TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to submit a grant application, through the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the 2016 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance Program, and execute all necessary documents, subgrants and any amendments changing the amount of the award or extending the grant term upon receipt of HUD funding. The grant award amount will be between $6.5 million and $8.5 million for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach has applied for Continuum of Care (CoC) funding since 1995 to address homelessness. With the goal of assisting homeless individuals and families to leave the streets and achieve self-sufficiency to the maximum extent possible, the system consists of the following components: 1) street outreach and engagement, 2) coordinated entry with supportive services, 3) rapid rehousing, and 4) permanent housing retention.
The CoC strategy must align with the City’s Consolidated Plan and Housing Element components in relation to housing and services for special needs populations. Examples of leveraged community resources include, but are not limited to: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME, Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), Public Housing, Mental Health Services Act, Veterans funding and other State, city, county, private, and foundation funds. The local CoC system, combined with all of its nonprofit partner agencies, leverages almost $20 million in funds to promote a seamless service delivery model that has been recognized both regionally and nationally.
On June 9, 2015, the City Council approved the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) to be the lead recipient agency for the 2015 CoC Homeless Assistance Program. In 2015, the Health Department was subsequently granted $6,965,080 to fund 19 renewal projects and 3 new projects. As part of the 2015 award, the Long Beach jurisdiction was not renewed for $568,628 from the Tier II priority renewal projects. This is due to HUD moving away from funding Supportive Service Only (SSO) and Transitional Housing (TH) across the nation, with the priority focus to reallocate those projects to Permanent Housing. The primary reason for the loss of funds can be attributed to the CoC prioritizing its renewals, and not having existing agency capacity to reallocate that significant of an amount in a single application cycle. However, using its Unified Funding Agency Status to make local decisions, Long Beach did reallocate a total of $481,287 from an existing SSO to expand Permanent Housing, allowing the City to make up some of the loss.
The City's Homeless Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) oversees the grant renewal/ allocation process, in collaboration with the CoC General Membership and Board, comprised of diverse community stakeholders. Attached is a listing of agencies that are eligible to apply for annual renewal in the 2016 process as part of the City's funding application. Additional agencies may apply in 2016 as long as they meet the eligible applicant thresholds’ outlined within the Request for Proposals process, anticipated for late summer/early fall of this year.
The Health Department will again be the lead recipient agency for 2016 and is recommending that the sub-recipient agencies chosen through the 2015 Request for Proposal (RFP) process remain eligible for the 2016 application submission to HUD. Upon award notification from HUD, the Health Department will monitor the performance of all program sub-recipients to ensure compliance with Federal and local grant requirements, performance standards and ensure local objectives are met. The City's Housing Authority will administer the CoC Program Rental Assistance projects.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Robin Zur Schmeide and Budget Analysis Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on May 10, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on May 24, 2016 to allow the Health Department to begin the process of responding to the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2016 Continuum of Care Competitive Process.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Health Department portion of the grant is expected to be approximately $1,476,206, which is currently budgeted in the Health Fund (SR 130) in the Health and Human Services Department (HE). A cash match of $369,051 is required, which the City fulfills through the operation of the Multi-Service Center, and is currently budgeted in the General Fund (GF). Currently, 15 City employees facilitate the operations of the Multi-Service Center and nine City employees provide grant management and oversight services. Sub-recipient contracts with ten non-profit agencies support more than 100 other jobs in Long Beach.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dale Neal, Chair
Homeless Services Advisory Committee
By:
KELLY COLOPY,
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER