REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 3, 2024
FROM
MARCUS DILLARD, Chief of Homeless Services, Office of Homeless Services
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 4 Program Services on Behalf of the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the following contracts for the provision of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 4 Program services on behalf of the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,840,394, for the contract period of December 3, 2024, through June 30, 2027:
a. Family Service Association of Redlands, in the amount not to exceed $245,356.
b. Children’s Fund, Incorporated, in the amount not to exceed $350,000.
c. City of Colton, in the amount not to exceed $345,580.
d. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, in the amount not to exceed $327,000.
e. Water of Life Community Church, in the amount not to exceed $176,273.
f. Mountain Homeless Coalition, in the amount not to exceed $65,660.
g. Growing Outreach Growing Opportunities, in the amount not to exceed $109,000.
h. Inland Southern California 211+, in the amount not to exceed $221,525.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or Chief of Homeless Services to approve and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the contracts in Recommendation No. 1 for the provision of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 4 Program services on behalf of the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Direct the Chief of Homeless Services to transmit all non-substantive amendments to the contracts in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
4. Authorize Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary 2024-25 budget adjustment to the Office of Homeless Services budget, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Marcus Dillard, Chief of Homeless Services, 501-0644)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
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). The total cost of these contracts, not to exceed $1,840,394, will be funded from the State of California Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 4 Program (HHAP-4) block grant awarded to the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care (CoC).
The Office of Homeless Services (OHS) requests the following adjustments to its 2024-25 budget:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
6210002487 |
53003205 |
Public Assistance |
Increase |
$1,840,394 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Approval of the contracts listed in Recommendation No. 1 will allow for the CoC’s allocation of HHAP-4 funds to be distributed to homeless services providers to prevent and alleviate the impact of homelessness on individuals and families throughout the county.
On September 30, 2022, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) released a Notice of Funding Availability for HHAP-4 grant funding. HHAP-4 funding was made available as non-competitive allocations to eligible grantees, including California’s CoCs, large cities (with a population of 300,000 or more as of January 1, 2020), counties, and federally recognized tribal governments. Funding allocations are based on the eligible applicant’s proportionate share of the state’s homeless population as reported by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 2019 Point-In-Time Count.
On November 15, 2022 (Item No. 28), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved and authorized the submission of the HHAP-4 grant applications to the State for the CoC in the estimated amount of $3,901,874, and the County in the estimated amount of $3,641,749.
On May 9, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board accepted and approved Agreement No. 23-324 for HHAP-4 grant award from Cal ICH to support regional coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address immediate homelessness challenges, in the amount of $4,430,501.22, for the term of July 11, 2023 through December 31, 2027.
On September 27, 2023, the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), the SB CoC’s governing Board, allocated $221,525 for regional Coordinated Entry System (CES) activities and $3,455,791 to aid regional service projects for homeless individuals and families. ICH recommended for HHAP-4 funding to be utilized in support of these efforts to help homeless individuals and families exit homelessness and achieve permanent housing stability through outreach, case management, rapid rehousing, assistance with housing identification and placement services. Service providers will also work toward preventing homelessness through diversion and eviction prevention activities such as utility, rent, and food assistance. The contract with Inland Southern California 211+ (211+) will maintain system supports associated with the CES. 211+ currently provides CES services throughout the County’s Central Valley, Desert, East Valley, West Valley, and Mountain regions.
The recommended contracts support the goals and objectives of the Homeless Strategic Action Plan by serving those most at risk of homelessness, adding shelter capacity, and increasing the impact on homelessness through combined efforts of the County and the CoC. Approximately $640,030 will be utilized towards Rapid Rehousing in the Central and Mountain regions and for the Youth Populations to assist individuals with a quick exit from homelessness. Approximately $868,768 will be utilized to assist 134 households from becoming homeless through prevention and shelter diversion efforts. The remaining funds of $331,596 will be utilized toward street outreach, services coordination, and operating subsidies that provide individuals and households with the necessary support to achieve housing stability.
The ICH has recommended eight agencies for $1,840,394 of HHAP-4 funds from the county’s Central Region, Morongo Basin (East) Region, Mountain Region, and homeless youth populations to serve in the following capacities, as detailed in the table below:
|
Agency |
Service(s) To Be Provided |
Number of Individuals/ Households to be Served |
Funding Amount |
|
Inland Southern California 211+ |
Services Coordination |
8,240 Individual Client Calls |
$221,525 |
|
Family Services Association of Redlands |
• Rapid Rehousing • Prevention and Shelter Diversion • Services Coordination |
25 Households |
$245,356 |
|
Children’s Fund, Incorporated |
• Prevention and Shelter Diversion • Services Coordination |
114 Households |
$350,000 |
|
City of Colton |
• Rapid Rehousing • Services Coordination |
44 Individuals |
$345,580 |
|
Lutheran Social Services of Southern California |
• Rapid Rehousing • Street Outreach • Services Coordination |
20 Individuals |
$327,000 |
|
Water of Life Community Church |
• Operating Subsidies: utilities, food, supplies, maintenance • Services Coordination |
20 Individuals |
$176,273 |
|
Mountain Homeless Coalition |
• Rapid Rehousing • Prevention and Shelter Diversion • Services Coordination |
25 Households |
$65,660 |
|
Growing Outreach Growing Opportunities |
• Rapid Rehousing • Street Outreach • Prevention and Shelter Diversion • Services Coordination |
25 Individuals |
$109,000 |
OHS will review contractor performance, referrals to other agencies, and services provided. Individual contractor performance will be monitored by the review of monthly reports and an annual visit to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of each contract. OHS will review invoices and attachments remitted by the contractors to ensure funds are expended on eligible activities.
Additional regional service contracts for remaining HHAP-4 funds in the amount of $2,279,971 will be presented to the Board for approval at a later date, upon completion of contract negotiations.
PROCUREMENT
On January 18, 2024, OHS, acting as the Administrative Entity for the CoC, released Request for Applications No. OHS 24-01 (RFA) to provide HHAP-4 services with the funding allocated to support regional service projects. Notice of the RFA was sent to an email distribution list of over 1,100 entities that included members of the local ICH, the Homeless Provider Network, city managers within San Bernardino County, and subscribed providers. The RFA was also posted on the San Bernardino County Homeless Partnership website.
A total of 43 agencies submitted applications in response to the RFA with six agencies applying in multiple regions. Applications for 41 agencies met the minimum qualifications set forth in RFA and the application for each agency was evaluated and scored by evaluation panels comprised of non-conflicted members representing each of the ICH regions.
Based on evaluations, ICH recommends the agencies listed in Recommendation No. 1 from the Central Region, Morongo Basin (East) Region, Mountain Region, and services for Homeless Youth populations receive HHAP-4 funding.
The Purchasing Department concurs with the non-competitive award of the CES contract to 211+ based on the justification of 211+ having specialized credentials to provide CES services.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 7, 2024; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on November 13, 2024; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on November 14, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-0238) on November 15, 2024.