On August 4, federal officials declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Monkeypox is a communicable disease and people experiencing homelessness may be at increased risk of infection. Congregate settings and a high burden of chronic health conditions like HIV can make people experiencing homelessness more vulnerable to severe illness from monkeypox. The CDC has created a webpage with information related to the signs, symptoms, treatment, and other information about monkeypox, and has issued guidance to help reduce transmission in congregate living settings (such as homeless shelters).
Join TPCH and the Pima County Health Department for an informative, 60-minute webinar for homeless service providers.
TPCH and Pima County Health Department will host, “Supporting People Experiencing Homelessness through the Monkeypox Outbreak”, a 60-minute webinar for homeless service providers.
This virtual training session will cover:
Overview of the current monkeypox health emergency
Monkeypox symptoms and risk factors
Health promotion and harm reduction strategies to reduce risk of monkeypox transmission in congregate settings and among people experiencing homelessness.
Resources for monkeypox testing and vaccination for high-risk community members
Your Input is Needed – Participate in TPCH Community Input Sessions Regarding the FY 2022 CoC Annual and Supplemental Community Applications.
Each year, TPCH is required to prepare a community application for CoC Program funds. The community application plays a critical role in our ability to retain and increase HUD funding for housing and services for people experiencing homelessness throughout Pima County.
TPCH will be holding a series of Community Input Sessions during which community stakeholders will provide input to improve this year’s community applications for the FY 2022 Annual and Supplemental Notices of Funding Opportunity. Each session will include a review of draft application sections and the opportunity to suggest improvements to our community’s funding application.
TPCH members and community partners are strongly encouraged to attend all community input sessions related to your individual and organizational expertise and role.
Session 1 – Housing and Income System Performance/Outcomes(September 12, 2022, 10am-11:30am)
Topics: Housing First Evaluation, Mainstream Benefits, Reduction in First Time Homelessness, Length of Time Homeless, Exits to and Retention of Permanent Housing, Returns to Homelessness, Increasing Cash Income, Increasing Non-Employment Cash Income
Session 3 – Equity and Inclusion (September 14, 2022 10:30am-12pm)
Topics: LGBTQ+ Anti-Discrimination Policies, Analyzing Racial Disparities, Strategies to Address Racial Disparities, Tracking Progress on Eliminating Racial Disparities, Outreach Efforts to Engage People with Lived Experience in Leadership and Decision Making, Professional Development and Employment of People with Lived Experience, Gathering Feedback and Addressing Challenges of People with Lived Experience, Promoting Racial Equity in Local Competition and Review.
Session 4 – Special Populations: Youth, Families, and Survivors of Domestic Abuse (September 15, 2022 2pm-3:30pm)
Topics: Formal Partnerships with Education Providers, Informing Youth & Families About Education Rights, Effectively Counting Youth in the PIT Count, Addressing DV Needs, Annual DV Safety and Best Practices Training, Using De-Identified Aggregate DV Data, Emergency Transfer Plans, Accessing to Housing for DV Survivors, DV Safety, Planning, and Confidentiality, Comparable Databases
Session 5 – Continuum of Care Processes (September 16, 2022 10:30am-12pm)
Topics: Process for Inviting New Members, Strategy on Preventing and Ending Homelessness, Public Notice, Consultation with ESG Recipients, PHA Admission Preferences, Non-Congregate Sheltering, Partnerships with Public Health Agencies, Collaborating to Address Infectious Disease, Increasing Affordable Housing Supply, Addressing Severe Needs in Project Review, Reviewing Performance in Existing Projects
Project Applications for FY 2022 HUD Supplemental Funding due Monday, September 19, 2022 UA SIROW releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report TPCH Releases 2022 Progress Report to the 2020 Strategic Plan Featured Blog Post: Addressing Encampments Additional Summer Sun Cooling Stations Available for People Experiencing Homelessness Resource Corner: Upcoming Tools, Trainings, and Resources
Project Applications for FY 2022 HUD Supplemental Funding for Unsheltered Homelessness due Monday, September 19, 2022
Pre-Proposal Conference on the Supplemental NOFO to be held on Tuesday, September 6, 2022
On August 12, 2022, TPCH released its local application for the the FY 2022 HUD Supplemental Funding Opportunity to address Unsheltered Homelessness. On Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 1-2:30 PM Arizona time, TPCH will host a pre-proposal conference for interested project applicants. All interested and potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-proposal conference. The conference will be held virtually using Zoom software.
Please email tpch-nofo@tucsonaz.gov if accessibility assistance or translation in languages other than English is required at least five days before the pre-proposal conference.
All applications for FY 2022 Continuum of Care Supplemental Unsheltered Program funds are due no later than 12pm Arizona time (noon) on September 19, 2022.
Pre-Proposal Conference
All interested and potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-proposal conference scheduled for September 6, 2022 from 1:00pm-2:30pm Arizona time. The pre-proposal conference will be held virtually using Zoom software. Registration is required.
The two-day Unsheltered Homelessness Forum held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Campus had more than one hundred community members attend in person to help chart a community plan to end unsheltered homelessness.
This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data. Without further analysis the causes of this locally are unclear, but the prime suspects are rising rents and the lingering aftermaths of the pandemic for the household budgets of lower-income households (via death, illness, and changes in employment and caretaking responsibilities.
Additional Summer Sun Cooling Stations Available for People Experiencing Homelessness
In readiness for instances of extreme heat, the City of Tucson and the Pima County Kino Service Center will have available cooling center locations. The information is available for download, click on the images below.
As temperatures rise, please continue to share the following resources widely.
Download the 2022 Summer Sun Cooling Station flyer (English and Spanish) here. For a map of these cooling centers. hydration stations, pools and splash pads, see this link.
TPCH Releases 2022 Progress Report to the 2020 Strategic Plan
The Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness published it’s 2022 Progress Report on the 2020 TPCH Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan was created in 2020 before the onset of the coronavirus, and the pandemic no doubt resulted in setbacks to our shared plan to prevent and end homelessness. However, the community has been resilient and indicators in bed utilization and returns to homelessness have demonstrated improvement.
Featured Blog Post: There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Address Encampments
Communities everywhere are grappling with the crisis of unsheltered homelessness. As the community comes off its #TucsonForum on unsheltered homelessness, these challenges continue even as the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness applies for the new funding made available for unsheltered homelessness from the Biden Administration.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness has recently published a blog post from Los Angeles, where best practices in outreach, shared housing, and new models of multi-sector collaboration to create more affordable housing are paying off. Read the blogpost by clicking on the button below.
Point of Pride provides free chest binders (specially-designed chest compression garments) to any trans person who needs one and cannot afford or safely obtain one. Please visit the website using this link for information and instructions for how to apply to this program: https://www.pointofpride.org/free-chest-binders
NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS HOUSING FIRST WEBINAR SERIES
The National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities have teamed up in a four-part series on homelessness and Housing First. The remaining sessions of this series will be held on September 12th and 28th, 2022 at 2:30 PM EST (*note this is Eastern time, times are 11:30 AM Arizona time).
NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS PRESSURE POINTS SERIES
The Alliance’s new Pressure Points Resource Series outlines specific strategies, practices, and philosophies that can help relieve the pressures experienced by providers and systems alike.
PREPARING FOR THE NOFO WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM SERIES
The 2022 SYSTEM Series is a new collection of webinars, blog posts, and resources designed to help communities build more effective systems to end homelessness. The updated series addresses emerging priorities in the field, as well as insights on issues and areas the Alliance expects HUD to prioritize in the upcoming NOFO.
SEPTEMBER EVENTS
TPCH Meetings & Training Events
Meetings and events added regularly. Find details and locations on the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net
September 1, 3pm Homeless Youth Coalition
September 6, 1pm TPCH Supplemental Unsheltered NOFO Pre-Proposal Conference
September 8, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee
September 9, 9am Built for Zero Coalition
September 13, 1pm Community Outreach Coalition
September 14, 10:30am Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
September 14, 3pm Homeless Management Information System Meeting
September 22, 1pm Coordinated Entry Committee
September 22, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee
September 27, 3pm Continuum of Care Board Meeting
For the most up-to-date meeting information, visit the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net.
August 29, 2022 Update: the training advertised here is the fourth session of the Critical Time Intervention Series, started in April of 2022. This session is intended for supervisors and managers who completed the Basic CTI training and would like to learn additional skills for training project staff in CTI practices and managing fidelity to the evidence-based model. For supervisors who could not attend the live sessions, please see instructions below for how to access the TPCH Online Training Center.
Our three-part Basic CTI training was held on April 6, 13, and 20. Participants who successfully completed the three-part Basic CTI training received a certificate of training endorsed by the Center for the Advancement of Critical Time Intervention, Hunter College/Silberman School of Social Work.
We strongly encourage supervisors and managers to attend the fourth session of this series in order to meaningfully incorporate CTI into agency programs.
Didn’t Attend the initial CTI sessions?
Don’t worry – if you couldn’t attend the live sessions, the recorded session are posted on the TPCH Online Training Center for you to be able to view.
Critical Time Intervention (CTI) is a time-limited evidence-based practice that mobilizes support for vulnerable individuals during periods of transition. The CTI model facilitates housing stability, community integration, and continuity of care, and has been successful in supporting the return to housing for people with serious mental illness, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and many other groups.
CTI is especially well-suited as a case management model in support of housing problem-solving with individuals and families. Key characteristics of the model include:
CTI is time-limited; its explicit aim is to provide intensive, targeted support during a critical period and then withdraw. It is compatible with efforts to intervene with people in crisis, especially during periods of housing instability. CTI is not intended to become a primary source of ongoing support for vulnerable people. CTI workers aim to engage clients, locate effective services and supports in the community, and effectively link them together to promote long-term stability.
CTI is highly focused: CTI workers do not try to address all needs that vulnerable individuals and families may have. Rather, CTI focuses only on the key areas that place the client at risk of future housing instability.
Meet Our Trainer – Carolyn Hanesworth, LCSW, PhD
Dr. Hanesworth is a Critical Time Intervention Trainer, Researcher, and Consultant. In addition to her work with CACTI, Dr. Hanesworth is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. She has worked as a service provider, leader, and consultant for organizations serving homeless children and families in Texas and New York City for the past 25 years. Recently, she served as the Project Director for the CTI for Rapid Rehousing Pilot Study in Connecticut, where she assisted in adapting and implementing CTI for Rapid Rehousing recipients.
The University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released its thirty-sixth update to its report on Housing Insecurity Indicators and Potential Homelessness Estimates for Arizona and Pima County. This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data. Without further analysis the causes of this locally are unclear, but the prime suspects are rising rents and the lingering aftermaths of the pandemic for the household budgets of lower-income households (via death, illness, and changes in employment and caretaking responsibilities.
Since the last census wave, there have been considerable improvements. Those include:
the proportion of non-current renters fell from 13.3% to to 9.2%;
of the non-current Arizona renters who see eviction in the next two months as somewhat or very likely, 94%, are only 1 or 2 months behind on their payments. This is up from 66% in the previous wave, suggesting substantial improvement in financial position of renter households in recent months;
a substantial proportion of non-current renters reporting having both applied for and received rental assistance;
mortgage holders in Arizona appearing to be in the best financial position in this survey to date. Only 2.9% reported being not current on mortgage payments and of those that are not current 71% see a foreclosure in the next two months as “not likely at all”.
The most recent update to the report also includes many indicators of concern worth noting.
Most renters are being directly impacted by rising rent prices in Arizona.
Rents continue to rise in Tucson with measures of average and median rent increasing 34-39% over the past two years.
65% of Arizona renters reported an increase in their monthly rent in the last year.
49% of Arizona renters reported an increase of $100 or more.
Racial/ethnic disparities in financial strain have increased in measures of households not being current on rental payments and experiencing difficulty meeting spending needs.
Individuals (nationwide) reporting either a lot of difficulty or no ability to see or concentrate are disproportionately likely to report being behind on rent payments.
It appears that members of historically marginalized groups (especially people living with disabilities) are not benefiting from the improving economy as quickly on average as other demographic groups.
Eviction filings have been rising since April, and June had the largest monthly count of eviction filings observed since January of 2021. An estimate of the number of eviction filings in July suggests that the levels reach in June will be observed in July.
Generally, a falling unemployment rate is usually associated with reductions in eviction filings, but here we observe rising eviction filings in the context of very low and stable unemployment.
TPCH has released the local application materials for the FY 2022 Annual Continuum of Care Program Funding Competition in Tucson/Pima County. Funding opportunity information and application instructions are posted at https://old.tpch.net/about/nofa-documents/fy-2022/.
All applications for FY 2022 Continuum of Care Program and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project renewal/replacement funds are due no later than 12pm Arizona time (noon) on August 31, 2022.
Funding Available
The Tucson/Pima County FY 2022 funding competition includes four categories of available funding:
CoC Program Renewal Funds: A total of $8,756,385 is available for renewal and/or reallocation of existing Continuum of Care Program grant awards. Only organizations currently awarded CoC Program grant funds expiring in Calendar Year 2023 are eligible to apply under this category.
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project Renewal and Replacement Funds: A total of $2,119,140 is available for the renewal or replacement of existing Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP) grant awards. Only organizations currently awarded YHDP grant funds expiring in Calendar Year 2023 are eligible to apply under this category.
CoC Bonus Program: A total of $543,776 is available for new project applications for service-rich permanent supportive housing projects dedicated for persons meeting Chronic Homelessness and/or Dedicated Plus eligibility standards. Organizations which do not currently administer CoC Program funds are encouraged to apply.
Domestic Violence Bonus Program: A total of $666,650 is available for new project applications for rapid rehousing, joint transitional housing – rapid rehousing, and supportive services only – coordinated entry projects dedicated for persons fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including victims of human trafficking. Organizations which do not currently administer CoC Program funds are encouraged to apply.
Pre-Proposal Workshop (August 22, 2pm)
All interested and potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-proposal conference scheduled for August 22, 2022 from 2pm-4pm Arizona time. The pre-proposal conference will be held virtually using Zoom software.
2022 Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity Released for Unsheltered Homelessness TPCH Announces In-Kind Grant Opportunity: LGBTQ+ Equity and Inclusion Technical Assistance & Consulting UA SIROW releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report Press Release from the Arizona Housing Coalition: Affordable Housing is Out of Reach in Arizona for Hard Working Families United States Senate Proposes $4.3 Billion Increase to HUD TPCH Represented at National Conference on Ending Homelessness in Washington, D.C. Resource Corner: Upcoming Trainings and Resources
2022 Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity Released
FISCAL YEAR 2022 SUPPLEMENTAL NOFO (UNSHELTERED) TPCH will begin accepting project applications on August 12, 2022. All project applications are due no later than 12:00pm (noon) Arizona time on September 19, 2022.
The local competition for the FY 2022 Supplemental NOFO to address Unsheltered Homelessness is officially underway. Organizations interested in applying for FY 2022 Continuum of Care Supplemental Unsheltered program funds should review the guidance, deadlines and documentation posted to the TPCH website.
The Continuum of Care Board has prioritized the following service categories for funding: Continuum of Care Planning, Homeless Management Information System management, Supportive Service Only – Street Outreach, Supportive Services Only – Housing Navigation, and Permanent Supportive Housing.
All interested and potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-proposal conference scheduled for August 24, 2022 from 1:00pm-2:30pm Arizona time. The pre-proposal conference will be held virtually using Zoom software. Registration is required.
Opportunity TPCH will select up to three organizations to participate in this in-kind grant opportunity. Technical assistance offerings available include: Deep Dive LGBTQ+ Equity Training Supervisor and Administrative Professional Training Date Analysis and Share-Out Policy Review and Recommendations Document Review and Recommendations Programming Review and Recommendations Customized Troubleshooting Sessions Learn More and Apply TPCH member organizations are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this in-kind grant opportunity. Download the Request for Proposals to learn more about this opportunity and for application instructions. Please contact tpch@tucsonaz.gov with any questions.
U of A Southwest Institute for Research on Women releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report
U of A Southwest Institute for Research on Women releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report The University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released its thirty-fifth update to its report on Housing Insecurity Indicators and Potential Homelessness Estimates for Arizona and Pima County. This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data. Download the report here. The most recent update to the report includes many indicators of concern worth noting. Without further analysis the causes of this locally are unclear, but the prime suspects are rising rents and the lingering aftermaths of the pandemic for the household budgets of lower-income households (via death, illness, and changes in employment and caretaking responsibilities). A substantial erosion in financial position of renter households in recent months, Rents continue to rise in Tucson with measures of average and median rent increasing 31-41% over the past two years, and Racial/ethnic disparities in financial strain have increased in measures of households not being current on rental payments and experiencing difficulty meeting spending needs.
Additional Summer Sun Cooling Stations Available for People Experiencing Homelessness
In readiness for instances of extreme heat, the City of Tucson and the Pima County Kino Service Center will have available cooling center locations. The information is available for download, click on the images below.
As temperatures rise, please continue to share the following resources widely.
Download the 2022 Summer Sun Cooling Station flyer (English and Spanish) here. For a map of these cooling centers. hydration stations, pools and splash pads, see this link.
United States Senate Proposes $4.3 Billion Increase to HUD
HUD received a $4.3 billion boost for the upcoming fiscal year in draft legislation released by the Senate Appropriations Committee . The funding increase would accommodate at least level funding for nearly all HUD programs in the upcoming fiscal year. Final spending decisions still need to be negotiated between House and Senate leadership, a process that is not expected to begin until after the midterm elections.
The draft legislation includes a $50 million increase to Native American, Alaskan, and Hawaiian housing programs, which would be an historically high funding level. The bill also contains legislation to reauthorize the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act.
The Senate does not plan to take additional action on appropriations until an overall agreement on funding levels can be reached following the midterm elections. This guarantees that a continuing resolution will be necessary to continue government operations past the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
Press Release from the Arizona Housing Coalition: Affordable Housing is Out of Reach in Arizona for Hard Working Families
“Out of Reach” answers the question: ‘How much do you have to earn to afford rent and utilities on a modest apartment in Arizona?’ Out of Reach compares the Housing Wage with Arizona’s minimum wage, and the most common occupations in each state. And what it reveals is that our state’s retail and hospitality workers, nursing assistants, teachers, secretaries and first responders don’t make enough to live here. We are encouraged by state lawmakers’ recent bipartisan investment in the state Housing Trust Fund to help increase the housing stock and lower rents; and look forward to the policy outcomes of the Legislative Housing Supply committee to study how to increase the stock – and affordability – of housing in our state.”
-Joan Serviss, Executive Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition.
TPCH Represented at National Conference on Ending Homelessness in Washington, D.C.
Continuum of Care lead staff Austin Puca, Mayra Gamez, and Elaine MacPherson attended the National Conference on Ending Homelessness in Washington, D.C. to hear about best practices in continuums around the country. Some of the sessions attended covered topics like master leasing, diversion, racial equity in the homeless response system, and much more.
The opening plenary as well as major takeaways are featured on the National Alliance to End Homelessness blog.
Resource Corner: Tools, Conference Opportunities and Upcoming Trainings
NOFO WEBINARS – NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS What You Need to Know about the 2022 CoC Program Competition Wednesday, August 17 @ 2:00 – 3:00 P.M. ET The FY 2022 CoC Program Competition NOFO is here. Join Alliance experts to learn about new priorities in this year’s notice, guidance on crafting a competitive application, and how to make this application align with HUD’s recent Supplemental NOFO for Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness. Register here.
ARIZONA HOUSING COALITION HOUSING FORUM August 17-19, 2022 at The Scott Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ
The Arizona Housing Coalition is hosting the 2022 Arizona Housing Forum in partnership with the Arizona Department of Housing. This event attracts approximately 350 attendees representing public and private sectors and showcases speakers and sessions on innovations in housing, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) best practices, and timely topics in the housing industry. It is an unparalleled opportunity for networking among Arizona’s leaders in the affordable housing and ending homelessness fields. Register here.
ARIZONA HOUSING COALITION WEBINAR – LANDLORD TENANT LAW FOR CASEWORKERS* *There is a cost to attend this training for those who are not members of the Arizona Housing Coalition.
Tuesday, August 23, 2022, 10:00 – 11:00 AM, online.
Presented by attorneys from Community Legal Services, this webinar will use real life scenarios to discuss the limits of the law in landlord/tenant relationships and the importance of a third party such as a caseworker. Online, Register here.
NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS PRESSURE POINTS SERIES
The Alliance’s new Pressure Points Resource Series outlines specific strategies, practices, and philosophies that can help relieve the pressures experienced by providers and systems alike.
PREPARING FOR THE NOFO WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM SERIES
The 2022 SYSTEM Series is a new collection of webinars, blog posts, and resources designed to help communities build more effective systems to end homelessness. The updated series addresses emerging priorities in the field, as well as insights on issues and areas the Alliance expects HUD to prioritize in the upcoming NOFO.
AUGUST EVENTS
TPCH Meetings & Training Events
Meetings and events added regularly. Find details and locations on the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net
August 4, 3pm Homeless Youth Coalition
August 9, 1pm Community Outreach Coalition
August 9, 3pm System Performance Evaluation Committee
August 10, 1pm Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
August 10, 3pm Homeless Management Information System Meeting
August 11, 3pm TPCH General Council Membership Meeting
August 11, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee
August 12, 9am Built for Zero Coalition
August 18, 9am Continuum of Care Program Grant Committee
August 23, 3pm Continuum of Care Board Meeting
August 25, 1pm Coordinated Entry Committee
August 25, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee
For the most up-to-date meeting information, visit the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net.
TPCH has released the local application materials for the FY 2022 Continuum of Care Program Supplemental Unsheltered Funding Competition in Tucson/Pima County. Funding opportunity information and application instructions are posted at https://old.tpch.net/about/nofa-documents/2022-unsheltered/.
*This announcement is for supplemental funds and does not include competition for the FY 2022 renewal of existing Continuum of Care and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project activities. A separate competition will be announced later in August for the annual Continuum of Care competition.
Application Due Date
All applications for FY 2022 Continuum of Care Supplemental Unsheltered Program funds are due no later than 12pm Arizona time (noon) on September 19, 2022.
Funding Available
The Tucson/Pima County FY 2022 supplemental funding competition includes five categories of available funding:
Continuum of Care Planning ($234,077 available): The Continuum of Care Lead Agency/Collaborative Applicant is eligible to apply for up to $234,077 to support Continuum of Care Planning activities associated with this funding opportunity during the 36-month performance period.
Homeless Management Information System ($234,077 available): The HMIS Lead Agency is eligible to apply for up to $234,077 to support HMIS administration activities associated with this funding opportunity during the 36-month performance period.
Supportive Services Only – Street Outreach ($1,560,516 available): Government, Tribal, and not-for-profit organizations with demonstrated experience providing effective street outreach services, and capacity to provide system-level coordinated street outreach on behalf of the Continuum of Care may apply for up to $1,560,516 for activities associated with this funding opportunity during the 36-month performance period.
Supportive Services Only – Housing Navigation ($780,258 available): Government, Tribal, and not-for-profit organizations with demonstrated experience providing effective housing navigation services, and capacity to provide system-level housing navigation on behalf of the Continuum of Care may apply for up to $780,258 for activities associated with this funding opportunity during the 36-month performance period.
Permanent Supportive Housing ($4,993,652 available): Government, Tribal, and not-for-profit organizations with demonstrated experience providing effective permanent supportive housing services for individuals and families with severe service needs may apply for up to $4,993,652 for housing and service activities associated with this funding opportunity during the 36-month performance period.
TPCH will conduct a virtual pre-proposal conference for organizations interested in applying for funds through this competition. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have one or more representatives attend the pre-proposal conference. Registration is required.
The Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness (TPCH) is committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating homelessness in our region. Ending homelessness in Pima County – which covers more than 9,000 square miles including urban, suburban, rural, and Tribal area – means ensuring that those who are experiencing a crisis of homelessness obtain safe and stable housing as quickly as possible and do not return to the homeless system. In 2020, CoC leadership and staff created the TPCH Strategic Plan, which articulated a strategic path to guide efforts as a CoC to achieve these goals. Shortly afterward, the world changed with the onset of COVID-19. COVID-19 drastically altered how TPCH and its partners interacted with each other and with the people the CoC serves. This document, the 2022 Progress Report on the 2020 TPCH Strategic Plan, gives the CoC, its TPCH board and the community a look at our progress 18 months through the plan’s timeline.
The TPCH Strategic Plan advanced many goals from prior planning efforts to expand the permanent housing inventory, identify and lower barriers to system entry and housing, refine Coordinated Entry processes, increase systemwide data capacity, and incorporate a racial equity lens into system evaluation and improvement strategies. The Plan endeavors to ensure that all programs and interventions employed to address homelessness function together with a common set of objectives and performance measures targeted at achieving measurable change in Pima County communities – and that the system’s resources are being used to maximize impact the yield the greatest possible results. This document, the 2022 Progress Report on the 2020 TPCH Strategic Plan revisits these goals and summarizes progress toward their fulfillment.
We recognize that our coalition cannot end homelessness alone. The TPCH Strategic Plan centers the need for on-going and deeply embedded multi-sector partnerships to produce transformational change in our communities’ response to homelessness. It is founded on evidence-based practices and strategies in the field, focused on efforts that will yield the greatest possible results, and designed to provide the Continuum of Care and community leadership a framework for ending the crisis of homelessness in Pima County. As such, TPCH regularly monitors progress toward its goals and objectives, as it has done with the 2022 Progress Report on the TPCH Strategic Plan.
The University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released its thirty-fifth update to its report on Housing Insecurity Indicators and Potential Homelessness Estimates for Arizona and Pima County. This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data.
The most recent update to the report includes many indicators of concern worth noting. Without further analysis the causes of this locally are unclear, but the prime suspects are rising rents and the lingering aftermaths of the pandemic for the household budgets of lower-income households (via death, illness, and changes in employment and caretaking responsibilities).
A substantial erosion in financial position of renter households in recent months
In the most recent wave, collected June 29th – July 11th, the proportion of non-current renters rose to 13.3%. Over half, 54%, of these non-current Arizona renters see eviction in the next two months as somewhat or very likely.
This survey indicates that the majority of Arizona renters who are behind on their rent, 66%, are only 1 or 2 months behind on their payments. This is substantially worse relative to the previous survey wave where this proportion was 93% of non-current AZ renters.
Rents continue to rise in Tucson with measures of average and median rent increasing 31-41% over the past two years:
And the average rents of studio and 1-bedroom apartments have been increasing faster than larger units, contributing to the declining stock of affordable housing.
73% of Arizona renters reported an increase in their monthly rent in the last year and 59% reported an increase of $100 or more. This indicates that most renters are being directly impacted by rising rent prices in Arizona.
Eviction filings have been rising since April, and June had the largest monthly count of eviction filings observed since January of 2021. Generally, a falling unemployment rate is usually associated with reductions in eviction filings, but here we observe rising eviction filings in the context of very low and stable unemployment.
Racial/ethnic disparities in financial strain have increased in measures of households not being current on rental payments and experiencing difficulty meeting spending needs:
Individuals (nationwide) reporting either a lot of difficulty or no ability to walk, see, hear, or concentrate also are disproportionately likely to report being behind on rent payments. It appears that members of historically marginalized groups (especially people living with disabilities) are not benefiting from the improving economy as quickly on average as other demographic groups.
