Ukraine Resources HAU

Housing Assistance for Ukrainians

Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB)

Program Information  |  Eligibility Information  |  Applicants & HAU Recipients |  Providers and Administrators  |  Resources
 

Introduction

The Housing Assistance for Ukrainians (HAU) program was created to support the transition of recent Ukrainian arrivals and non-Ukrainian individuals displaced from Ukraine to long-term housing in California.  HAU is an employment program supportive service that provides direct housing and utility assistance and housing support services to eligible households through partnerships with eight refugee-impacted county leads, and one non-profit lead administrator for all non-refugee-impacted counties. For information on the policies authorizing this assistance, refer to Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Policy Letters (PLs) 16-07 and 22-13 found in this listing of PLs.  If you are seeking to apply for HAU, please scroll down this page for more instructions, and reference the Ukrainians in California, Helpful Links document for a list of HAU providers based on your location.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB) has compiled this webpage to provide details about the HAU program and identify additional resources to support vulnerable Ukrainian households who seek alternate avenues of assistance
 

General Program Information

The CDSS RPB developed HAU to serve Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHPs) and other eligible individuals paroled into the United States between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.  UHPs who came to the United States independently, as well as parolees processed under the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services program, Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), may be served under the HAU program.

The RPB supports safe, equitable, and affordable housing options for newcomer populations.  At present, excessive rent burdens – with ultimate consequences such as financial hardship, eviction, and even homelessness – are a daily reality for millions of households across the state, including refugee arrivals.  Subsidies may be dispensed for a maximum of six months, up to 50 percent of the monthly rental cost for the applicant.  Applicants may also receive light-touch case management for housing support as an additional service within the program.

The program was originally scheduled to end on September 30, 2024, however the program end date has been extended through September 30, 2025.  No new applications are to be accepted after September 30, 2025.

Although no new applications can be accepted after this updated end date of September 30, 2025, payments and services may continue for eligible applicants who apply for the HAU program on or before September 30, 2025.   For these applicants who are accepted prior to the September 30, 2025 end date, services may continue until December 31, 2025, unless applicants reach the maximum 6 months of assistance as it described in Refugee Coordinator Letter (RCL) 23-03, or until funds are fully expended (whichever comes sooner).
 

Eligibility Information

Eligible populations include Ukrainians who came to the United States independently as well as those processed under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) Program.  According to ORR PLs 22-13 and 22-15, found in this listing, categories of ORR-eligible Ukrainian populations and other non-Ukrainian individuals displaced from Ukraine are either:

  1. Citizens or nationals of Ukraine paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, known as Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees (UHPs).
  2. Non-Ukrainian individuals who last habitually resided in Ukraine, who are paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023, known as Non-Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees.
  3. A spouse or child of someone above, who is paroled into the U.S. after September 30, 2023.
  4. A parent, legal guardian, or primary caregiver of an unaccompanied refugee minor or an unaccompanied child described above, who is paroled into the United States after September 30, 2023.

Information for Applicants and HAU Recipients

Applicants to the HAU program should be aware of some helpful tips when applying:

  • If eligible for HAU, you will get financial assistance up to half of your rent, and utilities too, if funding is available.  The limit for your household is capped at $10,000 over the entire program.  Your household may receive HAU program benefits for up to six months.
  • HAU is now tied to employment services.  This means you may be required to participate in certain activities to help you get a job, or to prepare you to get a job.  If you are unable to participate in these activities, you will need to obtain a valid exemption by speaking to your HAU caseworker or service provider.
  • Only one person from your household can apply and receive the funds on behalf of the household.  Please do not make multiple applications.  If multiple families are living at the same residence and sharing the cost of rent, only one employable eligible adult individual in the household is required to participate in employment services.  The housing assistance may be applied to the rental costs of the entire household.
  • You, and all members of your household, should have your names written into the lease.  Also, you cannot be living with your financial supporters.  HAU is for households that are having trouble keeping up with rent at their own apartments.
  • Sometimes high rental costs or a lack of rental history may prevent you from signing onto a lease of your own.  This alone should not disqualify you from receiving HAU assistance if you are otherwise eligible for the program.  To rectify this, you may be able to provide a sworn statement (a signed affidavit) that confirms you are living full-time at the specified address, in place of a lease agreement in your name.  You can obtain this affidavit form from your HAU caseworker.
  • When applying, you will be asked for verification or documentation of financial need.  Be prepared to show documents like your lease agreement, utility bills, forms of identification, and any documents related to your immigration to the U.S.
  • You will be required to keep in close contact with your caseworker, and always remember to tell them your new phone number and address, if you change phones or locations while you are in the program.
  • Expect to pay at least half of your rent and utilities yourself.  The HAU program will only cover a maximum of half of your housing rental and utilities bills. 

 
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Special Notice for San Diego Residents Accessing

Applies to San Diego residents only: The HAU program is run by two organizations in San Diego and depending on the structure of your family, you will apply for HAU at one organization or the other.

  • If you are single or married and have children under the age of 18, you will apply for HAU with the San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency’s contractor, International Rescue Committee San Diego.
  • If you are single or married but have no children under the age of 18, you will contact Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego (CCDSD) for assistance applying for HAU.

Information for Providers and Administrators

 Funding for HAU is provided by the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) Refugee Support Services (RSS) Ukrainian Supplemental federal awards funded by the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (AUSAA), and administered by the state through the CDSS Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB).  The program will be available until funds are fully expended or September 30, 2024, whichever comes sooner.  For additional information, grantees are encouraged to reference their copies of the HAU Operations Guide and RCLs 23-03, 23-04, and 23-04E.
Basic requirements must be followed regarding the use of HAU funding:

  • Ukrainian households receiving HAU who are otherwise eligible for the ORR Matching Grant (MG) program cannot be enrolled in the MG program at the same time as HAU.  MG program beneficiaries do not qualify for HAU.
  • The receipt of HAU assistance will not affect an applicant’s eligibility to qualify for any public assistance that provides crucial employability and support services.
  • Use of HAU funds must support the likelihood of an applicant’s employment and self-sufficiency opportunities.
  • HAU assistance will not replace other available funding that could be used for the same purposes (i.e., other housing subsidy support or programs).
  • HAU assistance will be dispensed according to the general guidance for application approvals and not exceed a limit of six months of subsidy up to 50 percent of the monthly rental cost for the applicant.
  • To secure a housing unit, the initial deposit may be paid in full, however assistance applied towards the initial deposit is counted against the $10,000 lifetime program rental and utilities assistance cap.
  • Ukrainians applying to HAU shall not be residing with their financial supporters at the time of application.  The HAU program is intended for vulnerable households who may no longer be residing or have lost/will be losing housing support from their financial supporter.
  • For various reasons (affordability, lack of credit history or documentation), potential HAU recipients may be unable to secure a formal lease agreement.  In some instances, applicants might be a resident on the lease of a non-HAU program participant within a shared rental unit.  While such situations are not ideal, lack of a lease in the applicant’s name would not disqualify an otherwise-eligible applicant from HAU assistance.  However, applicants will need to provide a signed affidavit or a sworn statement that attests to their residence at the specified dwelling unit, in place of a formal lease agreement.  The counties may use their own affidavit forms or develop one for this purpose.

Many eligibility staff and case managers may want additional details beyond the HAU requirements above.  Due to the predicted high demand for assistance, HAU program administrators may consider many factors in determining which households may need to be prioritized.  Some attributes for ensuring assistance is given equitably are listed below, and also described in RCL 23-03 in greater detail:

  1. Current immigration status
  2. Receipt of critical documents (e.g., Social Security Card, Employment Authorization).  These documents, however, are not a requirement for eligibility determination.
  3. Family size: number of adults able to work, number of adults unable to work, minor children
  4. Ability to access other needed services (transportation, childcare, etc.) to secure employment and other public benefits.
  5. Disabling condition: a physical or mental condition that permanently impacts one or more life functions.
  6. Medical conditions: conditions that require medical intervention to prevent further disability, loss of function, or death.
  7. English/literacy proficiency
  8. Social Support System

 
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Resources for HAU Applicants and Recipients

 While the RPB has tried to make HAU a wide-reaching program for Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian parolees, unfortunately sometimes households are considered ineligible for the program.  One reason may be previous completion of six months of the HAU program, since there are no extensions on cases and repeat assistance is not allowed.  The RPB is still committed to assisting you with finding other types of financial and housing assistance.  The list provided below is a partial list of statewide resources, and many more housing assistance programs might exist in your county or city.  We suggest using these links below as a place to start searching.

Information Resources
  • The RPB is working with an organization called Solvera Consulting to get information to Ukrainian community members.  Sometimes, Solvera hosts online meetings (Ukrainian Support Convenings) on Zoom with useful information about housing, benefits, eligibility, and other programs that can give you resources.  To attend these online meetings, which happen on specific Mondays in 2024, you will need to register.  Please register here.  Solvera Consulting also maintains information to assist UHPs and Ukrainian community members.  Please refer to the Ukrainians in California, Helpful Links document and the UHP Provider Map for information about services, benefits, and organizations in your area.

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General Assistance
  • County Welfare Departments (CWDs) distribute general cash assistance through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) programs, as well as other statewide benefits, including CalFresh (also known as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)) and the Medi-Cal insurance program.  A contact list for all 58 counties is posted on the CDSS website.  Please visit: County Social Service Agencies
  • Certain California counties where large populations of refugees reside are designated as ‘refugee impacted’.  These eight refugee-impacted counties offer additional employment and social services to refugees.  Refugee programs and services in these counties are run by County Refugee Coordinators (CRCs).  Contact the CRC for your county to determine what services are available in your community.  A list of current California CRCs is available here: California County Refugee Coordinators
  • Local Resettlement Agencies (LRAs) help refugees and other ORR-eligible populations with various financial, employment, and social supports.  Many case management programs are only available to newly arrived refugees in the first 90 days after arrival, but certain employment, career development, support group, and financial planning services are available with fewer eligibility restrictions.  You can find a list of Resettlement Agencies by county here: Resettlement Agency Listings for California
Housing-Specific Assistance
  • The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Housing and Homelessness Division (HHD) is responsible for creation and management of statewide housing programs funded by the CDSS.  You can find more information at Housing and Homelessness Programs.  Some examples of housing programs under the purview of CDSS HHD include:
    • CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP), which assists families enrolled in the CalWORKs program who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness with finding permanent housing, and can provide temporary shelter, help with moving costs, short to medium-term rental subsidies, and case management.  You can find more information at CalWORKs Housing Support Program.
    • CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA), a program assisting CalWORKs families, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, with meeting the costs of securing housing.  This can include paying for up to 16 consecutive days of temporary shelter and assistance with other housing-related expenses, such as a security deposit and last month’s rent.  You can find more information at CalWORKs Homeless Assistance.
    • The Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) helps individuals experiencing homelessness who are likely eligible for disability benefits to access and apply for disability benefit programs, while also providing housing support.  You can find more information at Housing and Disability Advocacy Program.

If you have any questions, you may contact the Statewide HAU Administrator, Catholic Charities Dioceses of San Diego, at HAU@ccdsd.org or the Refugee Programs Bureau, Training and Technical Assistance Unit team at HAU@dss.ca.gov.  County administrators in Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus may be reached via their respective County Refugee Coordinator office using this directory.

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