TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) for the 2005 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance Program and execute all necessary documents, subgrants and any amendments changing the amounts of the award or extending the grant term upon receipt of HUD funding; and increase appropriations in the Health Fund (SR 130) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HE) by the awarded grant amount, which will be between
$4 million and $7 million, for a period of one to three years; and, reallocate 2003 Continuum of Care funding to fund the Goodwill Industries of Long Beach and South Bay in the amount of $55,860 to provide lifeskills programming at the Multi-Service Center for the Homeless, the Catholic Charities in the amount of $46,998 to provide case management and outreach services at the Multi-Service Center for the Homeless, and fund the Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services in the amount of $365,750 to provide youth transitional housing at the Villages of Cabrillo. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In 1994, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established the
Continuum of Care (CoC) program , which rewards communities that work together to
coordinate housing and supportive service programs for homeless persons. The driving
force behind this effort is to encourage the development of a seamless strategy to aid
individuals in the transition from homelessness to permanent housing. The CoC' s primary
objective is to assist homeless individuals and families to leave the streets, become stable,
and achieve self-sufficiency to the maximum extent possible. The CoC consists of five
components: 1) outreach and assessment, 2) emergency shelter, 3) supportive services,
4) transitional housing, and 5) permanent housing with and without supportive services. As
part of the CoC , the community must demonstrate how all available funds and programs
are used to augment CoC funds. Available funds include, but are not limited to: Community
Development Block Grants (CDBG), HOME funds, Section 8 federal funds , Public Housing
funds, and other state , city, county, private , and foundation funds.
CoC funds have a recommended formula allocation for each jurisdiction , which is
established by HUD and tied to poverty and population data. This formula allocation is low
and is not the only basis for funding requested in the application. The application to HUD is
a competitive application. Upon review by HUD , the quality of the application is taken into
consideration , and since 1996, the City has received an allocation over the formula amount
as the result of a high score on the application.
There are three fundable options for permanent housing under the CoC: Shelter Plus Care,
Permanent Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Single Room Occupancy projects.
Outside of permanent housing, CoC dollars can be used for Transitional Housing, Safe
Havens, and Supportive Services Only projects
Permanent Housing - Shelter Plus Care: The Shelter Plus Care Program is designed to
provide permanent housing and supportive services to homeless persons with disabilities
and their familes. In the case of a homeless household , at least one adult member must
be considered disabled. HUD pays for the housing through rental assistance payments
following the same concept as Section 8 vouchering. The grantee must provide a dollarfor-
dollar match to be used for supportive services.
Permanent Housing for Persons with Disabilties: Permanent Housing for Persons with
Disabilties is long-term housing for the homeless and disabled population. Basically, it is
community-based housing and supportive services that can be provided in one structure
several structures at one site , or multiple structures at scattered sites.
Permanent Housing - Single Room Occupancy (SRO): The SRO program is
permanent housing in the form of Section 8 rental assistance working in collaboration with
local public housing agencies. The rental assistance payments cover the difference
between a portion of the tenant's income (normally 30 percent) and the unit's rent , which
must be within the Fair Market Rent (FMR) established by HUD. Unlike the previous two
permanent housing categories, SRO funds can be used for all homeless populations.
Rental assistance for SRO units is provided for a period of 10 years. To be eligible for
assistance , owners of SROs must invest at least $3, 000 of rehabilitation costs per unit and
meet housing quality standards. Due to zoning limitations, the City of Long Beach does not
apply for these funds.
Transitional Housing: Transitional Housing facilitates the movement of homeless
individuals and families to permanent housing within 24 months. This temporary housing is
combined with supportive services to enable homeless individuals and families to live as
independently as possible.
Safe Havens: A Safe Haven is a form of supportive housing in which a structure, or a
clearly defined portion of a structure, or scattered site housing, which are rental subsidies in
apartments throughout the city, meets the following criteria: (1) serves hard-to-reach
homeless persons who have severe mental illness , are on the streets, and have been
unwilling or unable to participate in supportive services; (2) provides 24-hour residence for
an unspecified duration; (3) provides private or semiprivate accommodations; and (4) has
overnight occupancy limited to 25 persons if at one site.
Supportive Services Only: Supportive Services Only projects provide services to address
the special needs of the homeless person. Projects fall under this classification only if they
are not providing housing to the persons receiving the services.
Outreach services can be funded as part of a housing component or as a supportive
service not in conjunction with housing. Outreach provides the first point of contact for
many homeless persons and families where they live on the streets.
Assessment services can be funded as part of a housing component or as a supportive
service not in conjunction with housing. Assessments are done on all clients entering into
service to determine the best course of assistance and which components of the
Continuum of Care will best move an individual or family toward becoming housed and
stable.
Although emergency housing is part of the CoG plan development required by HUD , these
CoC funds wil not support emergency housing (i. , shelters). The City utilizes Emergency
Shelter Grant (ESG) funding to assist in the development of emergency housing programs.
On April 6 , 2004 , the Mayor and City Council approved the Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS) to be the lead applicant for the 2004 CoC for Homeless
Assistance Program. DHHS was subsequently granted $3. 9 million to fund 1 new and 22
renewal programs (Attachment 1). Attached is a listing of agencies that will potentially be
funded (Attachment 2).
Funding from HUD is available for the 2005 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance
Program to provide the above mentioned community services for the homeless.
City Council approval is requested for the City to apply for between $4 and $7 million
through the 2005 Continuum of Care for Homeless Assistance Program. These funds will
renew existing programs and fund new Long Beach homeless assistance programs.
On April 6, the City s Homeless Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) met to establish
funding priorities, which are: 1) permanent housing exclusively serving chronically
homeless single men and women; and 2) permanent housing for persons (individuals and
families) with disabiliies. The HSAC is requesting that the DHHS be the lead grantee.
Sub-grantees will be chosen through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process conducted by
the DHHS as part of the application process outlined in Attachment 3. As a result of this
authorization, the DHHS will be responsible for compiling the application, including the
proposed sub-grantees, for submission to HUD. Upon award , the DHHS will monitor the
performance of all program sub-grantees to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
The City s Department of Community Development will administer any Shelter Plus Care
rental subsidies received.
Revision to 2003 Continuum of Care Fundinq
On May 6, 2003, the Mayor and City Council approved the DHHS to be the lead applicant
to HUD for the 2003 CoCo The City was awarded $3.7 million dollars for 14 projects.
Three agencies have returned their award to the City as they were unable to continue to
provide the program. The HSAC, who oversee the application process and
recommendation of funding, held another open competitive Request for Proposal (RFP)
process to reallocate the returned funds.
The HSAC sub-committee identified three projects that met the requirements of the RFP
and would fill gaps in the CoC system and is requesting that City Council approve the
funding recommendations. The following outlines the three recommended projects:
Travelers Aid Society returned $55 859 for a Lifeskills program. The funding will be
reallocated to Goodwill Industries of Long Beach and South Bay in the amount of $55 860
to continue to provide the Lifeskills program at the Multi-Service Center.
Travelers Aid Society returned $46 998 for case management and outreach services. The
funding wil be reallocated to Catholic Charities in the amount of $46 998 to continue case
management and outreach services at the Multi-Service Center.
1736 Family Crisis Center returned $365 750 for a Youth Transitional Housing program.
The funding will be reallocated to the Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services in the
amount of $365 750 to continue to provide Youth Transitional Housing located at the
Villages of Cabrillo.
This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna Gwin and Budget
Management Officer David Wodynski on April 11 , 2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on May 3, 2005 to allow DHHS to begin the process of
responding to the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the grant application process.
FISCAL IMPACT
If awarded , the grant is estimated to be between $4 and $7 milion. Funding will be made
available through HUD and appropriation requested in the Health Fund (SR 130) and in the
Department of Health and Human Services (HE) through the FY 06 budget adoption
process.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
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Respectfully Submitted,
[Respectfully Submitted,]