The Targeting Program
Permanent Supportive Housing
Expanding Access to Permanent Supportive Housing Options for Adults with Disabilities.
Purpose of the Program
North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) designed the Targeting Program. The Program helps adults with disabilities and who are the heads of households that face multiple barriers to independent living. The Targeting Program assists these individuals by providing access to affordable housing and helping to maintain affordable housing.
In 2002, NCHFA and NCDHHS formed a partnership to increase access to Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developments. As a result of the partnership, Targeted Units are integrated in newly constructed or rehabilitated Low Income Housing Tax Credits rental properties across the State. These properties are required to dedicate 10% of their housing units to people with disabilities who are referred by their participating service agency (Referral Agency) through the Targeting Program. A component of the Targeting Program is Key Rental Assistance which provides rental assistance (subsidy) to make the Targeted Units truly affordable to people with extremely low incomes (50% of area median income or less).
The program aims to connect eligible people to housing that is:
- Affordable
- Decent
- Permanent
- Integrated
- Accessible
- Independent
Accessing Targeted Units
Adults with disabilities who are the heads of their households , and who are receiving supportive services to live independently, must be referred to the Targeting Program by a participating service agency. Human Service agencies become Targeting Program participating service agencies by making a formal commitment to participate in the program and work with their clients to determine eligibility for permanent supportive housing.
Because the Targeting Program is for adults with any disability , many kinds of participating service agencies can make referrals, including but not limited to, behavioral health care agencies, county social service departments and regional offices of divisions within NCDHHS.
Participating service agencies review vacant Targeted Unit options with their clients who choose where they would like to live. North Carolina’s Division of Aging’s Targeting Program staff maintains waitlists for each development with Targeted Units. Property managers notify the Division of Aging staff when Targeted Units become available and work with participating service agencies to help waitlisted households apply for available units.
Property managers screen referred households for Targeted Units using the same methods they would use for other people seeking housing at the property.
Targeted Unit tenants have the same leases and tenant rights and responsibilities as their neighbors. Targeting Program staff provide fair housing assistance and guidance to service providers for people who are experiencing housing barriers. This assistance can be provided at the time of housing application or during tenancy.
Eligibility
Applicants must be 18 years or older with a disability, receive a disability source of income, be connected to a participating service agency, receive supportive services and have income below 50% Area Median Income (AMI.) To qualify for the Targeting Program an applicant must have a disability as defined:
An individual age 18 and older is considered "disabled" if he or she has:
a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which:
results in the inability to do any substantial gainful activity; and
can be expected to result in death; or
has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
Helping Tenants Maintain Housing
The Targeting Program leverages property management knowledge of risks and the participating service agency commitment to provide ongoing access to supportive services to tenants they have referred. Should Targeted Unit tenants experience difficulties that may jeopardize their housing, property managers have a single, local human service partner – called a Housing Stabilization Coordinator in the Division of Aging’s Targeting Program – who helps facilitate intervention with the tenant’s participating service agency.
For More Information
For more information about the Targeting Program, information about accessing the program, or information about becoming an approved referral agency, please contact: SVC.NCHousingQA@dhhs.nc.gov.