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

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5 office is at 1801 E. Edinger Street and is easily accessible by public transportation and car. All our services can be accessed in this office. Families Forward’s Headquarters is located at 8 Thomas in Irvine. The primary contact for this bid process will be Nishtha Mohendra, Chief Program Officer. Her email is nmohendra@families-forward.org. Should Families Forward be selected for the grant, Lisa Perez, Prevention Manager, will serve as the Project Manager. Proposed Work Plan As the City of Santa Ana is aware, with the end of the eviction moratorium that had been put in place to prevent evictions during the pandemic, families are now facing homelessness at a high rate, with landlords eager to evict with one missed rent payment. Given the high cost of living and increased spending on essentials such as food, transportation, health care, childcare, and other essential household bills, families are easily falling behind on housing payments. According to the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey, many low-income people and people of color are disproportionately impacted by the rapid increase in rent. Nearly half of those families falling behind on rent are between “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to be evicted. This sentiment is primarily due to these individuals not earning enough to cover their living expenses. Many residents have compounding barriers, such as informal renting arrangements, undocumented or mixed immigration status, large, multigenerational households, and mental health concerns. Thus, organizations like Families Forward that can provide flexible rental assistance and other comprehensive housing and supportive services are crucial to families and individuals facing homelessness. Through an Eviction Prevention Program grant with the City of Santa Ana, Families Forward will serve Santa Ana residents who are facing eviction through direct housing subsidies and our comprehensive safety-net services, including housing search and stabilization services, case management, motel vouchers, mental health counseling, food pantry access, and various seasonal programs including Back-to-School supplies. Families Forward has an extensive history providing this type of program, having partnered with the City of Santa Ana specifically through ERA funding as well as through a partnership with the Santa Ana Unified School District. Families Forward is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the City, given our depth of knowledge and the breadth of wrap-around services we provide. As such, Families Forward is ready to begin implementation of the Eviction EXHIBIT 2