What Is Rapid Rehousing?
Rapid Rehousing is a short-term subsidy program that assists individuals experiencing homelessness find affordable permanent housing. It is specifically designed for individuals experiencing homelessness for the past 1 year or have had several periods of homelessness within the last 3 years move into a house quickly.
It's a short-term subsidy to make sure the government assists you (12 months) while you're trying to get housing.
It helps you get
into housing quickly, but it is not permanent housing.
Steps in the Program:
- Complete
a Coordinated Entry assessment (VI-SPDAT).
- Get
matched if eligible and if space is available.
- Case
management: Meet with a case manager to review income and goals. Connect to
employment services, medical care, or recovery programs
- Find
your own apartment that meets program guidelines.
- Receive
temporary move-in and rent assistance.
- Work on
income, stability, and long-term housing plans.
- Exit the
program when assistance ends.
Important Notes:
- Rapid
Rehousing is time limited.
- Participants
must locate their own rental unit.
- After
assistance ends, rent becomes the participant’s responsibility.
- If the
unit becomes unaffordable, participants must find another place.
- You can
save up enough so that you can eventually pay it yourself.
What is provided?
- Up to 12 months of
subsidy based on need, including:
- Move-in
assistance, including first month’s rent, utility assistance, bedding and
household essential.
- Assistance
with utilities
- Case management services that will partner with you to address your identified goals
What is expected of clients?
- Connect
with your assigned case manager to discuss your service plan and goals
- Actively
participate in your housing search
- Create
and participate in your goal plan that will lead to housing stability
- Pay 30%
of your monthly gross income towards housing payments
- Provide
income verification
- Pay your
portion of rent and utilities on time
Why should you participate?
You will receive
assistance with the following:
Locating affordable housing
- Move-in costs, including:
o
First
month’s rent and security deposit
o
Bedding
and household essentials
o
Identifying
and accessing employment services
o
Connecting
to other community resources
o
Budgeting
for long-term financial support
o
Support
to assist you in meeting your identified goals
Summary
Rapid Rehousing
helps you get into your own place faster, but it’s not long-term and it’s
not free. You’ll get help with move-in fees and rent for a short time
while you work on income. You pick the apartment, and once the assistance ends,
you take over the rent yourself. If you can’t afford the unit later, you may
need to move to a cheaper place. The first step is completing the VI-SPDAT
so you can be considered for a match. It is gradually scaled
down: essentially, they might pay 100% or 70% and it gradually goes down until
you are able to pay it yourself- or downsize to what you can afford
Rapid Rehousing: Questions and Answers
Q: Why did Rapid Rehousing stop
paying for my apartment?
A: Because Rapid
Rehousing is a short-term program. It only pays rent for a limited time,
usually a few months to a year. It never pays permanently.
Q: Did I do something wrong?
A: No. The program
ends for everyone. It’s designed to be temporary, not long-term support.
Q: Is Rapid Rehousing permanent
housing?
A: No. Rapid
Rehousing helps you get into housing quickly, but it is not permanent housing
and not meant to cover rent forever.
Q: Why doesn’t Rapid Rehousing pay
longer?
A: The funding comes
from government grants that have strict time limits. When the funding ends, the
rental assistance ends for all participants.
Q: What am I expected to do while
I’m in the program?
A: Work on
increasing income, budgeting for rent, staying in communication with your case
manager, and planning for when assistance ends.
Q: What happens when the program
ends?
A: You become
responsible for the full rent. If the rent becomes too high, you may need to
look for a cheaper unit or apply for other programs.
Q: Does everyone in Rapid Rehousing
have to find their own apartment?
A: Yes. Participants
choose their own unit, and the program helps temporarily with payments.
Q: Can I stay in the apartment
after Rapid Rehousing stops paying?
A: Yes, as long as
you can afford the rent on your own.
Q: Is Rapid Rehousing free housing?
A: No. It’s
temporary rental assistance. You still need income to take over the rent once
support ends.
Q: What if I believed the program
would pay forever?
A: Many people
misunderstand the program at first. The truth is that no Rapid Rehousing
program pays permanently. It’s only meant to help you stabilize short-term.
