As of April 1, 2024, DBHDD made a change to its referral pathway for the Georgia Housing Voucher Program (GHVP) in which eligible individuals must first receive assistance with an application to the Housing Choice Voucher Program through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
Preferential HCV Access for Settlement Population Individuals
Individuals referred through the DBHDD supportive housing process are confirmed as belonging to the ADA settlement population and are granted preferential access to the Housing Choice Voucher program administered by DCA. This preference applies to 149 of 159 counties where DCA administers the HCV program.
NTP serves as Proof of Settlement Population
DCA is now accepting the Notice to Proceed issued by DBHDD as evidence that an individual has been verified as belonging to the settlement population. DCA has mutual access to the list of NTPs issued to individuals in the community in case they need to validate records.
New NTP Process
As of May 1, 2024, DBHDD began to issue new types of Notices to Proceed to reflect this new process.
NTPs now have 4 statuses to distinguish between the different decisions.
- Status 1 – Proceed with Federal Resources
- Status 2 – Pending GHVP Approval (added to Planning List)
- Status 3 – Approved to Proceed with GHVP
- Status 4 - Approved for Transition from GHVP
Status 1 NTPs - "Proceed with Federal Resources"
New supportive housing referrals that meet settlement population and are eligible for federal resources will receive a Status 1 NTP. This means the individual can and should now proceed with an application for the Housing Choice Voucher or to HUD 811 place-based vouchers, both through DCA. The referring provider is responsible for helping to complete this HCV application for the individual once settlement population is confirmed.
Those ineligible for federal resources, such as individuals identified as being on the Sex Offender Registry, will receive Status 2, explained below.
The guidance and resources for completing an HCV application can be found elsewhere on the helpdesk.
Referral to the Housing Support Program no longer occurs immediately with a Status 1 NTP, as there is not yet an approved housing resource. The referral to the Housing Support Program now takes place once someone has accepted their approved HCV voucher.
Status 2 NTPs - "Pending GHVP Approval" (added to planning list)
Status 2 NTPs are put on a waitlist for GHVP and will be released from the waitlist and granted a Status 3 (explained below) as capacity allows. Individuals are added to and released from the planning list in the order that they are referred.
The referring provider must continue to support the individual in finding shelter that can best fit their needs and goals.
When an individual is released from the waitlist, the referring provider will be notified and must try to make contact with the individual so that the process can proceed. If contact cannot be made after multiple documented attempts at locating the individual, the voucher will be offered to the next individual waiting.
Status 3 NTPs - "Proceed with GHVP"
Status 3 NTPs reflect approval to proceed with the standard GHVP process and begin the housing search. A referral to the Housing Support Program will be made simultaneously with the issuance of a Status 3 NTP.
DBHDD may issue Status 3 NTPs as determined by capacity or pre-existing commitments.
Status 4 NTPs - "Approved to Transition from GHVP"
Status 4 NTPs are exclusively for Housing Support Program teams to request permission to transfer an individual from GHVP to a federal resource, so that they have documentation of the individual belonging to the settlement population for DCA's records and this helps DBHDD remain aware that providers are starting the process. These requests are made via the Request Form on this help center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who completes the HCV applications following Status 1 NTP approval?
As a reminder, the HSP referral will only occur upon approval for a voucher. It remains the responsibility of the community provider referring the individual for housing to complete the applications for the federal resources.
How will I receive the NTP as a provider?
The NTP, once completed by the review team, will be automatically emailed to the referring case manager that submitted the referral, with guidance about their status. The emails include a PDF version of the NTP information attached which will need to be included with the application to DCA resources, if applicable.