DISCUSSION
In 2016 HCD redesigned its ESG Program to establish a dedicated Continuum of Care Allocation available to all jurisdictions, including entitlement jurisdictions, designated by HCD. Through this redesign, HCD allocates funds according to census data, homeless count information and poverty level. In the Redding/Shasta County Continuum of Care (RSCCOC), $472,458 is available for allocations. HCD furthers the allocation method allowing for each continuum to take up to fifty percent of the total allocation for non-competitive allocations within the continuum service area. For RSCCOC, the service area consists of Del Norte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Sierra, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. The remaining fifty percent of the allocation is reserved for a competitive application process that HCD rates and ranks. The competitive applications are rated and ranked among eight other continuums of like size as the RSCCOC.
According to the 2017 ESG Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) released August 1, 2017, HCD received approximately $4.9 million dollars in federal ESG funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and approximately $3.3 million dollars from California Budget Bill, Senate Bill 837. Key changes in the 2017 NOFA allows cities, counties and other political subdivisions of California to take five percent of the California ESG allocation for grant administration, up to twenty percent of the California ESG allocation can be used to support the development and/or operation of the local Coordinated Entry Systems, and California ESG allocation may be used for the one-to-one match of the federal allocation.
The $236,229 budget consists of $184,696 in California ESG funds and $51,533 in federal funds. Per Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 24 576.201, federal ESG funds require dollar for dollar match. Match funding is provided using HUD contract CA1573L9T161600 executed August 4, 2017 and HUD contract CA1574L9T161600 executed August 4, 2017.
On May 19, 2017, the Continuum of Care Coordinator released a request for funding to our continuum service area in anticipation of the NOFA being released by HCD in June of 2017. A committee was selected to review applications received within the service area and recommend applications to apply for non-competitive allocations and competitive allocation. Through that process, Shasta County was recommended to apply for the non-competitive allocation amount of $236,229. These funds will be used to: (1) operate a Rapid-Rehousing program in conjunction with the existing Rapid-Rehousing programs currently in operation, (2) start up a Homeless Prevention program to prevent households from becoming homeless, (3) contribute to the operation of RSCCOC’s Homeless Management Information System, (4) contribute to implementation and costs of Coordinated Entry System (CES), and (5) contribute to staff salaries and benefits to operate programs.
Approval of the recommendation to adopt a resolution would: (1) Approve and authorize the Director of Housing and Community Action Programs (Director) to sign and submit an application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development in an amount not to exceed $236,229 for Emergency Solutions Grant Program funding for the period January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2020; (2) approve and authorize the Chairman to sign the grant agreement and (3) approve and authorize the Director to sign additional application and participation documents necessary to secure the grant. The grant application is due September 15, 2017. HCD intends to send award letters to successful applicants within 30 days of receipt of application. The grant term would likely expire September 2020.
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