Title
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 132-2022, thereby revising Board-approved Resolution 037-2021, for submission to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), to amend the $2,251,157 Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding awarded to the County of El Dorado under Funding Agreement 20-CDBG-CV2-3-00154, revising the approved Project Scope and Budget from a Public Facilities Acquisition project to a Public Services project.
FUNDING: 100% Federal Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding administered by the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development, authorized pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law March 27, 2020.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On January 21, 2020, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) for Rounds 2 and 3, specifying that funding must be used to prepare, prevent, and/or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. CDBG-CV eligible project types can focus on Economic Development, Public Facilities, Public Services, and Housing Acquisition/Rehabilitation, with selected projects to focus on individuals experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness, who need access to housing and shelter to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. The funding opportunity encouraged collaboration between local jurisdictions, allowing for the County of El Dorado (County) and the City of Placerville (City) to partner and submit a joint application, for the purpose of funding a Public Facilities Acquisition project. The application outlined the County/City joint plans of acquiring a property (motel) to be utilized for transitional housing in response to COVID-19. In collaboration, the City showed their support of financially partnering on this joint project by authorizing HHSA to act as the Administrative Entity for their CDBG-CV funding allocation.
On May 4, 2021, (File ID: 21-0220) the Board adopted Resolution 037-2021 authorizing the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to act as the Administrative Entity for the CDBG-CV Rounds 2 and 3 combined funding award, and authorized the HHSA Director to accept a total award of $2,251,157, which included a county award in an amount not to exceed $1,829,794, and a city award estimated to be $421,363, and to execute any subsequent amendments to the funding agreement as required by HCD.
On October 25, 2021, HCD awarded the County and City's joint CDBG-CV grant funding application for the Public Facilities Acquisition Project Scope, combining Rounds 2 and 3, under Funding Agreement 20-CDBG-CV2-3-00154, for a total grant award of $2,251,157. This Agreement was fully executed between HCD and the County on November 9, 2021, for the term of execution through November 9, 2023.
On February 7, 2022, HCD issued Amendment 1 to the Agreement to the County, removing the City of Placerville as a party to the Agreement, as the County serving as the Administrative Entity for the CDBG-CV funding is responsible for administering the combined $2,251,157 funding award. The City of Placerville approved this removal request and Amendment 1 to the Agreement was fully executed between the County and HCD on May 18, 2022.
Further, on April 4, 2022, following the execution of the amended Agreement, HCD requested the Board adopt a Ratification Resolution, approving the removal of Placerville from the Agreement and authorizing the County to accept and administer the fully combined City and County funding allocation total of $2,251,157. On June 14, 2022 (File ID: 22-0670), the Board adopted Ratification Resolution 076-2022, approving the removal of the City from the CDBG-CV Agreement and ratified the HHSA Director’s execution of Amendment 1 to the Agreement.
Since awarded, HHSA and the City have analyzed other eligible projects to expend CDBG-CV funding that will best meet the needs for residents experiencing homelessness in the County. HHSA also prioritized establishing a temporary homeless shelter, due to a shortage of shelter beds in relation to the number of unsheltered individuals residing in the County. In support of a proposed shelter project, HHSA provided a presentation to the Board on April 19, 2022 (File ID: 22-0630) regarding potential sites for a congregate Navigation Center with an emergency shelter component, to address concerns regarding fire danger and COVID-19 associated with encampments. As presented, HHSA would contract with an experienced provider to provide shelter intakes and operations management at the site and facilitate timely access to services at the planned Navigation Center to improve the success of transitioning households out of homelessness. In support of this project, the Board authorized HHSA to execute Agreement for Services 6722 with Volunteers of America, Northern California & Northern Nevada (VOA NCNN) (File ID 22-1080), to provide shelter operations management, case management, and intake services on-site, contingent upon the Navigation Center being operational. As such, the CDBG-CV funding award is prioritized for shelter operations and supportive services to support individuals experiencing homelessness in the County, and HHSA intends to expend this funding on the VOA-NCNN Agreement.
HCD has been made aware of the County’s intensions to amend the CDBG-CV Agreement’s Project Scope and Budget to a Public Services project. In support of this project change, HCD is requiring that the attached Resolution be adopted by the Board to move this amendment forward, which will revise the original Board adopted Resolution 037-2021. HHSA is requesting the Board adopt a Resolution to change the CDBG-CV eligible activities and budget for Funding Agreement 20-CDBG-CV2-3-00154, thereby approving an amendment to the Project Scope from a Public Facilities Acquisition and Transitional Housing project (approved under Resolution 037-2021, Item 21-0220) to a Public Services project.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to adopt and sign the Project Scope and Budget Amendment Resolution, HHSA will not be able to expend the funding awarded total of $2,251,157 in federal funding through the CDBG-CV program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 6/28/22, File ID 22-1080, Volunteers of America-Northern California/Northern Nevada Agreement 6722 to provide operations and case management services at the County’s Navigation Center
2) 6/14/22, File ID 22-0670, CDBG-CV Ratification Resolution No. 076-2022, Board adopted removal of the City of Placerville from CDBG-CV Agreement.
3) 4/19/22, File ID 22-0630, Homeless Shelter Presentation and Shelter Crisis Declaration Resolution 061-2022
3) 5/04/21, File ID 21-0220, CDBG-CV Resolution 037-2021, Board approved Application for funding and execution of Agreement for Public Facilities Acquisition Project.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Resolution was approved by County Counsel.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no impact to County General Fund associated with this Agenda item. This funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Recommended Budget 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) Resolution and email signed Resolution to HHSA Grants Unit at hhsa-eldoradoco-grants@edcgov.us.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Daniel Del Monte, Interim Director