Housing Support Program (HSP)

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance, Behavioral Health and the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) partnered and attained competitive Housing Support Program (HSP) funding to fill a gap in services available to homeless Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) customers. The county’s HSP was modeled after a successful rapid rehousing model used by the county’s Housing Authority and Veteran’s Affairs agencies, customized to meet the needs of TANF families. Housing Navigator services for families referred by Transitional Assistance are provided by the Housing Authority, through a sub-contract with Knowledge and Education for Your Success (KEYS), an HACSB affiliated local non-profit organization. Also, by leveraging an existing contract with Transitional Assistance and Behavioral Health, case management services related to locating permanent housing were included to address TANF families’ needs for life skills training, service needs to remove barriers, and on-going support to prevent recurrences of homelessness. HSP partners are co-located with Transitional Assistance staff to expedite delivery of housing services to customers and promote open communication. HSP services are tailored to fit the needs of each TANF family served. In 2015, over 1,200 referrals were made to HSP, with 409 families successfully placed in permanent housing.