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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Authorize HHSA Director to apply for, and if awarded, accept funding for the 2023 Continuum of Care Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Project Renewal grant, administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for a one-year term effective upon execution, in the estimated amount of $9,817, that requires a 25% match in the estimated amount of $2,454 to be met through existing grant funding received by the HHSA Housing and Homelessness Services;
2) If awarded, authorize the HHSA Director, acting as the Collaborative Applicant on behalf of the El Dorado Opportunity Knocks (EDOK) Continuum of Care (CoC), to execute the funding agreement, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or HHSA Chief Assistant Director, to execute further documents related to said award, including any amendments which does not increase the Net County Cost of the agreement.
FUNDING: 100% Federal HUD funding in the estimated amount of $9,817, with a required 25% match contribution in the estimated amount of $2,454 which will be met through existing grant funding received by HHSA.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
HUD requires counties that seek to receive federal homeless assistance funds maintain a local CoC that meets federal regulations. In El Dorado County (County), the EDOK CoC serves as the local CoC. The El Dorado County Public Housing Authority (PHA), as part of HHSA, is designated by the EDOK CoC to serve as the Collaborative Applicant and Administrative Entity for the EDOK CoC. In this role, the PHA submits annual consolidated applications for CoC funding on behalf of and in support of the EDOK CoC. In February 2021 the EDOK CoC designated HHSA as the HMIS Lead Agency. As the HMIS Lead, this process also includes submission of an annual HMIS Project grant, on behalf of and in support of the EDOK CoC.
On July 5, 2023, HUD issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2023 CoC Competition and Non-Competition Award. The NOFO allows the County to propose multiple single project activity applications, which includes an application for the renewal of the HMIS project grant in the estimated amount of $9,817. This funding requires a 25% match in the estimated amount of $2,454, which will be met through existing grant funding received by HHSA. HMIS grant awards are to be 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 in order to build the knowledge and administrative capacity of the EDOK CoC's members.
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 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 to execute the resulting funding agreement from this grant, 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 apply for and accept the grant funding award, in which case, the EDOK CoC would not be eligible to receive the funding award. This funding is used for the contract with the HMIS technology system and for the purchase of the licenses used by community providers. If the County and EDOK CoC did not receive these funds, alternative funding would need to be identified to meet this Federal and State mandated HMIS technology system.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 10/20/20, 20-1310, HHSA HUD GRANT and Budget Transfer
2) 11/09/21, 21-1672, HHSA Continuum of Care HMIS Grant 2021
3) 09/20/22, 22-1488, 2022 HHSA Continuum of Care HMIS Grant
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel and Risk Management
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Agenda item. The required match in the estimated amount of $2,454 will be met using existing grant funding received by HHSA. As this is a renewal grant, funding under this agreement is included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Interim Director, Health and Human Services Agency