HUD Programs

What programs are offered through ABC?

Tenant Based Rental Assistance Programs for homeless individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness who are currently enrolled in the Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Maricopa County, Mercy Care.
Housing Advocate – provides assistance for Participants having difficulty securing a unit.
Section 8 Mainstream Program for persons with disabilities managed by HOM.

What is the definition of homelessness?

*HUD Definition of Homelessness

In general, a person is considered homeless if, without HUD assistance, he or she would have to spend the night in a homeless shelter or in a place not meant for human habitation.

More specifically, an individual is considered homeless if he or she is:

Sleeping in an emergency shelter (including hotel/motel paid for by a service agency).
Sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned or condemned buildings.
Living in a transitional housing program for homeless persons such as Ozanam Manor, RIAZ Restart, Lifewell TLP, etc. (Staying in halfway houses, drug rehab facilities or living with family or friends does not meet the HUD homeless definition.)
In an institution for a period of up to 90 days, having stayed on the streets or in an emergency shelter immediately prior to entry.

Chronic Homelessness

A person is considered to be chronically homeless if he or she:

Meets all criteria of HUD’s definition of homelessness, and
Has continuously met the homeless definition for 1 year or more, or has had four or more episodes of homelessness in the past three years which equal 1 full year (detailed documentation including dates of the episodes must be included for the applicant to be considered chronically homeless) and
The person in the household experiencing said homelessness has diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002)), post traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting from a brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability, including the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions.

Persons living in transitional housing programs are not considered chronically homeless. To qualify for chronic homeless status, the applicant must be on the streets or in an emergency shelter.

How do I apply to ABC’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program?

ABC works with the Maricopa County Coordinated Entry Systems (CES). If you are determined eligible for ABC housing through the below listed CES coordinators, staff will contact you or your case management team to gather any required documents and set up a briefing date.

For single adults
- Brian Garcia Welcome Center
  206 S. 12th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85007
  Walk in hours: Mon-Fri 7:30-11 AM, 12:30-5 PM
  602-229-5155
- UMOM Diane and Bruce Halle Women’s Center
  Call for shelter and services: 602-362-5833
  Females only
- East Valley Men’s Center
  Call for shelter and services: 480-610-6722
  Males Only
- East Valley Women’s Shelter
  Call for shelter and services: (480) 969-1691
  Females Only
- VA-Community Resource Referral Center (CRRC)
  1500 E. Thomas Rd Phoenix, AZ 85014
  Walk in hours: Mon-Fri 730 AM-4:30 PM
  (602) 248-6040
  People with History of US Military Service/ Veterans
- Outreach teams (Connect individuals living on the streets to services):
  Tempe HOPE Outreach: 480-858-7993– Tempe
  Community Bridges Inc. PATH Outreach team: 1(844) 691-5948—Maricopa County
For families with dependent minor children
- FAMILY HOUSING HUB
  602-595-8700
  fhhub.org
  3307 East Van Buren Street, Phoenix
- East Valley:
  - Pat Gilbert Center
    635 East Broadway Road
    Mesa AZ 85204
    Tuesday’s Only 8:00am-4:00pm
  - Save the Family Foundation
    125 East University Drive
    Mesa AZ 85201
    Wednesday’s Only 8:00am-12:00pm
- West Valley:
  - Pendergast Community Center/Family Resource Center
    10550 West Mariposa Street
    Phoenix AZ 85037
    Thursday’s Only 8:00am-4:00pm

A completed assessment will be required to put your name on the appropriate waiting list for housing.

What documents are needed before attending a Housing Briefing?

Once you are scheduled for a housing briefing, to ensure there is no delay in processing, all participants must bring their identification card, social security card and, if they have income, their proof of income (pay stubs, award letter, etc.).

For those who’ve been requested to apply directly to ABC, an ABC Application Packet will be provided to your Case Manager. The packet includes:

ABC Application – must be completed with applicant information, signed and dated by both the applicant and their Case Manager,
“Certification of Disability” signed by a doctor or nurse at the clinic to which the applicant is assigned,
Letter of “verification of homelessness”*

* The “verification of homelessness” letter must be submitted by the Case Manager on clinic letterhead, signed and dated, explaining how the Case Manager knows the applicant is homeless (i.e. Case Manager has witnessed the client on a certain intersection or area of town, the applicant brings all their belongings to the clinic with them, etc.). In the case that the applicant is in an Emergency Shelter or Transitional Housing Program (for persons originally homeless from the streets or emergency shelter), a letter from the Shelter/Transitional Housing Program verifying the applicant’s residency is accepted. This information should be obtained through first party outreach by the Case Manager. Please include as much detail as possible. For applicants who meet the chronically homeless* definition, dates of respective episodes should be included as well.

Where are the Housing Briefings held?

ABC contracts with the Housing Provider below for the homeless housing programs:

HOM
5326 E. Washington St., Suite 5
Phoenix, AZ 85034
(602) 265-4640

* Please do not have potential participants contact the housing provider unless they are already scheduled for a housing briefing.

What are some common Briefing mistakes?

Housing briefings are never held at the ABC office, they are held at the Housing Provider locations above. The exact location and time of the housing briefing will be on the briefing notice sent to the Case Manager by ABC.

Participants will not be briefed if they are late to the housing briefing, if they do not have a Case Manager or someone from their clinical team with them, or if they were not previously scheduled to attend that briefing date.

What if the applicant misses a Housing Briefing?

If you are aware, prior to the scheduled housing briefing time, that the participant cannot attend, please contact ABC’s Housing Occupancy Coordinator to reschedule.
If the participant missed the scheduled housing briefing, please contact ABC’s Housing Occupancy Coordinator ASAP to reschedule and be prepared to provide reasons why the appointment was missed.
If the participant misses three scheduled housing briefings, the participant may be removed from the waiting list and their application may be terminated. ABC will only make exceptions if it is a medical emergency.

What to do if a participant is evicted or vacates their unit?

The Case Manager must notify the Housing Provider if they have knowledge of a housing participant vacating or abandoning an unit while in ABC’s Homeless Housing Program, if the participant is evicted from their unit, or if the participant is closed out of the RBHA.
The participant may be required to attend a staffing (meeting with Case Manager & Housing Provider) and/or complete a Rehousing Agreement or Individual Housing Plan (IHP) prior to re-entry, depending on the circumstances under which the unit was vacated/abandoned/evicted.

How much would a housing participant be required to pay toward rent?

Housing participants will pay approximately 30% of their adjusted monthly income. Calculations of the tenant monthly rental portion will be discussed individually at the housing briefing.

Once housed, tenant monthly rental payments must be made directly to the Landlord, using a money order or cashiers check.

How do I get a referral to an ABC Housing Advocate?

In certain circumstances, the ABC Housing Advocates may be able to assist a current program Participant locate and secure a unit. The referral for ABC Housing Advocate services must come from the assigned Housing Specialist at HOM.

What is the Informal Review/Grievance/Appeal Process?

If a participant feels they have been terminated from the ABC Housing Program in error, they have the right to request an informal hearing from ABC within ten (10) working days from the date of receipt of the Termination Notice they received from HOM.

The “Request for Informal Review/Grievance/Appeal” form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to ABC either in person, by fax 602-712-9222 or by mail to Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation, 501 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix AZ 85012.

ABC Hearing Officers do their very best to promptly schedule the hearing with the Case Manager, Participant as well as the Housing Specialist from HOM; all parties will be notified when the Appeal Hearing has been scheduled.