Title
Hearing to consider adoption of a Resolution by the Public Housing Authority (PHA) to:
1) Authorize submittal of a consolidated application to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to allow the El Dorado County Public Housing Authority (PHA) to participate in the Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Assistance Programs to receive renewal funding in the amount of $13,339 under the Supportive Housing Program allocation to continue to support the dedicated Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) project implementation and ongoing administration and maintenance; authorize the PHA, as lead CoC agency, to include in said application a funding request on behalf of the proposed grantee, Womenspace Unlimited South Lake Tahoe Women's Center, for a one-year grant of up to $163,462 for supportive services to transitional housing participants;
2) Approve a required cash match in the amount of $3,176 from the Housing Element Implementation General Fund contribution for the El Dorado County HMIS renewal project; and
3) Authorize the Assistant Director of Human Services, as the Executive Director of the PHA, to sign and submit the application and accompanying documents, including the Applicant Certification, the Application for Federal Assistance Declaration, Certification of Consistency with the Consolidated Plan and the Applicant/Recipient Disclosure Report, and, if the application is funded, to execute, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, the HMIS grant agreement and any amendments thereto that do not affect the dollar amount or the term and all other documents required by HUD for participation in the CoC Homeless Assistance Programs, and to take other actions necessary to facilitate same.
FUNDING: Primarily Federal funds with required cash match of $3,176 from General Fund.
Resolution 248-2009
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: There is no cost to the application process. If the application is funded, it is proposed to utilize $3,176 of the Department's County Affordable Housing Projects General Fund dollars budgeted exclusively for Housing Element Implementation to meet the required cash match.
Background:
The 2003 - 2008 General Plan Housing Element Measure HO-FF directed the Department of Human Services to "work with community and local organizations in providing community education on homelessness, gaining better understanding of the unmet need, and developing and maintaining emergency shelter programs, including funding for programs developed through inter-jurisdictional cooperation and working with local organizations to annually apply for the End Chronic Homelessness through Employment and Housing grant". The 2008 Housing Element continues these goals under Measure HO-24 and policies HO-4.4, HO-4.5 and HO-4.6, with the expected outcomes of updating the Continuum of Care Strategic Plan. In accordance with these provisions, the El Dorado County Continuum of Care Stakeholders Committee was formed April 4, 2006 to develop a Continuum of Care Strategic Plan to prepare the County to address the needs of the homeless population and to address the funding constraints of community-based, non-profit and faith-based organizations that serve homeless populations. This collaboration is used to obtain and share information, provide community education and to work collectively on homeless problems and solutions. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authorized the Department of Human Services to be the lead organization for the El Dorado County Continuum of Care activities.
A HUD requirement for Continuum of Care (CoC) jurisdictions is the implementation of a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to collect data on the homeless population in order to identify the unmet needs of the chronically homeless population in our jurisdiction. To meet this requirement, on June 12, 2007 the Board of Supervisors approved the submittal of an application to HUD to receive a three-year grant of up to $40,016 under the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs Supportive Housing Program (SHP) allocation for the purposes of purchasing and implementing a HMIS. A one-year grant of $13,339 was subsequently awarded on December 21, 2007. The HMIS implementation approved under this grant agreement includes the purchase the HMIS software user licenses for participating community agencies, relevant computer and data storage equipment, customization of the software program, system administrator training and training for end users. On September 24, 2008 the Board approved the submittal of an application to HUD to request HMIS 2008 renewal funding in the amount of $13,339 under the 2008 SHP allocation. El Dorado County was awarded the renewal funding on February 19, 2009, and is waiting for receipt of the HUD grant agreement.
Reason for Recommendation:
On August 25, 2009 (item #11, File #09-1078) the Board gave conceptual approval for the Public Housing Authority, as the lead Continuum of Care (CoC) agency, to submit a consolidated application under the 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs Supportive Housing Program to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the amount of $176,801, to include a request for renewal funding in the amount of $13,339 for the County's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and eligible community agency funding request(s) received in response to a County Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process. The CoC NOFA was subsequently released September 25, 2009, making funds available under the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program, Supportive Housing Program (SHP) component, which includes the eligible activities of HMIS, transitional housing, and supportive services.
The El Dorado County Public Housing Authority (PHA), as the lead agency in the El Dorado County CoC, is required to submit one consolidated application on behalf of any CoC partner wishing to request grant funds. Therefore, submittal of an application under this NOFA will provide renewal funding to allow the County to continue the implementation and ongoing administration and maintenance of the dedicated HMIS program as well as obtain new funds for Womenspace Unlimited South Lake Tahoe Women's Center (SLTWC). SLTWC, the sole RFQ respondent, proposes to use grant funds to expand supportive services for residents of the Center's Transitional Housing Program. The funds will support part-time Housing Coordinator, Counselor and Transitional Advocate positions to provide supportive services to homeless victims of domestic violence who have completed the agency's 90-day Emergency Domestic Violence Shelter Program and require additional support to achieve self-sufficiency. The maximum amount available for partner agencies under this NOFA is $163,462. Although the SLTWC submitted a funding request for more than the amount allowed under this NOFA in anticipation of a three-year grant period, staff will work with the SLTWC to revise the application to request the actual amount available to our jurisdiction through the NOFA process. If awarded, the County will be a party to the agreement for only the HMIS funds. The agreement for funds awarded to Womenspace Unlimited South Lake Tahoe Women's Center will be executed between that agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
If the application is funded, existing staff will be utilized to administer the continuing activities under this grant. The proposed budget for the one-year HMIS renewal grant includes the $13,339 grant and the local leverage committed by Board Resolution in the amount of $3,176 for in-kind staff services funded with the Department's General Fund Affordable Housing - Housing Element Implementation dollars budgeted for this purpose. There are no additional County costs anticipated during the grant period.
The proposed grant budget for the HMIS is outlined as follows:
Supportive Housing Program (SHP) Budget during grant term:
CoC SHP funding - General Administration $ 635
County of El Dorado - Local Leverage/In-kind Staff Time 3,176
HMIS Implementation and Administration 12,704
Total SHP Budget: $16,515
Action to be taken following Board approval:
Board Clerk to provide Human Services, Community Services Division at Spring Street, with two (2) Certified Resolutions.
Contact: Daniel Nielson, 642-7275
Concurrences: N/A