SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWSLETTER |
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Join the Movement to #HouseAllYouth!
Click here to sign your name – it takes less than a minute to show your commitment!
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CONTINUUM OF CARE UPDATES |
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Housing Surge Update
Month one of our community-wide housing surge initiative is in the books! If you are unfamiliar with our housing surge, it is a collaborative effort to house at least 500 people experiencing homelessness in San Antonio/Bexar County from August 1 to December 31, 2021. We are happy to report that we have made significant progress in one month--removing housing barriers, identifying available inventory, recruiting new housing partners, streamlining the ID recovery process, and more! However, there is still plenty of work needed to reach our goal. To learn more, visit the Housing page on our website.
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Every Monday, we update our Housing Surge Dashboard with the latest data on permanent housings in our community. Check back weekly to follow our progress!
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Membership Council Updates |
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San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA), welcome to Membership Council! SALSA is a corps of attorney volunteers coordinated by professional staff to provide free civil legal services to those with limited means and those who are vulnerable or at-risk.
Magdalena House, welcome to Membership Council! Magdalena House is a neighborhood of transitional homes in San Antonio that serves mothers and children who have fled dangerous and abusive lives by providing transformation through education, nurturing community, and programming.
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Is your organization interested in learning more about the CoC Membership Council? Click Here for additional information and to fill out an application!
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Learn About our PLACE Program!
PLACE stands for Provider Liability Assurance for Community Empowerment. SARAH and the City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services Department created this program to offset the risk assumed by landlords and property managers in housing high-barrier clients. PLACE covers any potential damages to the property up to $1,500 for enrolled clients.
PLACE is an important aspect of our community-wide housing surge because it encourages housing providers to participate in our nonprofit programs, thus increasing the availability of units for our partners' clients. Please click here to download and share our PLACE infographic with landlords and property managers.
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Coordinated Entry & Outreach Advisory Committee is Accepting Applications for Membership |
We are now accepting applications for Coordinated Entry & Outreach Advisory Committee membership! This committee's purpose is to collaborate with program stakeholders to identify and discuss community efforts that will improve service and housing connections for people at risk of and experiencing homelessness.
Current advisory committee members will need to submit a new application to be considered for a voting seat. We ask that you coordinate within your agency to designate someone to fill out an application. Click here to apply!
The deadline to apply is September 17th, 2021!
Please get in touch with Eboni Jett at EboniJett@sarahomeless.org to receive more information on this leadership opportunity in the CoC or if you have any questions.
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SAHA Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly Section 8) Open Enrollment
The San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) is accepting housing choice voucher applications from September 1st-17th, reopening for 17 days only! Only 5,000 applicants will be selected by lottery following the closure of the open enrollment period, so there is no need to rush to apply on the first day. This is not first-come-first-serve enrollment.
Click here for more information and learn how to apply.
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ESG-CV Notice CPD-20-08
On July 19, 2021, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released updated waivers and alternate requirements for ESG CARES in Notice CPD-20-08. These waivers must be included in our local CoC and ESG Written Standards in order for projects to utilize them. SARAH will inform ESG-CV projects when this update has been made.
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HOMELINK/COORDINATED ENTRY NEWS |
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New Homelink Access Point:
SA Hope Center
Congratulations to SA Hope Center for being added as our newest Homelink Access Point with two in-person hub locations! To learn more about Homelink and location information for all active access points, view our Homelink: Getting Connected & Staying Connected pamphlet(s) through the links below.
Informational pamphlet - What is Homelink?
Folleto Informativo - Que es Homelink?
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Sign Up to Receive our Homelink Happenings Newsletter!
Next week we will release our first Homelink Happenings Monthly Newsletter. This new newsletter is geared towards providing SARAH partner agencies and stakeholders with the latest news, information, training, and data related to Homelink, our community's local Coordinated Entry system.
Homelink Happenings will not go out to our general distribution list. If you are interested in receiving this communication, please sign up here.
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Homelink Accomplishments
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Year-to-Date: 1408 housing referrals completed through Homelink!
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Year-to-Date: 207 youth and young adults (YYA) referred to Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Projects (YHDP).
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Year-to-Date: 385 permanent housings made through Homelink!
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Averaging 18 prevention referrals per week since the program launched in May! Press Release on our community's Homelessness Prevention Response
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Homelink Orientation Training
Homelink Orientation Training is offered monthly for anyone who conducts Homelink assessments or claims, sends or receives referrals, or needs to get certified to obtain access.
This orientation is extensive, so one full session is split into two days. Attendees MUST attend both days. Please note that only 10 spots are available for each pair of training dates.
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Homelink Orientation Training Registration Update. We have a new easy process for supervisors to sign up new staff for Homelink Orientation Training:
5 Easy Steps:
1. Go to the SARAH website
2. Click Partner Resources
3. Click Homelink from the Dropdown list
5. Fill out and submit the form!
Upon the form's completion, the staff member needing the training will receive an email to select the dates they want to attend. Contact PatriciaPalomo@sarahomeless.org with any questions.
September Homelink Orientation Dates:
- September 14, 2021, 9 am – 12 pm
- September 15, 2021, 9 am – 1 pm
- September 28, 2021, 9 am – 12 pm
- September 29, 2021, 9 am – 1 pm
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HUD's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
The NOFO application was released earlier this week, on August 30th. Local information and details on applying can be found on the SARAH website under FY21 CoC Program NOFO Competition. Renewal and prospective new grantees are strongly encouraged to read and review the documents and resources listed on our website. The application is due September 27, 2021, at 12:00 pm (CST).
We ask ALL prospective applicants to attend a Bidders’ Conference/Information Session on Thursday, September 9, 2021, from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. Click here to register! We will email you the event details upon registration.
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Save the Date for the Big Give!
Mark your calendars for the Big Give, our annual donation drive. A little can go a long way when we get together and give together on September 23rd! Click Here to add the #BigGive2021 to your calendar. This event is one day only, so make sure to get your gift in on time. You can make gifts online through our Big Give profile page.
Want your contribution to go further? Consider donating during one of the following “match minutes,” where gifts up to $100 are matched dollar for dollar:
- 9:15a, 12:15p, 3:15p, 6:15p, and 11:15p
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Haven for Hope is Hiring!
Our partner, Haven for Hope, is looking for compassionate Client Experience Navigators to work as contractors across all program areas.
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Explore San Antonio with
Novel Excursion!
Novel Excursion is a family-owned organization seeking to make a difference by inspiring purposeful and mindful family travel. Novel Excursion has a 5-day excursion planned December 13th-17th to explore San Antonio and its rich cultural tapestry. Explore! San Antonio is offered at a fraction of the cost of similar events, and all trip details are purposefully oriented toward building a community of caring and selfless humans. Novel Excursion has pledged 10% of its profits from this trip to SARAH, so please share this unique opportunity with your friends and family. But hurry, space is limited to the first 14 registrants!
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SARAH Office Closed on Labor Day
SARAH will be closed on Monday, September 6th, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. However, the City's Homeless Connections Hotline will still operate at normal hours if you or someone you know needs help.
Mon-Fri, 8a to 4:30p - 210.207.1799
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WELCOME NEW SARAH TEAM MEMBER! |
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Welcome Amanda Hernandez!
Amanda Hernandez joined SARAH as our incoming Director of Research & Evaluation. She was born and raised in San Antonio, attending Holmes High School, San Antonio College, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is graduating from Baylor in 2021 with her doctorate in Sociology. Her research focuses on issues surrounding equity, race, and gender. Before SARAH, Amanda was with Springtide Research, helping organizations ask questions and collect data to better serve their communities.
Amanda is excited to be on the SARAH team and apply her research and analysis skills to help stakeholders make informed, data-driven decisions around homelessness and housing in San Antonio/Bexar County.
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Every Wednesday | 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Prevention Subcommittee (NOT held on CE Advisory Committee days)
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SEPTEMBER 8 | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Coordinated Entry Advisory Committee
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SEPTEMBER 9 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Point-in-Time Count Committee
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SEPTEMBER 9 | 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Outreach Case Conferencing
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SEPTEMBER 14 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Veteran Homelessness Workgroup
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SEPTEMBER 15 | 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Community Collaboration Bi-Weekly Call
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SEPTEMBER 15 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Housing Identification Meeting - Housing Surge
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SEPTEMBER 23 | 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
The Big Give 2021!
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SEPTEMBER 23 | 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Outreach Case Conferencing
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SEPTEMBER 28 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Veteran Homelessness Workgroup
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SEPTEMBER 29 | 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Community Collaboration Bi-Weekly Call
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SEPTEMBER 29 | 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
HMIS Advisory Committee
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SEPTEMBER 29 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Housing Identification Meeting-Housing Surge
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SEPTEMBER 30 | 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
CoC Membership Council Meeting
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