DATE: September 10, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Revenue Agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program Grant
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program (18-CESH-12459) funds, effective upon execution by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, for a maximum term of five years ($1,563,085).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Social Services, on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC), to receive the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Program funds from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). CESH funding will be used to support services, as previously presented, to individuals and families experiencing a homeless crisis in Fresno and Madera Counties. There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended action, the FMCoC would forfeit $1,563,085 of CESH Program funding available to provide assistance to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the community. The grant, contingent upon execution of the proposed agreement, partially funds agreements for homeless services approved by the Board in June and July 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The FMCoC has been awarded a CESH grant in the amount of $1,563,085 with up to 5% or $78,154 for administrative costs. Funds from the grant are available for use for five years from the date HCD executes the recommended agreement. There is no matching contribution requirement for these funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Homeless Services Special Revenue Fund Org 1132 and the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2019-20 Recommended Budget, and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
The CESH Program, established by Senate Bill (SB) 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018), is funded with a portion of the Building Homes and Jobs Act (Chapter 364, Statutes of 2017) and approximately $25 million in unallocated California Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds.
At the request of the FMCoC, the Board approved the County of Fresno, through the Department, to serve as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the FMCoC for 2018 CESH funds on November 6, 2018. The FMCoC was allocated $1,563,085 in CESH Program funding for use within Fresno and Madera Counties. Although the CESH funds are allocated to the FMCoC and are under its jurisdiction, the Department is responsible for overseeing the procurement, contract monitoring, and reporting requirements for the services provided in conformance with the County and HCD regulations.
The planned CESH activities, as presented to your Board on June 4, 2019, include Bridge Housing transitional housing beds, Diversion services, Rapid Rehousing rental assistance, Landlord Risk Mitigation, and Homeless planning. A series of agreements, which included both HEAP and CESH funds, contingent upon execution of the CESH Standard Agreement, were approved by your Board on June 4, 2019 and July 9, 2019. Additionally, an agreement for Landlord Risk Mitigation will be brought to your Board for consideration in the fall of 2019.
In conjunction with the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant awarded to the FMCoC, the planned CESH activities are part of a collaborative effort across jurisdictions to strengthen the community’s crisis response network to address the homelessness crisis in Fresno and Madera Counties.
The recommended agreement allows HCD to terminate with a minimum of fourteen days notice to the County.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #72, July 9, 2019
BAI #17, June 4, 2019
BAI #53, April 23, 2019
BAI #39, February 12, 2019
BAI #5 and #55, November 6, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with the California Department of HCD
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa