DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fresno
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and Authorize the Chairman to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Fresno for Encampment Resolution Funding Program Round 5, effective upon execution, through June 30, 2029, with no monetary consideration.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, which will enable the Office of Housing and Homelessness (OHH) to partner with the City of Fresno (City), through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to apply for and administer the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Encampment Resolution Funding Program (ERF-5) funding. Although the ERF-5 service area is in District 1, this item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended action, the City would be required to restructure the ERF-5 application for funding, excluding the County’s partnering service commitments, risking forfeiture of approximately $10,600,000 in ERF-5 funds intended to assist persons experiencing homelessness residing in encampments with obtaining permanent housing.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action which will enable OHH to partner with the City to apply for and administer ERF-5 funding. If the recommended action is approved, the City will submit an application for ERF-5 funding, where the County will receive approximately $2,122,840.Upon award, all agreements for funding received or administered by the County will be brought to your Board for approval as appropriate.
DISCUSSION:
The ERF program is designed to address the safety and wellness of people within encampments, resolve critical encampment concerns, and transition individuals into interim shelter with clear pathways to permanent housing or directly into permanent housing, using data-informed, non-punitive, low-barrier, person-centered, Housing First, and coordinated approaches.
On March 27, 2026, HCD released a Notice of Funding Availability to notify California cities, counties, and Continuums of Care of the availability of $93 million in EFR-5 funds to address homeless encampments, authorized by Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 50250) of Part 1 of Division 31 of the California Health and Safety Code.
Although there is no option to jointly apply for ERF-5 grant funding, the City will apply for the grant, which will highlight the joint efforts and collaboration between the County and the City to address encampments in the proposed encampment zone. The proposed zone, spanning both the City and County boundaries includes the areas around West Belmont Avenue, Highway 99, the 99/180 interchanges, Highway 180, and North Brawley Avenue. Proposed services include assessments, intensive case management, connection to services, peer support, landlord engagement, placement into emergency shelter and permanent housing, and housing retention.
The application includes a budget of $10,624,829 with an additional $690,028 of County leveraged resources to support the project. The application award would cover the costs for program administration and direct services costs for the City, County, and contracted vendor(s). Resources leveraged by the County include CalAIM housing deposits, assessment for benefits programs administered by the Department of Social Services, rental assistance through CalAIM Transitional Rent and/or Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) Housing Interventions, and specialty mental health services and housing supportive services through the Department of Behavioral Health. The City will provide an additional $6,218,214 in leveraged resources to support the project, including development of permanent housing, interim housing services, and operational oversight.
The recommended MOU identifies each party’s roles and responsibilities in the administration of the ERF-5 including both direct services and leveraged resources as noted above.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - ERF-5 MOU with the City of Fresno
CAO ANALYST:
Dylan McCully