To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Professional Services Agreement with the City of Eureka Regarding the Provision of Rental Assistance, Case Management and Supportive Services to Individuals and Families Who Are Experiencing Homelessness in Humboldt County
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka regarding the provision of rental assistance, case management and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in Humboldt County in an amount not to exceed $631,474, for the period of the period of May 7, 2024 through May 6, 2026;
2. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return one fully executed original copy of the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka to the Department of Health and Human Services - Contract Unit for further processing.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Social Services Fund (1160-520)
DISCUSSION:
On Sept. 30, 2022, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness announced the availability of $1 billion in noncompetitive block grant funds for the fourth 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 individuals and families 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, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness allocated $2,190,658.87 to the Humboldt Housing and Homelessness Coalition and $2,055,311.64 to the County of Humboldt. The Humboldt Housing and Homelessness Coalition authorized the County to file a joint application for the fourth round of HHAP Program funding on its behalf for a combined allocation of $4,245,970.51.
On Sept. 6, 2023, the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (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 fourth round of HHAP Program funding. DHHS received proposals from four entities in response to the above-referenced RFP, which contained funding requests totaling $5,096,092.89.
On Jan. 23, 2024 (Item D-15), the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved funding allocations recommended by the RFP Evaluation Committee for the above-referenced projects, which included the project proposed by the City of Eureka. The attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka will allow eligible individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Humboldt County to receive rental assistance, case management and supportive services that are consistent with the County of Humboldt’s goals and objectives for reducing homelessness in Humboldt County for the period of the period of May 7, 2024 through May 6, 2026.
Accordingly, DHHS recommends that the Board approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka regarding the provision of rental assistance, case management and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Humboldt County for the period of the period of May 7, 2024 through May 6, 2026. Staff also recommends that the Board authorize the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office, in order to avoid any delays in the provision of needed rental assistance, case management and/or supportive services.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1160-520) |
FY23-24 |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY25-26 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$200,000 |
$400,000 |
$31,474 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$200,000 |
$400,000 |
$31,474 |
|
Funding Sources (1160-520) |
FY23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected* |
FY25-26 Projected* |
|
State/Federal Funds |
$200,000 |
$400,000 |
$31,474 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$200,000 |
$400,000 |
$31,474 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
The attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka has a maximum amount payable of $631,474 for the period of the period of May 7, 2024 through May 6, 2026. In no event shall the maximum amount paid under the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka exceed $200,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024; $400,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025, and; $31,474 for fiscal year 2025-2026. However, in the event that local, state or federal funding is reduced or eliminated, the County of Humboldt may reduce the above-referenced maximum amount payable or terminate the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka in its entirety.
Expenditure appropriations related to the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka have been included in the adopted fiscal year 2023-2024 budget for DHHS - Social Services HOME budget unit 1160-520. Funding for the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka is available through HHAP Program revenues received by DHHS.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Approval of the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka will not impact current staffing levels.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the following areas of the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework:
Core Roles: Protect vulnerable populations
New Initiatives: Provide community-appropriate levels of service
Strategic Plan: 1.1 - Increase access to housing
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to approve the attached professional services agreement with the City of Eureka regarding the provision of rental assistance, case management and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in Humboldt County. However, this alternative is not recommended as the Board’s approval will allow for the provision of needed rental assistance, case management and supportive services through the use of funds that would not otherwise be available to the County of Humboldt.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement with the City of Eureka Regarding the Provision of Rental Assistance, Case Management and Supportive Services to Individuals and Families Who Are Experiencing Homelessness in Humboldt County
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: D-15
Meeting of: 1/23/2024
File No.: 24-31