Title
Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign a letter of support to the City of King for Project Homekey in the amount of $350,000.00 from Monterey County’s future HHAP-3 allocation.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign a letter of support to the City of King for Project Homekey in the amount of $350,000.00 from Monterey County’s future HHAP-3 allocation.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The City of King intends to apply for Project Homekey funding to purchase and convert two motels into low-income, permanent supportive housing units for homeless individuals and eligible seniors. Project Homekey involves the purchase and conversion of a motel into individual permanent housing units and a matching commitment of funding for the supportive services components. The County and the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers (Monterey County Continuum of Care Operator - CoC) have been in engaged in a development of a 5-year plan to end homelessness and agree that the project aligns with the current plan strategies to create new permanent housing units throughout the County. The CoC has committed to providing $1 million of HHAP-3 funding to the project and King City has requested $350,000 from the County to assist in closing the gap needed for matching funds for the project. Monterey County Department of Social Services has submitted the intent to apply for the Homeless, Housing & Assistance Program funding, Round 3 (total allocation of $3,381,924.17) and the application will be submitted in the Summer of 2022. This funding source, as managed by the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC), has identified Project Homekey as a high priority use eligible category. As HCFC develops the full application, DSS will bring this before the Board for review and approval prior to submitting the application.
DSS supports this collaboration and requests the Board of Supervisors authorize the letter of support to the City of King, expressing our intent to allocate $350,000 from our future HHAP, Round 3 allocation. If and when King City’s Homekey application is awarded and the County receives the HHAP-3 funding, DSS will prepare an agreement to formally obligate the funds to the operator.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Collaboration meetings were held with County Administrative Office, Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, Step Up, Shangri-La Construction and the City of King.
FINANCING:
The Department has submitted their intent to apply and will submit a full application once released for HHAP-3. The Department will bring the plan to the Board prior to the submission of the application. The allocation announced for Monterey County is $3,381,924.17. This letter of support is contingent upon receiving the HHAP Round 3 funding, but as announced by HCFC, it is anticipated that we will receive this funding. Once this funding has been awarded, the Department will return to the Board with an agreement to obligate the $350,000 to the operator. At this time, only a letter of support expressing the Board’s future intention to commit funding are requested so that King City can submit their application.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This action correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by promoting programs and strategies to address homelessness through county supported funding, policies, programs, and services.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__ Economic Development
__Administration
X Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Lauren Suwansupa, Community Affiliation Manager, x8492
Approved by: Lori A. Medina, Director, x4430
Attachments: Proposed Letter
Proposed letter is on file with the Clerk of the Board as an attachment to this Board Report