DATE: July 18, 2023
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Revenue Agreement with California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grant (#23-HHAP-10021), effective upon execution by the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency through December 31, 2027, total not to exceed $10,515,555; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the related Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Authorized Signatories Form, as the Authorized Representative.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the Department of Social Services (Department) to receive the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program Round 4 (HHAP-4) funding from the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) on behalf of the County of Fresno and the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC). The Department will serve as the Administrative Entity for the combined funding allocation that will be used to support regional coordination and provide homeless services in the FMCoC service area (Fresno and Madera counties). It is necessary for the Chairman to be designated as the Authorized Representative on the HHAP Authorized Signatories Form to execute the HHAP-4 standard agreement. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended actions, the County would be out of compliance with the HHAP-4 Local Homelessness Action Plan executed by your Board on June 21, 2022 and would forfeit $10,515,555 in HHAP-4 funding available to assist people experiencing homelessness in the Fresno and Madera region.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The total FMCoC and County HHAP-4 allocations ($10,515,555) are $5,604,258 and $4,911,297, respectively. If the recommended actions are approved, the Department will receive an initial disbursement of 50% ($5,257,777) in HHAP-4 funding allocated to the County of Fresno ($2,455,648) and the FMCoC ($2,802,129). The remaining 50% ($5,257,778) of the combined allocation will be disbursed upon meeting the minimum obligation and expenditure requirements of 75% obligated and 50% of the initial disbursement expended; and upon demonstrating that the jurisdictions remain on track to meet the collective outcome goals. The maximum of 7% ($736,089) from the combined total allocation will be retained by the County for the Department’s administrative costs. A required minimum of 10% ($1,051,555) from the combined total allocation must be set aside for youth homeless services. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2023-24 Recommended Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
HHAP-4, authorized by Assembly Bill 140 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 111, Statutes of 2021), is a $1 billion block grant program designed to develop a unified regional response to homelessness and to provide support to local jurisdictions to continue to build on regional collaboration developed through previous rounds of BCSH funding. The funding is available to continuums of care, counties, tribal governments, and cities with populations over 300,000. HHAP-4 funding recipients from overlapping jurisdictions (i.e., CoC, large city, and/or county) are required to collaborate in addressing regional homelessness needs.
On November 29, 2022, your Board conducted a public hearing to receive testimony on the updated local homelessness action plan and approved the action plan including the use of HHAP-4 funds to address homelessness in the FMCoC service area and authorized the Department to submit a joint application on behalf of the County of Fresno and the FMCoC for HHAP Round 4 funding.
The Department will serve as the Administrative Entity of the FMCoC’s HHAP-4 grant allocation. Although the FMCoC HHAP-4 allocation will be administered by the County, services provided must be implemented in alignment with the joint service plan developed in cooperation with the FMCoC and the other regional HHAP-4 recipients. The Department will coordinate with FMCoC leadership on implementation of HHAP-4 funded programs. The Department will also coordinate planning with the City of Fresno and County of Madera as overlapping jurisdictional recipients.
With your Board’s approval of the recommended actions, $10,515,555 in HHAP-4 funding will be available to provide emergency assistance to people experiencing homelessness in the community. Agreements or amendments for services supported by the HHAP-4 grant will be brought before your Board for approval at a future date, as appropriate.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #9, November 29, 2022
BAI #10, June 21, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - HHAP-4 Standard Agreement
On file with Clerk - HHAP Authorized Signatories Form
CAO ANALYST:
Amina Flores-Becker