DATE: June 22, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement No. 18-338 with WestCare California, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment I to Agreement No. 18-338 with WestCare California, Inc., for housing match coordination services, effective June 22, 2021, extending the term by one year from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 and increasing the maximum by $188,353 to a total of $683,053.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, which will allow the Department of Social Services to utilize one-time Emergency Solutions Grants -Coronavirus (ESG-CV) funds to extend and augment WestCare California Inc. (WestCare) housing match coordination services for the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) Coordinated Entry System (CES). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended action, the County’s homeless services programs would be underserved, as the CES would lack the necessary staff to match homeless individuals with housing program vacancies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum amount of the agreement ($683,053) will be offset with ESG and CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) funding ($494,700) and ESG-CV funding ($188,353). Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2021-22 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On June 12, 2018, your Board approved Agreement No. 18-388 with WestCare for housing match coordination services for the homeless through the community’s CES. The recommended agreement with WestCare provides essential services that facilitate CES, a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirement for all continuums of care. WestCare serves as the primary contact for CES utilized by FMCoC homeless services providers. Through this system, homeless individuals are matched to available housing programs that meet their individual needs, assigned a navigator, and ultimately, assisted with permanent housing.
With the increase in funding to address homelessness from the State and Federal government, the number of people served through CES has expanded. Additionally, with the onset of the Coronavirus, hundreds of additional homeless individuals were referred to the CES for services. The Department is working with FMCoC leadership to evaluate the needs of the CES to include continued funding, expansion, and centralization.
On December 1, 2020, the County entered into an agreement with HUD to accept ESG-CV funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assistance and homeless prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus.
Approval of the recommended action will extend the WestCare agreement, to provide housing match coordination services to the community for an additional year while the FMCoC develops a long-term plan for housing match coordination and other CES functions. It will also add an additional Housing Matcher for the period of July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 to assist with the influx of households being assisted through the CES, resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #3, April 28, 2020
BAI #57, June 12, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Agreement No. 18-338 with WestCare
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa