Title
a. Conduct a public hearing to present statutorily required sections for public comment on the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (Round 3) Application to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness in order to receive a one-time allocation of $3,381,924.17 to continue to build regional coordination and a unified regional response to reduce and end homelessness in Monterey County; and
b. Approve the submission of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (Round 3) Application to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness on behalf of Monterey County.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
a. Conduct a public hearing to present statutorily required sections for public comment on the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (Round 3) Application to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness in order to receive a one-time allocation of $3,381,924.17 to continue to build regional coordination and a unified regional response to reduce and end homelessness in Monterey County; and
b. Approve the submission of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (Round 3) Application to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness on behalf of Monterey County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On December 17, 2021, the State of California, Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) announced the availability of a third round of Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAP-3) grant funding. HHAP-3 is a $1 billion block grant program authorized by AB 140 (Health & Safety Code § 50218.6, et seq.), which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 19, 2021. Round one of funding was authorized by AB 101 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 159, Statutes of 2019) and signed into law by the Governor in 2019. Round two of funding was authorized by AB 83 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 15, Statutes of 2020) and signed into law by the Governor in 2020.
The HHAP-3 application process required all eligible applicants to submit a Standard Agreement to Apply no later than October 15, 2021 in order to receive an initial funding disbursement of 20 percent of the total allocation. The Board of Supervisors authorized the Department of Social Services to submit the HHAP-3 Agreement to Apply on September 12, 2021. Additionally, all applicants were required to engage with the HCFC staff to review a proposed homeless action plan and outcome goals prior to submitting the full application. This meeting took place on March 2, 2022 in collaboration with the Monterey/San Benito County Continuum of Care, San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency, and Monterey County Department of Social Services with the newly renamed HCFC organization, California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH). The full application was released on February 15, 2022 with a final due date of June 30, 2022 in order to receive the remainder disbursement.
Per Health and Safety Code Section 50220.7(b)(2), the applicant’s local homelessness action plan [HSC §50220.7(b)(3)(A)] and outcome goals [HSC §50220.7(b)(3)(C)] need to be agendized at a regular meeting of the governing body, including receiving public comment, before being submitted to Cal ICH. The presentation will review the landscape analysis (Attachment B) and outcome goals and strategies (Attachment C) prepared for this application as well as the proposed funding plan (Attachment D).
The general purpose of the Program is to continue to build on the regional coordination developed through previous Cal ICH (previously known as HCFC) grant funding to support local jurisdictions in their unified regional response to reduce and end homelessness. The program provisions for the eligible use of the funding are listed in Attachment A. Staff representatives from the County Department of Social Services (DSS), San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), and the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers (CHSP) collaborated closely to prepare the landscape analysis, goals and strategies, and community program priorities for the HHAP-3 allocation to ensure alignment with the board adopted “Lead Me Home, 5-Year Plan to Reduce Homelessness in Monterey and San Benito Counties.”
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Department of Social Services (DSS), San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), and the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers (CHSP) have collaborated in this effort.
FINANCING:
The California Interagency Council on Homelessness issued an application for Round 3 of HHAP funding in which the County had to submit a Standard Agreement to Apply, no later than October 15, 2021, in order to receive an initial funding disbursement of 20 percent of the total allocation ($676,385) with the full application due on June 30, 2022, in order to receive the remainder disbursement.
Per HSC §50220(a), County obligation and expenditure deadlines require 100% of the full program allocation shall be contractually obligated on or before May 31, 2024. Any funds not contractually obligated by this date will revert to the CoC that serves the County. By June 30, 2026, 100 percent of HHAP-3 funds must be fully expended.
The Department is recommending submission of the full application based upon the attached Funding Plan in the amount of $3,381,924.17. Sufficient appropriations and revenues of $2,196,997 have been incorporated within the Social Services Community Program 001-5010-SOC004 FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget. The remaining funding will be incorporated in the upcoming budget year process for FY 2023/24. There is no change to the existing General Fund Contributions in this budget unit.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This agreement correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by working collaboratively to develop and address a plan for ending homelessness.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
__ Economic Development
__ Administration
X Health & Human Services
__ Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: Lauren Suwansupa, CAM, x8492
Approved by: Lori A. Medina, Director, x4430
Attachments:
Attachment A, HHAP-3 Eligible Use List
Attachment B, HHAP-3 Landscape Analysis: Needs & Demographics, Services Provided, and Funding Analysis
Attachment C, HHAP-3 Outcome Goals and Strategies
Attachment D, HHAP-3 Funding Plan
HHAP-3 Public Hearing Presentation