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Adopt a resolution declaring a shelter crisis in Solano County
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The County Administrative Office recommends the Board adopt a resolution declaring a shelter crisis in Solano County.
SUMMARY:
The FY2018/19 California State Budget Act and SB850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018) included $500 million for the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP). HEAP is a block grant program designed to provide assistance to local governments to address the homelessness crisis through a spectrum of housing options. HEAP funding is divided into three categories for distribution: $250 million to Continuums of Care (CoC) divided into nine groupings based on the 2017 Point-in-Time Homeless count; $100 million to CoC’s based on each CoC’s percent of 2017 Point-in-Time Homeless count; and $150 million to large cities with a population over 330,000. The total allocation for Housing First Solano Continuum of Care, the regional Continuum of Care for Solano County, is $4,917,500. The HEAP statute mandates that 50 percent of the awarded funds must be contractually obligated by January 1, 2020 and 100 percent of the funds must be expended by June 30, 2021. Administrative costs are limited to five percent and overhead costs and planning activities cannot be classified as administrative costs.
Eligible program uses include, but are not limited to, homelessness prevention activities, criminal justice diversion programs for homeless individuals with mental health needs, establishing of expanding services meeting the needs of homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness and emergency aid. The program is designed to be broad, but all activities must benefit the target population. Funding is anticipated to be available from the State through at least two rounds of funding cycles, the first is September 5, 2018, and the second is February 15, 2019.
Declaration of a shelter crisis is required for all cities and counties within a CoC that wish to receive HEAP funds. Counties may declare a shelter crisis only for the unincorporated areas of the county. CoC’s must demonstrate that a local collaborative effort has been conducted via a public process prior to an application submission. The HEAP program requires that a minimum investment of five percent of all awards be set aside for emergency assistance for homeless youth.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The cost of preparing the staff report is included in the County Administrative Office’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget. There is no additional cost to the County General Fund associated with declaring the shelter crisis. The actual HEAP funding estimated allocation for the Housing First Solano Continuum of Care per the State Budget Act and new legislation is $4.9 million for the four year period of 2018 through 2021.
DISCUSSION:
The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In Solano County, Housing First Solano CoC is the regional planning body of representative stakeholders that coordinates the community’s policies, strategies and activities toward preventing and ending homelessness. Housing First Solano CoC is the Administrative Entity based on new legislation passed in FY2018/19 for HEAP funding and will need to submit the HEAP applications. Housing First Solano CoC includes representatives from cities, the County and nonprofit community providers of services and receives operational and administrative staff support from HomeBase through Community Services Block Grant and a Continuum of Care planning grant funding.
Housing First Solano CoC must develop and conduct a local collaborative grant application process to determine how HEAP funds will be utilized in the CoC and demonstrate coordination with and among stakeholders including homeless service and housing providers, law enforcement, cities, and homeless advocates whose general service are falls within the CoC. The CoC may make sub-awards to entities it determines are qualified to carry out the eligible activities and operate within areas with approved shelter crisis status.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to declare a shelter crisis. Without the shelter crisis declaration, the County will be ineligible to participate in HEAP and cities wishing to partner with the County on an activity will also be ineligible to participate.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) provided information related to HEAP and County Counsel approved the resolution as to form.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION