OPUS/HMIS Users' Frequently Asked Questions

• Determining the rent amount for transitional and permanent housing transactions
• Eligibility requirements for the ARRA funded programs 
• Entrance Assessments
• Farm Worker Definitions
• Household Type
• Zip code

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Determining the rent amount for transitional and permanent housing transactions

• Q. How do I determine the rent amount (subsidy) for our facility?
• A.   If an agency is cutting a check for rent to a landlord then the value to enter for the dollar amount is clear.  If the housing assistance is provided through an agency owned facility, the “value” is approximate or estimated.   Agencies could know the exact value or they have come up with a calculation for other grants which they could use.  If an agency doesn’t know, we suggest that you use the FMR because that is the HUD determined fair value in this area.  If clients are required to pay a portion of the rent then that amount would be subtracted from the estimated value.  If you don't know the rent subsidy amount for the unit then use the Fair Market Rent for Lane County minus any rent that the participant is paying. (FMR - RENT from tenant = RENT SUBSIDY)
  
  

  Final FY 2010 FMRs By Unit Bedrooms for Lane County, OR
  	Efficiency	One-Bedroom	Two-Bedroom	Three-Bedroom	Four-Bedroom
  FY 2010 FMR	$499	$605	$766	$1,072	$1,193

Eligibility Requirements for the New ARRA programs

• Q. What do FPL, OMI, and AMI mean?
• A. Click here for the nitty gritty on FPL and OMI/AMI .

Entrance Assessments

• Q. Does every client who is enrolled in a program in OPUS/HMIS get an assessment?
• A. No. Only Continuum of Care programs are required to use the assessment. And assessments are required for all people people enrolled in a Continuum of Care program. If you are using a program on the following list, then your clients all need entrance assessments. Download the entrance assessment instructions .

List of Continuum of Care programs (APCs)

• CCS-HSG SCHOLAR-LAN-HOUSING SCHOLARSHIP COC
• CCS-LATINO HOUSING-LAN-LATINO HSNG
• CCS-OPENDOORS-LAN-OPENDOORS
• CCS-YPP/SHP-LAN-YOUTH/YOUNG PARENTS COC
• LG-SAFEHOMES-LAN-SAFE HOMES FOR YOUTH COC
• LG-YPP/SHP-LAN-YOUTH/YOUNG PARENTS COC
• MHI-HOMESPACE-LAN-HOMESPACE COC
• SC-FHP ES FAMILIES-LAN-FHP ES FAMILIES COC
• SC-LC SHELTER+CARE-LAN-LC S+C 0809
• SC-OPENDOORS-LAN-OPENDOORS
• SC-ROYAL SAFEHAVEN-LAN-SAFEHAVEN
• SC-SHANKLE S.H.-LAN-SHANKLE SAFEHAVEN
• SVDP-CONNECTIONS-LAN-COC CONNECTIONS
• SVDP-LIFT-LAN-LIFT COC
• SVDP-VET LIFT III-LAN-VET LIFT III
• SVDP-VET LIFT-LAN-VET LIFT
• WB-CHA-LAN-CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
• WS-OPENDOORS-LAN-OPENDOORS

Farm Worker Definitions

• Q. What are the definitions to the Farm Worker questions in the OPUS Client Edit screen?

• A.Farm Work
  Farm work is defined as work in connection with cultivating the soil, raising or harvesting any agriculture commodity or aquaculture commodity. It is also work in connection with catching, netting, handling, planting, drying, packing, grading, storing, or preserving in its unmanufactured state any agriculture or aquaculture commodity. It is also delivering to storage, market, or a carrier for transportation to market or to processing any agricultural or aquacultural commodity. Farm work can be in the forestation or reforestation of lands, including but not limited to the planting, transplanting, tubing, precommercial thinning and thinning of trees and seedlings, the clearing, piling and disposal of brush and slash and other related activities.

Farmworker
A farmworker is defined as a person working in connection with cultivating the soil, raising or harvesting any agriculture or aquaculture commodity. A farmworker may also work in connection with catching, netting, handling, planting, drying, packing, grading, storing, or preserving in its unmanufactured state any agriculture or aquaculture commodity. A farmworker may deliver to storage, market, or a carrier for transportation to market or to processing any agricultural or aquacultural commodity. Also, a farmworker can work in the forestation or reforestation of lands, including but not limited to the planting, transplanting, tubing precommerical thinning and thinning of trees and seedlings, the clearing, piling and disposal of brush and slash and other related activities.

There are three categories within the definition of farmworker. Each of these categories represents a distinct population who may have needs that are unique to their population.

Permanent Farmworker
A permanent farmworker is defined as a farmworker whose primary source of income comes from farm work and is compensated by a constant year round salary or wage.

Seasonal Farmworker
A seasonal farmworker is defined as a farmworker who was employed in farm work at least 25 days and earned at least $400 during a twelve month period and who has been primarily employed in farm work on a seasonal basis without a constant year round salary or wage.

Migrant Farmworker
A migrant farmworker is defined as a seasonal farmworker who performs farm work during the past twelve months which requires travel such that the worker is unable to return to his/her domicile (permanent place of residence) within the same day and who establish a temporary residence while performing farm work at one or more locations away from the place he/she calls home or home base. (this does not include day-haul farmworkers whose travels are limited to work areas within one day of their work locations.)

Definitions from OHCS @ http://www.oregon.gov/OHCS/PPR_FarmworkerInformationCenter.shtml

Household type

• Q. My client was already in OPUS but the household type is wrong. Do I correct this?
• A. Yes. Please update any client or household information as necessary.   Remember to click the "save changes” button when you update this field.
• • Married = married no children
  • Extended family   = more relatives than just parents and their children such as aunts, grandparents, grandchildren
  • Single = one person in this household
  • 2-Parent = 2 parents and their child or children. (see single parent male/female for more info)
  • Co-habitants = an unmarried couple or roommates
  • Single Parent Male = a dad and his child or children. (If the dad’s girlfriend is living in the household and is not the parent of the children, then this is still a single parent male household.)
  • Single Parent Female = a mom and her child or children. (If the mom’s girlfriend is living in the household and is not the parent of the children, then this is still a single parent female household.)

Zip code

• Q. When I get a family that is coming here from out-of-state I don't know how to enter an accurate zip code in OPUS. I only see a drop-down menu of Oregon cities and zip codes.  For example, I have a family that is originally from Eugene, they moved to Arizona, didn't like it there and moved back where they are currently staying with a family member (although they need to leave soon).  Can you give me feedback about how to handle this?
• A. In the client edit screen you will be putting the current mailing address and current residence if there is one.  Only in the program enrollment screen do you enter “LAST ZIP CODE” which is the last zip of the residence where they lived at and were not homeless. If they are currently not homeless (prior to your services) then put the current zip.