REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2020
FROM
GARY HALLEN, Director, Community Development and Housing
SUBJECT
Title
State Emergency Solutions Grant 2020 Application and Resolution Authorizing Community Development and Housing Department as the Administrative Entity
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Authorize submission of a grant application to the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program in an amount not to exceed $600,000.
2. Adopt Resolution certifying that the County of San Bernardino, Community Development and Housing Department is authorized and directed to receive an allocation and administer State Emergency Solutions Grant funds on behalf of the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development as an Administrative Entity.
3. Designate the Community Development and Housing Agency Deputy Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Director as authorized to execute the grant application documents and perform other ministerial actions pertaining to the State Emergency Solutions Grant 2020 Application, subject to review by County Counsel.
4. Direct the Community Development and Housing Agency Deputy Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Director to transmit all documents in relation to this application to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Gary Hallen, Director, 387-4411)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of any Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Upon award of funding, the Community Development and Housing Department (“CDH”) will receive an estimated Emergency Solutions Grant (“ESG”) award from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HCD”) in an amount not to exceed $600,000. Appropriation and revenue will be included in the CDH 2020-21 Recommended budget (SAP Cost Center 6210002484).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The approval of the Recommendation No. 1 will allow the County of San Bernardino (County) to submit an application to be designated as an Administrative Entity with HCD for the purpose of receiving a 2020 allocation of State ESG funds in an amount not to exceed $600,000. The allocation includes an amount not to exceed 2.81% for administrative expenses and a match requirement of 100 percent (100%) that will be met by the service provider awardees who will be selected at a later date.
HCD identified the County’s award amount in the Solicitation of Interest released in January 2020 as $299,449 and has instructed that CDH apply for that amount. However, HCD has also advised that the award amount may change and is requiring applicants to indicate the amount in the resolution as twice the preliminary award amount; thus, the amount in the requested resolution is $600,000. The HCD Notice of Funding Availability (“NOFA”) was issued on February 28, 2020, and the application submission deadline of May 28, 2020. HCD anticipates announcing final grant awards no later than September 2020. If funding is awarded, a future item will be presented to the Board of Supervisors to accept the award.
As an Administrative Entity of HCD’s ESG funds, the funding will allow the County to further its efforts to address homelessness providing funding to: 1) engage homeless individuals and families living on the street; 2) improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families; 3) help operate emergency shelters; 4) provide essential services to shelter residents; 5) rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families; and, 6) prevent families/individuals from becoming homeless.
The County is currently a direct recipient of ESG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) and is capable of administering these funds as directed by HCD. The HCD funds will be leveraged with existing ESG monies funded by HUD to continue the provision of homeless services.
PROCUREMENT
No procurement is required for this action. HCD is expecting to announce grant awards by September 2020. If funding is awarded, CDH will bring future items to the Board of Supervisors to accept the grant. CDH will release a NOFA to solicit applications from interested service providers. CDH will return to the Board to award contracts to the eligible service providers selected through the NOFA process.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455 on April 14, 2020; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on April 20, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer 387-5423) on April 21, 2020.