To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Recommended Allocations of Funding Made Available through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the recommended allocations of funding made available through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program; and
2. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services Director, or a designee thereof, to enter into contract negotiations with the selected organizations.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Mental Health Fund
DISCUSSION:
On Aug. 15, 2018 and March 21, 2019, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Program (Attachments 1 and 2). CESH funds are intended to allow public agencies that have been designated as the administrative entity by the local Continuum of Care to assist individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness.
The parameters of the CESH Program are intentionally broad in order to allow local governmental agencies to implement projects that meet the specific needs of their communities. As a result, CESH funds may be utilized for a broad range of activities including, without limitation, all of the following:
• Housing, relocation and stabilization services such as flexible housing subsidies that establish or support rental assistance and interim housing programs;
• Operational support for the provision of emergency housing interventions to persons experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness, as approved by HCD;
• Systems support for the provision of necessary services to persons experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homeless; and
• Systems support for the development and implementation of housing delivery systems designed to serve person experiencing, or risk of experiencing, homelessness.
On June 24, 2019, the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) submitted an application for CESH Program funding to HCD in accordance with the requirements of the NOFA dated March 21, 2019. On Oct. 8, 2019, HCD notified DHHS that the application was accepted and funds in the amount of $532,776.00 have been awarded to DHHS. These funds are in addition to funds awarded to DHHS from HCD on Jan. 11, 2019 in an amount of $931,026.00.
On Sept. 3, 2019, DHHS issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) which solicited proposals from qualified community organizations interested in working collaboratively with the county to implement various eligible activities that address the needs of persons experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in accordance with any and all applicable CESH requirements (Attachment 3).
DHHS received a total of five proposals in response to the above-referenced RFP, which contained funding requests totaling $3,386,001.07. After reviewing and evaluating each proposal in accordance with the applicable evaluation and selection criteria, the RFP Evaluation Committee elected to provide CESH funding in the following amounts to each proposal for a period of twelve (12) months:
• Arcata House Partnership - Shelter support assistance program (Attachment 4).
o Requested CESH Allocation: $799,402.00
o Recommended CESH Allocation: $399,701.00
• Arcata House Partnership - One-stop referral, Coordinated Entry System intake and support services program (Attachment 5).
o Requested CESH Allocation: $666,941.00
o Recommended CESH Allocation: $333,470.00
• City of Eureka - Expansion of the UPLIFT Program (Attachment 6).
o Requested CESH Allocation: $201,224.32
o Recommended CESH Allocation: $201,225.00
• DHHS - Mental Health - Augmentation of the Housing, Outreach and Mobile Engagement Program (Attachment 7).
o Requested CESH Allocation: $1,390,595.75
o Recommended CESH Allocation: $280,375.00
• Redwood Community Action Agency - Youth Services Bureau - Permanent housing assistance program for youth up to 22-years of age (Attachment 8).
o Requested CESH Allocation: $327,838.00
o Recommended CESH Allocation: $175,841.00
Accordingly, DHHS recommends that the Board approve the recommended allocations of CESH 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 CESH funding is $1,390,612.00. The remaining $73,190.00 of the CESH funds awarded to the county has been set aside to cover administrative costs incurred by DHHS.
Expenditure appropriations related to the recommended allocations of CESH funding have been included in the approved fiscal year 2019-20 budget for DHHS - Mental Health HOME budget unit 1170-426. As a result, approval of the recommended allocations of CESH funding will not impact the Humboldt County General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework by creating opportunities for improved safety and health and protecting vulnerable populations.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. CESH Notice of Funding Availability dated August 15, 2018
2. CESH Notice of Funding Availability dated March 21, 2019
3. RFP No. DHHS2019-02
4. Arcata House Partnership Shelter Support Proposal
5. Arcata House Partnership One-Stop referral, Coordinated Entry System intake and support services Program Proposal
6. City of Eureka Proposal
7. DHHS - Mental Health Proposal
8. Redwood Community Action Agency - Youth Services Bureau Proposal
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-11; C-14
Meeting of: 12/18/18; 07/09/19
File No.: 18-1607; 19-1011; 19-1695