DATE: June 21, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Amendments to Homeless Services Agreements
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. 2 to Agreement with WestCare California, Inc., for housing match coordination services, effective July 1, 2022, extending the term by three-months from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022, with one optional three-month term and increasing the maximum by $76,284 to a total of $759,337;
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. 1 to Agreement with WestCare California, Inc., for rapid rehousing case management services extending the term by one year from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and increasing the maximum by $706,511 to a total of $3,383,909; and,
3. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. 2 to Agreement with Turning Point of Central California, Inc. for triage emergency shelter services, extending the term by nine months from November 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023 and increasing the maximum by $550,378 to a total of $3,449,538.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the Department of Social Services to add Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV) funding to extend and transition housing match coordination services for the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) Coordinated Entry System (CES), California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) and Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round One (HHAP-1) funds to extend rapid rehousing case management services (rapid rehousing) in Fresno and Madera counties, and HHAP Round Two (HHAP-2) and ESG-CV funding to extend triage emergency shelter services. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended actions, the County’s homeless service programs would be underserved, and the County would be at risk of having underspent ESG-CV funds recaptured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Non-approval would place the County out of compliance with the HHAP joint service plan submitted to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness as part of the HHAP-2 application and be at risk of forfeiting $639,705 in CESH funding. Finally, non-approval would place the County out of compliance with the HHAP joint service plan submitted to the State as part of the HHAP-2 application, and at risk of having underspent ESG-CV funds recaptured by HUD.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum amount of the agreement with WestCare California, Inc. (WestCare) for housing match coordination services ($759,337) will be fully offset with ESG, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Housing Support Program (HSP), and ESG-CV funding. The maximum amount of the agreement with WestCare for rapid rehousing services ($3,383,909) will be fully offset with CESH, HHAP-1, and Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding. The maximum amount of the amended term with Turning Point of Central California, Inc. (Turning Point) for triage ($3,449,538) will be fully offset with HEAP, HHAP-1, HHAP-2, and ESG-CV funding. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget and will be included in the FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget and subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On June 12, 2018, your Board approved Agreement No. 18-388 with WestCare for housing match coordination services for persons experiencing homelessness through the community’s CES.
On June 4, 2019, your Board approved Agreement No. 19-257 with Turning Point for triage emergency shelter and on July 9, 2019, your Board approved Agreement No. 19-336 with WestCare for rapid rehousing case management services. These services were part of the joint City, County, and FMCoC HEAP and CESH plans.
On May 11, 2021, your Board approved Amendment No. 19-257-1, which added HHAP-1 funds and extended triage emergency shelter services through October 31, 2022. The amendment expanded services through the addition of four staff members (two case managers and two access coordinators). The added staff helped to accommodate an influx of clients from the COVID-19 emergency shelters and quickly transition clients to safe exits from shelter.
In December 2020, and subsequently in July 2021, the County received two rounds of HUD ESG-CV to prevent, prepare for, and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Due to savings in some of the agreements awarded this funding, the County has time-limited funding which will serve to support the additional costs associated with these extensions, adding both time and value to existing services.
On June 22, 2021, your Board approved Amendment No. 18-388-1, which added HUD ESG-CV funds and extended housing match coordination services through June 30, 2022. The amendment added 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 COVID-19 public health emergency.
WestCare housing match services provide essential services to the CES for the entire community; a HUD requirement for all continuums of care. For the past seven years, WestCare has served as the primary contact for the CES utilized by FMCoC homeless services providers and employed both the Housing Matcher and Community Coordinator positions with funding from the Department. Through this system, individuals experiencing homelessness are assigned a navigator, matched to available housing programs, and ultimately, assisted with permanent housing. In FY 2021-22, WestCare matched 594 households to housing programs and managed the FMCoC by-name list of homeless individuals needing assistance 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. In 2021, the FMCoC recommended a CES Management Entity to oversee and staff to support the CES through its annual HUD Continuum of Care allocation. The Poverello House was awarded the agreement with HUD to serve as the Management Entity beginning in July 2022. Approval of recommended actions will extend the WestCare agreement, to assist in the transition while continuing to provide housing match coordination services to the community for an additional three-month term, with one optional three-month term, to ensure a smooth transition for both clients and service providers as the continuum continues to respond to the needs of households experiencing homelessness in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WestCare rapid rehousing provides project-based housing and case management services in Fresno at 2550 W. Clinton Avenue in Fresno through 24 units; two two-bedroom and 22 one-bedroom which can accommodate individuals and families. The project-based model allows WestCare to house clients directly into master-leased housing, ensuring a quick transition from homelessness to stable housing while receiving case management while transitioning to permanent housing. Additionally, WestCare subcontracts with Selma Community Outreach Ministries (Selma COM) to provide tenant-based rapid rehousing services in rural Fresno County including Selma and surrounding cities. From program implementation on July 9, 2019 through March 31, 2022, WestCare has assisted 47 households with rapid rehousing, of which 27 households exited to permanent housing. From program implementation through March 31, 2022, Selma COM has assisted 28 households with rapid rehousing, of which 25 individuals exited to permanent housing. Approval of recommended actions will allow project-based rapid rehousing to continue in metro Fresno for 30 households and tenant-based rapid rehousing to continue in rural Fresno County for 15 households through June 30, 2023. The recommended amendment includes a decrease in funding due to the evaluation of program costs, enabling the Department to repurpose the savings to fund additional rapid rehousing services in the community. Agreements or amendment for additional rapid rehousing will be brought before your Board for approval at a future date as appropriate.
The Turning Point triage center, The Welcome Center, is a 30-bed shelter that also serves as an FMCoC coordinated entry access site, serving all individuals who present, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and provides assessment, diversion, and referral to shelter as appropriate. The recommended amendment includes a conversion of part-time staff to positions to full time and wage increases for staff to foster staff retention and meet the ongoing demands of this work.
From program implementation on June 4, 2019 through March 31, 2022, Turning Point has assisted 397 participants with emergency shelter services; connected 138 emergency shelter program participants to a safe exit, and maintained an 87.73% bed utilization rate. The recommended amendment includes revised performance outcomes to align with access site responsibilities and efforts to leverage agency resources to increase successful housing placements. Approval of recommended actions will add HHAP-2 and HUD ESG-CV funds to extend triage services through July 31, 2023, in alignment with the joint HHAP services plan. The recommended amendment includes federal provisions required for ESG-CV, as well as increased personnel costs, effective upon execution, attributed to increased full time staff and wages.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #75, June 22, 2021
BAI #48, May 11, 2021
BAI #72, July 9, 2019
BAI #17, June 4, 2019
BAI #57, June 12, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement with WestCare (housing match)
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement with WestCare (rapid rehousing)
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement with Turning Point
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa