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Nassau County
Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing (HPRP)
Guidelines

This program has been designed to address homelessness in the community by proactively working with families with children who are most at risk of becoming homeless.  The goal of the program is to help people obtain long term sustainable housing.  Three key elements of the program are Prevention, Diversion, and Rapid Re-housing.  Funds available in this program are intended to enhance existing assistance, and shift the focus from providing shelter to preventing homelessness and quickly re-housing those who do become homeless.

Prevention: Entails providing the necessary resources and support to prevent people from becoming homeless. Those at risk of homelessness are identified and assessed. Appropriate preventive measures such as financial assistance, case management, and housing stabilization are taken.

Diversion: The intent is to prevent homelessness for those who are applying for shelter. Diversion techniques include, but are not limited to: helping people return to housing they have just left; using financial incentives or mediation to allow moving in with friends or relatives; location of other housing if no other alternatives exist.

Rapid Re-housing: The targeted population for rapid re-housing services includes those people who are already homeless. People who become homeless are rapidly re-housed using any combination of financial assistance, case management, housing location and stabilization services.

The Nassau County Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) offers financial assistance and case management services.

Eligible Financial Assistance includes:

  • Rental Assistance
  • Rent arrears (up to 6 months)
  • Security/utility deposits (up to 6 months arrears)
  • Moving Costs
  • Storage (up to 3 months)
  • Motel/hotel vouchers (no more than 30 days)

Financial assistance will be considered either short or medium term in nature. Short term financial assistance lasts approximately 3 months.  Medium term assistance lasts anywhere from 4 to 18 months maximum.  Recertification is done every 3 months to verify continued need for assistance.

All financial assistance provided is payable directly to third party vendors.  No cash assistance will be given to program participants.

Eligible Services:

  • Housing search and placement
  • Housing service plans
  • Case management and housing stabilization

Ineligible Activities/Services Include:


  • Double-dipping with other Recovery Act Programs
  • Medical
  • Construction or rehabilitation
  • Clothing
  • Mortgage costs
  • Home furnishings
  • Credit card bills
  • Entertainment
  • Car repair or transportation
  • Pet Care
  • Childcare
  • Education related materials
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Certification, licenses, or general training

An at-risk of homelessness person is someone that has been identified as in imminent danger of losing their present housing situation and without HPRP assistance would otherwise be homeless. A person is considered at-risk of homelessness when one of the situations described is occurring:

  • the household has received an eviction notice within 2 weeks from a private dwelling;
  • an individual has been discharged within 2 weeks from an institution for which the person has been a resident for more than 180 days (prisons, mental health institutions,hospitals);
  • a household’s current residency in housing that has been condemned;
  • there has been sudden and significant loss of income for the household;
  • there has been sudden and significant increase in utility costs for the household;
  • the head of household experiences mental health and substance abuse;
  • the family or individual has physical disabilities and other chronic health concerns;
  • the household has a severe housing cost burden (greater than 50% of income for housing costs);
  • person(s) have been homeless in the last 12 months;
  • the family has been involved with child welfare, including foster care;
  • foreclosure proceedings are pending on the household’s rental housing;
  • the household may be considered extremely low income (less than 30% of Area Median Income);
  • the household is in an extreme overcrowded situation (the number of persons exceeds health and/or safety standards for the units’ size);
  • the individual or family members present with histories of institutional care (prison, treatment facility, hospital);
  • the household has a recent traumatic life event (death of a spouse or primary care giver, health crisis, or other incident that prevents the household from meeting financial responsibilities);
  • the household’s credit precludes them from obtaining housing; and/or
  • a household has significant medical debt.

A homeless person must be at or below 50 percent of Area Median Income and meet one of the following criteria:

  • sleeping in an emergency shelter;
  • sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, abandoned buildings, streets/sidewalks;
  • graduation from, or timing out of a transitional housing program; and/or
  • victims of domestic violence;
  • staying in a hospital or other institution for up to 180 days but was sleeping in an emergency or other place not meant for human habitation (cars, parks, streets, etc.) immediately prior to entry into the hospital or institution.

Eligible Recipients: Include

  • Families with children who have incomes at or below 50% of the area medium income. The area median income for Nassau County as of May 14th, 2010 is $103,600 (for a family of 4).
  • Income Limits 50% or below of Nassau County Area Median Income (AMI) of $103,600


(Effective Date 5/14/2010)

Household Size

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

$ 36,300

$ 41,450

$ 46,650

$ 51,800

$ 55,950

$ 60,100

$ 64,250

$ 68,400

  • Those who have no appropriate housing options identified.
  • Those who lack sufficient resources and support networks to maintain existing housing after the 18 month period of assistance ends.
  • Future affordability is a key component of eligibility for HPRP funds. Chronically homeless may not be eligible for these funds.
  • Client must be financially independent (able to maintain) their residence within the 18 month time frame allowed by the program.
  • Must be United States Citizens or grantees of asylum

Documentation accepted to determine eligibility for services

  • Birth certificate
  • Social Security card
  • Driver’s license, permit or NYS Non-Driver’s Identification card (Photo ID), Passport
  • Bank Statements
  • W-2’s
  • Verification of household income

.pdf File Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program

HOMELESS SERVICES HELPLINE

(FOR APPLICANTS)

(516) 572-2711

HOUSING SERVICES HELPLINE

(FOR LANDLORD)
(516) 572-1995