidemic. The program serves individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Because this disease often leaves individuals and families financially devastated due to accumulating medical bills and lost wages due to sickness, HOPWA makes rental assistance and supportive services available to eligible persons. For persons impacted by HIV/AIDS, this is a very important component of the continuum of care. In SFY05, the Trust Fund administered $1,877,990 in HOPWA funds to ten organizations in non-metropolitan areas of Georgia to serve persons affected by HIV/AIDS. During the program year, 1,220 individuals &/or persons in families were provided needed housing assistance and an additional 722 persons with HIV/AIDS were provided supportive services. Trust Fund staff efforts connected with HOPWA continue to focus on assisting designated sponsors with the expansion or enhancement of their organizational capacity and/or current programs.
Shelter Plus Care (S+C)
The Shelter Plus Care program is designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless persons with disabilities and their families. Persons served by this program primarily have disabilities associated with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases. Since Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1995, DCA has received $19.3 million dollars in S+C commitments to assist 32 sponsors. Beginning in FFY1996, approximately $5.7 million was received to assist two sponsors with project-based rental assistance on rehabilitated units for a 10-year period and to assist two sponsors with five-year commitments for project-based rental assistance without rehabilitation. Grants awarded to DCA for sponsor-based rental assistance have been: FFY1999 for $3.7 million, FFY2000 for $3.3 million, FFY2001 for $1.3 million, FFY2002 for $2.5 million, FFY2003 for $2.8 million, and the most recent awards for 9 new projects in FFY2004 for $5.8 million. In total, 48 S+C projects have been awarded. In all, 975 individuals who are homeless and have a disability are targeted to receive shelter and supportive services within 778 housing units over five or ten year periods. An additional 319 family members will also benefit raising the total estimated benefit to 1,290 persons per year.

Permanent Supportive Housing Program
The Permanent Supportive Housing Program's (PSHP) purpose is the production of affordable rental housing with accompanying supportive services for special needs tenants. The program offers 100% capital financing combining the resources of the Federal HOME Investment Partnership program and the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless. In addition, project based rental assistance (Section 8) is available from the Department of Community Affairs for 100% of the PSHP units occupied by the special needs tenants if the units are located within DCA's Section 8 service area. Special needs tenants include head of household or family members that must be either homeless or threatened with becoming homeless and an individual with a disability. The disability must be of long-continued and indefinite duration, substantially impedes the person's ability to live independently, be improved by more suitable housing conditions, and may be a physical, mental, developmental, or emotional impairment including impairment due solely to alcohol or drug abuse. The following is a list of projects, their populations served, and the construction status of all projects funded under this program as of June 2005.

Project Name
Millennium Center Hearthstone Landing
Grove Park
Pines Family Campus

Location
Cuthbert Canton Macon
Valdosta

Population Served
Families with substance abuse Families experiencing domestic abuse Individuals with mental/developmental disabilities Families with substance abuse

Status
Completed Completed Completed
Under Construction

Hearthstone Landing Canton

Grove Park Village Macon

Angel, a single mother, turned to the Millennium Center for help after a series of unfortunate events caused her to lose custody of her children. Angel's substance abuse problem was causing her life to spiral out of control. Fortunately for Angel, someone told her about the Millennium Center, a supportive housing development for recovering substance abusers located in Cuthbert, Georgia.
Angel and her children were accepted into the Millennium Center program and began the difficult process of overcoming the addiction, reuniting their family, and regaining control of their lives. During their stay at Millennium Center, Angel and her children both received counseling in the safe, campus-like setting. Unlike other programs, the services at Millennium focus on both the substance abuser and their family so that all can recover from the detrimental effects of substance abuse.
To Angel, having her children there to participate in the structured program made all the difference. She doesn't believe she would have been able to make it through the program without her children with her. Their presence was a constant reminder and motivation to hang in there through the tough days and to look forward to the day they all would be able to graduate into their new life.
Since graduating 14 months ago, Angel is taking back control of her life. To help ensure victory, she moved her family across the state, far from the memory of her past, to begin their new life. Thanks to the training and the life skills she received while at the Millennium Center, she has been regularly employed, purchased a vehicle, paid off her court levied fines, and is poised to start saving for the future. Although she has completed the program, Angel still relies on the support that Millennium offers. "I still have hard days and, when I do, I call and discuss those issues with them." Angel credits the Millennium Center with giving her a chance at success. "It is a wonderful program that can provide so much for women like me."
Construction of the Millennium Center was financed through DCA's Permanent Supportive Housing Program. This program uses the resources of the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program and the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless. The resources of the Housing Trust Fund are critical to the program's operation. With the combination of these development funds, the program provides a one-stop shop for all development costs, including those which could not be paid for using the federal HOME monies alone.
The Permanent Supportive Housing program is also the only state program in the nation that automatically provides an allocation of project-based Housing Choice Vouchers to make the rents affordable to the tenants and allows the tenant, upon graduation, to use a tenant-based voucher towards affordable housing in the community of their choosing as they move forward with independent living.

Hope House provides vital transitional housing for 70 formerly homeless men who are seeking a path to self-sufficiency. Developed by Progressive Redevelopment, Inc. (PRI), Hope House is managed by PRISM Realty Management, a subsidiary of PRI. Caring Works, Inc., also a PRI subsidiary, provides the support services.
Hope House is one of the seven priority projects identified by Mayor Shirley Franklin and her Commission on Homelessness to address homelessness in the City of Atlanta. It is also one of the 16 projects recommended in the Homeless Action Plan, the community-wide planning process to alleviate homelessness in Metropolitan Atlanta. Hope House is an integral part of efforts being undertaken by parties throughout the Atlanta region to improve the assistance to persons who are homeless. It also serves as a model for the kind of small, attractive, and well-managed transitional communities which the Homeless Action Group is encouraging throughout the City.
The development budget for Hope House was approximately $2,762,000 with an annual operating budget of approximately $700,000. The sources for construction included City of Atlanta CDBG and HOPWA funds, the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless, HUD, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and private foundations. In addition to the fees paid by the members, operating funds derive from public and private sources, including HUD, the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless, Georgia Department of Human Resources, City of Atlanta HOPWA, and the United Way. The building began operation in March 2005.
Hope House serves homeless men who have chosen to change their lives and seek recovery from substance abuse addictions. In order to effectively serve this population, Hope House offers three phases of support. Phase one, known as the Phoenix phase, houses men in the earliest steps of transition from homelessness. These men spend all of their time in preparation for treatment and may stay in this Phase for up to 2 weeks. The Falcon phase, or phase two, serves up to 10 homeless men who are participating in an off-site day treatment program. These men may stay in this phase for up to 4 months. The men in each of these phases have shared bedrooms, shared bathrooms and a common dining area.
The third phase, known as the Eagle phase, houses 48 men who are committed to a longterm transitional program with a strong recovery component. They are employed or have another steady source of income and pay modest fees. They participate in an intensive bbbbbb

recovery program to prepare them for independent living through evening and weekend programming on-site. It is assumed that most of the men in the recovery program will stay from 18 to 24 months. The Eagle phase offers small individual and double units, shared bathrooms, and a common dining area.
The participants in the Hope House program are accepted through a coordinated referral, intake, and admissions system. There is on-site staff at all times. Chores are assigned to members and there is a system of peer accountability in which they become responsible to one another and the surrounding community.
Hope House provides critical transitional supportive housing that offers essential resident services that address the complex needs of homeless individuals in recovery. A variety of onsite and off-site supportive services is offered to the participants on the evenings and weekends, including:
Substance abuse recovery services including on-site 12-step groups, on-site accountability sessions, as well as referrals to off-site treatment.
Employment and related services such as on-site life-skills training and educational support groups. Participants are also referred to employment readiness service programs, as needed.
Comprehensive supportive services including on-site counseling, group therapy, and oneon-one peer counseling.
Community responsibility duties including assisting in the maintenance and security of the property.
Hope House prepares individuals to re-engage society and seek long-term permanent housing. Once participants have completed a recovery program, obtained full-time jobs, and have achieved a stabilized level of self-sufficiency, staff works with each individual to explore permanent housing options.
In summary, Hope House fills a critical gap in the efforts to assist homeless men by providing affordable housing and resident services through a supportive housing approach. It uses a realistic and feasible strategy to assist homeless men in maintaining sobriety, preparing for permanent housing, developing positive relationships, and pursuing their long-term goals.
The project is located at 275 Washington Street, near the sanctuary of Trinity United Methodist Church in the block immediately to the south of City Hall.

The Gateway Center, located at 275 Pryor Street, SW in Atlanta, opened on July 27, 2005 as the centerpiece of the Regional Commission on Homelessness' effort to impact chronic homelessness. Gateway Center offers homeless individuals an opportunity to disconnect from the issues that contributed to their homelessness by connecting them with specific services they need to move toward self-sufficiency. The vision of the Gateway Center is to help eliminate chronic homelessness in our community.
The Gateway Center project has been a model of collaboration from inception to implementation. To date, about 50 agencies, government departments, faith-based groups and service entities are actively advancing the vision and mission of the Gateway Center. Funding is being arranged and supported through United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. At the request of the Regional Commission on Homelessness, Atlanta Union Mission operates the Gateway Center through its wholly owned subsidiary AUM Community Ministries LLC.
The following items represent some of the results realized in the first few months of operation that demonstrate the need, value, community impact, and power of this community asset:
4,300 unduplicated homeless individuals received services. 339 homeless individuals were placed in addiction treatment. 225 individuals found employment or entered training programs for employment. 416 homeless individuals and families have been placed in permanent or supportive
housing. Gateway Center has housed a total of 528 women in the Women and Children's Center At least 330 people have been reunited with support systems in other locations outside
of the state of Georgia through the Gateway Reunification Program, facilitated by Travelers Aid of Metro Atlanta. The on-site primary care clinic operated by Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Services has had 847 visits by homeless individuals seeking primary healthcare, including 25 visits by children. The on-site Georgia Department of Labor Career Center has served 873 homeless individuals. 619 homeless individuals have received clinical mental health assessments. More than 61,000 meals have been served to program participants. Gateway Center assisted 76 individuals in obtaining identification. 16 individuals graduated in Class 15 (the largest graduating class in the program's history) of The Atlanta Collaborative Kitchen (TACK) culinary arts training program operated at the Gateway Center.

Additional information regarding current Gateway Center operations: Center operates 24/7 and all floors are operational. The Center has begun a volunteer program. the Center has initiated a program and client services relationship with Emory University through the Schools of Nursing, Business, and Theology. The facility can accommodate individuals with special needs. Partner-base is growing and the collaboration is broadening.
The Gateway Center represents many of the objectives of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless. This project, as well as many of the collaborative partners, utilize the technical and financial resources of the Trust Fund in a creative and sustaining manner, supports activities that promote individual self-sufficiency, and forms partnerships with organizations that embrace the goal of ending chronic homelessness in our State.
"CHRONICALLY HOMELESS" DEFINED
A chronic homeless person is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR has had at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the past three (3) years.
To be considered chronically homeless, persons must have been sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation (e.g., living on the streets) and/or in an emergency shelter during that time (year). An episode is a separate, distinct and sustained stay on the streets and/or in an emergency homeless shelter.
A disabling condition is defined as "a diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability or chronic physical illness or disability, including the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions. A disabling condition limits an individual's ability to work or perform one or more activities of daily living. A chronically homes person must be unaccompanied and disabled during each episode.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2005 Continuum of Care

Homeless Street Addict Finds Success at New Facility
Robert is a former small-business owner, father of six, and was divorced after twenty years of marriage. From a harsh childhood when he began "sneaking" his mother's beer and cigarettes at age 10, through assignment to a boys' home where he learned to drink and smoke marijuana, Robert seemingly had beat the odds. Even though dropping out of high school his junior year, Robert had the business savvy to open both a fish market and a clothing store. He married at age 22, and over the next ten years five daughters and a son followed.
The drinking and casual marijuana use never stopped, however. One day an employee at the fish market introduced Robert to "primo" marijuana laced with cocaine. The transition to crack cocaine followed quickly, and destitution was not far behind. Robert sold everything and moved to upstate New York, using every cent he could get to support his cocaine habit. He was "in and out" of family life during this time, causing stress and pain to the children that is still felt today, and ultimately leading to divorce.
Another move took him to Texas, where at one point he "turned his own brother's home into a crack house." During this time he somehow managed to put together enough "clean time" to attend a school for industrial building maintenance. In and out of various treatment programs, Robert eventually found himself on the floor of his mother's home. He remembers lying there for several days until he made the decision to do whatever it took to overcome the crack cocaine addiction. Robert says he has been shot at, stabbed, has wrecked cars, and has accidentally electrocuted himself. Lying on his mother's floor, Robert decided he wanted to live.
Robert entered a detox center where a counselor told him about the Trinity House-Big Bethel program. At first hesitant about some of the restrictions in the early stages of the program, Robert is now a strong proponent of the tight regulations and the Afri-centric features of the brotherhood that emphasize pride in an African heritage.
Robert is one of the first residents to live in the new Trinity House-Big Bethel facility. Thanks in part to funding from the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless, Trinity House was able to expand in July, 2005 from 10 beds in the basement of a church to 36 beds in a renovated historical facility. Without the expansion Robert may have had nowhere to go after the few days in detox. Back on the streets, he would have had little chance to battle the fierce addiction to crack cocaine.

Robert quickly found employment as a facilities manager and moved a short time later to a more responsible job with the State of Georgia, where he recently received a promotion to Energy Plant Operator. The new residents at Trinity House-Big Bethel look up to Robert as a senior brother, someone to emulate and consult in their own addiction battles.
"Now I'm not running because of pain or sorrow or homesickness. I do a lot of paperwork and writing, getting to know myself," observes Robert. With a restarted career and the tools he needed to fight cocaine, Robert can look forward to being reconciled with his children, now aged 18 to 27. He knows he is blessed to be part of the Trinity House-Big Bethel success story.
Trinity Community Ministries, Inc. Trinity House-Big Bethel Program

The Trust Fund makes important decisions about managing homeless assistance funds by consulting with parties with special interests and expertise in homeless issues. Today, several communication tools exist to support the exchange of information among homeless providers, staff, homeless persons and Commissioners of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless.
State Homeless Advisory Council
To facilitate a proactive dialog about preventing and eliminating homelessness and strategies to more effectively develop and implement CoC programs, the Trust Fund regularly convenes meetings of the State Homeless Advisory Council. The council is composed of twenty-five representatives from the homeless service provider community, local homeless coalitions, local governments, nonprofit organizations, ecumenical community and many others interested in addressing issues of homelessness.
State Homeless Interagency Coordination Council
Established by Executive Order last year by Governor Perdue and co-chaired by DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty and DHR Commissioner B.J. Walker, the Homeless Action Plan (The State's Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in Ten Years) developed by the Council was endorsed by the Governor on November 29, 2004, and significant work is underway. This collaborative initiative is focused on ending chronic homelessness; policies that will eliminate discharging clients back into homeless situations; improving state agency coordination; improving access to SSI with a consideration given to presumptive eligibility; evaluation of fiscal effectiveness; effective homeless prevention policies; and coordination strategies that will best achieve the Council's and the Governor's goals for ending chronic homelessness in Georgia by 2012. The Council has now convened a Policy Academy on Families and Children, and will soon convene another Academy on SSI Benefits.
Georgia Mental Health Planning Council
To address the goal of ending chronic homelessness and in procuring mainstream resources for homeless services, DCA staff has membership on the Board of this important planning council. DCA also regularly attends the (supportive) Housing Forum; a monthly meeting of state supportive housing developers. DCA participates in the meetings of the Georgia State Association of Not-For-Profit Developers (GSTAND) and the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Housing Coalition. This Council is responsible of monitoring and evaluating the State's mental health delivery process including the provision of mental health services for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. In the past year a collaboration utilizing DCA/GHFA Section 8 vouchers for non-homeless persons exiting institutions grew from this work. DCA staff also participate regularly and are members of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Mainstream Planning Efforts
In recognizing that the planning and strategizing necessary to address homelessness cannot be confined to `homeless-only' planning processes, DCA actively participates in mainstream planning efforts throughout the State. A significant new development within the past year is DCA's participation in two of Governor Perdue's "New Georgia" Task Forces the Prison ReEntry Policy Team and the Community Care for Behavioral Health an Developmental Disabilities Policy Team.
Metro Atlanta United Way's (Regional) Commission on Homelessness
DCA continues to collaborate with the Mayor's (Atlanta) Homeless Commission in an effort to address needs in the larger metro region. Twenty-five (25) of the counties in the 28-county Atlanta MSA are within the Balance of State CoC plan. The Commission is currently working with the Georgia Legislature to establish a state homeless authority. The Balance of State CoC counties of Clayton, Douglas and Rockdale have joined in this regional effort. Extending from this effort is the Metro Atlanta United Way's Supportive Housing Council. This group is specifically working to establish new resources for housing chronic homeless persons in the metro Atlanta area.
Regional Planning Partnerships
DCA regularly attends local homeless coalition and CoC planning meetings throughout the State. Examples include the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless, the Valdosta, Columbus, Macon, Athens and Augusta Homeless Coalitions, United Way of Metro Atlanta's Commission on Homelessness, and others. In addition, DCA participates with entitlement jurisdictions as they do their HUD consolidated planning around "homelessness." A significant effort this past year included attendance at a meeting of Dalton providers to address emerging issues of homelessness within its Hispanic/Latino population.
Homeless Management Information System Strategy Meetings
With the rest of Georgia's CoC and Pathways Community Network as its key non-profit partner, DCA leads the State's HMIS collaborative. DCA staff members regularly attend or lead HMIS provider group meetings. DCA staff continues to work with key domestic violence partners across the state to study and to, hopefully, resolve issues surrounding the reluctance of this group to participate in the HMIS initiative.
Web Page
The Trust Fund's Homeless Services Web Page features a directory of homeless service providers in the state that receive Trust Fund money. There are also website links to each of the organizations listed in the directory that are on-line as well as other links to important state and federal agencies including the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Users can also read or request copies of applications, the continuum of care plan, and other useful documents. The web site is located at http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/SpecialNeeds/index.asp.

Providers of homeless assistance benefit from ongoing training to stay abreast of innovative social work strategies as well as resources for funding, staff and volunteers -- that's why the Trust Fund committed some $63,400 for a broad range of training opportunities in SFY05.
Best Practices Technical Assistance Program
Sixteen organizations in Georgia participate in the Best Practices Technical Assistance Program as trainers. This innovative project is devised to have local organizations with expertise in one or more areas of homeless facilities and services provide peer training to other homeless service providers. The objective of this program is to ensure that homeless service providers have access to tools and resources that will enable them to provide high quality services to persons in need of assistance. Training under this program occurs year round in all regions of the state. To date more than 625 hours of technical assistance has been provided to over 200 homeless assistance organizations and other nonprofit agencies in Georgia.
Regional Homeless Resource Fairs
The Regional Homeless Resource Fairs are designed to facilitate communication between providers and effectively coordinate services offered to homeless families. Homeless Services providers and others interested in homeless issues attend these events to exchange ideas, discuss new projects, and propose new ways of serving homeless people. The fairs also feature national and local speakers as well as trainers from the Best Practices Technical Assistance Program. Fair participants have opportunities to attend workshops on a variety of topics such as tips for start-up organizations, policies and procedures for operating homeless facilities, and standards of care. Using State HTF dollars, DCA is able to fund and support local sponsors of regional homeless resource fairs in all of Georgia's 12 regions. These fairs were held in four of the State's regions last year.
Staff Directed Technical Assistance Program and Grantee Monitoring
Trust Fund staff provide ongoing training to grantees and persons who are interested in starting new homeless projects. Each week on average, one or more members of the staff visit several facilities around the state and during those visits, one-on-one technical assistance support is offered. Another important function of Trust Fund staff is the monitoring of each Grantee's participation in the various programs to ensure compliance with program regulations. Monitoring visit reviews include such areas as financial record systems, program benefits, and other program rules. The State also provides written certifications to HUD regarding compliance of each project with appropriate environmental regulations, and all ESGP and Shelter Plus Care grantees must conform to the HUD rule for verifying homelessness. For the past three years, all Trust Fund grantees have been required to submit formal policies addressing their methods of documenting homelessness. After identifying where their homeless populations are coming from (streets, shelters, institutions, etc.), agencies must show that protocols for documentation ensuring proper eligibility are in place. Grantees receiving HOPWA and/or Shelter Plus Care funding will receive an on-site monitoring visit each contract year. Grantees receiving ESGP funding will receive on-site monitoring visits once every three years or more often as deemed necessary by Trust Fund staff based on application, reimbursements, desk audits, or reporting submissions.

$15.2 million dollars was awarded for over 237 programs that shelter or serve homeless individuals and families.
Under the ESG Program, housing was provided to a daily average of 3,858 clients and supportive services were provided to a daily average of 8,703 clients.
Under the Homeless Prevention Program, an average of 335 persons were provided this assistance daily and over 50,000 persons received this assistance during the operating year.
$9.7 million dollars was awarded to 44 programs under the 2005 Continuum Of Care Plan for the `Balance Of The State'.
$2,050,492 in Shelter Plus Care program funds supported 534 housing units, which provided housing assistance to over 800 disabled homeless persons.
$1,899,990 was administered to 10 HOPWA organizations to serve persons affected by HIV/AIDS.
During the program year, 1220 individuals &/or persons in families were provided needed housing assistance, 722 persons with HIV/AIDS were provided supportive services only, and an additional 2,436 individuals received housing information services under the HOPWA Program.
Four Regional Resource Fairs were held in Athens, Atlanta, Columbus, and Valdosta.
$5.7 million dollars was awarded under the 2005 Continuum Of Care for the `Balance Of State' for 7 New / 10 Renewal Shelter Plus Care Projects in coordination with the Georgia Department Of Human Resources and an additional $561,780 was awarded to DCA's 4 Shelter Plus Care Renewal Projects submitted through both the City of Atlanta Continuum of Care and the Columbus-Muscogee/Russell County Continuum of Care.
The Pines Family Campus loan commitment ($3,770,000) was closed in June of 2005. This project will create 28 new affordable housing units in Valdosta for persons in recovery for substance abuse and their families with on-site supportive services.

During State Fiscal Year 2005, the Housing Trust Fund collected the following client data from ESGP Grantees. This data is a requirement of the Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS) from which Federal ESGP dollars are dispersed.

Of the 41,582 clients who received housing (emergency or transitional), the number below

have the following characteristics...

Characteristic

Number

Percentage

Victim of Domestic Violence

14,847

35.7%

Runaway/Throwaway Youth

285

.7%

Chronically Mentally Ill

9,094

21.9%

Developmentally Disabled

1,726

4.2%

HIV/AIDS

4,639

11.2%

Alcohol Dependent

16,431

39.5%

Drug Dependent

16,756

40.3%

Elderly (>60 years old)

1,424

3.4%

Veterans

2,517

6.1%

Physically Disabled

1,604

3.9%

Illiterate or Marginally Literate

5,067

12.2%

Criminal History

8,594

20.7%

Other

162

.4%

Since many homeless clients have dual issues, the total will not equal 100%.

Of the 80,623* clients who received supportive services, the number below have the

following characteristics*...

Characteristic

Number

Percentage

Victim of Domestic Violence

6,528

8.1%

Runaway/Throwaway Youth

2,981

3.7%

Chronically Mentally Ill

9,931

12.3%

Developmentally Disabled

5,564

6.9%

HIV/AIDS

5,971

7.4%

Alcohol Dependent

13,161

16.3%

Drug Dependent

12,279

15.2%

Elderly (>60 years old)

2,541

3.2%

Veterans

4,386

5.4%

Physically Disabled

2,210

2.7%

Illiterate or Marginally Literate

2,477

3.1%

Criminal History

7,164

8.9%

Other (Reoccurring homelessness,

1,080

1.3%

chronic, mentally disabled)

Since many homeless clients have dual issues, the total will not equal 100%.

*Demographics on clients that received homeless prevention assistance are not included in this number. Due to the nature

of the service, many of the nonprofit agencies that provided homeless prevention did not collect this information.

Allocation of Funds
From July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005, over $15.2 million dollars was awarded through the Office of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless to support homeless assistance programs operated by local governments and nonprofit organizations throughout Georgia. Monies for these programs come from federal and state agencies as well as repayments and interests from prior loan projects.
During this period, the Trust Fund received $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for two programs -- Emergency Shelter Grant

Program (ESGP) and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA). It also received a special $5.8 million award under HUD's Continuum of Care Program to administer nine new Shelter Plus Care projects for fragile clients. The Trust Fund received an additional $3 million allocation from the Georgia General Assembly to match the HUD ESG award, as well as to support a series of other homeless assistance projects.
The chart below illustrates how these dollars were distributed to projects in SFY05.

Final FY 2005 State Housing Trust Fund Allocations

Program Name Emergency Shelter Grant Matching Funds Nonprofit Technical Assistance Shelter Plus Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP) Supportive Facilities Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Administration (Includes 5-YR SPC Awards)
Total Obligation

Amount Obligated 3,710,859 247,692 41,205 6,692,217 874,144 775,000 1,770,214 92,844 1,041,127
$15,245,302

% 24.3%
1.6% 0.3% 43.9% 5.7% 5.1% 11.6% 0.6% 6.8% 100%

Source of Funding For Major Programs

State-HTF

Federal-HUD

Transitional Housing

Emergency Shelter Grant Program

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Best Practices Technical Assistance

Shelter Plus Care (S+C)

Regional Resource Fairs

Housing Opportunities for Persons

Homeless Prevention

With AIDS Program

Essential Services

Permanent Supportive Housing S+C Match

for Permanent Supportive Housing

Supportive Facilities

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
Achor Center, Inc. Action Ministries, Inc. (Central Office) Action Ministries, Inc. (d/b/a Atlanta Ministries) Action Ministries, Inc. (d/b/a Augusta Ministries) Action Ministries, Inc. (d/b/a Gainesville Ministries) Action Ministries, Inc. (d/b/a Rome Ministries) Advantage Behavioral Health Systems AIDS Athens, Inc. (f/k/a AIDS Coalition of Northeast Georgia) Albany, City of Albany Outreach Center, Inc. Alternate Life Paths Programs, Inc. Amethyst Project, Inc. Area Committee To Improve Opportunities Now, Inc. Athens Area Homeless Shelter Athens Nurses Clinic, Inc. Atlanta Children's Shelter, Inc. Atlanta City Mission Corporation Atlanta Community Food Bank, Inc. Atlanta Enterprise Center, Inc. Atlanta Union Mission Corporation Augusta Task Force for the Homeless, Inc. Breakthru House, Inc. Buckhead Christian Ministry C. A. R. E. Services of Pickens County, Inc. Calvary Refuge, Inc. Camden Community Crisis Center, Inc. Carroll County Emergency Shelter, Inc. Center for Family Resources, Inc. Central City AIDS Network, Inc. Central Presbyterian Church Outreach & Advocacy Center Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless Cherokee Family Violence Center, Inc.

County
Fulton Multi-Co
Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton Clarke Clarke Dougherty Dougherty Fulton Bulloch Clarke Clarke Clarke Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton Richmond DeKalb Fulton Pickens Clayton Camden Carroll Cobb
Bibb Fulton Chatham Cherokee

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
Christian League For Battered Women, Inc. (a/k/a Tranquility House) Circle of Love Center, Inc. Citizens Against Violence, Inc. Clayton County Family Care, Inc. Clifton Sanctuary Ministries, Inc. (f/k/a Lake Claire Community Apts.) Coastal Area Support Team, Inc. Cobb-Douglas Community Service Board Colquitt County Serenity House Columbus Alliance for Battered Women, Inc. Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Inc. Community Advanced Practice Nurses, Inc. Community Concerns, Inc. Community Service Board of Middle Georgia Comprehensive AIDS Resource Encounter, Inc. Concerted Services, Inc. Congregation Shearith Israel Coordinated Health Services, Inc. Covenant Community, Inc. Crossroads Community Ministries, Inc. CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. Decatur Cooperative Ministry, Inc. DeKalb County Community Services Board Douglas County Shelter, Inc. Druid Hills Presbyterian Church Economic Opportunity for Savannah-Chatham County Area, Inc. Extension, Inc (The) Faith Community Outreach Center, Inc. Families First, Inc. Family Crisis Center of Walker, Dade, Catoosa & Chattooga Counties, Inc. Flint Circuit Council on Family Violence, Inc. Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Inc.

County
Bartow Greene Bulloch Clayton Fulton Glynn Cobb & Douglas Colquitt Muscogee Muscogee Fulton Fulton Laurens Wayne
Ware Fulton Richmond Fulton Fulton Richmond DeKalb DeKalb Douglas Fulton Chatham Cobb Dougherty Fulton Walker Henry Clarke

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
Fulfilling God's Assignments, Inc. (d/b/a The Light Homeless Shelter) Fulton County Board of Commissioners Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, Inc. Gateway House, Inc. Genesis Shelter, Inc. Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc. Georgia Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, Inc. Georgia Legal Services Program, Inc. (Augusta) Georgia Mountain Women's Center, Inc. (a/k/a Circle of Hope) Georgia Mountains Community Service Board Georgia Pines Community MHMRSA Services Glynn Community Crisis Center Golden Harvest Food Bank, Inc. Golden Rule, Inc. Greenbriar Children's Center, Inc. Habersham Homeless Ministries Inc., (f/k/a Refuge Ministries) Halcyon Home For Battered Women, Inc. Healing Place of Athens, Inc., (The) Highland Rivers Community Service Board Hinesville, City of HODAC, Inc. Homeless Resource Network, Inc. Homeless Shelter Action Committee, Inc. Hope House, Inc. Hope House of Savannah, Inc. Hope Shelter, Inc., (The) Hospitality House for Women, Inc. House of Grace Inc. House of T.I.M.E., Inc. Housing Initiative of North Fulton, Inc. IMPACT! Group, Inc. (The)

County
Barrow Fulton Fulton
Hall Fulton Cobb Fulton Richmond Habersham
Hall Thomas
Glynn Richmond
Taylor Chatham Habersham Thomas
Clarke Floyd Liberty Bartow Muscogee Bartow Richmond Chatham Fulton Floyd Cook Muscogee Fulton Gwinnett

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
Inner City Night Shelter, Inc. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, Inc. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Augusta, Inc. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Coastal Georgia Interfaith Outreach Home, Inc. Jerusalem House, Inc. Jewish Family & Career Services, Inc. Liberty House of Albany, Inc. Loaves and Fishes Ministry of Macon, Inc. Lowndes Associated Ministries to People (LAMP), Inc. Macon Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. Maranatha Outreach, Inc. Martin Luther King Jr. Poor People's Church of Love, Inc. McIntosh Trail Community Service Board Middle Flint Behavioral Health Care Midtown Assistance Center, Inc. Ministries United for Service and Training, Inc. Mulberry Street United Methodist Church N.O.A.'s Ark, Inc. New Horizons Community Service Board Nicholas House, Inc. North Georgia Mountain Crisis Network, Inc. Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic Violence, Inc. Northeast Georgia Homeless Coalition Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, Inc. Oconee Community Service Board Open Door Community House, Inc. Our House, Inc. Park Place Outreach, Inc. (f/k/a Marshlands Foundation) Partnership Against Domestic Violence, Inc. Peace Place, Inc.

County
Chatham Clarke
Richmond Chatham DeKalb Fulton Fulton
Dougherty Bibb
Lowndes Bibb
Baldwin Fulton
Spalding Sumter Fulton Cobb Bibb
Lumpkin Muscogee
Fulton Fannin
Hart Clarke Whitfield Baldwin Muscogee DeKalb Chatham Fulton Barrow

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
Pineland Area Community Service Board Pines Family Campus, Inc. Progressive Hope House, Inc. Progressive Redevelopment, Inc. Project Community Connections, Inc. Project Interconnections, Inc. Quest 35, Inc. Rainbow Village, Inc. River Edge Community Service Board Rockdale County Emergency Relief Fund, Inc. S.H.A.R.E. House, Inc. Safe Haven Transitional, Inc. Safe Homes of Augusta, Inc. Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Services, Inc. Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Augusta) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Columbus) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Griffin) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Macon) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Savannah) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Thomasville) Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation (Warner Robins) Salvation Army, (Atlanta), d/b/a Metro Atlanta Family Emergency Services Salvation Army (Atlanta), d/b/a Metro Atlanta Red Shield Services Samaritan House of Atlanta, Inc. Satilla Community Service Board Savannah Area Family Emergency Shelter, Inc. Shepherd's Rest Ministries, Inc. Social Apostolate of Savannah South Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness South Georgia Community Service Board Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, Inc.

County
Bulloch Lowndes
Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton Fulton Gwinnett
Bibb Rockdale Douglas
DeKalb Richmond
Fulton Richmond Muscogee
Spalding Bibb
Chatham Thomas Houston
Fulton Fulton Fulton Ware Chatham Paulding Chatham Lowndes Lowndes Colquitt

FY 2005 Grantees
Organization
St. Jude's Recovery Center, Inc. St. Vincent de Paul Society, Inc. Sullivan Center, Inc., (The) Support in Abusive Family Emergencies, Inc. (SAFE, Inc.) Tifton Judicial Circuit Shelter, Inc. Transition House, Inc. Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. Tri-County Protective Agency, Inc. Trinity Community Ministries Union Mission, Inc. (Savannah) United Ministries of Savannah, Inc. United Way of Metro Atlanta Urban Residential Development Corporation, Inc. Women In Need of God's Shelter, Inc. Women Moving On, Inc. Young Adult Guidance Center, Inc. Young Women's Christian Association of Greater Atlanta, Inc. Young Women's Christian Association of Northwest Georgia, Inc.

County
Fulton Fulton Fulton Union
Tift Fulton Fulton Liberty Fulton Chatham Chatham Fulton Fulton Laurens DeKalb Fulton Fulton Cobb

For a copy of the Audit Report, please contact the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless at 404.679.4940.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs
60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329-2231
404.679.3170 1.800.359.4663 (Outside Metro-Atlanta)
An Equal Opportunity Employer/ Equal Housing Opportunity
If you have a disability and would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please contact the Georgia Department of Community Affairs at 404.679.4915 or 1.800.736.1155 (TDD). http://www.dca.state.ga