To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Recommended Allocations of Funding Made Available through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program
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end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the recommended allocations of funding made available through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program;
2. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services Director, or a designee thereof, to enter into contract negotiations with the selected organizations; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to provide the Department of Health and Human Services - Contract Unit with a fully executed certified copy of the Board Order relating to this item.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Social Services Fund (1160)
DISCUSSION:
On Dec. 17, 2021, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CalICH) announced the availability of $1 billion in noncompetitive block grant funds for the third round of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program. The HHAP Program is intended to allow cities, counties and local Continuums of Care to address immediate homelessness challenges throughout the state. As a result, HHAP Program funding may be used for a broad range of activities that are designed to assist people experiencing homelessness with obtaining and maintaining permanent housing, including all of the following:
• Rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization, outreach, coordination, homelessness prevention and shelter diversion services;
• Operating subsidies in new and existing affordable or supportive housing units, emergency shelters and navigation centers;
• Security deposits, holding fees and other landlord incentives;
• Operational support related to the creation and maintenance of a homeless services and housing delivery system; and
• Capital improvements, including, without limitation, conversion of hotels or motels to permanent housing and construction of new navigation centers and emergency shelters based on demonstrated jurisdictional need.
Pursuant to the HHAP Program allocation formula, which is based on the proportionate share of the state’s total homeless population as reflected by a point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness, CalICH allocated $2,547,368.97 to the Humboldt Housing and Homeless Coalition (HHHC) and $2,377,544.38 to the County of Humboldt. The HHHC authorized the county to file a joint application for HHAP Round Three on its behalf for a combined allocation of $4,924,913.35 in HHAP Program funding.
On Dec. 23, 2021, HCFC announced that Humboldt County had been awarded an initial disbursement in the amount of $1,231,228.34. On May 3, 2022, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved, and ratified the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director’s execution of, the initial disbursement State Standard Agreement with CalICH, and authorized the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments and any other agreements, certifications and documents required or deemed necessary for DHHS to accept and secure funding made available through Round Three of the HHAP Program, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office.
On June 14, 2022, the Board received a presentation by DHHS and the California Center for Rural Policy on the HHAP Local Action Plan. DHHS submitted the HHAP Local Action Plan and the application for funding to CalICH on June 24, 2022. On Nov. 21, 2022, CalICH notified DHHS that the county had been awarded an HHAP Round Three Remainder Disbursement in the amount of $3,693,685.01, bringing the total amount awarded under Round Three of the HHAP Program to $4,924,913.35.
On Oct. 21, 2022, DHHS issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) which solicited proposals from qualified community organizations interested in working collaboratively with the County of Humboldt to implement various eligible projects that would be funded by the third round of HHAP Program funding. DHHS received proposals from six entities in response to the above-referenced RFP, which contained funding requests totaling $13,781,543.59.
The funding requests received and evaluated by the RFP Evaluation Committee are as follows:
• 2-1-1 Humboldt Information and Resource Center:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation: $27,581
o Recommended Allocation: $13,431 for Coordinated Entry services
• Arcata House Partnership:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation:
o $4,492,199
o Recommended Allocation: $1,697,977.81 in operating subsidies for emergency shelter and permanent housing. Of the total, $955,819.50 is recommended for the Adult Shelter and $742,158.31 is for Arcata House Partnership’s Homekey permanent supportive housing projects.
• The City of Eureka:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation: $1,424,317.59
o Recommended Allocation: $115,000 for improvements to the Blue Angel Village shelter facility, including, without limitation, a bathing facility.
• Redwood Community Action Agency:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation: $2,564,256.00
o Recommended Allocation: $1,021,075.33 for operating subsidies in permanent supportive housing at the City of Arcata-Danco Group - Redwood Community Action Agency Homekey project in Arcata. Of the total, $350,000 of the total is recommended for supportive housing for youth, and $671,075.33 is recommended for adult supportive housing.
• Redwood Community Services:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation: $1,711,213
o Not recommended for funding.
• Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation:
o Requested HHAP Program Allocation: $3,561,977
o Not recommended for funding.
7% of the third round of HHAP Program funding may be set aside for administrative costs. DHHS is recommending that the maximum amount allowed be set aside for administrative expenses: $344,743.93. DHHS recommends that the remaining HHAP Program funding totaling $1,732,455.28 be set aside for a potential navigation/day center project in Eureka, and for homeless assistance projects operated by DHHS’s Housing, Outreach and Mobile Engagement Program and the Transition Age Youth Division.
Accordingly, DHHS and the Evaluation Committee recommend that the Board approve the recommended allocations of HHAP Program funding, and authorize the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to enter into contract negotiations with the selected organizations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total cost of the recommended allocations of HHAP Program funding is $2,847,504.14. Of the HHAP Program funds allocated to the County of Humboldt, $344,743.93, or 7%, has been set aside to cover administrative costs incurred by DHHS. An additional $1,732,455.28 in HHAP Program funding has been set aside for a potential navigation/day center project in Eureka, and for homeless assistance projects operated by DHHS’s Housing, Outreach and Mobile Engagement Program and the Transition Age Youth Division.
Revenue and expenditure appropriations related to the recommended allocations of HHAP Program funding have been included in the approved fiscal year 2022-2023 budget for DHHS - Social Services HOME budget unit 1160-520. No General Fund allocation is being requested with this item.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations, creating opportunities for improved safety and health and providing community-appropriate levels of service.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. DHHS 2022-07: Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program Request for Proposals
2. 2-1-1 Proposal
3. AHP Proposal- Housing 1
4. AHP Proposal- Housing 2
5. AHP Proposal- Adult Shelter
6. City of Eureka Proposal
7. RCAA Proposal
8. RCS Proposal
9. RCHDC Proposal
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: D-11
Meeting of: 5/3/2022
File No.: 22-506