NYS Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI)

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Status: Available

Tenant Eligibility Criteria

The eligible target populations to be served under this program are families or individuals who are both homeless (see below for definition) and who are identified as having an unmet housing need as determined by the CoC or local planning entity or through other supplemental local, state and federal data, AND have one or more disabling conditions or other life challenges, including: 

Serious mental illness (SMI);

• Substance use disorder (SUD);
• Persons living with HIV or AIDS; 
• Victims/Survivors of domestic violence; 
• Military service with disabilities (including veterans with other than honorable discharge);
• Chronic homelessness as defined by HUD (including families, and individuals experiencing street homelessness or long-term shelter stays);
• Youth/Young adults who left foster care within the prior five years and who were in foster care at or over age 16;
• Homeless young adults between 18 and 25 years old;
• Adults, youth or young adults reentering the community from incarceration or juvenile justice placement, particularly those with disabling conditions;
• Frail Elderly/Senior: Any person who is age 55 and older, who is enrolled in Medicaid, and requires assistance with one or more activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. Eligible persons are referred from a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), or identified as homeless by a Health Home, hospital, Managed Care Organization (MCO), medical respite, Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC), Performing Provider System (PPS), or shelter; and 
• Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD)

Homeless definition 

In order to be considered homeless for the purposes of this RFP, an individual must meet one of the following criteria:

Acceptable living situations at time of referral include unsheltered homeless; sheltered homeless; prison; institutions (State Psychiatric Center or Developmental Center); hospital or skilled nursing facilities; medical respite; and OPWDD-eligible individuals who have been determined to meet the level of emergency need through the Certified Residential Opportunities review process.

Eligible Applicants

This funding opportunity is only open to nonprofit organizations with experience in providing housing services to individuals, families and/or youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Amount

Up to $25,000 in services and operating funding is available annually for each qualifying individual. The State anticipates providing an inflationary adjustment in subsequent years, subject to available appropriations.

Network Notes

This is Round 8 of ESSHI, the state's committment to create 20,000 units of supportive housing units.

Priority Populations: chronically homeless persons, families, individuals, and/or young adults that have mental health and/or substance use disorders, and victims of domestic violence. Applications where greater than 50% of the ESSHI units are dedicated to these populations will be eligible to receive more points than those that do not.

Time Frame for Securing Capital Financing: It is expected that applicants secure capital funding for the housing project for which they are requesting service and operating funding through this RFP within 24 months from the date of the conditional ESSHI award. However, the ESSHI Inter-agency Working Group also has the option to provide extensions beyond 12 months. The ESSHI awards are conditional until 100% of capital is secured

Section 8 Limitations: Outside New York City, housing developers with a commitment of an ESSHI award cannot access Project-Based Section 8. In New York City, Section 8 can be used, but ESSHI grants are expected to be reduced to pay for services only if Section 8 is used.

Living Situations at Time of Referral: Acceptable living situations at time of referral include unsheltered homeless; sheltered homeless; prison; institutions (State Psychiatric Center or Developmental Center); hospital or nursing home; medical respite; and OPWDD-eligible individuals who have been determined to meet the level of emergency need through the Certified Residential Opportunities review process.

Projects Involving Capital Funding from New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD): Applicants that intend to apply to HPD for capital financing following receipt of a conditional ESSHI award must clearly specify the intended referral source in the ESSHI application. Prior to obtaining a committed ESSHI award, conditional awardees utilizing capital funding from HPD may be required to obtain written confirmation (e.g., soft commitment letter) from each agency administering the capital funding source applicable to the project that acknowledges and specifies the referral source(s) for the project.

Additional Notes

ESSHI funded projects will be prioritized for capital funding through HCR’s SHOP program and OTDA’s HHAP capital program.

Applications where greater than 50% of the ESSHI units are dedicated to chronically homeless persons, families, individuals and/or young adults that have mental health and/or substance use disorders, and victims/survivors of domestic violence will be eligible to receive more points.

Important Dates

RFP Release Date: 10/10/2023 
Webinar: 10/18/2023
Questions Due: 10/30/2023 by 2 p.m.  
Questions Posted on Website: 11/14/2023 (Tentative)  
Proposals Due: 12/05/2023 by 2 p.m.  
Conditional Award Notifications: 2/1/2024  
Contract Start Date: TBD  

Last updated: 10/12/2023

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