REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 20, 2024
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, Director, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Emergency Solutions Grant Contracts for Homeless Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve contracts with the following providers for the provision of immediate emergency assistance, for a combined not to exceed amount of $567,863, for a period of September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025:
a. Community Health Action Network, in the amount of $51,150
b. Children’s Fund, Incorporated, in the amount of $176,757
c. Inland Empire Rebound, in the amount of $49,184
d. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, in the amount of $55,477
e. Mountain Homeless Coalition, in the amount of $45,000
f. The Salvation Army, in the amount of $190,295
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or the Director of Community Development and Housing Department to execute any subsequent, non-substantive amendments to the contracts, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Community Development and Housing Department to transmit any subsequent, non-substantive contract amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
4. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post necessary budget adjustments to the Community Development and Housing Department’s 2024-25 budgets, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Carrie Harmon, Director, 382-3983)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
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
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost for the providers’ services for the provision of immediate emergency assistance will not exceed $567,863 and will be funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG).
During the 2024-25 budget cycle, only portions of the 2023 ESG grant were budgeted, which include the following: (1) $307,570 for revenues, (2) $283,932 for expenses, and (3) $23,638 for administrative costs. Budget adjustments of $306,336, $283,931, and $22,405, respectively, are required to budget for the remaining portions, which will bring the total grant revenues to $613,906, the total expenses to $567,863, and the total administrative costs to $46,043.
Approval of this item authorizes the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the following budget adjustments:
|
Cost Center |
Commitment Item/GL |
Description |
Actions |
Amount |
|
6210002482 |
40509094 |
Federal - Grants |
Increase |
$306,336 |
|
6210002482 |
53003205 |
Public Assistance |
Increase |
$283,931 |
|
6210002482 |
55405018 |
Internal Cost Allocation Out |
Increase |
$22,405 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
As the administrative entity for the ESG program, the Community Development and Housing Department (CDH) administers both the federal and state annual allocations of ESG funds. ESG funds are intended to assist people with quickly regaining stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.
These funds may be used for the following five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) eligible costs. While the County has autonomy in how it elects to fund each component, no more than 60 percent of the annual allocation can be used for street outreach and emergency shelter. The five program components, when used together, provide a path to shelter and permanent housing by:
• Engaging homeless individuals and families living on the street;
• Improving the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families;
• Funding shelter operations;
• Providing essential services to shelter residents;
• Rapidly re-housing homeless individuals and families; and
• Preventing families and individuals from becoming homeless.
CDH recommends allocating $567,863 of ESG funding to the six agencies in Recommendation No. 1 to provide the direct services, outlined below, throughout the County.
|
Service Provider |
Direct Services |
|
Community Health Action Network |
Homelessness Prevention |
|
Children’s Fund, Incorporated |
• HMIS • Homelessness Prevention • Rapid Re-Housing |
|
Inland Empire Rebound |
Rapid Re-Housing |
|
Lutheran Social Services of Southern California |
• Emergency Shelter • Street Outreach |
|
Mountain Homeless Coalition |
• Homelessness Prevention • Rapid Re-Housing |
|
The Salvation Army |
• Emergency Shelter • HMIS • Rapid Re-Housing • Street Outreach |
On May 9, 2023 (Item No. 20), the Board of Supervisors approved the federal 2023 ESG allocation of $613,906 (HUD Contract No. E-20-UC-06-0503). The balance of $46,043, not awarded in the contracts in Recommendation No. 1, will remain with CDH to support the administrative functions related to managing the grant.
Approval of these recommendations will allow the County to continue funding non-profits to provide ESG-eligible services to the county’s homeless and at-risk of homelessness population through August 31, 2025.
PROCUREMENT
On February 22, 2024, CDH issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 24-01 to solicit interested and qualified organizations to provide homelessness prevention, street outreach, rapid rehousing, emergency shelter, and HMIS services to eligible individuals and families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness who reside in the county.
The RFP was publicly advertised on the CDH website and sent to over 500 community-based organizations, service providers, and other interested parties via email. The RFP closed on March 22, 2024.
Eight proposals were received in response to the RFP by the established deadline. Based on the evaluation results of the proposals, CDH is recommending the County award contracts to the six providers identified in Recommendation No. 1. No protests were received in response to the selection process and results.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 25, 2024; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on August 1, 2024; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on August 1, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Deputy Director, 386-8392) on August 1, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on August 6, 2024.