DATE: March 24, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Housing Navigators and Transitional Housing Programs administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution authorizing (a) the Department of Social Services to apply for and accept an allocation ($144,290) for a Housing Navigators Program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and (b) the Director of the Department of Social Services, or his designee, to execute administrative grant related documents, including the Allocation Acceptance Form.
2. Adopt Resolution authorizing (a) the Department of Social Services to apply for and accept an allocation ($116,000) for a Transitional Housing Program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and (b) the Director of the Department of Social Services, or his designee, to execute administrative grant related documents, including the Allocation Acceptance form.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department of Social Services to complete an allocation acceptance process with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to receive allocations for the two programs designed to assist transitional-aged youth, ages 18-21 and 18-24, respectively, to secure and maintain housing. The Department Director, or his designee, will be authorized to execute allocation-related documents, including the allocation Acceptance Form, but the related Standard Agreement will be brought to your Board for approval. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could choose not to approve one or both recommended actions; however, the Department will not receive the allocations earmarked for the County to assist with housing services for transitional-aged youth, leaving the funding to be redirected to other counties in California.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. If the recommended actions are approved, the Department will complete the allocation acceptance process to receive allocations totaling $144,290 for the Housing Navigators Program, and $116,000 for the Transitional Housing Program. Funding for the Housing Navigators Program will be available through June 30, 2022, while funding for the Transitional Housing Program will be available through December 31, 2021. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2020-21 Requested Budget and will also be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
In September 2019, the Budget Act of 2019 was amended to allocate $5 million to California counties for the support of housing navigators to help young adults aged 18 years and up to 21 years secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults in the foster care system. Similarly, Senate Bill 80: Human Services Omnibus (Chapter 27, Statutes of 2019) was approved by Governor Newsom on June 27, 2019, allowing HCD to provide funding to California counties for allocation to child welfare services agencies to help young adults aged 18 years and up to 24 years secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults formerly in the State’s foster care or probation systems.
With your Board’s approval of the recommended actions, the Department will accept the allocations and plan to include the Housing Navigator and Transitional Housing Programs in tandem with services currently provided to transitional-aged youth throughout the County. While the Department Director, or his designee, will be authorized to execute allocation-related documents, including the allocation Acceptance Form, the Standard Agreement will be brought to your Board for approval.
The recommended Resolutions utilize HCD’s template and differ from the County’s standard resolution template. This template may not be modified by any party other than HCD.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolutions (2)
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa