DATE: April 14, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Revenue Agreements with the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Funding Grant (20-HFC-00096), effective upon execution by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, total not to exceed $382,081.
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Funding Grant (20-HFC-00097), on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care, effective upon execution by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, total not to exceed $488,763.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions is necessary for the County, acting as the Administrative Entity through the Department of Social Services on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC), to receive the COVID-19 Homelessness Funding Grant allocations from the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH). Funding will be used for COVID-19 prevention and containment efforts for those experiencing homelessness. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could elect not to approve the recommended actions; however, the County and the FMCoC would forfeit $382,081 and $488,763 respectively, in COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Funding intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by moving individuals and families into shelter.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The County and FMCoC have been allocated $382,080 and $488,763 respectively, to provide homeless services amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the County and FMCoC service areas. Funds are to be encumbered by June 30, 2020 and it is anticipated that funds will be expended before December 31, 2020. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Special Revenue Fund Org 1135 and the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget and if necessary, will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19. Despite efforts, the virus continues to spread affecting nearly all sectors of California.
On March 18, 2020, the Governor signed Executive Order N-32-20 providing flexibility to local governments to spend emergency homelessness funding on immediate solutions tailored to combatting COVID-19 and its impacts on the homeless population. This flexibility allows local recipients to spend emergency funds on shelter capacity expansion, emergency protective measures, supplies and sanitization to limit infection among homeless individuals, and other prevention and containment efforts related to COVID-19 and its impact on California’s homeless population. The recommended Revenue Agreements are intended to inject immediate funding into local prevention and intervention efforts necessary to contain the spread of COVID-19. Locally, these funds will be used to partially offset costs associated with the approximately $2.1 million Agreement No. 20-126 with RH Community Builders for emergency shelter services approved by your Board on March 24, 2020. As the totality of these funds is much less than what is required to sustain the RH Community Builders Shelter services, these funds have already been dedicated in their entirety to support shelter operations.
The recommended agreements are effective upon execution by BCSH, with all funds required to be encumbered by June 30, 2020 when the agreements expire. There is no provision for early termination for either party.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #10.2, March 24, 2020
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - County and FMCoC Agreements with the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (2)
On file with Clerk - County and FMCoC Request for Funds (2)
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa