DATE: April 9, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Standard Agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for Transitional Housing Program Round 5 and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Round 2
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Standard Agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for funds from Round 5 of the Transitional Housing Program and Round 2 of the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program, effective upon execution of the state, through five years from the effective date, total not to exceed $1,230,291.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Social Services (Department) to receive funding for a program designed to assist youth, ages 18-24 to secure and maintain housing. There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board choose not to approve the recommended action, the Department would forfeit $672,660 in Transitional Housing Program (THP) and $557,631 in Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program (HNMP) funding to assist with housing services for young adults residing in the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. If approved, the Department would receive $672,660 in THP and $557,631 in HNMP funding. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On October 19, 2023, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) issued an Allocation Acceptance form under Round 5 of the THP authorized by the Budget Act of 2023 (Chapter 12 of the Statutes of 2023) and Chapter 11.7 (commencing with Section 50807) of Part 2 Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code under Round 2 of the HNMP authorized by the Budget Act of 2023 (Chapter 12 of the Statutes of 2023) and Chapter 11.8 (commencing with Section 50811) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code.
THP Funds are to be prioritized for young adults who are 18 - 24 years old formerly in the foster care or probationary systems, while HNMP is to be prioritized for young adults currently or formerly in the foster care system. THP provides funding to identify and assist with housing services to provide housing stability, while HNMP funding is intended to support Housing Navigator staff to assist young adults to secure and maintain housing. HNMP was previously known as the Housing Navigators Program.
Allocation Acceptance forms for THP and HNMP funding were submitted by the Department in November 2023. On January 9, 2024, your Board adopted a resolution authorizing the Department to apply for and accept Round 5 allocation for THP and Round 2 allocation for HNMP administered by HCD. The resolution also provides documentation that the Board of Supervisors authorizes the Chairman of the Board to sign on behalf of the County the resulting Standard Agreement.
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department to use the HNMP funds for eligible activities which may include, providing training to its child welfare agency social workers and probation officers who serve nonminor dependents. The training shall address an overview of the housing resources available through the local coordinated entry system, homeless continuum of care, and county public agencies, including, but not limited to, housing navigation, permanent affordable housing, Transitional Housing Program-Plus, and housing choice vouchers. The training shall also address how to access and receive a referral to existing housing resources, the social worker’s and probation officer’s role in identifying unstable housing situations for youth and referring youth to housing assistance programs.
The Department will use the THP and HNMP funds for Program Activities which may include, but are not limited to the following:
A. Identify and assist housing services for this population within each community.
B. Help this population secure and maintain housing (with priority given to those formerly in the state’s foster care system).
C. Improve coordination of services and links to community resources within the child welfare system and the Homeless Continuum of Care.
D. Outreach and targeting to serve those with the most severe needs.
The Standard Agreement is provided by the State and therefore does not follow the County Example Service Agreement.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #47, January 9, 2024
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Standard Agreement with HCD
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander