DATE: February 12, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Agreement with the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program Grant
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the Homeless Emergency Aid Program Authorized Signatories Form, as an approved signatory; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program grant, effective December 28, 2018 through October 31, 2021 ($9,501,363).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions is necessary for the Department of Social Services, acting as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC), to receive the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant from the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing (BCSH) Agency. HEAP funding will be used to provide homeless services to address immediate homelessness challenges in Fresno and Madera counties. It is necessary for the Chairman to be designated as an approved signatory on the HEAP Authorized Signatories Form in order to execute the HEAP Agreement. There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended actions, the FMCoC would forfeit $9,501,363 of HEAP funding available to provide immediate emergency assistance to people experiencing homelessness in the community.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended Agreement is retroactive to December 28, 2018, as the term of the agreement begins upon approval by the BCSH Agency, which was given on December 28, 2018, in conjunction with the HEAP funding award letter, see Attachment A.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The FMCoC has been awarded a HEAP grant in the amount of $9,501,363 to provide homeless services in the FMCoC service area. The maximum of 5% of the grant, or $475,068, will be retained by the Department for administrative costs and a minimum of 5% ($475,068) is set aside for youth homeless services. There is no matching contribution requirement for these funds. The entire grant must be expended by June 30, 2021. The Department will return to your Board in March 2019 to recommend budget resolutions to increase appropriations and estimated revenues in the Department’s Homeless Services Special Revenue Fund Org 1132 and in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2018-19 budget.
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% ($475,068) 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 is serving as the Administrative Entity and will conduct the procurement process for the services.
The FMCoC has approved a funding plan for the HEAP grant in accordance with the recommendations outlined in the A Framework for Action report developed by Barbara Poppe and Associates. The planned activities include a Triage Center to provide emergency shelter and intensive case management, Bridge Housing to provide shelter for households assessed for housing and in the process of being permanently housed, Diversion to help people in crisis identify and access safe alternatives to emergency shelter, Rapid Rehousing for housing relocation and stabilization services, and Youth Homeless services. Agreements for these services will be brought before your Board for approval at a future date.
In concert with the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) grant awarded to the FMCoC, the planned HEAP activities are part of a collaborative effort across jurisdictions to strengthen the community’s crisis response network in order to address the homelessness crisis in Fresno and Madera Counties.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #8, December 4, 2018
BAI #5 and #55, November 6, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Attachment A
On file with Clerk - HEAP Authorized Signatories Form
On file with Clerk - Agreement with California BCSH Agency
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa