Public Housing Notice:  2007-03-A

TO:                 All Local Housing Authorities 

FROM:           Carole Collins, Director, Bureau of Housing Management  

RE:                 Substitute for May 31, 2007 2007-03 Public Housing Notice
                        Shelter to Housing (S2H) Program/Emergency Case Applicants

DATE:            June 13, 2007
_____________________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to provide some guidance on how local housing authorities should handle emergency case applicants who are receiving temporary housing assistance through the Shelter to Housing (S2H) Program which is funded through the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA).  As you are aware, the Commonwealth is working aggressively to reduce its dependency on homeless shelters.   Recently, DTA implemented a new transitional rental assistance program that provides families coming from DTA funded shelters an alternative resource of up to twelve months of temporary rental assistance while the family continues to transition into sustainable housing. 

Families receiving S2H assistance are to be considered homeless as this is a transitional program for families who are without permanent housing.  Please note families receiving S2H assistance, like any applicant, requesting priority consideration for state-aided housing assistance must submit an Emergency Application.   Applications from families receiving S2H assistance should be processed consistent with the LHA's review practices, and approval for homeless priority status is subject to verification by the LHA, per standard practice. 

In addition, applicants who are currently on an LHA's emergency case list should NOT lose their priority status as a result of their participation in the DTA's S2H program.

If you have any questions on this matter, please contact your Housing Management Specialist for your area.