DATE: April 23, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Revised Resolutions Authorizing the County of Fresno as an approved Administrative Entity for the Emergency Solutions Grant and the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt revised Resolution authorizing the County of Fresno, through the Department of Social Services, to serve as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care for the 2018 Emergency Solutions Grant funding administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
2. Adopt revised Resolution authorizing the County of Fresno, through the Department of Social Services, to serve as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing funding administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will replace the resolutions previously adopted by the Board on July 10, 2018 and November 6, 2018. The resolutions will allow the County to serve as the Administrative Entity (AE) on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) for the 2018 California Housing and Community Development (HCD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and the 2018 Allocation of California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Program funds. Approval will also allow the Department of Social Services to procure ESG and CESH eligible services throughout the jurisdiction of the FMCoC. There is no increase in 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 County of Fresno would forfeit $285,252 in ESG and $1,563,085 in CESH funding available to serve the homeless in the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions.
If the ESG Resolution is approved, HCD will contract with the County to make an estimated $590,544 available, with 2.6% or $15,354 for administrative costs. Although $285,252 was allocated to the FMCoC, $590,544 is listed in the proposed resolution as recommended by HCD, in the event that additional funds become available. Funding will be available for 24 months from the date the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) signs the agreement with the State of California. Sufficient appropriations are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
If the CESH Resolution is approved, HCD will contract with the County to make an estimated $1,563,085 available, with up to 5% or $78,154 for administrative costs. Although $1,563,085 was allocated to the FMCoC, $3,126,170 is listed in the proposed resolution as recommended by HCD, in the event that additional funds become available. Funds from the grant will be available for five years from the date the State executes an agreement with the AE. Sufficient appropriations are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
Through an annual process, the State makes ESG funds received from HUD available to Continuums of Care. ESG funds may be used to provide services within the FMCoC’s jurisdiction, with a focus on non-entitlement areas. Within the County, non-entitlement areas include Clovis, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Huron, Parlier, Orange Cove, Sanger, Mendota, and San Joaquin. ESG funds may be used for five program components: Street Outreach/Emergency Shelter; Homelessness Prevention; Rapid Rehousing Assistance; Homeless Management Information System; and, Administrative Activities.
Senate Bill (SB) 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018) established the CESH Program, funded with a portion of SB 2: Building Homes and Jobs Act (Chapter 364, Statutes of 2017), homeless revenue and approximately $25,000,000 in CESH funds to the HCD with $1,563,085 allocated to the FMCoC to provide homeless services. Allowable activities include housing relocation and stabilization, operating subsidies for permanent housing, flexible housing subsidy, operating support for emergency housing interventions, and system support for homeless services and housing delivery.
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the County of Fresno to act as the AE for ESG and CESH funding, allowing additional homeless services to be provided throughout the FMCoC’s jurisdiction. As required by both programs, plans for the funding have been approved by the FMCoC. Services provided with this funding will be procured according to the County’s Purchasing requirements and agreements will be brought to your Board for approval, as appropriate.
With your Board’s approval of the recommended actions, HCD will issue an agreement for the funds, which will be brought to your Board for approval.
The resolutions approved by the Board on July 10, 2018 and November 6, 2018; required minor adjustments including correction of the AE from changing “County of Fresno Department of Social Services” to “County of Fresno.” The recommended resolutions identify that your Board will retain the power to execute Standard Agreements with the HCD and agreements with subrecipients of the funding; in addition to identifying the Director of the Department as an Authorized Signer for documents pertaining to the administration of ESG and CESH funding. HCD previously allocated ESG funds to CoCs on an annual basis; therefore, an additional resolution will come to your Board for 2019 ESG funds.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #55 November 6, 2018
BAI #70 July 10, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - CESH Resolution
On file with Clerk - ESG Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa