Individuals assisted through the Tooele County Housing Authority S+C Program must meet the chronically homeless definition as defined at 24 CFR 578.3. 

Chronically homeless means: 

(1) A “homeless individual with a disability,” as defined in section 401(9) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360(9)), who: 

(i) Lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter; and 

(ii) Has been homeless and living as described in paragraph (1)(i) of this definition continuously for at least 12 months or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years, as long as the combined occasions equal at least 12 months and each break in homelessness separating the occasions included at least 7 consecutive nights of not living as described in paragraph (1)(i). Stays in institutional care facilities for fewer than 90 days will not constitute as a break in homelessness, but rather such stays are included in the 12-month total, as long as the individual was living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or an emergency shelter immediately before entering the institutional care facility; 

(2) An individual who has been residing in an institutional care facility, including a jail, substance abuse or mental health treatment facility, hospital, or other similar facility, for fewer than 90 days and met all of the criteria in paragraph (1) of this definition, before entering that facility; or 

(3) A family with an adult head of household (or if there is no adult in the family, a minor head of household) who meets all of the criteria in paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition, including a family whose composition has fluctuated while the head of household has been homeless. 

Tooele County Housing Authority participates in a Coordinated Entry (CE) process facilitated by the Tooele County Local Homeless Coordinating Committee.  In order to be considered for a S+C voucher, individuals and families experiencing homelessness may access the CE program through two access points in the LHC:  Pathways (P.O. Box 766, Tooele UT 84074; crisis line: 435-231-3557) and Switchpoint Tooele (Harris Emergency Shelter, 251 N First Street building C, Tooele UT 84074; 435-228-5151).  Community partners may refer potential service recipients to these organizations for CE intake services. These community partners include but are not limited to: Tooele County Housing Authority, Department of Workforce Services, DCFS, Utah Community Action, Skull Valley Band of Federated Tribe of Goshute, Tooele County Dispatch, Mountain West Medical Center, LDS Transient Bishop Team, Tooele County Sheriff, Grantsville Police, Tooele City Police, Stockton City Police, East Wendover Police, Tooele School district, Adult Probation and Parole, Tooele County Health Department.  

When a person connects with an access point, an assessor will explain available services and resources, collect the required Informed Consent Release Forms, and conduct a CE prioritization assessment.  The results of this assessment are intended to prioritize the most vulnerable individuals and families for available and appropriate resources, including any available S+C vouchers.  

The complete Coordinated Entry TOOELE COUNTY LHC Balance of State Coordinated Entry Policy and Procedure—Local Addendum can be found here. 

When an available S+C voucher is offered to an individual, Tooele County Housing Authority (TCHA) will provide an initial briefing to educate participants on the S+C policies and procedures. Once the voucher is accepted, the participant and the case manager will work together to identify a unit to rent. 

TCHA will inspect a unit that a S+C participant wishes to occupy and which the landlord has agreed to rent to the participant, to ensure that the unit meets Housing Quality Standards (HQS) prior to occupancy.  

Upon lease up as a S+C participant, TCHA will calculate the tenant total payment of the rent, incorporating utility allowances in accordance with HUD regulations. 

Units assisted with a S+C voucher must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) prior to prior to occupancy and annually thereafter. Interim HQS inspections will be performed upon request to ensure HQS compliance.  

TCHA may negotiate with a prospective landlord to ensure that contract rent meets HUD’s rent reasonableness standards.  

In addition to rent and case management, the TCHA S+C program can also provide security deposits, (not to exceed the amount of one month of rent).  The landlord may also receive up to one month’s rent for damages upon tenant move out.   

If a participant has zero income, a hardship exception may be granted to the minimum rent requirement, so that the tenant will be responsible for any portion of the rent.    

TCHA does not currently pay last month’s rent upfront on behalf of S+C participants.  

Complete policies for TCHA S+C program can be found here.