DATE: July 12, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja K. Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. I to Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission for homeless services to young adults, effective July 13, 2021, through June 30, 2023 and increasing the maximum by $155,890 to a total of $494,580.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Social Services to use the Housing Navigators Program (HNP) grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to provide homeless assistance to transitional-aged youth, ages 18-21, through an existing pilot program with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended action, housing navigation services provided by EOC would end on June 30, 2022, and the Department will seek to identify another eligible use for the funds before grant deadlines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum will increase by $155,890 to $494,580 and will be offset with the HNP grant from HCD. Funding for HNP will be available through June 30, 2023. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On July 13, 2021, your Board approved Agreement No. 21-268 allowing EOC to provide homeless services to eligible young adults, with priority given to transitional-aged youth formerly in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. This is accomplished through a partnership with Housing Opportunities Promote Education (HOPE) at Fresno Community College (FCC), where EOC provides participants with essential housing navigation services and linkages to resources across the community.
Participants are actively recruited from within the Department’s Independent Living Program and from the juvenile justice system. During the first year of the HOPE pilot program, EOC provided housing navigation services to 41 participants. These services provided participants housing security while they pursued academic success at FCC. EOC also provided Income Specialist services that included mandatory money management training and support for participants to increase monthly income through employment and social service programs.
As the agreement is funded through the HCD HNP grant, which is awarded yearly, the recommend amendment would revise the FY 2022-23 budget to incorporate the 2022 HNP grant into the EOC pilot program. This will allow the continuation of homeless services being offered to students at FCC and increase the Department’s ability to reach other homeless young adults. At the conclusion of the agreement, the Department will evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program to determine future uses of grant resources.
With your Board’s approval, the recommended amendment will be effective July 13, 2022, through June 30, 2023, with all other terms remaining unchanged.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #57, July 13, 2021
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement with EOC
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa