Title
Direct staff to submit a Letter of Intent to Community Human Services (CHS) to support CHS’ application for Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) program funds to the Salinas/Monterey and San Benito County Continuum of Care CA-506 (CoC), necessary for CHS to lease, make tenant improvements, and operate a shelter for women and children at a County owned building located at 1292 Olympia Avenue, Seaside
CEQA ACTION: not a project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15004(b)(2)(a). (ADDED VIA ADDENDA)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Direct staff to submit a Letter of Intent to Community Human Services (CHS) to support CHS’ application for Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) program funds to the Salinas/Monterey and San Benito County Continuum of Care CA-506 (CoC), necessary for CHS to lease, make tenant improvements, and operate a shelter for women and children at a County owned building located at 1292 Olympia Avenue, Seaside.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The City of Seaside Council recently expressed its support for a shelter that would serve single women and families to be located in a County building located at 1292 Olympia Avenue. CHS intends to apply for HEAP funding to the Salinas/Monterey and San Benito County Continuum of Care CA-506 (CoC).
HEAP Program Information:
The Leadership Council, which serves as the Continuum of Care (CoC) Board for the Salinas/Monterey and San Benito County CoC, CA-506, will accept applications for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) grant funding on April 1, 2019 by 5:00 p.m. HEAP is a State of California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency block grant program authorized by Senate Bill (SB) 850, signed into law by Governor Brown in June 2017. HEAP is designed to provide immediate and direct assistance to those impacted by the homeless crisis in Monterey and San Benito Counties. The HEAP statute mandates that 50 percent of the awarded funds must be contractually obligated by January 1, 2020. Additionally, 100 percent of the funds must be expended by June 30, 2021.
Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: expansion of homeless bed inventory through new emergency shelters, warming shelters, transitional or other housing; operating and/or supportive services for new homeless beds; rental assistance, rapid rehousing, eviction prevention and/or move-in assistance; street outreach programs, health and safety education services and criminal justice diversion programs; housing navigation, landlord mitigation programs, targeted case management and other related activities.
The County of Monterey and the following jurisdictions have declared a Shelter Crisis for the purposes of the HEAP program: Marina, Monterey, Salinas, Hollister, King City, Monterey County, San Juan Bautista, Sand City, San Benito County, and Seaside. The shelter crisis declaration pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 8698) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code is required for all cities and counties that wish to have HEAP capital projects (construction, rehab, acquisition projects funded in their jurisdiction or unincorporated area.
Total available HEAP funds for Monterey County are $10,008,889. The breakdown on how HEAP funds can be spent is detailed in the table below:
Rehousing Projects
HEAP Funds Available to Monterey County
Program Funding Amount Allocated Percentage allocation of funds
Service-Related Projects $1,000,889 10%
Assistance/Subsidies/Rapid $1,000,889 10%
Capital Projects $6,505,777 65%
Unaccompanied Homeless $1,000,889 10%
Youth
Category 3 Homeless Youth $500,445 5%
Total Funding Available to $10,008,889 100%
Monterey County
CEQA:
By its terms, the letter of intent is sent solely for the purpose of assisting CHS in its application for grant funding in order to a shelter on County property. The letter does not constitute a binding agreement by the County to enter into any agreement with CHS, and advises CHS that any future lease or agreement shall be considered during a regularly calendared public meeting of the Board of Supervisors. The letter further advises CHS that the letter does not constitute a commitment of any kind whatsoever, of the County to approve any future project, and any future project shall comply with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. The letter of intent does not commit the County to a definite course of action with regard to this proposed project, and the County retains its full discretion to adopt any project alternatives, impose mitigation measures, or disapprove the project entirely.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Seaside City Council held a special City Council meeting to discuss the shelter on February 27th. The Council stated that the City did not have the funding to build or operate a shelter, but was willing to support the proposed operator, Community Human Services (CHS) to renovate a County building located at 1292 Olympia Avenue. CHS intends to fund the renovations of the building and operations through a successful HEAP grant application and other philanthropic donations. The County is willing to contribute to the shelter by renting the building to CHS for a bargain lease of one dollar per year. The Office of the County Counsel has reviewed the letter of intent and approved it as to form and legality.
Due to late submission of this Board Report, the CAO Budget and Analysis Division was not provided adequate time to fully review for potential fiscal, organizational, policy, or other implications to the County of Monterey .
FINANCING:
The letter of intent, if approved by the Board, would allow CHS to demonstrate site control in order to apply for HEAP funding for the shelter located at 1292 Olympia Avenue. By offering the bargain lease to CHS, the County has made a significant financial contribution toward the operation of a shelter at this site.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This proposed program correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiatives adopted by the Board of Supervisors by working towards the goals of improving health and quality of life outcomes to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
__Administration
X Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: _____________________________________________________________
Anastacia Wyatt, Housing Program Manager, Ext. 5387
Approved by: _____________________________________________________________
Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer, Ext. 5145
Attachments:
Board Report
Robin McCrae Comm Human Svs Fin Ltr 1292 Olympia HEAP