REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 10, 2020
FROM
DENA FUENTES, Deputy Executive Officer, Community Development and Housing Agency
SUBJECT
Title v
Grant Award from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program Round Two Funding
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept the grant award (State Agreement No. 19-CESH-12968) from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development, in the amount of $835,737 for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program to provide grants to assist persons who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, effective upon approval by the State, ending five years from effective date.
2. Designate the Chief Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Agency
Deputy Executive Officer to execute any ancillary documents, including any non-substantive amendments necessary on behalf of the County, in relation to the California Emergency
Solutions and Housing Program, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Chief Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Agency Deputy Executive Officer to transmit all grant award documents and amendments in relation to the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program Round Two to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Dena Fuentes, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-4411)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The grant amount of $835,737 is administered by the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and does not require a match. Sufficient appropriation and revenue will be included during the 2020-21 Recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program (CESH) Round Two
The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) issued for the CESH Program, enacted under SB 850, will provide approximately $53.0 million through the State of California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). On March 21, 2019, the State of California announced the availability of CESH Round Two funding. The San Bernardino County Continuum of Care (COC) is eligible to receive $835,737.
The San Bernardino County Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) is the local COC. On September 19, 2018, the COC designated the County of San Bernardino (County) Community Development and Housing Agency (CDHA) as the Administrative Entity to apply for and manage the grant in accordance with the terms of the State NOFA. The recommended actions will allow the County CDHA to accept the CESH Program grant funds for eligible activities relating to homelessness within the COC service area.
On May 21, 2019 (Item No. 50), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved CDHA to become the Administrative Entity on behalf of the ICH and approved the County’s submission of the grant application to the HCD for the CESH Round Two funding in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000. The CDHA, on behalf of the County, submitted the CESH grant application on June 14, 2019 and received the CESH award letter for $835,737 on October 7, 2019. In order to receive the funding, HCD requires the execution of a Standard Agreement (Agreement), which CDHA received from HCD on February 2, 2020. Approval of this item accepts the CESH Round Two grant award in the amount of $835,737, authorizes execution of the Agreement and delegates authority to the Chief Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Agency Deputy Executive Officer to execute any ancillary documents, including any non-substantive amendments necessary on behalf of the County, in relation to the CESH Program, subject to review by County Counsel.
CESH funds will be allocated via contracts with eligible sub-recipients no later than January 2021, as required by HCD. CDHA will bring an item back to the Board for approval of contracts with all sub-recipients. CESH funding is to be utilized to address the short-term and long-term needs of homeless individuals and families throughout the County. Eligible expenses include rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services, 15-year capitalized operating reserves for new and existing affordable permanent housing, flexible housing subsidies and operating support, as well as other services dedicated to ending homelessness.
On April 24, 2019, ICH approved a list of funding for various activities of the CESH Program application in the amount of $835,737. The table below summarizes ICH’s allocation:
|
NAME |
ACTIVITIES |
AMOUNT |
|
Rental Assistance, housing relocation and stabilization to ensure housing affordability to individuals experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. |
Rapid Re-Housing, Bridge Housing/Hotel-Motel Vouchers, Case Management/Wrap Around Services, Homeless Prevention/Eviction Services and other. |
$100,288 |
|
Flexible housing subsidy funds for local programs that establish or support the provision of rental subsidies in permanent housing to assist homeless individuals and families. |
Flexible Subsidy Funding, Landlord Incentives, Security Deposits, Homeless Prevention/Eviction Services and other. |
$326,774 |
|
Operating support for emergency housing interventions including, but not limited to: navigation centers, street outreach and shelter diversion. |
Diversion Activities (including Reunification), Street Outreach, Transportation and other. |
$199,741 |
|
Systems support for homelessness services and housing delivery systems, including Coordinated Entry System (CES) data, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) reporting and homelessness planning activities. |
CES Expansion and Software Integration (including hospital collaboration). |
$167,147 |
|
Administration |
Shall not exceed 5 % of the allocation. |
$41,787 |
|
Total |
$835,737 |
PROCUREMENT
No procurement is required for this action.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 21, 2020; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on February 24, 2020 and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on February 24, 2020.
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