Title
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board authorize the Chair to sign a Certification of Local Approval to accompany The Center for Violence Free-Relationships' application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for 2013 Emergency Solutions Grants Program funding for their local emergency shelter operations.
FUNDING: 100% Federal Grant Funds to the Grantee.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
None. The Center for Violence-Free Relationships is the grant applicant and, if awarded, is responsible for administering and meeting all grant requirements.
Background
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.) provides federal money for homeless shelter programs. The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 reauthorized and amended the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act by amending the existing Federal Emergency Shelter Grants (FESG) Program to, among other things, significantly revise the definition of homelessness and blend FESG into the newly established Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program.
Organizations eligible to apply for ESG funding include private non-profit organizations and units of general purpose local government who are located in or serve an eligible county or city in the State that provides, or contracts with community organizations to provide, emergency shelter and/or other ESG-eligible component/activities. Eligible applicants cannot already be recipients of ESG funds directly from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
The Center for Violence-Free Relationships (The Center) received FESG funding for nearly 20 years to fund their emergency shelter and applied for the 2012 Emergency Solutions Grants Program, which required supplying a Certification of Local Approval signed by the Board of Supervisors. On February 5, 2013 (File ID 13-0097), the Board authorized the Chair to sign a Certification of Local Approval for The Center for Violence Free Relationships' 2012 funding application for the newly established ESG Program, thereby authorizing their established emergency shelter which is located in the County.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development ESG Program 2013 Allocation Notice of Funding Availability identifies El Dorado County as an eligible rural allocation region which includes its cities and non-profit shelters. Non-profit organizations applying to receive grant funds must submit a Certification of Local Approval completed and signed by the city or county where their project is located along with their application package. Should Local Approval not be provided, The Center will loose critical funding and would result in a reduction of services provided in El Dorado County.
Reason for Recommendation
The Health and Human Services Agency recommends the Board approve The Center's continuing operation of an emergency shelter by authorizing the Board Chair to sign the Certification of Local Approval. The Certification of Local Approval is required as part of The Center's ESG Program 2013 application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The County's approval of the Certification of Local Approval does not obligate it to provide any financial or administrative support to The Center for administration of the grant project.
Action(s) to be taken following Board approval
The Board Clerk to return two (2) Certification of Local Approval signed by the Board Chair to the Health and Human Services Agency Contracts Unit at Briw Road.
Contact
Don Ashton, M.P.A., Interim Director
Concurrences
NA