Glossary

The following includes a list of definitions and acronyms often used when referring to housing for people with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.

• Affordable Housing.  Affordable Housing is generally defined as housing where the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of his or her adjusted gross income for housing costs, including utilities.

• CHIPP.  The Community Hospital Integration Projects Program (CHIPP) is a state initiative designed to promote the discharge of persons from state mental hospitals who have a long-term history of hospitalization or otherwise complex service needs and who have been unable to be supported successfully in the community. The program develops the community resources and programs needed for each person placed by CHIPP.

• Community-based nonprofit organization.  A private nonprofit organization that is organized under State or local laws, provides no part of net income to anyone and has a long-term record of service in providing or financing quality affordable housing for low-income families through relationships with public entities.

• Housing Choice Voucher Program – Formerly called Section 8. These rental subsidies are available through the Public Housing Authority. Some communities have a “preference” for people with disabilities which enables people with disabilities, including those with mental illness to receive priority for obtaining Housing Choice Vouchers.

• Low-Income.  A household whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by HUD, with adjustments for smaller or larger families. HUD may establish income ceilings higher or lower than 80 percent of the median on the basis of HUD’s findings that such variations are necessary because of prevailing levels of construction costs or fair market rents, or unusually high or low family incomes.

• McKinney Vento Continuum of Care. Funding from HUD for housing and services for the homeless.

• NOFA.  Notice of Funding Availability, published in the Federal Register to announce available funds and application requirements.

• Olmstead.  A Supreme Court decision in July 1999 that clearly challenges federal, state, and local governments to develop more opportunities for individuals with disabilities through more accessible systems of cost-effective community-based services.

• Permanent Supportive Housing. A permanent supportive housing unit is available to, and intended for a person or family whose head of household is experiencing mental illness, other chronic health conditions including substance use issues, and/or multiple barriers to employment and housing stability; and my also be homeless or at risk of homelessness.  The tenant pays no more than 30%-50% of household income towards rent, and ideally no more than 30%.  The housing is associated with a flexible array of comprehensive services, including medical and wellness, mental health, substance use management and recovery, vocational and employment, money management, coordinated support (case management), life skills, household establishment, and tenant advocacy; however use of services or programs is not a condition of ongoing tenancy.  The tenant has a lease or similar form of occupancy agreement and there are not limits on a person’s length of tenancy as long as they abide by the conditions of the lease or agreement.  There is a working partnership that includes ongoing communication between supportive services providers, property owners or managers, and/or housing subsidy programs.

• Public Housing Agency (PHA). A local organization that uses federal funds to build and manage affordable housing for low and very low-income people.

• Recovery.  According to the President’s New Freedom Commission definition, Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite a disability. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual’s recovery.

• Safe Haven.  A form of supportive housing that serves hard to reach homeless persons who have severe mental illness, provides 24-hour residence for an unspecified duration, provides private or semi-private accommodations and has overnight occupancy limited to 25 persons.

• Section 8 Homeownership Program.  Allows low-income families who qualify for Housing Choice Vouchers/Section 8 rental assistance to use their vouchers to assist with mortgage payments.

• Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Program. The SRO program provides rental assistance to homeless individuals in connection with the moderate rehabilitation of SRO dwellings. Resources to fund the cost of rehabilitating the dwellings must be from other sources. However, the rental assistance covers operating expenses of the SRO housing, including debt service for rehabilitation financing, provided that the monthly rental assistance or unit does not exceed the moderate rehabilitation fair market rent for an SRO unit as established by HUD.

• Section 811. A program to enable persons with disabilities to live with dignity and independence within their communities by expanding the supply of housing. Section 811 provides rental assistance and the non-profit sponsor must provide supportive services which address the individual health, mental health and other needs of the residents.

• Shelter Plus Care (S+C) Program. Provides grants for rental assistance for homeless persons with disabilities through four component programs: Tenant, Sponsor, Project, and Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Rental Assistance.

• Single Room Occupancy (SRO). Housing that is a single room, sometimes with private bath and cooking facilities.

• Supportive Housing. Housing, including housing units and group quarters, that has a supportive environment and includes a planned service component.

• Supportive Housing Program (SHP). The HUD Supportive Housing Program promotes the development of supportive housing and supportive services, including innovative approaches that assist homeless persons in the transition from homelessness and enable them to live as independently as possible. SHP funds may be used to provide transitional housing, permanent, supportive housing, innovative supportive housing, supportive services, or safe havens for homeless persons with disabilities.

• Supportive Services. Services provided to residents of supportive housing for the purpose of facilitating their independence. Examples include case management, medical or psychological counseling and supervision, child care, transportation, and job training.

• Tenant-Based (Rental) Assistance. Assistance to low- and very low income families for obtaining decent, safe, and sanitary housing in private rental accommodations by making up the difference between what they can afford and the approved rent for an adequate housing unit.

• Very Low-Income. Family whose “annual income” does not exceed 50 percent of the median income for the area (adjusted for family size).