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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 220-2024 authorizing the County to accept the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Transitional Housing Program (THP) Round 6 Allocation Award in an amount not to exceed $386,434, and the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program (HNMP) Round 3 Allocation Award in an amount not to exceed $86,502; and
2) Approve and authorize the HHSA Director or the HHSA Chief Assistant Director, to execute the resulting funding agreements for both THP Round 6 and HNMP Round 3, and any subsequent amendments that do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval, and subsequent administrative documents or required fiscal or programmatic reports.
FUNDING: 100% State HCD funding for the THP and HNMP Programs; no matching funds are required.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The State of California Housing and Community Development (HCD) allocates funding to counties for the purpose of housing stability to help young adults ages 18 to 24 years of age, inclusive, through the following programs:
Transitional Housing Program:
Through the THP, HCD allocates funding to counties for child welfare services agencies to help young adults aged 18 to 25 years of age find and maintain housing, with priority given to those formerly in the foster care or probation systems. Use of THP funds may include but are not limited to: 1) Identifying and assisting housing services for this population in the community; 2) Assisting this population to secure and maintain housing; 3) Improving coordination of services and linkages to community resources within the child welfare system and the Homeless Continuum of Care; and 4) Providing engagement in outreach and targeting to serve those with the most severe needs.
Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program:
Through the HNMP, HCD allocates funding to counties for the provision of housing navigation assistance in which housing specialists assist young adults with their pursuits of locating available housing and overcoming barriers to locating housing. Housing navigation and maintenance activities may include, but are not limited to: 1) Assisting young adults aged 18 to 24 years of age, inclusive, secure and maintain housing, with priority access given to young adults in the state's foster care system; 2) Providing housing case management which includes essential services in emergency supports to foster youth; 3) Preventing young adults from becoming homeless; and 4) Improving coordination of services and linkages to key resources across the community including those from within the child welfare system and the local Continuum of Care.
Beginning in 2020, HHSA was allocated THP funding in the first three rounds equaling $32,000 each (Legistar files 20-0523, 20-1070, 21-1545). In 2022, THP and HNMP were grouped into the same allocation acceptance process; Round 1 of HNMP totaled $54,882, and Round 4 of THP totaled $202,585, a significant increase to that program (Legistar file 22-2183). In 2023, THP, Round 5, totaled $193,140 and HNMP, Round 2, totaled $51,581 (Legistar file 23-1976).
On October 9, 2024, HCD provided HHSA with Allocation Acceptance Forms inviting the County to accept the allocations for THP Round 6 in the amount of $193,217, and for HMNP Round 3 in the amount of $43,251. As required by HCD, HHSA submitted these signed Allocation Acceptance Forms to meet their tight November 8, 2024, return deadline.
Subsequently, HCD requires our County’s governing board to sign a Resolution that authorizes the HHSA Director, or in their absence, Chief Assistant Director, to accept the allocations for both THP Round 6 and HNMP Round 3 and authorizes these individuals to execute the resulting funding agreement (which combines both allocations) and any future amendments. Further, HCD recommends that counties receive Board authorization to accept double the amount of the current allocations if additional funding becomes available to either or both housing stability programs. Accordingly, the Resolution authorizes the HHSA Director to accept additional funds up to $386,434 for THP Round 6 and up to $86,502 for HNMP Round 3, and to execute subsequent amendments to the agreements thereto.
HHSA Child Welfare Services partners with local vendors to provide housing stability services under the THP and HNMP programs and will maintain this collaboration with local vendors to provide continued THP/HNMP housing stability services to help young adult clients throughout El Dorado County.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve the THP or HNMP funding allocations, HHSA will not be awarded the funding to assist young adults struggling with homelessness to secure and maintain housing.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 05/12/20, 20-0523, Transitional Housing Program Resolution 083-2020
2) 10/06/20, 20-1070, Transitional Housing Program Round 2 Resolution 150-2020
3) 11/09/21, 21-1545, Transitional Housing Program Round 3 Resolution 139-2021
4) 01/03/23, 22-2183, HHSA Transitional Housing Program Round 4 & Housing Navigator and Maintenance Program Round 1
5) 12/12/23, 23-1976, HHSA THP Rd5 & HNMP Rd2 Resolutions
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no General Fund cost associated with this agenda item. Sufficient appropriations were included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget for the funding and will be included in future budgets for the term of the funding agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one (1) original Resolution and return to HHSA-grant@edcgov.us.
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