Item 11 - Agreement for Eviction Prevention Program with Families Forward, Inc.

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6 Prevention Program on day one of the grant term. Our staff is poised to work closely with that of the City of Santa Ana to further develop a project plan based on City specific needs and to provide regular progress reports and status updates throughout the grant term. Each resident is triaged, and an individualized action plan is created to ensure the greatest success for them. Families Forward’s goal is to have a client-centered approach grounded in Housing First and Trauma Informed Care, ultimately diverting families from shelter and literal homelessness; however, if resident need more intensive support, including rental assistance and case management, Families Forward will provide those services as well. The frequency and length of client services will be tailored to match individual needs and will be determined through a best-practice Progressive Engagement model. Based on need, our programs will provide vulnerable residents with financial, utility, and/or rental assistance, case management, conflict management assistance, and connection to mainstream services such as welfare agencies. In addition, a Family Navigator will provide housing search support, ensuring families that need a new housing option have access to the best solution for their particular needs. Families Forward provides each resident with a housing plan and specific action plan developed through a diversion assessment unique to a family’s circumstances and level of need. Typically, Families Forward makes payments directly to landlords, but we have experience and capacity to make direct payments to tenants if extenuating circumstances require that. Additionally, we can provide assistance to both clear existing debts and past due rent and can provide ongoing rent for clients that need it. Using a progressive engagement model we aim to offer up to 3 months of financial assistance, in a shallow subsidy model and up to 12 months of case management and supportive services. Usually if a client has incurred significant past due rent, they will also require some support to move past the immediate crisis and regain stability. We will take a broad approach to outreach for this program which will leverage our existing presence in Santa Ana, partnerships with many other agencies in Santa Ana and throughout the County, participation in the eviction prevention collaboratives and the Family Coordinated Entry System, social media, and traditional outreach methodologies such as community fairs. We will work closely with the City of Santa Ana to create a seamless referral process that will prioritize residents that seek support from the City and will build on our existing relationship with the Santa Ana Unified School District to do the same. We will communicate with our many nonprofit partners that they may also refer their clients to this program. If selected for this program, any Santa Ana residents that come to Families Forward through eviction prevention collaboratives, Coordinated Entry, or simply EXHIBIT 2