TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute any and all documents with the Long Beach-based Fair Housing Foundation to provide services to prevent housing discrimination and address impediments to Fair Housing Choice with an estimated total funding amount of $85,000 per year for an initial term from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012, with two one-year extensions thereafter. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, known as the Fair Housing Act (Act), requires recipients of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to administer all programs and activities related to housing and community development in a manner which furthers fair housing. The Act prohibits any person or agency from discriminating in the sale, rental or financing of housing based on race, age, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Furthermore, as required by Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, the City Council must appropriate funds to prevent housing discrimination and address impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The City has been in compliance by providing fair housing services to Long Beach residents and other housing stakeholders since 1964.
In order to remain in compliance with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regulations, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on January 27, 2011, to provide comprehensive fair housing services including, but not limited to, investigations of housing discrimination complaints; enforcement of federal, state, and local fair housing laws; and public education, outreach, and training. The City of Long Beach currently contracts with a single qualified entity to provide all fair housing services citywide.
The RFP sought one or more consultants or firms to provide the scope of services as detailed in the RFP. The nature of the services the City is seeking is categorized by two distinct components, namely Outreach/Education and Enforcement/Implementation of the City's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. As such, respondents were asked to delineate their responses by clearly identifying these components. Furthermore, respondents were required to provide a budget that distinctly identified the cost of services for both the Outreach/Education and Enforcement/Implementation of the City's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Respondents could have bid on a single component or both, as mentioned above.
Public notice of the availability of the Fair Housing Services RFP was given through the City's Purchasing Department RFP website. In addition, an email notification of the availability of the Fair Housing Services RFP was sent to all organizations providing fair housing services within California, as identified on a HUD website link. The City received two proposals; one from the Fair Housing Foundation (FHF) and the other from the Orange County Fair Housing Council, Inc. Both proposals contained bids for both components in the RFP.
After staff reviewed each proposal and compared the planned scope of services, the budget, and the criteria established in the RFP, it was determined that the FHF is a better fit to provide the required services for the following primary reasons:
· FHF will provide comprehensive fair housing services for residents and landlords at or below the cost of the other proposal.
· FHF will allow for easy access for Long Beach residents and landlords most in need of their services by offering walk-in, telephone, and Internet/Email access five days a week from a Long Beach location.
· FHF has the ability to service all Long Beach residents and landlords immediately after the contract is awarded.
A summary of the FHF service goals for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 is attached.
As a condition of the agreement, the FHF shall submit invoices for reimbursement for expenses according to a schedule determined by the City. The FHF shall further submit to the City a performance report of its activities in accordance with the timeframe and content present in the assigned schedule. The FHF shall prepare and file with the City an annual financial report showing in detail all expenditures made by the FHF for the programs and services identified in the agreement for the previous twelve-month period.
The term of the agreement shall commence on April 1, 2011 and end on March 31, 2012. The agreement only governs services provided to the City of Long Beach residents and persons seeking housing in the City. The City shall pay the FHF an amount not to exceed the sum of $85,000 per year. The agreement may be renewed on the same terms and conditions for two consecutive periods of one year each, upon satisfactory performance and continued availability of funds.
This item was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Richard F. Anthony on March 23, 2011 and Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on April 4, 2011.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on April 19, 2011 to minimize lapse of service and ensure timely implementation of the agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds are currently appropriated in the Community Development Grants Fund (SR 150) in the Development Services Department (DV). There is no impact to the General Fund. This action is expected to retain 1.3 full time local jobs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
AMY J. BODEK, AICP
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER