Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board, acting as the Governing Board of the El Dorado County Public Housing Authority (PHA):
1) Authorize the PHA to continue to serve as the Collaborative Applicant on behalf of the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks (EDOK) Continuum of Care (CoC) and HHSA to serve as the Administrative Entity (AE) for the EDOK CoC, for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and FY 2025 CoC Competition and Renewal Program Grants, administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD);
2) Approve and authorize HHSA to submit a consolidated application in collaboration with the EDOK CoC for the FY 2024 and FY 2025 CoC Competition and Renewal Program Grants, and to submit applications for three continuing CoC projects and one new application as follows:
a) CoC Coordinated Entry System (CES) renewal grant;
b) CoC Homeless Information Management System (HMIS) renewal grant;
c) CoC Planning renewal grant; and
d) CoC Bonus grant (new submission).
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or Chief Assistant Director, to accept funding for the FY 2024 Competition and Renewal Program Grants (also known as year one), if awarded, and to execute the resulting funding agreements in the estimated total amount of $153,055, and an estimated total match requirement of $38,264, with all match funds to be met through existing Board-approved grant funding, with any amounts over these estimated amounts to not impact Net County Cost and all match included in the FY 2024-25 Budget, with agreement terms up to two years for each project;
4) Authorize the HHSA Director, or Chief Assistant Director, to accept funding for the FY 2025 CoC Competition and Renewal Program Grants (also known as year two), contingent upon subsequent awards, and to execute the resulting amendments or new agreements in amounts similar to the estimated year one total amount of $153,055, and the estimated total match requirement of $38,264, with all match funds to be met through existing Board-approved grant funding, with any amounts over these estimated amounts to not impact Net County Cost and all match included in the FY 2025-26 budget request, with agreement extensions or new agreement terms no more than one year for each project; and
5) Authorize the HHSA Director, or Chief Assistant Director, to execute future amendments to these agreements that do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval as applicable, and subsequent administrative documents or required fiscal or programmatic reports.
FUNDING: 100% Federal HUD funding with a required 25% match contribution which will be met through existing Board-approved grant funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to Title 24, Code of Federal Regulations part 578, the CoC Program, is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, states, Indian tribes or tribally designated housing entities, and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals; families; persons fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and youth while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families, and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.
The EDOK CoC is the regional CoC that works closely with community stakeholders, including the County, in the provision of the CoC program, and has designated HHSA to serve as its AE. As the AE, HHSA coordinates various HHSA and CoC joint and/or collaborative funding applications, funding agreements, and the administration of said funding (federal and state) to community providers. The PHA, administered by HHSA, serves as the Collaborative Applicant for the annual CoC Competition and Renewal Program Grants, and has been awarded CoC program funding since 2019.
On July 31, 2024, HUD issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FY 2024 and FY 2025 CoC Competition and Renewal Program Grants. The NOFO allows the Project Applicant to renew or to propose new multiple single project activity applications. This year the PHA plans to submit project applications for the CES grant, HMIS grant, and the Planning grant, three existing projects that have been awarded and accepted by the Board since 2019. The PHA also intends to apply for a new project in the CoC Bonus funding category, which, if awarded, will expand its CES project.
The estimated awards for each project, each with individual agreements that will need to be executed with HUD, are as follows:
1. HMIS grant: Estimated in the amount of $9,817, with a required 25% match in the estimated amount of $2,454. HMIS awards are used to support the EDOK CoC HMIS data management and quality improvement efforts to strengthen CoC strategic planning. The grant will also assist with providing technical assistance related to the HMIS system to build the knowledge and administrative capacity of the EDOK CoC's members.
2. CES grant: Estimated in the amount of $22,487, with a required 25% match in the estimated amount of $5,622. The CES funding is 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 of California, 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.
3. Planning grant: Estimated in the amount of $50,000, with a required 25% match in the estimated amount of $12,500. Planning grant funding is used for EDOK CoC technical assistance, training, and planning activities.
4. CoC Bonus grant: Estimated in the amount of $70,751, with a required 25% match in the estimated amount of $17,688. This project will expand the current CES project activities and will be rolled into the CES grant agreement, if awarded.
The total estimated award for year year is $153,055, with an estimated total match requirement of $38,264. The required 25% match for each project will be met with existing Board-approved grant funding.
Additionally, per the current two-year NOFO, applications submitted by the deadline of October 30, 2024, for year one will be considered completed submissions for the year two competition. This means that HHSA will not need to submit a consolidated application, nor any project applications in year two. Therefore, HHSA anticipates the awarded projects in year one to also be awarded in year two, either via amendments to the year one agreements, or new one-year agreements.
Further, per the current NOFO, HUD has reserved the right to release an updated NOFO in year two based on available funding. With this in mind, HHSA estimates the total award for year two to be similar to the total estimated award for year one of $153,055, with an estimated total match requirement of $38,264. The required 25% match for each project will again be met with existing Board-approved grant funding.
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, including those with required matching funds, 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 or Chief Assistant Director to execute the resulting funding agreements, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval, to ensure that HHSA can execute the grant agreement in the required timelines.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could decline to grant authority to the HHSA Director or Chief Assistant Director to accept the grant funding awards, in which case, the PHA would not be eligible to receive the funding awards. This funding supports HHSA’s existing HMIS technology system and the purchase of HMIS licenses used by community providers. If the PHA did not receive these funds, alternative funding would need to be identified to meet this federal and state mandated HMIS technology system. Additionally, the Board could decline to grant authority to the HHSA Director or Chief Assistant Director to execute the resulting agreements, at which point HHSA would bring the awards before the Board prior to execution, which may interfere with HHSA’s ability to meet HUD’s expected turnaround time for execution of these agreements.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 09/20/22, 22-1488, HHSA 2022 Continuum of Care HMIS Grant
2) 09/20/22, 22-1489, HHSA 2022 Continuum of Care Planning Grant
3) 09/20/22, 22-1487, HHSA 2022 Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry System Activity Grant
4) 09/12/23, 23-1470, HHSA 2023 Continuum of Care HMIS Grant
5) 09/12/23, 23-1471, HHSA 2023 Continuum of Care Planning Grant
6) 09/12/23, 23-1469, HHSA FY23 Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry Grant
7) 09/12/23, 23-1597, HHSA 2023 Continuum of Care HMIS Bonus
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
EDOK CoC (County Counsel and Risk Management will be asked to review and approve any awarded funding agreements issued by HUD for these grants)
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. The required total match of $38,264 will be met using Board-approved grant funding received by HHSA. Funding under these agreements have been included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget and will be included in subsequent budgets as applicable.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Area of Focus: Safe and Healthy Communities
Priority: Develop a continuum of support and housing opportunities for unhoused individuals
Action Item: Continue Engagement with County departments, the homeless community, and countywide partners to develop effective strategies including for example, transitional housing.
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency