REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 7, 2024
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, Director, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Final Program Year 2024-25 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Annual Action Plan
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the Final Program Year 2024-25 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Annual Action Plan for the estimated grant allocation of $11,208,852 under the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and the Emergency Solutions Grant.
2. Direct the Assistant Executive Officer or Director of the Community Development and Housing Department to submit the Final Program Year 2024-25 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Annual Action Plan to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, including any comments received during the public comment process.
3. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or Director of the Community Development and Housing Department, upon award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, to accept and execute the Community Development Block Grant Agreement (Agreement No. B24UC060503), HOME Investment Partnerships Act Grant Agreement (Agreement No. M24DC060532), and the Emergency Solutions Grant Agreement (Agreement No. E24UC060503), and all other subsequent amendments and documents related to the acceptance or administration of the grants, including documents necessary for the administration of loans made with United States Department of Housing and Urban Development grants, subject to County Counsel review.
4. Direct the Director of the Community Development and Housing Department to transmit the grant agreements and amendments in Recommendation No. 3 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Carrie Harmon, Director, 382-3983)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). San Bernardino County’s (County) estimated 2024-25 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant entitlement allocation is $11,208,852; of this amount, $6,859,659 is for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which includes the allocation for both the County and Cooperating Cities, $3,735,287 is for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and $613,906 is for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Match requirements for HOME and ESG are passed down to awarded contractors. Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Community Development and Housing Department’s (CDH) 2024-25 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 1975, the County has qualified to receive federal housing and community development grant funds from HUD. The County uses the funds to develop viable communities by supporting activities that provide decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.
The Final Program Year (PY) 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan is intended to recognize and accept the PY 2024-25 allocations of HUD CDBG, HOME, and ESG funding (as listed in the Financial Impact section), and to allocate these funds to activities that will address the strategies and objectives identified in the County’s 2020-25 HUD Consolidated Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on April 21, 2020 (Item No. 25).
Subject to limitations imposed by federal regulations, CDBG, HOME, or ESG funds may be used for emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, housing preservation, capital improvements, public services, housing development, fair housing, and program management. The County will ensure alignment with the Homeless Strategic Action Plan for all ESG-funded activities. Additional resources, such as program income from CDBG and HOME may become available and be allocated to eligible CDBG and HOME activities. Any activities identified to receive additional CDBG or HOME resources will be presented to the Board for approval.
The County is classified by HUD as an Entitlement Urban County which includes the unincorporated areas of the County and cities that choose to cooperate with the County and receive CDBG, HOME, and/or ESG funds through the County. Participating cities enter into cooperation agreements with the County for three-year periods. There are currently 13 Cooperating Cities under the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan which include the cities of Adelanto, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Twentynine Palms, Yucaipa, and the Town of Yucca Valley. The cities of Chino Hills and Rancho Cucamonga have chosen to participate only in the County’s HOME program. The 13 Cooperating Cities, plus these two cities, are referred to as the HOME Consortium.
CDBG and ESG funds are used to support eligible projects and activities in the County’s unincorporated communities and the 13 Cooperating Cities (Attachment - Final PY 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan). HOME funds are used to support affordable housing activities within the HOME Consortium.
To accept the federal grant funds on behalf of the County, it is requested that the Board approve the Final PY 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan and direct CDH to submit this plan to HUD. On April 23, 2024 (Item No. 72), the Board conducted a public hearing, which included the Draft 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan, and directed CDH to return on May 7, 2024, with the Final PY 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan for Board consideration prior to the plan’s submittal to HUD. Public comments were received and taken into consideration. Responses to public comments will be addressed directly to the submitter, and a summary of the comments and responses will be included in the submission of the PY 2024-25 HUD Annual Action Plan to HUD.
HUD requires local governing bodies to delegate signature authority in order to administer/implement grants efficiently and effectively. Recommendation No. 3 delegates signature authority to the Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or the Director of CDH to administer and implement the three grants from HUD. Any change to this signature authority requires formal Board action. This signature authority includes, but is not limited to, the signing of documents relating to HUD Certifications; SF-424 Forms; Consolidated/Annual Action Plans; Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports; Environmental Assessments; Requests to Initiate Project Activity (Attachments A and B); computerized software programs such as Integrated Disbursement and Information Systems; Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting; loan payoff demands, Loan Forgiveness, Substitutions of Trustee, Deeds of Reconveyance, Annual Affidavit Letters, Requests for Full Reconveyance, and any correspondence related to prior authorized HUD Community Planning and Development loans and various other HUD reports, correspondence and related documents as required by HUD.
CDH will continue to submit any regional policy and planning documents (including any substantial amendments to these documents) to the Clerk of the Board for public review 30 days prior to their consideration by the Board.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 15, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Deputy Director, 386-8393) on April 22, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on April 22, 2024.