Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP)
The Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP), also commonly known as Rapid Re-Housing for Families (RRH-F), is a time-limited housing and support program designed to assist families experiencing homelessness to afford dignified and safe housing in the private market. Rental assistance and support services are provided for 12 to 18 months based on the needs of the household.​
FRSP has the following characteristics:
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The program, through the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL), will pay the first month’s rent and a security deposit.
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Program participants select their own housing unit and sign their own lease.
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Housing must meet the fair rent standards as determined by DCHA and pass a DCHA provided Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection by a licensed HQS inspector.
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Households receive supportive services as part of their participation in the program. Supportive services, including case management, are designed to support program participants in their transition to housing stability.
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Program participants pay a portion (30 to 60 percent) of their income towards rent while in the program. The subsidy (the difference between the client portion and the actual rent) is paid to the housing partner by GWUL.
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Housing providers may enroll in the District’s Rental Partnership Initiative (RPI), which ensures that housing providers receive 100 percent of the rent each month in a single check from GWUL. As a part of this initiative, program participants pay their portion of the rent to GWUL rather than the housing partner.
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​More about the Rental Partnership Initiative: RPI is a partnership between DHS, GWUL and our FRSP housing partners. With this initiative, clients pay their rental portion to GWUL, and GWUL will make a full rental payment to housing provider on the 1st of each month. This ensures that the landlord receives a single payment with the full rent each month, rather than the previous breakdown of receiving a subsidy portion from GWUL and the remainder from the tenant.
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Housing providers may also participate in the Landlord Partnership Fund (LPF). The Fund mitigates exposure to adverse rental costs, such as excess unit damage and unpaid rent. To learn more about and to apply for the Fund,
please visit www.cnhed.org.
Inspection and Leasing Process
Unit Identification
Potential tenant seeks and selects a unit with assistance from program provider. Unit must be in line with DC fair market rent standards.
Lease Up
Once a unit has passed inspection, the lease up is scheduled.
For more specific program information, please contact us at newleaseonlife@dc.gov. For a complete list of agencies and service providers, please visit Resources.
What happens to FRSP tenants at the end of a 12-month lease?
Our primary goal is to support program participants to maintain permanent housing without rental assistance from DHS and to avoid evictions. With that in mind, DHS will make a determination no later than seven months into the family’s lease about whether a subsidy will be continued.
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If a household cannot sustain themselves without the subsidy, the program puts in place a plan to initiate a voluntary move out from the property. Housing partners may be eligible for reimbursement of unit damage and unpaid rent through the Landlord Partnership Fund.
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The program may determine that a different level of care is needed and that the household requires a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) or Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) voucher. In that case the tenants would be converted to the new program and could either stay in the unit or move to another unit.
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The program may find that after 12 months the tenant’s support system has changed and they may move in with a relative or friend. At this point, it is possible that the FRSP subsidy will be extended for a specific period of time.
For More Information or Support
Contact us
For more information about A New Lease on Life and its programs fill out the contact form or email us at newleaseonlife@dc.gov.
Program resources
For a complete list of agencies and service providers, please visit Resources.
Questions?
If you have questions or concerns about case manager assignments or payment matters, please email rapidrehousing@dc.gov.