DATE: December 4, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
Delfino E. Neira, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Resolution Declaring a Shelter Crisis
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Receive verbal report, consider and adopt Resolution declaring a shelter crisis pursuant to Senate Bill 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018) and Government Code, Section 8698.2 as required by the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program grant funding distributed to the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC).
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action is necessary for Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funds to be used for new project-based services in the unincorporated areas of the County. The Department of Social Services will serve as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC). The declaration will be effective for one year unless reauthorized by your Board. The declaration will not eliminate the County’s procurement process for funds awarded to service providers. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended action, the FMCoC will be unable to award HEAP funding for new project-based services in unincorporated areas in the County; only person-based services or existing project-based services will be eligible for funding in the County’s jurisdiction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. As required by the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) for HEAP grant funding, the County will proceed with an application in the amount of $9,501,363, the total eligible distribution per Senate Bill 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018): Section 2, Chapter 5, 50213 (a) and (b), on behalf of the FMCoC. The grant includes up to 5% or $475,068 for administrative costs. Funds will be available for homeless services in both the incorporated and unincorporated jurisdictions of Fresno and Madera Counties through June 30, 2021. There is no matching contribution requirement for these funds. Agreements resulting from the process will be brought to your Board for consideration, as appropriate.
DISCUSSION:
HEAP, authorized by Senate Bill 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018), is a $500 million block grant program designed to address the homelessness crisis throughout California and is available to Continuums of Care and cities with populations over 330,000. The FMCoC is allocated $9,501,363 in funding with a minimum of 5% ($475,069) set aside for youth homeless services. Although the HEAP grant funds are allocated to the FMCoC and are under its jurisdiction, the Department of Social Services will serve as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the FMCoC and will apply for the total eligible allocation from the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Attachment A includes the application that will be completed using the proposed spending plan, Attachment B. An ad hoc committee comprised of thirteen FMCoC members, which includes a Department of Social Services representative, was formed to develop a spending plan for HEAP funding, utilizing strategies recommended by Barbara Poppe and Associates in the A Framework for Action report.
Jurisdictions under the FMCoC, with over 1,000 homeless individuals, need to declare a shelter crisis to receive HEAP grant funding for new project-based services such as bridge housing and emergency shelters. However, funding for existing projects or person-based homeless services may be awarded without such a declaration. Both the City and County of Madera and the City of Fresno must make similar declarations.
The resolution will not eliminate the County procurement process for funds awarded to service providers. The declaration is valid for one year from approval date unless reauthorized by your Board. Both the Departments of Public Health and Public Works and Planning have been informed of the declaration. The County, through Street2Home Fresno County, will continue to work on the development of a comprehensive homeless plan.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #5, November 6, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Resolution
Attachment A - HEAP Application
Attachment B -Spending Plan
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa