DATE: June 22, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: MOU with Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno for Rental Assistance and Supportive Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno for rental assistance and supportive services to homeless clients participating in the Shelter Plus Care program, effective July 1, 2021, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base term and two optional one-year extensions ($0).
REPORT
Approval of the recommend action will allow the Department of Behavioral Health and its contracted providers to refer persons experiencing homelessness with serious mental illness and chronic problems with alcohol and/or substance use disorder to the Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno (FHA) Shelter Plus Care (SPC) Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allows supportive services provided by the Department and its contracted providers to serve as the required in-kind match for the SPC program, with no Net County Cost. The item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. If the recommended action is not approved, it would eliminate permanent housing opportunities for persons experiencing homelessness served and their families, which could result in a higher cost to the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action as there is no monetary exchange between the parties for services indicated within the MOU. SPC participants will receive rental assistance from FHA and supportive services from the Department and its contracted providers. Service levels will be equivalent to or in excess of 25% of the rental assistance provided by FHA so that the in-kind match requirement of the SPC program is achieved. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2021-22 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On September 21, 2010, your Board executed the Agreement No. 10-518, a SPC MOU with FHA, at which time the Department began referring homeless individuals to the SPC program. FHA provides SPC rental assistance under The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009, which is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant program. SPC program guidelines require FHA to enter collaborative MOU’s with other service providers or counties to qualify for and/or administer targeted funding for special populations. The SPC program links rental assistance to supportive services for persons experiencing homelessness who have been diagnosed with serious mental illness; have chronic problems with alcohol and/or substance use disorders; have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and/or related diseases and their families, pursuant to Title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, 582.1.
The TBRA program provides grants for rental assistance which permit participants to choose housing of an appropriate size in which to reside. Participants retain the rental assistance if they move. Where necessary to facilitate the coordination of supportive services, FHA may require participants to live in a specific area for their entire period of participation or in a specific structure for the first year and in a specific area for the remainder of their period of participation. The term of the grant between HUD and FHA for TBRA is one year.
The MOU provides for at least 51 housing certificates for the Department homeless clients that qualify for the SPC program; as May 5, 2021, 52 clients are housed within the program and engaged in services. The Department and its contractor will collect and compile monthly data for HUD and provide supportive services equivalent to or in excess of 25% of the rental assistance provided by FHA for each rental unit. FHA administers the program for compliance with SPC and HUD regulations. FHA also coordinates the participant intake process through use of the Coordinated Entry Housing Placement System, assists participants in the retention of rental assistance, provides eligibility processing of applications and processes participant termination for non-compliance with program regulations.
The recommended MOU will be effective July 1, 2021 and shall not exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base with 2 optional one-year extension periods. The MOU includes language which allows either party to terminate upon the giving of 30 days advance written notice due to non-allocation of funding or without cause.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was notified of this agreement at the April 21, 2021 meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #31.1, April 28, 2020
BAI #27, June 2, 2015
BAI #26, September 21, 2010
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - MOU with FHA
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa