DATE: April 28, 2020
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 (19-CESH-12962) funds, effective upon execution by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, for a maximum term of five years, total not to exceed $879,281.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. 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 to individuals and families experiencing a homeless crisis in Fresno and Madera Counties. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should the Board elect not to approve the recommended action, the FMCoC would forfeit $879,281 of CESH Program funding available to assist people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness in the community. Additionally, contingent upon execution of the proposed agreement, the grant partially funds agreements for homeless services approved by the Board in December 2019 and March 2020, and will augment a homeless services agreement approved by the Board in 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 $879,281 with up to 5%, or $43,964, 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 Adopted 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 2019 CESH funds on June 18, 2019. The FMCoC was allocated $879,281 in CESH Program funding for use within Fresno and Madera Counties. Although the CESH funds are allocated to the FMCoC and under its jurisdiction, the Department is responsible for overseeing the procurement, contract monitoring, and reporting requirements for the services provided in conformance with County and HCD regulations.
The planned CESH activities, as presented to your Board on June 4, 2019, include Rapid Rehousing rental assistance, Landlord Engagement and Risk Mitigation, Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) support, and Homeless Planning. A series of agreements, which included both Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) and CESH funds, contingent upon execution of the CESH Standard Agreement, were approved by your Board on July 9, 2019.
On December 10, 2019, your Board approved an agreement to provide Landlord Engagement and Risk Mitigation, which includes both CESH and California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Housing Support Program (HSP) funds, contingent upon execution of the CESH Standard Agreement. On March 10, 2020, your Board approved an agreement to provide HMIS support, which included both HEAP and CESH funds, contingent upon execution of the CESH Standard Agreement.
In conjunction with the HEAP grant awarded to the FMCoC and CalWORKs HSP, 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’ written notice to the County.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #52, March 10, 2020
BAI #64, December 10, 2019
BAI #59, September 10, 2019
BAI #72, July 9, 2019
BAI #68, June 18, 2019
BAI #17, June 4, 2019
BAI #53, April 23, 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