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A Message from
Interim MSHDA Executive Director Keith Molin
 It is my pleasure to have an opportunity to speak to all of you who are working so hard to end homelessness in Michigan. You should know that I am one of you now that I am back in Michigan and serving as the Interim Executive Director of MSHDA. It is my intention to join you in the trenches whenever I can and pledge my support on behalf of the Authority.
It was my privilege to meet many of you at the Affordable Housing Conference and I was more than favorably impressed with the stories you shared. Together, we will continue to fight the good fight. The dedicated staff in the Supportive Housing and Homeless Initiatives division looks forward to continuing the strong partnership you have all worked so hard to develop during the last few years.
Please know that I am here to help, and if you are ever so inclined, my door is always open. I am always looking for good ideas as well as solutions to problems that may arise and will look to all of you for your counsel and support.
At MSHDA we'll provide you with the tools and resources you need and together we can meet one of our most important goals - providing for people with special needs and those experiencing homelessness.
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Special Funding Initiative Announced - Application Deadline - June 16
Instant Access to Housing - Perfect for Daytime or Nighttime Shelters
Studies show that extended stays in homeless shelters can be unnecessary for individuals and families to exit homelessness. In fact, long stays can perpetuate institutional dependency and the trauma of homelessness itself. Permanent housing provides a stability that lines up with job retention, school enrollment, sobriety, and reduced reoccurrences of domestic violence and improved use of money management skills. In addition, the cost of providing shelter beds or motel night stays is more costly than paying for a rental unit.
With this in mind, the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) are committed to support those communities who are implementing their 10-Year Plans to End Homelessness and have identified the need for embracing a Housing First approach. For Fiscal Year 2008-09 MSHDA has allocated state resources to support an Instant Access to Housing Initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to assist daytime or nighttime shelters in changing policies, procedures and protocols to embrace Housing First practices.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
This initiative will be made available to
nonprofit agencies operating a daytime or nighttime shelter only;
applications from transitional housing facilities will not be
accepted. Funding may only be used to serve persons who are homeless
in accord with HUD McKinney-Vento Act definitions for the Emergency
Shelter Grant Program. Eligible applicants include:
· Public
and private non-profit agencies operating a daytime or nighttime
shelter with at least one (1) year of experience specifically targeted
to homeless persons.
· Applicants are not required to be active
in a Continuum of Care (CoC) Planning Body; however, applicants must
coordinate this grant through the CoC Body, i.e., attend meetings,
provide updates, and link their potential tenants with community
services.
Faith-based non-profit organizations are eligible to
apply but must comply with rules and restrictions regarding primarily
religious institutions established in HUD's governing regulations.
For more information on Instant Access to Housing and an application click here.
For a NOFA Q&A list, click here.
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"I Am So Proud of Her!"
 You can see the pride in Ann Dean's eyes as she speaks about Neoki, a recipient of a HARP voucher in the Muskegon area. "Now that I have gotten to know Neoki and understand her story, I have great respect for what she has done for herself," said Dean.
"There is a real sense of pride and appreciation for the benefits that the HARP program has offered. She is a wonderful young lady that has learned some tough lessons on her journey out of homelessness. I am doubly proud to know that Neoki received recognition at the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing awards ceremony."
Neoki was honored by the Corporation for Supportive Housing with the Julie Sandorf Award - given each year to a worthy resident of a supportive housing development.
Go to Success Stories to read Neoki's story.
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Benchmark Report Presented at Conference
 The Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness recently provided an exclusive "first-look" at its 2007 Benchmark Report. The Benchmark Report - a document detailing the state of homelessness in Michigan and the collaborative efforts currently underway across the state with regard to Michigan's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness - was released to advocates at the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing in April.
This exclusive release was aimed at providing a first glance at the new report, as well as generating enthusiasm for its official launch. Intended to segue into Homelessness Awareness Week and the 2008 Homelessness Summit, the official launch of the Benchmark Report will incorporate a focus on strategic partners, including media champions and advocates. This launch is scheduled to take place in late summer 2008. The report will be available to the public at that time.
The Benchmark Report is a follow-up to the Baseline Data Report released in June 2006. It contains the first full-year count of data from the Statewide Homeless Management Information System (MSHMIS). The report reveals important milestones, including data saturation and improved accuracy of information. In addition, newly added components like outcome data and comparisons of rural vs. urban homeless populations provide an all-encompassing perspective of the strides Michigan has made (and continues to make) to effectively end homelessness in our state. Finally, the report addresses Michigan's continued efforts aimed at building a foundation for long-term housing solutions for the homeless.
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Make Time to Chat
 The National Alliance to End Homelessness and KnowledgePlex, Inc. will be hosting two expert chats on the Housing First Initiative. KnowledgePlex expert chats are free to attend and use Microsoft's Live Meeting Software, a small and free program you must first install.
The first chat, Helping Chronically Homeless Individuals Access and Stabilize in Housing, will take place on Thursday, May 15th at 2:00 p.m. It will focus on moving the chronically homeless with mental illness into stable apartments and offering services to make progress toward recovery and self sufficiency - highlighting successes of the Housing First Initiative in communities across the Country.
The second expert chat, Rapidly Re-housing Families Who Experience Homelessness, will take place Thursday, May 22nd at 2:00 p.m. This second chat will focus on the rapid re-housing of families experiencing homelessness through short and long term rental assistance, housing search and placement assistance and home-based case management.
To join the first chat, click on the link below:
https://www.livemeeting.com
Or to listen via phone, dial 641-715-3828 and use this access code: 8360630#
Information to join the second chat is not available yet, but more information on both chats can be found on the KnowledgePlex Web site. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/xchat.html
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