To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Update on Habitat for Humanity Dec. 20, 2022 Earthquake Recovery Effort
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive a presentation from Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Humboldt County. Following the initial earthquake, the county experienced over 200 aftershocks, one of which being a 5.4-magnitude on New Year’s Day. More than 350 structures located in the City of Rio Dell were deemed unsafe to occupy due to earthquake-related damage following these earthquakes.
To assist Humboldt County and Rio Dell residents experiencing earthquake-related displacement, on Jan. 10, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved and authorized staff to create a locally funded Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program with $1 million from the county’s allocation from the federal Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF).
On Jan. 21, 2023, the Board authorized the County Administrative Officer to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Attachment 1) with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter, Inc. (Habitat for Humanity) to exchange and share information in order to explore and potentially facilitate an ongoing relationship related to disaster recovery for the period Jan. 20, 2023, through June 30, 2026.
The MOU notes that compensation in an amount of $250,000, for a total amount not to exceed $500,000, may be paid to Habitat upon the completion of work described in the original work plan when county deems the work acceptable.
In April 2023, Habitat for Humanity executed the Humboldt County - Rio Dell Area Disaster Relief Professional Services Business Agreement (Attachment 2). Funds provided by the county for this agreement consist of $250,000 from the LATCF that the Board previously allocated for the local Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program. This agreement was amended by Habitat for Humanity and approved by the County Administrative Officer in July 2024 in order to streamline the earthquake recovery process (Attachments 3 and 4).
An additional $250,000 from the LATCF has been allocated for Habitat for Humanity but has not yet been dispersed.
Since April 2024, Habitat for Humanity has worked with local long-term earthquake recovery partners to help and support, including LATCF-funded supplemental grants, to displaced low-income renters and property owners seeking repairs for property damage directly related to the earthquakes.
Additionally, as needed, Habitat for Humanity continues to serve as an intermediary for communications with the county, the City of Rio Dell, contractors, property owners and partnering agencies representing disaster case management clients including Arcata House Partnership, Changing Tides Family Services, Pay It Forward Humboldt and the Eel River Long Term Recovery Group.
Today, the team from Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter will present a report their progress and next steps.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Local and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF)
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Initial funding for this program totaling $250,000 has been provided to Habitat for Humanity from the county’s allocation from the federal LATCF. Habitat for Humanity has requested the additional $250,000 funds held from the LATCF to complete earthquake repairs. There is no additional financial impact, outside of staff time, to providing Habitat for Humanity with these funds as they have already been allocated by the Board. In order to provide Habitat for Humanity with these funds the MOU must be amended, which the County Administrative Officer has been granted the authority by your Board to do.
The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF)
The LATCF was established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. The act appropriated $2 billion to the LATCF across fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to provide payments to eligible revenue sharing counties and eligible Tribal governments for use on any governmental purpose, except for a lobbying activity. Humboldt County was allocated $1.598 million in each of those years, or $3.196 million in total.
The purpose of the LATCF is to serve as a general revenue enhancement program. As outlined in the Guidance for the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (Attachment 3), recipients have broad discretion on uses of funds and may treat these funds in a similar manner to how they treat funds generated from their own local revenue. For instance, programs, services, and capital expenditures that are traditionally undertaken by a government are considered to fulfill a “governmental purpose.” However, as stated above and outline further in the Ineligible Use section of the guidance document, LATCF funds may not be used for lobbying activities.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Staff remain engaged with Habitat for Humanity to help guide certain parts of the program as needed, however, by having Habitat for Humanity administer services they are able to expend funds more quickly and staff do not have to engage in writing contracts and other administrative tasks related to granting funding to those impacted by the Dec. 20, 2022 earthquakes. Staff will spend time amending the MOU in order to distribute the additional $250,000 allocated for Habitat for Humanity.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
City of Rio Dell, Changing Tides Family Services, Arcata House Partnership, Pay it Forward Humboldt, McLean Foundation, Humboldt Area Foundation, and the Humboldt Eel River Valley Long Term Recovery Group.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose not to receive this report. This is not recommended as the Board has not received an earthquake recovery update from Habitat for Humanity since Oct. 17, 2023.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MOU with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter
2. Rio Dell Area Disaster Relief Professional Services Business Agreement
3. Amended Rio Dell Area Disaster Relief Professional Business Agreement
4. REDLINED Amended Rio Dell Area Disaster Relief Professional Business Agreement
5. LATCF Guidance
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: Jan. 24, 2023, Jan. 10, 2023, and Oct. 17, 2023
File No.: 23-105, 23-10, and 23-1382