REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 23, 2023
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Transitional Housing Program Round 4 and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Round 1 Joint Allocation Award Agreement
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept a joint allocation award agreement (State Agreement No. 22-TAY-17743) from the California Department of Housing and Community Development for Transitional Housing Program Round 4 funding, in the amount of $1,537,627, and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Round 1 funding, in the amount of $1,184,255, for a total amount of $2,721,882, for five years, effective upon execution by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
2. Authorize the Director of Children and Family Services, as required by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and established by Resolution No. 2022-233, to act on behalf of the County in connection with the Transitional Housing Program Allocation Award and any additional Transitional Housing Program Allocation, and to enter into and execute documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to participate in the Transitional Housing Program, including but not limited to the agreement referenced in Recommendation No. 1, be awarded the Transitional Housing Program Allocation Award and any additional Transitional Housing Program Allocation, and any amendments to such documents.
3. Authorize the Director of Children and Family Services, as required by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and established by Resolution No. 2022-233, to act on behalf of the County in connection with the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Allocation Award and any additional Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Allocation, and to enter into and execute documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to participate in the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program, including but not limited to the agreement referenced in Recommendation No. 1, be awarded the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Allocation Award and any additional Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Allocation, and any amendments to such documents.
4. Direct the Director of Children and Family Services to transmit all executed agreements and amendments in relation to the Transitional Housing Program Allocation and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program Allocation to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Jeany Zepeda, Director, 387-2792)
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 and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The joint allocation award agreement from the Department of Housing and Community Development (State), in the amount of $2,721,882, is 100% State General Fund and does not require a match. This amount includes Transitional Housing Program (THP) Round 4 funding of $1,537,627 and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program (HNMP) Round 1 funding of $1,184,255. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2022-23 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Budget Act of 2022 requires the State to allocate funding to counties to provide housing stability to help young adults (ages 18 through 24) secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults formerly in the foster care or probation systems. All funds will be administered by Children and Family Services (CFS).
Pursuant to Section 50807(b) of the Health and Safety Code (HSC), the State consulted with the Department of Social Services, the Department of Finance, and the County Welfare Directors Association to develop a formula allocation schedule for the purpose of distributing these funds to counties. Per the Budget Act of 2022, the allocation is based on each county's percentage of the total statewide number of young adults 18 through 20 years of age in foster care and homeless unaccompanied young adults (ages 18 through 24), excluding those counties that could not demonstrate need.
A county that accepts an allocation of funds is required to provide training to its child welfare agency social workers and probation officers who serve non-minor dependents. The training is to describe the social worker’s and probation officer’s role in identifying unstable housing situations for youth and referring youth to housing assistance programs; provide an overview of the housing resources available; and how to refer young adults and families to housing resources.
CFS will use the THP funds to help young adults, ages 18 through 24, secure and maintain housing with priority given to young adults formerly in the state's foster care or probation systems. CFS anticipates providing services to 48 qualified young adults at a per capita cost of $32,034. Qualified young adults are individuals that demonstrate a willingness to participate in THP program activities such as attending classes that teach them living skills, continuing their education and securing employment. The use of funds may include, but is not limited to:
1. Identification of, and assistance with, housing services for this population in the county;
2. Assistance in securing and maintaining housing including assistance with rent, utilities, furniture, and household items, as needed (with priority given to those currently or formerly in the foster care or probation system);
3. Improvement of coordination among various services and linkages to community resources within the child welfare system and the Homeless Continuum of Care; and
4. Facilitation of engagement in outreach, targeting services to those with the most severe needs.
CFS will use the HNMP funds for housing specialists (called housing navigators), who will assist the county’s young adults, ages 18 through 24, with their efforts to locate available housing and overcome barriers to obtaining housing. CFS anticipates providing services to 100 qualified young adults at a per capita cost of $11,843. Housing navigation and maintenance activities may focus on providing assistance to young adults in securing and maintaining housing with priority access given to those in the state's foster care system. CFS will leverage other funding, including Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention and bringing Families Home, and Family Unification Program to provide resources including hard goods, rent, and deposits and services to help stabilize the participant.
On December 13, 2022 (Item No. 29), the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted Resolution No. 2022-233 authorizing the submission of an application to the State for the County Allocation Award for THP Round 4, in the initial amount of $1,537,627; acceptance of THP Round 4 funding in the amount of $1,537,627, up to a total amount of $3,075,254, based upon available remaining funding; submission of an application to the State for the County Allocation Award for HNMP Round 1, in initial amount of $1,184,255; acceptance of HNMP Round 4 funding in the amount of $1,184,255, up to a total amount of $2,368,510, based upon available remaining funding; and the Director of CFS to act on behalf of the County in connection with the THP Allocation Award and HNMP Allocation Award, and to enter into, execute, and deliver any and all documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to participate in the programs, including a Standard Agreement and any amendments.
On December 13, 2022, the Board also authorized the Director of CFS, as required by the State, to act on behalf of the County in connection with the THP Allocation Award, HNMP Allocation Award, any additional THP Allocation, any additional HNMP Allocation, and to enter into and execute documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to participate in the THP and HNMP, including but not limited to a Standard Agreement, be awarded the THP and HNMP Allocation Awards and any additional THP and HNMP Allocations, and any amendments to such documents.
The December 13, 2022 Board Item listed the dates of the award as December 13, 2022 through December 12, 2024; however, when CFS received the joint allocation award agreement (State Agreement No. 22-TAY-17743) on March 28, 2023 from the State for THP Round 4 and HNMP Round 1 funding, in the amount of $2,721,882, the agreement was for a five year period effective upon execution by the State.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on April 11, 2023; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 17, 2023; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0280) on May 4, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 7, 2023.