Annual Report 2016-17

HOMELESS AND HOUSING PROGRAMS Renter Education prepared 97 households for stable housing.

NRCA nearly doubled the number of clients attending Renter Education workshops from 50 households in the program year 2015-2016 to 97 in 2016-2017. Considerable attention was provided to NRCA Emergency Assistance (EA) Program utility clients in Giles, Floyd, and Radford accessing Renter Education workshops as a condition of EA participation. Additionally, Homeless and Housing Programs staff focused on NRCA To Our House thermal shelter clients, encouraging the homeless men to attend morning sessions after staying at the shelter to assist them with permanent housing placement.

PREVENTION AND RAPID REHOUSING Prevention and Rapid Rehousing programs provided $212,070 in financial assistance to 94 households. NRCA uses a new curriculum developed by the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Renter Education workshops. Topics include credit, housing search, application process, understanding lease agreements, security deposits, rights and responsibilities of the tenant and landlord, maintenance and repairs, and terminating a lease including the eviction process. The new curriculum also includes a discussion on fair housing and utility energy savings tips. NRCA’s Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing programs assisted 94 households (259 individuals) either at-risk of homelessness or homeless. The funding helped those families with rent and utility deposits, rent arrears, housing application fees, moving costs, and temporary rental and utility support to help households obtain or maintain stable and safe housing.

HOUSING COUNSELING HUD-Certified Housing Counselors assisted 82 households. NRCA provided Housing Counseling to 82 households (198 individuals) during 2016-2017. Housing Counseling included rental rights and responsibilities, homelessness assistance, post-purchase guidance, foreclosure prevention, and financial literacy. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: In early November 2016, NRCA’s Homeless and Housing Programs assisted a local single mother “Susan,” and her three children in danger of becoming homeless. By mid-November, the NRCA Homeless Prevention Housing Counselor successfully found an affordable trailer for Susan and her children, and they moved in two days

EZ ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐ ŽƵŶƐĞůŽƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ Ăƚ ϮϬϭϲ sŝƌŐŝŶŝĂ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ͛Ɛ ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐ ŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ͗ ;ůĞŌ ƚŽ ƌŝŐŚƚͿ͗ ^ĂƌĂŚ 'ƌĂLJ͕ >ŝƐĂ zŽƐƚ͕ DĞůŝƐƐĂ WŽŝŶĚĞdžƚĞƌ͕ 'ůĞŶĚĂ sĞƐƚ͕ EZ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ͕ >ĞƌŽLJ ZŽďŝŶƐŽŶ͕ 'ĂďĞ DĂƌƟŶ͕ Donna Thompson and James Dye

after the inspection. NRCA assisted with the deposit, and first month’s rent to secure a place the family could call their own. In December, Susan happily reported that she had already saved enough money for the next month’s rent. She was thankful to NRCA for providing the help and support to her family.

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