SHV Technical Assistance & Monitoring Plan

Overview

Purpose: DOH monitors each Project Partner for timely and effective utilization of government resources, compliance with program policies and procedures, adherences to best practices in supportive housing, and, if applicable, otherwise fulfilling all obligations under their Tenancy Support Services (TSS) grant agreement and/or DOH voucher administration contract.

Monitoring Plan: DOH will use the following monitoring procedures, including both ongoing and formal monitoring as described below. DOH shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to change its monitoring procedures and requirements at any time. DOH shall monitor Project performance in a manner that does not unduly interfere with the Project Partner’s implementation of the Project.

Ongoing Monitoring

Ongoing monitoring is an ongoing process through which DOH staff and Project Partner maintains ongoing communication around the Project Partner’s projects and activities, documentation, expenses (if applicable), and other project-related efforts. Addressing questions, feedback, and/or potential concerns continuously can prevent future compliance issues, mitigate future inefficiencies, and improve performance and processes.

Ongoing monitoring occurs as project-related issues and/or questions arise, as well as when project-related activities occur (e.g., SHV referral submission; pay request submission, if applicable). Additionally, DOH staff may schedule regular meetings with Project Partners to provide ongoing monitoring and project-related technical assistance.

DOH staff works with Project Partners to determine a meeting frequency that is appropriate for the Project depending on age of the program, experience of the Project Partners, and program performance.

Formal Monitoring

Formal monitoring involves scheduled formal monitoring sessions through which DOH staff meet and/or communicate with Project Partners on predetermined topics such as file quality control.

DOH conducts all formal monitoring based on perceived risk. Those risks include, but are not limited to:

• Not having been monitored at least once per quarter;
• Consistent staff turnover, organizational restructuring, or other changes in the project
• Evidence from pay requests that the agency is not obligating or spending funds in a timely manner (if applicable);
• Being a new recipient of funds or beginning a new DOH-funded activity;
• Evidence based on complaints or visual inspection that the Project Partner is not providing housing that conforms with the requirements or is not performing the funded activities in an appropriate manner

SHV Referral/Application Monitoring: Each SHV referral/application is submitted to and reviewed by the DOH SHV Program Manager or the approved Voucher Administrator (depending on the Project) for approval or denial of participation in the SHV program (i.e., voucher issuance). The DOH SHV Program Manager will use a risk-based approach to assess at their discretion (and with the concurrence of the Director of the Office of Homeless Initiatives) the frequency with which additional remote monitoring of applicant files is required. Those agencies with higher requirements for technical assistance, and those agencies whose initially reviewed applicant files contained significant errors, will be rated higher-risk, and warrant more frequent monitoring. Those with no or fewer errors in the initially reviewed files will receive less frequent monitoring.

Housing File Quality Control (Voucher Administrators Only): DOH Voucher Administrators are responsible for setting up and maintaining a file for each SHV applicant. Five percent of all files are randomly audited at least annually by the DOH SHV Program Manager, in collaboration with the Office of Rental Assistance (ORA), to verify that correct verification, procedures, and income calculations are followed.

Unless otherwise specified, the SHV program will follow the same file audit procedures as the Housing Choice Voucher program. File audits ensure:

• All required documents have been completed and signed
• Leases meet requirements of CFR 578.51
• Rent Reasonableness comparisons have been conducted at initial lease up and with each rent increase per CFR 578.51
• Total tenant payments meet requirements of CFR 587.77
• Services assessments are conducted at least annually
• All required HMIS data entry forms have been completed and entered into the HMIS system.