Title
a. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit project applications for and participate in the No Place Like Home Program for the Competitive Round 2 Allocation funds for the development of permanent supportive housing for people with a serious mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless or at-risk of chronic homelessness.
b. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit project applications for and participate in the No Place Like Home Program for the Noncompetitive Allocation funds for the development of permanent supportive housing for people with a serious mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless or at-risk of chronic homelessness.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit project applications for and participate in the No Place Like Home Program for the Competitive Round 2 Allocation funds for the development of permanent supportive housing for people with a serious mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless or at-risk of chronic homelessness.
b. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit project applications for and participate in the No Place Like Home Program for the Noncompetitive Allocation funds for the development of permanent supportive housing for people with a serious mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless or at-risk of chronic homelessness.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On July 1, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation enacting the “No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program” to dedicate $2 billion in bond proceeds for counties to acquire, design, construct, rehabilitate, or preserve permanent supportive housing for people with a serious mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless or at-risk of chronic homelessness. The bonds are repaid by funding from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).
On August 15, 2018, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released the Notice of Funding Application (NOFA) for $190 million in Noncompetitive Allocation NPLH program funds. Monterey County has met the Noncompetitive Allocation threshold requirements and is eligible to submit one or more project applications to utilize $3,938,610 in noncompetitive funding that may be used for housing development. Additionally, on September 27, 2019, HCD released the NOFA for $622 million in Competitive Round 2 NPLH program funds. Monterey County may submit multiple project applications to compete for $52,445,511 available to “mid-sized counties”, which includes fourteen (14) counties with a population of 200,000 to 750,000, for Competitive Round 2 NPLH program funds. The County is expecting that HCD will have four rounds of NPLH competitive program funding opportunities.
The County may submit up to four Competitive Round 2 NPLH program applications, one in partnership with Interim, Inc., and three in partnership with EAH Housing, two in the City of Greenfield and one in the City of Marina. The County is also considering preparing an application to develop permanent supportive housing on either 855 E. Laurel Dr., Salinas or 1220 Natividad Road, Salinas for future funding.
As required by NPLH guidelines, for a minimum of 20 years, the County is committed to making mental health services available to the Projects’ NPLH tenants, and to coordinate the provision or referral to other services, including, but not limited, to substance use services. Project applications must include a project-specific supportive services plan developed by the County in partnership with the Project Sponsor, supportive service providers, and the property manager. Funding for supportive services must be identified and approved by the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health prior to submitting project applications to HCD. Should funding for supportive services for these projects not be identified, or if other components of these projects are not ready by the due date of January 8, 2020, the project/s will not be submitted for Competitive Round 2 NPLH program funds. However, recognizing that there are many critical stages in the development of permanent supportive housing, the County will continue to work with developers so that the project/s may be considered in subsequent NPLH competitive funding rounds.
Available Noncompetitive Allocation NPLH program funds, Whole Person Care Pilot funds, Community Development Block Grant, and other eligible funding may be used to leverage Competitive Round 2 NPLH project applications approved by the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to make them more competitive against other mid-sized counties. If Noncompetitive Allocation funds are not used during the Competitive Round 2 cycle, they may be used to leverage projects during a future competitive cycle or for project(s) applying only for Noncompetitive Allocation NPLH program funds. All Noncompetitive Allocation NPLH program project applications must be submitted to HCD no later than February 15, 2021.
By adopting the attached Resolutions, the Board of Supervisors is formally authorizing the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit ready project applications to HCD by January 8, 2019 to participate in the NPLH program, and additionally committing the County, or the County in partnerships with a lead service provider, to provide supportive services as specified in the NPLH Program Guidelines, including: 1) Making mental health supportive services available to each of the project’s tenants for a least 20 years; and 2) Coordinating the provision of or referral to other services (including, but not limited to, substance use services). Therefore, it is recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached Resolutions to authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to submit one or more Project applications which meet the NPLH Program requirements for utilizing both Noncompetitive Allocation NPLH program funds available to the County and, if awarded, Competitive Round 2 NPLH program funds.
This work supports the Monterey County Health Department 2018-2022 Strategic Plan initiatives: 3. Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer-friendly, quality health services. It also supports one or more of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 4. Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems; and 7. Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provisions of health care when otherwise unavailable.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Monterey County Housing and Economic Development, County Administrative Office.
FINANCING:
Adoption of these resolutions will allow the County to submit project applications that utilize Noncompetitive Allocation funds already set aside for the County, and concurrently apply for Competitive Round 2 funds under the No Place Like Home Program. If the project applications are approved and applications for Competitive Round 2 funds are awarded, the Department will evaluate the need to amend the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Adopted Budget to increase revenue and appropriations to accommodate the increased costs and additional revenue. If a budget amendment is deemed necessary, the Department will bring the appropriate actions to the Budget Committee for approval.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
☐Economic Development:
• Through collaboration, strengthen economic development to ensure a diversified and healthy economy.
☐ Administration:
• Promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management and is recognized for responsiveness, strong customer orientation, accountability and transparency.
X Health & Human Services:
• Improve health and quality of life through County supported policies, programs, and services; promoting access to equitable opportunities for healthy choices and healthy environments in collaboration with communities.
☐Infrastructure:
• Plan and develop a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and supports economic development results.
☐Public Safety:
• Create a safe environment for people to achieve their potential, leading businesses and communities to thrive and grow by reducing violent crimes as well as crimes in general.
Prepared by: Stacey Fiess, Management Analyst, 4694
Approved by: Elsa M. Jimenez, Director of Health, 4526
Attachments:
No Place Like Home Competitive Round 2 Allocation Resolution
No Place Like Home Noncompetitive Allocation Resolution