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Approve a sole source contract with Volunteers of America to provide housing support, case management, and housing location services to Probation adult clients who are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness for an amount not to exceed $263,642 for the term of October 15, 2020 through June 30, 2022; Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any future amendments up to 20% of the total contract amount not to exceed $75,000; and Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any amendments which are technical or administrative in nature
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Published Notice Required? Yes_____ No__X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes_____ No__X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Probation Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve a sole source contract with Volunteers of America to provide housing support, case management, and housing location services to Probation adult clients who are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness for an amount not to exceed $263,642 for the term of October 15, 2020 through June 30, 2022.
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any future amendments including changes to terms and conditions, scope of services and modifications to contract limits up to 20% of the total contract amount not to exceed $75,000.
3. Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any future contract amendments that are administrative or technical in nature.
SUMMARY:
On February 28, 2020, the Community Action Partnership Solano Joint Powers Authority (CAP Solano) announced a local Request for Proposals (RFP) process to Solano County service providers. $370,006 was made available in the RFP as CAP Solano had recently been awarded that amount through the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) grant. To be considered for the RFP, local applicants were asked to submit proposals that aligned with one or more eligible activities identified in the CESH program and that were also consistent with the CAP Solano Five-Year Regional Strategic Plan to Respond to Homelessness. In response to the RFP, two organizations received awards, one of which was the Probation Department. At the July 28, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board approved and accepted this grant award for the Probation Department. Probation has identified a uniquely qualified contractor that specializes in implementing both temporary and permanent housing programs for justice involved individuals, Volunteers of America (VOA). As they have unique expertise in serving justice involved populations, Probation is seeking this sole source contract with the VOA so they can fully implement and manage the program.
DISCUSSION:
The Probation Department pursued this opportunity to develop a best practice housing program for serving justice involved individuals. Known as “Transitional Housing - Rapid Rehousing program (THRRH),” the first goal of THRRH is to prevent homelessness by diverting a justice involved individual who is reentering the community directly into temporary housing, as opposed to them reentering the community from an institutional setting directly to the street or a shelter. The second and primary goal of the program is to support clients in their effort to secure and retain permanent housing through providing temporary rental assistance and supportive services. THRRH programs support clients to identify and leverage whatever they would need from a service and financial standpoint to successfully obtain and retain permanent housing.
The VOA will implement and manage this program by providing both the temporary and permanent housing services, while also providing case management. The temporary housing component will expand available local emergency/temporary beds through utilizing a three-bedroom home to be rented for a 12-month period. This resource will be dedicated to immediately housing Probation clients who are reentering the community from institutional settings and who would otherwise be reentering into homelessness. Once in the temporary home, VOA will case manage the client with a goal of ensuring access to permanent housing through providing housing location services. Once a permanent unit is located, VOA will assist the individual in filling out rental applications and tracking down all documentation and information needed to lease the unit. At this stage, the permanent housing component of the project will provide funding for at least the first month’s rent and deposit, allowing the household to save as much of their available income as possible for retaining the unit in the months to come. As needed, depending on the employment status and income of the individual, additional rental assistance for up to three months can be made available to ensure the greatest odds of permanent housing retention. It is anticipated that the program will launch in January 2021 and will operate for 12 months, resulting in permanently housing 12 homeless or at-risk households under the supervision of Probation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The maximum amount for the contract is $263,642. $243,627 of the contract is funded by the CAP Solano grant. $20,015 of the contract is supplemented by the Public Safety Realignment (AB109) grant and has been included in the Department’s FY2020/2021 Adopted Budget. There is no impact to the County General Fund.
The cost of preparing this item is minimal and is absorbed into the Department’s FY2020/21 adopted budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose:
1. Not to award the contract to Volunteers of America for implementing the THRRH program. This action is not recommended as the VOA is uniquely qualified to providing housing services to justice involved households.
2. Not to delegate signing authority to the County Administrator to execute the standard contract and amendments that remain within budget appropriations. This action is not recommended as it would reduce flexibility and timeliness in completing the scope of work.
3. Not to authorize the Chief of Probation to approve and execute any future contract amendments; however, this alternative is not practical as it would require the Department to request Board approval for routine matters such as minor technical changes.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Probation Department will primarily work with CAP Solano JPA and Volunteers of America, however the department will also collaborate with other Homeless Continuum of Care community providers involved in temporary and permanent housing programs across Solano County
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION