Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Authorize the submission of a grant application to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the 2022 Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Entry System Project Activity grant, in the estimated amount of $22,487, effective upon execution of the grant funding agreement with a one-year term that begins when the first revenue request is made to HUD, and includes an estimated match requirement of $5,622 which will be met through existing grant funding received by HHSA as the Administrative Entity for the El Dorado County Opportunity Knocks CoC;
2) If awarded, authorize the HHSA Director, acting as the Collaborative Applicant on behalf of the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks CoC, to execute the funding agreement, effective upon execution of the contract with a one-year term contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or HHSA Chief Assistant Director, to administer any agreement or subsequent administrative documents related to said award, including any required fiscal and programmatic reports as well as any amendments to the agreement that do not increase the total award or term of the agreement.
FUNDING: 100% Federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding in the estimated amount of $22,487, with a required 25% match contribution of $5,622 which will be met through existing grant funding received by the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks CoC and administered by HHSA as the Administrative Entity for the CoC.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The El Dorado County Public Housing Authority, as part of the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), is designated by the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks Continuum of Care (CoC) to serve as the Collaborative Applicant and Administrative Entity for the CoC. In this role, the HHSA Public Housing Authority submits annual consolidated applications for Continuum of Care funding on behalf of and in support of the CoC. This process also includes submission of a competitive Coordinated Entry System (CES) project application, on behalf of and in support of the CoC. The CoC Program interim rule at 24 CFR578.7(a)(8) requires that CoC’s establish a Coordinated Entry System for the purpose of providing an accessible, intake assessment process for persons experiencing homelessness to better understand their needs and direct prioritization decisions for programs.
On August 1, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for CoC Competition and Non-Competitive Award. The NOFO allows the CoC to propose multiple single project activity applications, including an application for the CoC CES project grant in the estimated amount of $22,487. This funding requires a 25% match of $5,622, which will be met through existing grant funding received by HHSA as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the CoC. The CES funding is to be used to expand the existing CoC Coordinated Entry and Assessment System, which provides intakes to homeless residents while prioritizing assistance based on vulnerability and severity of housing and service needs. This process is required by HUD and the State, and it ensures that individuals experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to available resources and are quickly identified, assessed, referred, and connected to housing and assistance based on their strengths and needs.
While Board of Supervisors Policy A-6 provides authority to a department head to apply for grants, A-6 further states that the department head shall bring the decision to accept a grant before a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. As many of HHSA’s state and federal funders have a very tight turnaround on their request to receive an executed agreement, HHSA is requesting advance approval from the Board to authorize the HHSA Director to execute the resulting funding agreement from this grant, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval, to ensure that HHSA can execute the grant agreement in the required timeline.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could decline to apply for and accept the funding award, in which case, the Continuum of Care would not be eligible to receive the funding award. This would reduce the level of coordinated entry services available to local residents in need of services.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
November 9, 2021, File ID 21-1676, HHSA 2021 Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry System Project Activity grant
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel and Risk Management
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Agenda item. The required match of $5,622 will be met using existing CoC grant funding administered by HHSA as the Administrative Entity for the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks CoC. If the 2022 CoC CES grant is awarded by HUD, the funding will be received in Fiscal Year 2023-24 and will be included in subsequent budgets, as appropriate.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Daniel Del Monte, HHSA Interim Director