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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 09 - Modification to Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for ESG Program Community Development Agency www.santa-ana.org/community-development Item # 9 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report August 15, 2023 TOPIC: Modification to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program AGENDA TITLE Approve a Modification to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program RECOMMENDED ACTION 1. Approve a modification to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program. 2. Direct the City Attorney to finalize and authorize the City Manager to execute a subrecipient agreement with Illumination Foundation, in the amount of $100,000, for a term beginning August 15, 2023 – June 30, 2024, for rapid rehousing and homeless prevention activities, subject to non-substantive changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. DISCUSSION On May 2, 2023, the City Council approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and associated budgets for the Community Development Block Grant program, HOME Investment Partnerships Grant, and Emergency Solutions Grant (Exhibit 1). In addition, City Council also directed the City Attorney to finalize and authorized the City Manager to execute agreements with various nonprofit organizations awarded funds as part of the approved Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program for a term beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. As part of the FY 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and budget for the ESG Program, Mercy House was awarded $100,000 in ESG funds to deliver rapid rehousing and homeless prevention activities to the City’s homeless population. However, after the award of funds by City Council, Mercy House declined the City’s ESG funds due to the matching requirement mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The total award of $100,000 in ESG funds included $50,000 for rapid rehousing activities and $50,000 for homeless prevention activities. Rapid rehousing is an intervention, informed by a Housing First approach, that is a critical part of a community’s homeless crisis response system. Rapid rehousing rapidly connects families and individuals experiencing homelessness to permanent housing Modification to Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for ESG Program August 15, 2023 Page 2 3 6 5 5 through a tailored package of assistance that may include the use of time-limited financial assistance and targeted supportive services. Rapid rehousing programs help families and individuals living on the streets or in emergency shelters solve the practical and immediate challenges to obtaining permanent housing while reducing the amount of time they experience homelessness. Rapid rehousing also helps families and individuals avoid a near-term return to homelessness and links them to community resources that enable them to achieve housing stability in the long-term. Rapid rehousing is an important component of the City’s response to homelessness. A fundamental goal of rapid rehousing is to reduce the amount of time a person is homeless. Homeless prevention activities under the ESG Program involves eviction prevention and may include: •Financial Assistance: Providing short-term financial assistance to individuals and families at risk of losing their current housing due to an eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoff. This assistance can help cover rental arrears, security deposits, utility bills, or other housing-related costs. •Mediation and Legal Services: Offering mediation services or legal assistance to tenants facing eviction, with the aim of resolving disputes and preventing homelessness. •Rental Assistance: Providing ongoing rental subsidies to households that are at risk of homelessness to ensure they can maintain stable housing. Rental assistance may be time-limited or provided on a longer-term basis, depending on the specific program design. •Case Management: Offering case management services to help households assess their needs, set goals, and develop a plan to achieve and maintain housing stability. •Housing Counseling: Providing housing counseling services to individuals and families, including financial literacy education, budgeting assistance, and landlord-tenant mediation. •Credit Repair Services: Offering credit repair assistance to individuals and families who may have credit issues that are hindering their ability to secure housing. •Utility Assistance: Providing financial assistance to help households pay utility bills and prevent disconnection of essential services. Following Mercy House’s decision to decline the City’s award of ESG funds, staff recommends a reallocation of $100,000 in ESG funds to the Illumination Foundation as the City’s emergency shelter provider. The $100,000 includes $75,000 for rapid rehousing activities and $25,000 for homeless prevention activities (Exhibit 2 and 3). Illumination Foundation has proven to be a leading nonprofit that serves our most vulnerable individuals in the City of Santa Ana. Relative to the procurement for these services, there are a very limited number of homeless service providers that administer federal ESG funds in the City of Santa Ana. Under the federal regulations and guidance, a non-competitive procurement may be Modification to Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan and Budget for ESG Program August 15, 2023 Page 3 3 6 5 5 used only when the award of a contract is infeasible under small purchase procedures, sealed bids, or competitive proposals and where the item is available only from a single source. Under the City’s Purchasing Policies and procedures, competitive bidding may be waived if a service is available from only a single/sole source and solicitation of bids would be an idle act. A sole source is defined as a single supplier who provides a service for which no acceptable substitute is available. Staff have determined that: 1) the award of this contract is infeasible under competitive proposals for this FY 2023-24; 2) the solicitation of bids would be an idle act; and 3) the service is available only from the Illumination Foundation as a single/sole source. An Amendment to the Annual Action Plan is necessary when there are changes in the proposed use of funds, reallocation of funds between different activities, or the addition of new projects or initiatives that were not included in the original plan. This modification to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Annual Action Plan does not require an Amendment because there is not a change to the use of the ESG funds; there is not a reallocation of funds between different activities; and the planned use was included in the original Annual Action Plan approved by City Council on May 2, 2023. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. EXHIBIT(S) 1.Staff Report from May 2, 2023 2. Emergency Solution Program Summaries 3. Emergency Solution Grant Budget Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director of Community Development Approved By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager FY 2023-24 ESG Funding Plan - Program Summaries Administration (7.5% cap) Project Title Organization Funding Description ESG Program Administration City of Santa Ana Community Development Agency (CDA) $33,544 The program will provide for the overall administration of the ESG Program, to include: preparation and submission of required contracts with HUD, submission of all reporting requirements, provision of individual project oversight, monitoring of all project implementation and ongoing completion, and fiscal management and oversight. Program Administration is performed by a combination of staff and professional consultant(s). Proposed funding amount calculated based off 7.5% admin cap. Homelessness Shelter and Outreach Services (60% cap) HEART Program Homelessness Outreach & Engagement City of Santa Ana Police Department $50,000 Santa Ana Police Officers will contact individuals experiencing homelessness and attempt to provide the person(s) with necessary resources. The various resources will include lodging at the Link or Courtyard homeless shelters, transportation and social or mental health services utilizing the County PERT team members. Through a collaborative approach, officers will work the entire City in areas that are impacted by calls for service, citizen complaints, or noticeable encampments. Domestic Violence Homeless Shelter Interval House $80,000 Interval House provides life-saving shelter and support to homeless victims of domestic violence and their children from the most underserved communities in Santa Ana. Interval House shelter programs offer a safe, caring, and homelike environment for adults, adolescents, and children in life-threatening situations who are left homeless as a result of domestic violence. ADDITONAL SPECIALIZED SUPPORT SERVICES: Comprehensive counseling; legal; health and wellness; financial management; employment counseling; permanent housing; and other services as needed, provided by skilled counselors in over 70 languages. Shelter Services & Case Management Second Chance OC $30,000 Second Chance OC (SCOC) aims to reduce recidivism and begin to address the essential longer-term solutions to homelessness for clients at the Link. Most will be recovering drug/alcohol abusers who want to stay clean, avoid further jail/prison time, and return to their families and communities as contributing citizens. SCOC staff and volunteers train, assist and support each client according to his/her individual need. Many are dual- diagnosis, suffering from mental health issues as well as addiction, many have been in jail or prison, and most have a history with drug use. Those who are ready to return to school will be assisted with college applications. Others will be trained for the workplace. Clients who are ready to work will be assisted and supported in job readiness, from interviewing and resume preparation to on-the-job training and be placed in jobs paying at least or more than $15.00 hour. SCOC has business partners who employ our clients. All are mentored and coached at least twice monthly, monitored by an assigned case manager, and formally trained in CPR/First aid when it is required for employment. EXHIBIT 2 FY 2023-24 ESG Funding Plan - Program Summaries Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Homeless Prevention (Eviction Prevention) Illumination Foundation $25,000 Illumination Foundation will provide homeless prevention assistance to families residing in Santa Ana who are in jeopardy of losing housing. The funds will be used to provide rental assistance for families and individuals to maintain their current housing without the risk of becoming homeless. Funding allocations will include rental arrears and security deposit assistance (provide a one-time deposit assistance payment). In addition, clients will receive assistance with application fees, security deposit assistance if necessary, first and last month's rent and move-in costs if residents need to be relocated. The Illumination Foundation Homeless Prevention Program will help the Santa Ana community reduce the size of the homeless population by providing assistance and case management services that can aid families in preserving their independence. Rapid Rehousing (short term and long term rental assistance/security deposits) Illumination Foundation $75,000 Provide flexible and individualized financial assistance that supports Santa Ana residents on a progressive path toward permanent housing and stability. The amount and duration of rental assistance will be determined based on each client's unique financial situation. As a general guideline, Illumination Foundation will provide 100% rental assistance when clients first enroll in the program, allowing them to stabilize their finances, save, and plan. Over the course of six months, the amount of rental assistance will be scaled back incrementally—70%, 50%, and 30% of the total rent due. Rapid Rehousing for unaccompanied homeless women WISEPlace $50,000 WISEPlace provides shelter, food, trauma-informed care and related services to unaccompanied homeless women. Our shelter, case management, employment assistance and financial empowerment serves women from age 18 to 65 and older. The women we serve include young women leaving foster care, those who have suffered from domestic violence or human trafficking, those who experienced a financial catastrophe, or women recovering from drug abuse, alcohol abuse or incarceration. Our Rapid Rehousing services include case management, financial empowerment curriculum, housing search support and placement and permanent supportive housing financial support, such as deposit assistance, security deposits, help with moving costs and utilities. Data Collection HMIS (3%) HMIS – Homeless Management Information System 211 Orange County $103,705 211OC will facilitate HMIS coordination, communication, training, and technical assistance of Santa Ana ESG sub- recipients to ensure adherence to data quality, supporting the City's efforts to fully comply with the HEARTH Act of 2009. 211OC will: provide user meetings, perform site visits, provide training/technical assistance, run data quality reports to post and make available online (www.211oc.org), complete project set-ups, update the dashboard created for the Mercy House Link on a monthly basis. EXHIBIT 2 Category of Eligible ESG Activity Subtotal SAPD HEART Interval House Santa Ana Homeless Shelter* Illumination Foundation Second Chance OC WISEPlace 2-1-1 Orange County Street Outreach $ 50,000.00 $ 50,000.00 Emergency Shelter - Operations $ - Emergency Shelter - Essential Services $ 110,000.00 $ 80,000.00 $ 30,000.00 Homeless Prevention $ 25,000.00 $ 25,000.00 Rapid Rehousing $ 125,000.00 $ 75,000.00 $ 50,000.00 HMIS Data Collection $ 103,705 $ 103,705 Santa Ana Admin - 7.5% $ 33,544 $ 447,249 $ 50,000.00 $ 80,000.00 $ - $ 100,000.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 50,000.00 $ 103,705 Nonprofit Organizations City of Santa Ana Emergency Solutions Grant FY 2023-2024 Funding