History: The Client-based Housing program (HRA: Client-based Housing CP 1006848) was established in 2018 by the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA) to provide targeted capital assistance to client-focused housing projects that preserve and expand the supportive housing system (Resolution 18-HCHRA-0041R1).

The HCHRA Client-based Housing program objective is to advance the development of supportive housing by enabling more intentional and proactive county investment. The county will identify housing gaps, recruit and partner with supportive housing developers and providers, and provide early-in funding for projects that meet county objectives.

Community Works partnered with staff from Health and Human Services to develop draft guidelines, criteria, and evaluation processes, incorporating input from the HCHRA Board’s 2018 discussion (see Exhibit A). All funding awards will require Board approval after joint review and recommendation by Health and Human Services, Community Works, and other impacted departments. Proposed selection criteria include:

• Alignment with county-identified population need
• Project feasibility and cost reasonableness
• Commitment to long-term affordability in a leased-based housing setting
• Anticipated impact on service outcomes

Priority consideration will be given for projects that maximize support service leverage, demonstrate integration and choice for people with disabilities and practices that reduce housing disparities for people of color and people with extremely low incomes.

Current Request: Adoption of the HCHRA Client-based Housing program guidelines and criteria, entitled Supportive Housing Program Guidelines and Criteria.

Impact/Outcomes: Adopting the program’s guidelines and criteria will establish a process for future capital assistance in support of client-focused housing in a manner that preserves units at risk of loss and/or expand the housing system for county-identified priority population of residents.

This request supports Hennepin County's efforts to reduce disparities by aligning internal programs and projects to eliminate housing disparities for the county's priority population of residents.