San Francisco’s Department of Social Services writes to the national Department of Health and Human Services to request that THC’s MPP program be expanded to SSI recipients, who at the time are excluded from the program unless they secure a representative or co-payee.
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City and County of San Francisco
Department of Social Services
Julia I. Lopez
General Manager
Rose Lou Randolph
Assistant General Manager
John R. Vera
Assistant General Manager
Refer to:
June 26, 1989
Ms. Susan Zagame
Deputy General Counsel
Department of Health and Human Services
Room 707F
2001 Independence Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Ms. Zagame:
I am writing in regard to San Francisco’s “modified payment program” which currently provides stable housing to formerly homeless General Assistance (GA) recipients. As we discussed by telephone this morning, we would like to expand the modified payment program to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients.
The program operates as follows:
- The county Department of Social Services (DSS) contracts with a local non-profit organization, the Tenderloin Housing Clinic (THC).
- THC negotiates below-market rental rates in single-room occupancy hotels for program participants.
- THC and DSS provide information to homeless GA recipients on the modified payment program.
- DSS sends the GA checks of those who enroll in the program to THC. These are two-party checks, made out to both THC and the client.
- Twice a month when their checks arrive, the participants go to THC. Both the client and THC endorse the check. THC pays the rent directly to the hotel utilizing a portion of the program participant’s check, and writes the participant a check for the remaining balance of the GA grant.
When I was in Washington, D.C. during the Winter, we discussed the merits of the program. It is extremely effective in providing stable housing to participants who otherwise would be homeless. Once these homeless people are in stable housing, they can begin to take the necessary steps to improve their employment status, and if necessary, their mental or physical health.
We would very much like SSI recipients to participate in the program. As you know, many SSI recipients are homeless, because they have problems with money management that cause them to fail to pay their rent, or because they cannot find suitable housing at an affordable price. THC could negotiate below-market rents for this population, and ensure that the rent is paid each month.
I am enclosing a letter from the office of the Regional Commissioner in San Francisco which indicates that he knows of no provision that would allow SSI recipients to participate in the modified payment program (see page 2 of the letter). There is, for example, no provision for a “co-payee”, except when the court appoints co-guardians or co-conservators.
Although some SSI clients who need a representative payee could participate in the modified payment program, there are many SSI recipients who are not required to have a payee who could benefit greatly from participation. We do not want to establish a program that would require an increased number of SSI recipients to have a representative payee because, as you know, good payees are in short supply. If an SSI recipient ever left the modified payment program, they would be required to find another payee, but would be unlikely to find a good one.
This letter is to request you to investigate whether or not the Department of Health and Human Services can allow us to implement the modified payment program for SSI recipients.
Thank you very much for your help with this matter. I look forward to speaking with you soon. Please do not hesitate to call me at (415) 557-5604 if you would like to discuss this further.
Regards,
Carla I. Javits
Executive Assistant
CC:
Donald N. Mings
Julia I. Lopez
Rose Randolph
Liz Strand
Dorothy Enisman
Bob Prentice
Randy Shaw
