REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 14, 2021
FROM
GARY HALLEN, Director, Community Development and Housing
SUBJECT
Title
2020-21 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report and 2020-25 San Bernardino County Consolidated Plan
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Conduct a Public Hearing to:
a. Report on the accomplishments and progress toward completing the 2020-25 San Bernardino County Consolidated Plan goals.
b. Accept public comments on the appropriateness of the County’s Program Year 2020-25 Consolidated Plan priority needs and goals.
2. Approve the 2020-21 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report.
3. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Department Director, upon consultation with County Counsel, to make any necessary minor adjustments to the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report should any revisions be required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and resubmit the document to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
4. Direct the Chief Executive Officer or the Community Development and Housing Department Director to transmit all related documents to the Clerk of the Board within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Gary Hallen, Director, 387-4411)
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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the Program Year (PY) 2020-21 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) and receipt of public comments on the priority needs of the 2020-25 San Bernardino County (County) Consolidated Plan will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Activities listed in the attached CAPER are supported by federal block grant funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Department (HUD).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On April 21, 2020 (Item No. 25), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan and directed Community Development and Housing staff to submit the plan to HUD, including any comments received during the public comment process (completed on April 7, 2020, Item No. 63). On an annual basis, the County must report on the progress it has made in meeting its priority needs and goals listed in its 2020-25 Consolidated Plan. The attached CAPER describes the accomplishments achieved during July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds from HUD. The CAPER is required for receiving HUD funding and is due to HUD within 90 days after the close of the grantee's program year (September 28, 2021).
The process to develop the HUD Annual Plan, which results in each year CAPER’s accomplishments, started in 2019 when the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan was initiated. Staff conducted community meetings and collaborated with stakeholders, including County Board Offices, County Leadership, County Departments, participating Cities, and non-profits, to develop the goals and objectives on which the Annual Plan is based. With feedback from stakeholders and other members of the public, the goals and objectives were solidified and presented to the Board for approval on April 21, 2020.
As a result of this one-year progress assessment, the County is in the position to meet its 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals and objectives by June 30, 2025. More specifically, ESG funds spent to address homelessness also will be aligned to meet the County Homeless Strategic Plan Framework goals and objectives, which will be presented and approved by the Board at a future date.
As the Homeless Strategic Plan Framework and corresponding investment strategy continues to evolve, CDH will review Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan goals and objectives to ensure alignment of goals and resources for homeless prevention and services. Any proposed changes to the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan will be shared with stakeholders, including the Board Offices and County Leadership, and an item will be presented at a future public hearing for Board adoption and approval.
As a prelude to the development of the County’s PY 2022-23 Annual Action Plan, the County must assess its 2020-25 Consolidated Plan priority needs and goals and make any necessary adjustments to ensure the County’s Consolidated Plan remains relevant and effective. A public hearing is required to allow the public to participate in this process and comment. Any comments received during this public hearing will be considered and reported in the public hearing of the County’s PY 2022-23 Annual Action Plan, which will take place in Spring 2022.
Upon the Board consideration and approval of this document, the County will submit the PY 2020-21 CAPER to HUD by September 28, 2021, of which HUD may require minor revisions. Recommendation No. 3 would allow the Chief Executive Officer or the Director of CDH, upon consultation with County Counsel, to make any necessary adjustments to the CAPER and resubmit the document to HUD.
CAPER Accomplishments
The following information is a summary of accomplishments for the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
CDBG Accomplishments: The majority of the projects (public facilities, public works, public services and community projects) are determined by the participating Cities, and Community Development and Housing (CDH) allocates the CDBG funding to the Cities based on the HUD allocation metrics. The 2020-21 County CDBG Capital funded projects were based on a multi-year list of priority CDBG approved projects, with input from County departments and Board offices. A future CDBG investment workshop will be presented to the Board offices and County Leadership for consideration at a future date. A total of $6,397,589.19 in CDBG funds were expended to provide various activities throughout the County. Of these funds, $1,273,022.69 was expended to support reasonable CDH administrative and planning costs (e.g., general management, oversight and coordination, fair housing activities, plan development, indirect costs and submission of applications for Federal programs) and $5,124,566.50 was expended to assist with the following projects:
• CDBG Public and Neighborhood Facilities: $2,809,306.17 was expended to acquire, improve, and rehabilitate 44 public facilities. These improvements provided low-to-moderate income residents with increased access to community and senior centers, parks, museums, and other recreational facilities. Newly improved public and neighborhood facilities include but are not limited to the Yucaipa Senior Center Kitchen Floor, Redlands Joslyn Senior Center Rehabilitation Project, Twentynine Palms Multi-purpose Center, Barstow Lillian Park Rehabilitation and ADA improvements, County Guasti Regional Park American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvements, County Bloomington Construction of Ayala Park and Yucaipa Regional Park ADA Improvements at the Recreational Vehicle Parking Area.
• CDBG Public Works Projects: $1,759,383.67 was spent on 27 public infrastructure projects. The projects included curb, gutter, street, and sidewalk improvements that upgraded and increased access for residents in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. Newly improved public works projects include, but are not limited to, the Adelanto Sidewalk and Road Crossing project, Colton Alley improvements at 7th and Oak, Highland Del Rosa Area Street Improvements, Loma Linda Street and Sidewalk Improvements, and County unincorporated Montclair-ADA Street and Sidewalk Improvements.
• CDBG Public Service: $463,575.43 was spent on 60 public service projects with agencies receiving funding to provide services to 76,138 low-to-moderate income County residents, including seniors, children/youth, and disabled persons. Types of services included adult literacy, emergency food distribution, transportation, tenant/landlord counseling, fair housing education and referrals, health services, and childcare for children of women who are victims of domestic violence. The following public service activities supported during PY 2020-21 include but are not limited to Countywide Fair Housing and Tenant/Landlord Mediation Services, Barstow Desert Sanctuary Child Care Program, Colton Homeless Coordinator Program, Grand Terrace Senior Meals and Coordinator Program, Redlands Victims of Violence program, and the Yucaipa Supportive Services for Victims Program.
• CDBG Community Projects: $92,301.23 was spent on community code enforcement and demolition programs. Code Enforcement activities help improve the health, safety, and quality of life for residents and resulted in over 541 code enforcement related inspections. Activities supported during the PY 2020-21 include but are not limited to the Highland Neighborhood Revitalization Program - Code Enforcement and Montclair Enhanced Code Enforcement Program.
A complete list of activities completed during PY 2020-21 can be found in Appendix B - PR 26 - CDBG and CDBG-CV Financial Summary Reports.
HOME Accomplishments: A total of $3,155,191.38 in HOME funds were expended on affordable housing development throughout the County. Of these funds, $203,374.78 was expended to support reasonable CDH administrative and planning costs (e.g., general management, oversight and coordination, reporting on the program, submission of applications for State and Federal programs and indirect costs) and $2,951,816.60 was expended to assist with the financing of the following projects:
• The Arrowhead Grove Phase II affordable housing development will create a total of 184 housing units (147 affordable housing, 35 market rate and two manager units). Project completion is set for Fall 2021.
• The Bloomington III affordable housing development will result in 98 housing units (of which 20 units are designated as Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless residents) and a 7,700 square foot community center. The project is currently underway and project completion is scheduled for Fall 2021.
• The Las Terrazas apartment community will consist of 112 affordable units and a 2,500 square foot preschool building located in the unincorporated area near the City of Colton. The Project will also include 12 permanent supportive housing units for homeless and special need clients with mental health conditions for whom the Department of Behavioral Health will provide the supportive services. The project construction began in Fall 2020 and is scheduled to be complete by Fall of 2022.
Further information about the above-mentioned HOME projects completed during PY 2020-21 can be located in the CAPER CR-20 - Affordable Housing 91.520(b) Page 21.
ESG Accomplishments
In line with the County’s Homeless Strategic Plan Framework and PY 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals and objectives for addressing homelessness, a total of $167,349.37 was expended to expand homeless prevention and housing programs to provide early intervention. Of these funds, $39,689.32 was expended to support reasonable CDH administrative and planning costs (e.g., general management, oversight and coordination, reporting on the program, submission of applications for State and Federal programs and indirect costs).
One service provider assisted approximately 235 extremely- low-income homeless individuals and persons at risk of becoming homeless by providing emergency shelter, rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention services.
Further information about the above mentioned ESG accomplishments can be found in CR-65 - Persons Assisted Page 67 and CR-70 - ESG 91.520(g) - Assistance Provided and Outcomes Page 69.
CARES Act Reporting Requirements and Deadlines
Recently, CDH staff substantially amended the County’s PY 2015-20 Consolidated Plan and PY 2019-20 Annual Action Plan to receive $12,962,385 HUD Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security CARES Act (CV) funding to respond to and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 among low- and moderate-income residents and to support a variety of homeless prevention, economic development, and public service activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
CDBG-CV Accomplishments
A total of $792,307.34 of CDBG-CV funds were expended to provide various activities throughout the County to prevent, prepare for, and/or respond to the spread of the coronavirus. Of these funds, $192,392.71 was expended to support reasonable CDH administrative and planning costs (e.g., general management, oversight and coordination, plan development, indirect costs and submission of applications for Federal programs) and $599,914.63 was expended to assist with the following projects:
• CDBG-CV Economic Development: Direct Financial Assistance to For-Profit Business: $6,982.41 was spent to provide one loan to a small business. A total of seven full-time equivalent jobs were preserved due to the investment in this small business.
• CDBG-CV Public Service: $592,932.22 was spent on 28 public service projects with agencies receiving funding to provide services to 1,413 low-to-moderate income County residents, including seniors, children/youth, and disabled persons. Types of services included food distribution, mortgage assistance, business assistance loans, and homeless assistance.
A complete list of activities completed during PY 2020-21 can be found in Appendix B - PR 26 - CDBG and CDBG-CV Financial Summary Reports.
CDBG-CV funds are one-time funding sources from HUD, which the County has six years to expend. No less than 80% of these funds must be spent no later than the end of the third year of the period of performance (June 2022).
2020-25 San Bernardino County Consolidated Plan Priority Needs and Goals
As part of the development of the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan, public outreach (e.g. to County residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, CDBG Participating Cities, HOME Consortia members and County Departments), a needs assessment (completed as a study to help the County assess its affordable housing and community development needs) and market analysis were conducted to identify the County’s priority needs and develop goals that would serve as a set of guidelines for the use of the federal funds from HUD. The needs assessment and market analysis focused on the areas of affordable housing, community development and homelessness, which were approved by the Board on April 21, 2020 (Item No. 25), and resulted in the following 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals:
Goal #1: New Construction/Acquisition/Rehabilitation of Housing for Persons who are Elderly, Disabled, or Homeless: Expand the supply of rental housing (including permanent supportive housing) that is accessible to persons with disabilities, including housing located near services, job centers, and other community amenities.
Goal #2: Rehabilitation of Existing Housing: Extend the useful life of existing affordable rental housing through repair and rehabilitation projects.
Goal #3: Acquire/Construct/Rehabilitate Public Facilities and Infrastructure: Fund public facility improvements in unincorporated San Bernardino County areas that benefit low-income households and persons, and persons with special needs to include senior centers, neighborhood facilities, youth centers, childcare centers, health facilities, handicapped centers, abused and neglected children facilities, parks and recreational facilities, and other facilities; fund non-housing community development proposals in unincorporated San Bernardino County that eliminate a threat to public health and safety to include water/sewer improvements, flood/drainage improvements, sidewalks, street improvements, and other infrastructure improvements.
Goal #4: Provide Support for Emergency Housing and Supportive Services for the Homeless: Assist persons who are homeless through the development and rehabilitation of transitional housing; fund projects that provide supportive services and shelter to persons who are homeless.
Goal #5: Cooperating Cities Provide Funding Support to Organizations Addressing the Public Service Needs of the County for Low-Income and Special Needs Individuals and Households: Fund projects in cooperating cities that provide recreational activities, educational opportunities, and job skills to youth; supportive services to low and moderate-income households and persons with special needs; assistance to businesses to create and/or retain jobs for low and moderate-income persons; and support for job training, continuing education, and employment services designed to assist low and moderate-income persons obtain jobs.
Goal #6: Promote Fair Housing: Accessibility improvements, fair housing enforcement, and education.
Goal #7: Provide Administrative Structure for Planning, Implementation, and Management of CDBG, HOME, and ESG Programs: Funding for the planning and administration of the CDBG, HOME and ESG programs, as well as other housing, community development and homelessness programs.
To ensure that the County’s 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals remain relevant, and the use of HUD funds continue to address the County’s greatest priority needs for housing, community development and homelessness, a public hearing is required to accept public comments on the above-mentioned goals.
In advance of development of the 2022-23 Annual Action Plan, the County will also review the Consolidated Plan goals and objectives to ensure they are in line with the investment strategy and goals and objectives of the County Homeless Strategic Plan Framework, to be presented to the Board for consideration at a future date. Any proposed and/or significant adjustments to the County’s PY 2020-25 Consolidated Plan goals will be addressed prior to the first public hearing and Board meeting of the development of the 2022-23 Annual Action Plan (Spring 2022). All public comments will be taken into consideration.
Public Hearing Notice
To meet notice requirements, the County published a public notice in the following publications: Big Bear Grizzly, Daily Press, HI-Desert Star, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, La Prensa Hispana, and The Sun. The County also posted notices and any applicable supporting documentation on the County’s website at http://sbcountycdha.com/community-development-and-housing-department/hud-plans-reports/ <https://sbcountycdha.com/community-development-and-housing-department/hud-plans-reports/> for no less than 15 days. The public comment period began on August 30, 2021 and will conclude once all comments are received at the September 14, 2021 Board meeting. Any comments received during today’s public hearing will be considered and included in the County’s CAPER submittal to HUD.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 25, 2021; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on August 26, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on August 30, 2021.