to the honorable council subject: ward/superward

I. Recommendation: Adopt Ordinance

II. Applicant: City of Norfolk

III. Description:

This agenda item is an ordinance to accept Grant Funds from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). It will provide rental and utility assistance, case management and housing education to families with children at imminent risk of eviction.

IV. Analysis: According to research conducted by the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, the city of Norfolk had an eviction rate of 8.66% in 2016, ranking it sixth (6th) in the nation among large U.S. cities with the highest eviction rates. That same research determined there were 4,318 evictions filed in Norfolk, which equated to 11.83 evictions each day. The city will target its Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) grant resources towards diverting families with children away from eviction and helping them avoid the long-term negative impacts that eviction would have on their future housing options. The grant program will center around the effective family support services structure already in place within the city’s Department of Human Services through its Prevention and Systems of Care Unit. To be as effective as possible, our efforts will be most impactful serving a population

To the Honorable Council City of Norfolk, Virginia

April 27, 2021

From: Gregory A. Patrick Director of Budget & Management

Subject: DHCD VA Eviction Reduction Pilot Grant OB Amend FY21

Reviewed:

Michael G. Goldsmith, Deputy City Manager

Ward/Superward:

Approved:

Dr. Larry H. Filer II, City Manager

Item Number:

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Citywide

R-1

whose needs we are familiar with and utilizing a process that we can maneuver through expeditiously and with ease. With a grant period of 11 months, it is important that the city look to build on an existing system versus starting an initiative from scratch.

V. Financial Impact:

The $560,000 grant received from the Department of Housing and Community Development will offer eviction diversion services for families with children.

VI. Environmental:

No environmental impact to natural resources, neighborhood preservation or historic presentation.

VII. Community Outreach/Notification:

The city will use a combination of social media and internal resources to ensure the information about Norfolk’s Eviction Diversion and Support Program is distributed citywide. The Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) is uniquely equipped to inform residents about programs and services of all types that are made available either by a city department or community partner organization. DND has three (3) divisions that can support outreach efforts: Neighborhood Engagement, Neighborhood Quality, and the Norfolk Cares Center. Each Division can assist with outreach efforts as appropriate for the way they work.

VIII. Board/Commission Action:

N/A

IX. Coordination/Outreach: This letter and ordinance have been coordinated in partnership with the Department of Human Services to implement and administer Norfolk’s Eviction Diversion and Support Program. Both departments are committed to ensuring that grant funds are equitably distributed, and it will not be difficult to ensure that minorities are represented. According to www.dataus.io 67% of those in living poverty in Norfolk are minorities (Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American). Additionally, Department of Human Services records show that in 2018, approximately 70% of those applying for assistance through that organization were people of color.

Supporting Material:

• VERP202021ContractAgreement326202145721 (PDF)

• verp-program-guidelines (PDF)

• Docket award history (DOC)

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http://www.dataus.io/

Form and Correctness Approved: BAP

Pursuant to Section 72 of the City Charter, I hereby certify that the money required for this item is in the city treasury to the credit of the fund from which it is drawn and not appropriated for any other purpose

By:

Office of the City Attorney

Christine Garczynski, Director of Finance

Contents Approved:

By:

Budget and Strategic Planning

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

Ordinance No.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FY2021 ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS

ORDINANCE (NO. 47,999) SO AS TO ACCEPT, APPROPRIATE

AND AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE OF GRANT FUNDS UP TO THE

SUM OF $560,000.00 FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT VIRGINIA EVICTION

REDUCTION PILOT (VERP) PROGRAM TO FUND AND EXPAND THE

EVICTION ACTION PLAN AND PRIORITIZE SERVICES FOR

FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AT IMMINENT RISK OF EVICTION.

- - -

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Norfolk:

Section 1:- That the FY2021 annual appropriations ordinance

(No. 47,999) is amended and reordained so as to revise Section

14 to add subparagraph (cccc) to read as follows:

(cccc) That, if and when made available from

the Virginia Department of Housing and Community

Development Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot

Program, the sum of up to five hundred sixty

thousand dollars ($560,000.00) is hereby

appropriated and authorized for expenditure to

provide services with priority for families with

children at imminent risk of eviction.

Section 2:- That this ordinance shall be in effect from and

after the date of its adoption.

CERTIFICATION OF FUNDING

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Account No.: __2275-22-9613-9613____

Amount: __$560,000_______________

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2020-21 VERP Grant Agreement 1 of 8

GRANT AGREEMENT VIRGINIA EVICTION REDUCTION PILOT (VERP)

Program Year 2020-21

20-VERP-001 This Grant Agreement is made by and between the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (“DHCD”), and City of Norfolk (“Grantee”) for the period April 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022 in the amount of $560,000. Included in the amount is $560,000 in state general funds to be expended for housing stabilization and relocation services, stabilization services, case management, program evaluation and/or administration as indicated in the DHCD approved budget. The Grantee was identified as a non-profit or unit of local government with a proven history of meeting low income household needs through financial assistance and/or housing support programs in the 2020 Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) application. Activities funded through this grant will be provided at the Grantee location(s) identified in DHCD’s Centralized Application Management System (CAMS). DHCD administers the Commonwealth of Virginia’s pilot eviction resources through VERP. The Grant, which is the subject of this Agreement, is comprised of state funds through State General Fund appropriations. Terms of this agreement are contingent on the availability of funding. The Grant is subject to the terms, guidelines and regulations set forth in the 2020 Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot Guidelines document, any subsequent amendments, the nonprofit/local government proposal as amended through negotiations with DHCD, the DHCD approved Grantee budget, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and federal law.

I. Scope of Services

The VERP goal is to support local efforts to meet the specific needs of households that are experiencing housing instability and are at-risk of being evicted. This funding will support wraparound supports to reduce the number of tenants getting evicted, housing instability, and the disproportionate impact of evictions on households of color. All programs must provide opportunities for an individual with lived experience to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of their VERP project. Grantees must also adopt an assessment tool to identify households most at risk of housing instability.

VERP funds may be used for one or more of the following activities as detailed in the

VERP guidelines and must coincide with the year one request submitted by the nonprofit/ unit of local government and approved by DHCD:

• Housing Financial Assistance

• Stabilization Support Services

• Case Management and Supportive Services

• Evaluation

• Administration

II. Conditions

A. Service Provision

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The Grantee is responsible for coordination of VERP activities with other VERP Grantees and mainstream resources. The Grantee must assure non-duplication of services with other VERP Grantees and other funding sources.

B. Reimbursement Funds are disbursed on a cost reimbursement based on payment dates. Grantees must submit remittances in DHCD’s Centralized Application and Management System (CAMS) and be able to provide documentation that the work and services occurred within the grant period and the expenses were paid appropriately by the Grantee. Grantees must submit remittances on a monthly basis and the chart below reflects monthly submission dates. Supporting documentation must clearly indicate the period for which the reimbursement is requested.

Payment Period Remittance Submission Timeframe

April 1-30, 2021 May 1-31, 2021

May 1-31, 2021 June 1-30, 2021

June 1-30, 2021 July 1-31, 2021

July 1-31, 2021 August 1-31, 2021

August 1-31, 2021 September 1-30, 2021

September 1-30, 2021 October 1-31, 2021

October 1-31, 2021 November 1-30, 2021

November 1-30, 2021 December 1-31, 2021

December 1-31, 2021 January 1-31, 2022

January 1-31, 2022 By February 7, 2022

February 1-28, 2022 (projection)

By February 7, 2022

C. Reporting

Grantees must submit reports as required by DHCD. Such reports may include, but are not limited to, outcomes and performance reports. Any required reports and their due dates will be announced by DHCD along with any relevant instruction. Submission of reports implies approval from the executive director and is considered final. DHCD reserves the right to withhold reimbursement payments if the Grantee fails to submit the reports. Year-End Report The Grantee must submit a year-end report no later than the seventh day of March 2022.

D. Accounting

The Grantee must adhere to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The Grantee shall establish and maintain separate accounts within its existing accounting system or set up accounts independently. The Grantee shall record in its accounting system all grant payments received and disbursed, pursuant to the grant and all other match funds provided for, accruing to, or otherwise received on account of the grant. All costs charged to the grant shall be supported by properly executed payrolls, timesheets, contracts, or vouchers evidencing in proper detail the nature and propriety of the charges. All checks, payrolls, contracts, vouchers, or other

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accounting documents pertaining in whole or in part to the grant shall be clearly identified, readily accessible, and separate and distinct from all other such documents. Such documents shall reside at the offices of the grantee.

E. DHCD Notification Grantee must notify DHCD of any potentially illegal act, such as misuse of grant funds or fair housing violations, immediately upon knowledge of such act. In addition, Grantee must notify DHCD should any other local, federal or state agency uncover evidence of any potentially illegal act. Grantee must notify DHCD if there is a change in agency management and/or fiscal personnel. Failure to do so will constitute a finding and may result in repayment of funds by the Grantee, the de-obligation of current funding and the preclusion of future funding.

F. Audit All grantees, sub-grantees, CHDOs, and sub-recipients, localities, developers, or any other organizations that receive funding during a specific program year are required to submit one of the following financial documents: Financial Statement**, Reviewed Financial Statement prepared by an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Audited Financial Statement prepared by an independent CPA or an 2 CFR 200 Subpart F Audit (Single Audit) prepared by an independent CPA. Please see the table below to determine which document your organization is required to submit.

The threshold requirements outlined below are the minimal standards required by DHCD. We strongly encourage all organizations receiving funds from DHCD to undertake the highest level of financial management review to ensure practices and procedures are fully examined and evaluated.

Threshold Requirement Document

Total annual

expenditures <$100,000 –

regardless of source

Financial Statement prepared by

organizations**

Total annual

expenditure between

$100,001 and $300,000 –


Reviewed Financial Statement prepared by

an Independent Certified Public Accountant

(CPA)

Total annual expenditures

> $300,000 – regardless of

source

Audited Financial Statement prepared by an

Independent CPA

Federal expenditures >$750,000

2 CFR 200 Subpart F Audit - prepared by an

Independent CPA

**Does not require preparation by a CPA

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Entities shall file the required financial document in the Centralized Application and Management System (CAMS) within nine (9) months after the end of their fiscal year or 30 (thirty) days after it has been accepted (Reviewed Financial Statement, Audited Financial Statement, and 2 CFR 200 Subpart F Audit only) -whichever comes first. The full DHCD Audit Policy, including an explanation of the specific document requirements, can be found online at: https://dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/audit-policy/dhcd-financial-statement-audit-policy-2019.pdf.

G. Compliance Grantees with outstanding audit findings, IRS findings, DHCD monitoring findings

or other compliance issues are not eligible to receive allocations. DHCD will work with all interested parties toward the resolution of unresolved matters, where appropriate.

H. Maintenance of Records

Records shall be readily accessible to DHCD, appropriate state and federal agencies, and the general public during the course of the grant agreement and shall remain intact and accessible for five years thereafter. The exception is in the event that any litigation claim or audit is started before expiration of the five year period, the records shall be retained until such action is resolved.

I. Costs Incurred Prior To Grant Agreement Execution

No costs incurred prior to the start of the contract period shall be eligible for reimbursement with grant funds, unless incurred costs are authorized in writing by DHCD.

J. State Not Liable

The Grantee shall hold harmless the Commonwealth of Virginia, DHCD, its agents and employees from any and all claims and demands based upon or arising out of any action by the Grantee, its employees, agents or contractors.

K. Expenditure Review

DHCD will monitor expenditure rates to ensure state resources are maximized. Failure to expend funds proportionately throughout the contract period may result in the de-obligation of funds. DHCD reserves the right to de-obligate funds at any time during the contract period and reallocate as deemed appropriate within the unit(s) of local government services are provided or statewide based on compliance, performance, need, and available funding.

L. Termination, Suspension, Conditions

If through any cause, the Grantee fails to comply with the terms, conditions or requirements of the contract documents, DHCD may terminate or suspend this Agreement by giving written notice of the same and specifying the effective date of termination or suspension at least five (5) days prior to such action.

In the case of contract violation by the Grantee, DHCD may request that all or some of the grant funds be returned, even if the Grantee has already expended

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the funds. The Grantee agrees to return such funds as requested by DHCD within 30 days of the written request.

M. Subsequent Contracts

The Grantee shall remain fully obligated under the provisions of the Grant Agreement notwithstanding its designation of any subsequent or third parties for the undertaking of all or part of the activities for which the Grant assistance is being provided to the Grantee.

The Grantee agrees to ensure that any contractor or subcontractor who is not the Grantee shall comply with all the lawful requirements of the Grantee necessary to ensure that the project for which this assistance is being provided under this Agreement are carried out in accordance with the Grantee’s Assurances and Certifications.

N. Default A default is any unapproved use of grant funds. Upon due notice to the Grantee

of the occurrence of any such default and the provision of a reasonable opportunity to respond, DHCD may take one or more of the following actions:

(1) direct the Grantee to submit progress schedules for completing approved

activities; (2) issue a letter of warning advising the Grantee of the default, establishing a

date by which corrective actions must be completed and putting the Grantee on notice that more serious actions will be taken if the default is not corrected or is repeated;

(3) direct the Grantee to suspend, discontinue or not incur costs for the affected activity;

(4) require the Grantee to reimburse DHCD for costs inappropriately charged to the program;

(5) other appropriate action including , but not limited to, any remedial action legally available, such as affirmative litigation seeking declaratory judgment, specific performance, damages, temporary or permanent injunctions and any other available remedies.

No delay or omissions by DHCD in exercising any right or remedy available to it

under the Agreement shall impair any such right to remedy or constitute a waiver or acquiescence in any Grantee default.

O. Conflict of Interest

Grantees shall ensure that the provision of any type or amount of assistance may not be conditional on an individual’s or family’s acceptance or occupancy of housing owned by the grantee, the sub-grantee, a parent organization, or subsidiary. Grantees/sub-grantees, parent organizations, or subsidiaries may not administer eviction prevention assistance and use the assistance for households residing in units owned by the grantee/sub-grantee, parent organization, or subsidiary. Individuals (employees, agents, consultants, officers, or elected or appointed officials of the grantee or sub-grantee) may not both participate in decision-making related to determining eligibility and receive any financial benefit. This

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financial benefit may not be received by the specific individual, any member of his/her immediate family or a business interest. The restriction applies throughout tenure in the position and for a one-year period following tenure.

P. Religious Influence The Grantee may not engage in inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization as part of the programs or services funded under VERP. If an organization conducts these activities, then they must be offered separately, in time or location, from the programs or services funded under VHSP and participation must be voluntary for program participants.

III. Additional Assurances

A. Grantee will give the DHCD, the Comptroller, HUD and any other authorized state or federal representatives access to and the right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the Grant.

B. In accordance with federal law, grantee will provide that no person shall be

discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, in any phases of employment or in any phase of service delivery.

IV. Additional Certifications:

The Grantee certifies that it will comply with the following: (a) Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C 552) and Virginia Freedom of Information Act;

(b) Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act; (c) Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601-20), and implementing measures under:

- 24 CFR 100 (discriminatory conduct under Fair Housing Act); - Executive Order 11063 and regulations at 24 CFR 107 (preventing discrimination on basis of race, color, creed, or national origin); - 24 CFR Part 8 (prohibiting discrimination against handicapped individuals); - Title VIII of Civil Rights Act of 1968 as amended (prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status [including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18], and disability)

(e) Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-07) and implementing regulations at:

- 24 CFR 146 (nondiscrimination on basis of age in HUD programs); - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794);

(f) 24 CFR 574.320 (Federal rent standards for rental assistance, requiring rents to be charged no greater than appropriate Fair Market Rent levels);

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(g) 24 CFR Part 35 (Federal lead-based paint provisions, requiring visual inspections and stabilization of paint before commencement of occupancy); (h) Adhere to Executive Orders 11625, 12432, and 12138, that Grantee must make efforts to encourage participation of minority and women-owned business enterprises in connection with funded activities;

- Encourage participation of locally-owned enterprises in connection with funded activities;

(i) McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program Regulations; (j) Anti-lobbying Certification; (k) Drug Free Workplace.

If requested by DHCD:

1. A Grantee that is a unit of local government agrees to assume the status of a responsible Federal official under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and other provisions of Federal law as specified at 24 CFR 58 and 58.5 and agrees to comply with these NEPA regulations.

1. All Grantees that are not units of local government agree to assist DHCD in

carrying out 24 CFR 58 and 58.5.

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The Agreement is hereby executed by the parties on the date set forth below their respective signatures as follows:

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Pamela G. Kestner, Acting Deputy Director, Housing Division March 26, 2021 Date City of Norfolk Signature Name (printed or typed) Title Date

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Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP)

Program Guidelines and Application Instructions

2020

Application Due: January 8, 2021

How to Apply Webinars: December 9th 2:00 p.m. and 17th 9:30 a.m. (Mandatory)

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https://dmz1.dhcd.virginia.gov/dhcdevents/registration.aspx?EID=397

2 Virginia’s Eviction Reduction Pilot Program Guidelines (Last revised December 2020)

Purpose

Governor Northam and the Virginia General Assembly have made reducing evictions a

policy priority for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Governor Northam signed Executive

Order 25 in November 2018 which made reducing the rate of evictions a housing priority

for state agencies. Recognizing the benefits of eviction reduction efforts, the General

Assembly passed, and the Governor signed a budget during the 2020 Special Session,

allocating $3.3 million to implement the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP). The

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) was directed to

design and implement the pilot.

The purpose of this pilot program is to create a local/regional coordinated systems

approach to effectively prevent evictions. When evictions cannot be prevented, the

system must also include how to divert evictions once the household has received an

unlawful detainer. The systems approach will include creating a collective impact model

where organizations that serve as a safety-net within the community collaborate to

ensure households have early access to resources to stabilize their housing situations.

For the purposes of this pilot, eviction prevention services are provided to households

before they are issued unlawful detainers when courts get involved. Prevention services

generally involve short-term financial assistance along with case management to ensure

the household is connected to needed resources that stabilize the housing situation.

Eviction diversion services are provided after households are issued unlawful detainers

and usually involve assisting with the negotiation process between landlords and

tenants in outlining the terms of payment plans to address past due rent and fees.

Typically, the further along in the eviction process a household gets, the further in debt

the household becomes. Therefore, the primary focus of this pilot is to demonstrate

what assistance and services are most beneficial to prevent a household from going to

court as well as the timing of the provision of assistance.

Background

Evictions are involuntary residential moves initiated by the property owners or

managers. These are due to the nonpayment of rent, lease violations, the end of lease

term, other issues between the landlord and the tenant, or a change in property use.

Relative to the rest of the country, Virginia has a high rate of evictions per capita.

Evictions result in housing instability with negative impacts on overall financial well-

being for a household, educational outcomes for individuals, and community health,

making it essential that Virginia find a solution to reduce its overall rate of evictions.

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In 2016, Matthew Desmond, a professor of sociology at Princeton University, released

his examination of eviction in America in his book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the

American City. His work with the Eviction Lab to collect and analyze national eviction

data dating back to 2000 identified areas of the country with the highest eviction rates.

Many large cities with the highest eviction rates are located in the Southeast. Five out of

the top ten evicting cities in America are located in Virginia: Richmond, Hampton,

Newport News, Norfolk and Chesapeake. Petersburg has the second highest eviction

rate for a mid-sized city. Localities in Virginia with higher eviction rates tend to have a

higher percentage of rental units and more cost burdened renters.

In 2020, Virginia and the rest of the country face high levels of housing insecurity due to

the COVID pandemic. Virginia has responded to this crisis, in part, by providing rent and

mortgage assistance through the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP).

Localities have also utilized federal and local funds to create their own rent relief efforts

administered locally and focused on pandemic response. While RMRP and local efforts

seek to address housing insecurity due to the COVID pandemic, the goal of this pilot is

to address systemic issues impacting housing insecurity and rate of evictions in Virginia.

Funding Level

The Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) has been allocated $3.3 million, which

includes $300,000 for DHCD staffing to implement eviction prevention and diversion

efforts. DHCD will award the full $3 million in grant funds available for a February 1,

2021 – December 31, 2021 contract period to provide direct prevention and diversion

assistance through local grantees selected through a competitive application

process. DHCD anticipates providing grants for up to 7 grantees with a possible second

year renewal. DHCD reserves the right to adjust funding level and grant period based

on availability of funds.

Geographic Targeting

The VERP is available statewide through a competitive application process. Applicants

proposing to serve one or more of the following Virginia localities will be given a scoring

preference because of their high eviction rates and/or their inclusion in the General

Assembly created pilot diversion program:

Danville

Hampton

Norfolk

Petersburg

Richmond

Chesapeake

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https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title55.1/chapter12/article7/

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title55.1/chapter12/article7/


Newport News

DHCD will fund only one grantee per locality. Local pilot activities must be coordinated

with all local eviction prevention and diversion efforts. Applications not coordinated with

other local efforts are ineligible.

Applicants are encouraged to apply in partnership with the key eviction prevention and

diversion efforts in their locality and to share grant resources to achieve pilot outcomes.

Grantees may serve multiple localities. Any partnerships or collaborations must be

reflected in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or agreement to be submitted for

DHCD approval.

Type of Assistance

Pilot funds are grants to local organizations selected through a competitive application

process. DHCD provides funds issued through contracts on a reimbursement basis with

a possible second year renewal based on the availability of funds and grantee

performance.

Local Match

This program does not require a match, however applications that include local match

contributions (both in-kind and cash match) will be given a scoring preference per the

state budget directive. Local COVID or other emergency resources do not count toward

a local match commitment.

Applicants Eligibility

Applicants must be a nonprofit or unit of local government with a proven history of

meeting the needs of lower-income households through the provision of financial

assistance and housing support programs and with the existing capacity to successfully

implement the pilot program. Please note that institutions of higher education may apply

in collaboration with a local nonprofit or unit of local government.

Applicants with outstanding audit findings, IRS findings, DHCD monitoring findings or

other compliance issues will not be considered for the pilot. Please note that although

DHCD will work with all interested parties, where appropriate, to resolve findings and

compliance issues, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to assure good standing.

All applicants must be registered in DHCD’s Centralized Application and Management

System (CAMS) and are required to submit one of the following financial documents:

Financial Statement; Reviewed Financial Statement prepared by an independent

Certified Public Accountant (CPA); Audited Financial Statement prepared by an

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independent CPA; or, an OMB A-133 Audit (Single Audit) prepared by an independent

CPA. See the table below to determine which document your organization is required to

submit.

The threshold requirements outlined below are the minimal standards required by

DHCD. All organizations funded by DHCD are encouraged to undertake the highest

level of financial management review to ensure practices and procedures are fully

examined and evaluated.

Threshold Requirement Document

Total annual expenditures ≤ $100,000,


Financial Statement prepared by

organization (does not require preparation

by a CPA)

Total annual expenditure between

$100,001 and $300,000, regardless of

source

Reviewed Financial Statement prepared by

an Independent Certified Public Accountant

(CPA)

Total annual expenditures > $300,000,


Audited Financial Statement prepared by an

Independent CPA

Federal expenditures ≥ $750,000 2 CFR 200 Subpart F Audit - prepared by an

Independent CPA

Entities shall file the required financial document in the Centralized Application and

Management System (CAMS) within nine (9) months after the end of their fiscal year or

30 days after it has been accepted (Reviewed Financial Statement, Audited Financial

Statement, and OMB A-133 Audit only) - whichever comes first.

The full DHCD Audit Policy, including an explanation of the specific document

requirements, can be found online at

https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/audit-policy/dhcd-financial-

statement-audit-policy-2019.pdf.

Subgrantees are allowable with VERP. Any applicable agreements or Memoranda of

Understanding (MOUs) must be submitted with the application for this pilot and are

subject to DHCD approval.

DHCD will contract with the grantee only. Grantees are held fully responsible for all

reporting, submission of remittances, and maintaining all source documentation and

program records. Grantees must monitor subgrantee program compliance, and all state

and federal requirements.

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https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/audit-policy/dhcd-financial-statement-audit-policy-2019.pdf


At least one representative of the organization must attend one of two “How to Apply”

webinars in order to be considered minimally eligible to apply for VERP.

Pilot Program Design

The goal of VERP is to support local efforts to meet the specific needs of households

that are experiencing housing instability and are at-risk of being evicted.

Grantees must include individuals with lived experience in the design and decision-

making process, adopt a tool for targeting assistance, and development policies and

procedures to be approved by DHCD.

Evictions and housing instability have disproportionately impacted households of color.

Pilot programs must be designed to address racial equity.

Lived Experience

All programs must provide opportunity for an individual with lived experience (previously

evicted or experienced housing instability) to be involved in the development,

implementation, and evaluation of the local VERP project and any input must be

implemented to the extent that it is appropriate for the program and feasible within

statutory and regulatory guidelines.

Targeted Assistance

DHCD requires grantees to adopt an assessment tool designed to identify those

households most at risk of housing instability and to have clear policies and procedures

that specify household eligibility and program approach including type and amount of

assistance based on assessment scores.

Assessment criteria should include factors such as:

Household headed by a person of color

Single female head of household

Number of recent moves within the past 12 months

Age of the head of household and presence of children

Involvement of child services or foster care

Non-leaseholder status

Domestic violence

Frequency of law enforcement involvement at the unit

Tenants living in large multi-family properties

Housing cost burden

Policies and procedures must be approved by DHCD.

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Eligible Activities

All payments must be made to third parties, not the program participant.

Eligible VERP expenses include:

Housing Financial Assistance

Stabilization Support Services

Case Management and Supportive Services

Administrative Costs

Housing Financial Assistance

Funds may be used to prevent or divert program participant households from

experiencing eviction. Eligible expenses include:

Short-term (up to six months) rent assistance

Ongoing rent contributions

Rent and utility arrears

Security deposits, moving expenses, application fees

Utilities assistance

Stabilization Support Service

Funds may be used to help households achieve a greater level of housing security.

Eligible expenses include:

Work supports (i.e. training costs; transportation assistance – bus tokens, ride

sharing, auto repair; childcare costs)

Legal services

Case Management

Funds may be used for staffing expenses related to the provision of case management

and other supportive services to meet the needs of program participant households.

Eligible costs include:

Case management

Housing counseling

Landlord outreach and negotiation

Administrative Costs

Administrative costs may include accounting for the use of grant funds, preparing

reports for submission to DHCD, obtaining program audits, data collection and

reporting, similar costs related to administering the grant after the award, and

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associated staff salaries. Administrative costs also include staff training for program and

case management. The administrative expenses for VERP will be capped at 5%.

VERP funding must be coordinated with other available funding sources. Funds may not

be used to replace mainstream resources. There is a statewide funding source for

rental assistance, the Virginia RMRP that specifically addresses housing insecurity due

to the COVID pandemic. VERP funds must be coordinated with RMRP. The grantee

shall not duplicate assistance. Grantees should not use pilot resources where other

resources are available, i.e. if there is an eviction diversion program currently in the

community, grantees should not develop another eviction diversion program, but can

strengthen that component of local delivery efforts and assist in funding that type of

program in conjunction with eviction prevention effort.

Grantee must coordinate with any local court-based eviction diversion program. Local

advisory committees are expected to coordinate resources, problem solve system level

issues, and address other challenges related to the prevention and diversion of

evictions. Grantees and their Local VERP Advisory Committee will work with DHCD to

conduct focus groups with landlord and tenant stakeholders to receive input on

determining what components the local eviction prevention system should include.

Grantees that own housing units must not use pilot funds for rental assistance in any

units owned by the grantee or a subsidiary. Grantees must consult with DHCD for how

best to address the needs of tenants living in any grantee owned units.

Local VERP Advisory Committee

Each grantee is required to have significant local coordination through a local advisory

committee that will be established by the grantee for the purpose of this program and

must include representatives from the following:

Local CoC

Workforce Development

Local DSS

Legal Aid

Representative of Public Housing Authority

Representative of Associations representing landlords such as Realtors and

Apartment Management Associations

Housing Counseling Agency/Program

Conflict Resolution (Alternate Dispute Resolution)

Person with lived experience of eviction or housing insecurity

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Organizations representing communities of color

Tenant advocacy groups (if present in the community)

Centers for Independent Living (CILs)

Outreach and Engagement

Each grantee will work with its Local VERP Advisory Committee to develop an Outreach

and Engagement Plan to ensure households at higher risk of eviction are made aware

of the VERP Pilot. Each grantee must ensure information about its services provided

through the pilot are included in 2-1-1 VIRGINIA’s database of resources.

Data Collection

Virginia lacks a statewide, real-time understanding of evictions across the

commonwealth. Access to statewide eviction data is important for understanding current

eviction trends and measuring the impact of an eviction prevention and diversion

program. Grantees will work closely with DHCD to develop and implement a local or

regional process to collect eviction data.

VERP Evaluation

Prior to implementing VERP services, the grantee will work with DHCD to create a pilot

evaluation tool and process that assesses the impact of the grantee’s program and the

overall effectiveness of the pilot.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted on or before January 8, 2021. All applications must be

submitted to DHCD through the online application and project management system

called CAMS (Centralized Application and Management System). Please allow for up to

two business days for responses to any CAMS help desk request. Applications must be

submitted in CAMS on or before 11:59 PM, January 8, 2021.

All applications received by the deadline will be reviewed by a DHCD panel and scored

based on the local need (40 points), program approach (30 points), and grantee capacity

(30 points). Applications must score at least 60 points to be considered for funding.

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https://dmz1.dhcd.virginia.gov/camsportal/Login.aspx


Pilot Application Evaluation Criteria

Criteria Scoring Elements Max. Points

Need Pre-pandemic rate of evictions; targeted localities (see page 3)

40

Approach Assessment tool; equity measures; inclusions of person

with lived experience; policies and procedures; Advisory committee; best practices; local collaboration; pilot components; local match

30

Capacity Experience serving low-income households and providing financial assistance

30

TOTAL –must score at least 60 points. 100

Please note that DHCD technical assistance is limited to normal business hours.

Application Submission

VERP applications must be submitted through DHCD’s Centralized Application and Management System (CAMS). Applicants should carefully follow all instructions for

submission. Applications submitted with incorrect or missing information will be reviewed “as is.” An applicant organization must have a registered CAMS organizational profile in order to

apply for pilot funding. Once an organization has an approved profile, individual users may be given access to CAMS by the organization’s profile manager. Applicants may submit applications at any time prior to the deadline. DHCD will only

review applications submitted in CAMS prior to the established deadline.

CAMS will send the applicant an email notification when an application has been submitted and received.

All work in CAMS should be frequently saved. Please note that Chrome is the recommended browser.

Project Information

The applicant must login to CAMS and select the VERP application and apply. When the applicant clicks on Apply the system will ask for a Project Name. Please be careful to

enter a project name that will help DHCD identify your project. Once the applicant hits

7.1.b

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Continue the project name cannot be edited. At this point CAMS will give the application a system-generated Application ID number.

Select Continue and CAMS will take the applicant to the Project Information tab. On the

project information tab the Organization Name will be pre-populated based on the organization’s profile. Please note, any errors or needed updates to the organizational profile must be made by the individual who is set up as a profile manager for your organization.

On the project information tab the applicant must enter the Project Primary Contact information. This is the name of the individual DHCD should contact with questions about the project and their contact information.

Place of Primary Performance is where that project (main office or service location) will be located and the Primary Service Area is the locality (ies) (one or more) that the project is intended to target.

7.1.b

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Please note that at this point the page will display a ‘Print’ option at the top right-hand corner. The ‘Print’ function will produce a PDF that can be printed or saved. This will have any information that you have entered and saved in the application.

Tip: To print an application that will display all the questions simply go into the “Narrative Information” tab and enter NA into each text box. This will allow you to have a copy of the application including all the narrative questions to work from outside of CAMS.

Project Budget

The next tab Project Budget requires some basic budget information. Please note for VCI this information corresponds to the requested amount and activity type. Please enter the amount of requested pilot funds in the DHCD Request box and the match amount in the Other Funding text box.

7.1.b

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Narrative Information

The applicant will then go to the narrative questions. Please note there are size limits to the text boxes. DHCD suggests that applicants work in Word and copy and paste into the CAMS text boxes. Word allows an applicant to spell check and check the size of the text prior to copying and saving in the text box. Once the narrative information is complete

applicants should print the questions by clicking the Print tab at the top of the page and review them for completeness and accuracy. The applicant is able to edit this information up until the time the application is submitted for review.

Please note that the CAMS text box in this section will only accommodate text responses. Graphic, tables, charts should not be pasted into the narrative section; instead, include

the information in a separate attachment. The applicant may use the CAMS attachment section to provide any additional information not accommodated in the narrative text

boxes.

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Specific narrative questions and instructions are as follows:

1. Tell us about the eviction rates and local needs for the locality(ies) that your

proposed program would serve. 2. Describe your organization’s approach to reducing evictions and improving

housing stability. 3. Tell us about how you will target these resources. Please include information

about any assessment tool and/or factors that you will be using. 4. Tell us about how you will provide outreach, in general, and to households of

color and how you will assure equitable access to these resources. 5. Tell us about the case management and supportive services your program will

provide. 6. Please describe the composition of the Local VERP Advisory Committee and the

role it will play in the program. 7. Tell us about your organization’s experience with preventing evictions, providing

housing and financial assistance and services to low-income households. 8. Please describe you organization’s capacity to implement this pilot program.

7.1.b

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9. Please describe the pilot program’s management team. 10. Tell us about how your organization coordinates with other organizations to meet

the needs of clients.

11. Tell us how you plan to measure the effectiveness of this program.

Attachments

There are a number of attachments required for the application. All attachments are listed

on the attachment tab. Please see the CAMS User Guide for more detailed instructions (file types and size

limits).

Required application attachments include the following:

Application Attachments Name of Attachment Requirement

Implementation Timeline

A timeline from award date to full implementation

Policies and Procedure If not finalized, please provide draft.

Assessment Tool If not finalized, please provide draft. Any MOUs, or Related Agreements Attach all applicable to the pilot Match Documentation Board-approved match documentation required. Advisory Committee Please attach a list of members including (name

and who they represent) Optional Attachments

Applicant additional attachments

In some cases, CAMS will provide for only one attachment, such as Other Funding

Documentation. This will require that the applicant save multiple sources of documentation as one document/file to upload.

7.1.b

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https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Docx/CAMS/URG-Table-Of-Contents.pdf


7.1.b

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Additional Information

The Additional Information tab allows the applicant to provide additional information not previously requested in the other sections of the application.

Application Status

Applicants may allow multiple users to edit and review application materials. Please note

that applicants are fully responsible for controlling security access to CAMS when the application is submitted to DHCD. Once the applicant begins work on the application CAMS will save the application as

Incomplete. The applicant may return repeatedly to CAMS to work on this application. Please be sure all work on the application is saved in CAMS. The application will remain as an incomplete application until the applicant chooses to submit the application. Once the application is submitted the status will change from Incomplete to Pending.

7.1.b

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DHCD Review Process

Applicants with unresolved findings from previous DHCD monitoring, audit findings or other compliance issues will not be eligible for a funding commitment.

DHCD will conduct reviews of all applications submitted by eligible applicants through CAMS.

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to the honorable council subject: ward/superward

Documents