To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Professional Services Agreement with the City of Arcata Regarding the Acquisition of Five Manufactured Homes for the Purpose of Providing Housing Assistance Services to Individuals and Families Experiencing, or at Risk of 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 Arcata regarding the acquisition of five manufactured homes for the purpose of providing housing assistance services to individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in Humboldt County;
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 Arcata 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 Arcata to the Department of Health and Human Services - Contract Unit for further processing.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Behavioral Health Fund (1170)
DISCUSSION:
On Sept. 5, 2018, the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency issued a Notice of Funding Availability for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP). HEAP funds are intended to allow counties and cities throughout the State of California to provide immediate emergency assistance to individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness (“Target Population”).
The parameters of HEAP are intentionally broad in order to allow local governmental agencies to craft programs that meet the specific needs of their communities. As a result, HEAP funds may be used for a variety of purposes including, without limitation, all of the following:
• Direct services such as emergency assistance, homelessness prevention, street outreach, health and safety education and criminal justice diversion programs;
• Rental assistance such as housing voucher, rapid re-housing and eviction prevention programs; and
• Capital improvements to emergency shelters, transitional housing, drop-in centers, permanent supportive housing and other facilities that serve individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness.
On Jan. 22, 2019 (Item C-11), the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors authorized the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director to accept HEAP funding in the amount of $2,565,245.24. As required by applicable HEAP guidelines, 5% of the HEAP funds awarded to the County of Humboldt, which equals $128,262.26, must be reserved for projects that are intended to support homeless youth within Humboldt County.
On Feb. 15, 2019, 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 service-based and/or capital improvement projects that address the needs of individuals experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in accordance with any and all applicable HEAP requirements.
DHHS received a total of 15 proposals in response to the above-referenced RFP, which contained funding requests totaling $6,918,922.08. After reviewing and evaluating each proposal in accordance with the applicable evaluation and selection criteria, the RFP Evaluation Committee, which included three members of the Humboldt Housing & Homeless Coalition, selected a total of 11 projects that are qualified to receive HEAP funding.
On April 16, 2019 (Item C-16), the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved funding allocations recommended by the RFP Evaluation Committee for the above-referenced HEAP projects, which included the HEAP project proposed by the City of Arcata. The attached professional services agreement will allow the City of Arcata to facilitate the acquisition of five new manufactured homes, including one Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible home, that will be placed at the real property known as the Arcata Mobile Home Park, which is located at 3022 Alliance Road, Arcata, California 95521 and managed by Resident Owned Parks, Inc., for the purpose of providing eligible members of the Target Population with housing assistance services that are consistent with the County of Humboldt’s goals and objectives for reducing homelessness in Humboldt County.
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 Arcata regarding the Acquisition of five manufactured homes for the purpose of providing housing assistance services to individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in Humboldt County. It is also recommended 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 Arcata, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office, in order to avoid any unnecessary delays in acquiring the manufactured homes.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata has a maximum amount payable of $400,000 for the period of Nov. 10, 2020 through June 30, 2021. However, in the event 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 Arcata in its entirety.
Expenditure appropriations related to the attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata have been included in the approved fiscal year 2020-2021 budget for DHHS - Behavioral Health HOME budget unit 1170-426. Funding for the attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata is available through HEAP revenues received by DHHS. As a result, approval of the attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata will not impact the Humboldt County General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations, supporting self-reliance of citizens, improving the safety and health of our communities and providing community-appropriate levels of services.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to approve the attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata regarding the acquisition of five manufactured homes for the purpose of providing housing assistance services to individuals and families experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in Humboldt County. However, this alternative is not recommended since the attached professional services agreement with the City of Arcata will allow for the provision of needed housing assistance services through the use of funds that would not otherwise by available to the County of Humboldt.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement with the City of Arcata Regarding the Acquisition of Five (5) Manufactured Homes for the Purpose of Providing Housing Assistance Services to Individuals and Families Experiencing, or at Risk of Experiencing, Homelessness in Humboldt County
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-16
Meeting of: 04/16/19
File No.: 19-529; 20-1290