Item 11 - Agreement for Eviction Prevention Program with Families Forward, Inc.

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2 Agreement Statement Families Forward is in concurrence with the provisions laid out in Exhibit II – Sample Agreement of this RFP for an ERA2 grant in the amount of $730,046. Firm and Team Experience What started out in 1984 as a community-based, grassroots, humble effort to house families experiencing homelessness in two farmhouses and five rented apartments, has since grown into one of Orange County’s most impactful nonprofits. With two offices, one in Santa Ana and one in Irvine, Families Forward serves as official county access points in both the Southern and Central Service Planning Areas. Families Forward now owns or is in partnership with 136 affordable housing units with plans to have access to 150 units by 2025. Tackling the pervasive issue of family homelessness, Families Forward improved the lives of 14,325 people last year. In 2022-23, we successfully prevented homelessness through providing rental assistance for 184 families (669 individuals), provided bridge housing for 23 families (87 individuals) and provided other prevention services such as referrals, budgeting, or care coordination for over 1,500 individuals. We provided over $1,900,000 in rental assistance to our prevention and rapid re-housing clients to ensure they could move into and stay in their homes, with over $400,000 specifically earmarked for eviction prevention. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Families Forward has supported over 1,000 families with over 2.8 million dollars in rental assistance for eviction prevention. Today, Families Forward provides a full range of housing solutions for homeless clients, including motel stays, short-term interim housing support, rapid rehousing, and affordable housing. Families Forward has also developed significant partnerships with landlords, property managers, communities, and housing developers to increase the number of permanent housing opportunities available in Orange County and offer customizable, adaptable programs and allow for the best possible solution for each family in need. Working with housing partners in the community, we cultivate relationships that provide tenants with additional support through education, mediation, and lease negotiations. Our Housing Program builds trust with landlords to offer opportunities for heads of families with prior evictions or poor credit who often need a second chance. Families Forward is committed to the Housing First principles outlined by HUD and the Interagency Council on Homelessness. The Families Forward homeless services Care Team includes multi-lingual and multi-cultural family navigators, housing resource specialists, career coaches, and mental health counselors who work together to provide comprehensive, personalized care and a plan for each family to achieve housing stabilization. The Housing Program is designed to assist literally homeless families for a short period of time, averaging 4-6 months, to regain independence and achieve housing security. Families in our Housing Program are provided access to our seasonal programs such as Back to School with school supplies for children, Thanksgiving baskets filled with EXHIBIT 2