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Adopt a resolution to receive a noncompetitive allocation award of $92,000 under the Transitional Housing Program to assist young adults aged 18 to 25 years who were formerly in the foster care or probation systems to find and maintain housing; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the allocation award documents with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and other related documents necessary to accept the award
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board adopt a resolution to receive a noncompetitive allocation award of $92,000 under the Transitional Housing Program to assist young adults aged 18 to 25 years who were formerly in the foster care or probation systems to find and maintain housing; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the allocation award documents with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and other related documents necessary to accept the award.
SUMMARY:
The Transitional Housing Program (THP) traditionally provides funding to counties for child welfare service agencies to help young adults aged 18 to 25 years find and maintain housing, with priority given to those formerly in the foster care system. Through legislation (SB 80, Statutes of 2019) the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has created an additional priority population that may be targeted through 2023. When left without support or resources, young adults aged 18 to 25 years old can face many barriers to finding safe, affordable housing. As a result, many of these transitional age youth are at extreme risk of falling into homelessness. Not only can the program serve young adults formerly in the foster care system, but as an alternative it has been encouraged to create programs which target young adults that were formerly in the probation system.
On June 27, 2019, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 80, the budget trailer bill that provides $8 million annually to reduce youth homelessness. The HCD has allocated these funds to county Child Welfare agencies based upon each county's percentage of the total statewide number of young adults aged 18 to 25 years in foster care. The single requirement for the THP is to deliver services such as, but not limited to, outreach to transition aged youth with severe needs, assist in finding and maintaining housing, and improving coordination of services and linkages to community resources. Upon receipt of these funds, H&SS will conduct a gap analysis of the current THP housing program in Solano County to determine a process to distribute the funding to expand resources and services to former foster and probation youth as required by the eligibility criteria set forth in the program’s criteria.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This award will provide an allocation of funding to target Transitional Age Youth ages 18 to 25 for assistance with securing permanent housing. The corresponding appropriations and revenues relative to this grant are included in the FY2020/21 Supplemental Recommended Budget which was approved by the Board on September 22, 2020.
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2020/21 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Youth homelessness in the United States has become more prevalent in recent years. According to recent data from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 1 in 10 young adults have experienced some form of homelessness during a 12-month period between the ages of 18 and 25. For those young people who experience homelessness, HUD data suggests a strong correlation to being at high risk for adverse outcomes such as physical and mental health challenges, experience of violence, early pregnancy, early school leaving, substance use, and more. According to Solano’s 2019 Homeless Point in Time Count, 18% of the homeless population, or 207 individuals, were between the ages of 18 and 24.
When supplied with housing funding and resources, H&SS can play a key role through its partner contract agencies in broadly impacting youth homelessness in Solano County. Child Welfare Services (CWS) can utilize this THP funding to impact homelessness by helping bridge the gap to housing stability for those that they serve. The THP grant can be utilized flexibly to help ensure that Solano residents ages 18 to 25 can access and maintain stable housing through this allocation. H&SS’ CWS Division is the required applicant for the THP program, and as such, they are the responsible department for applying for the THP allocation award. THP program reports are due to HCD in July of 2021, 2022, and 2023. Program funds must be fully expended by June 30, 2023.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt a resolution authorizing the application for and acceptance of the noncompetitive allocation award. However, non-acceptance would lead to less funding being available in the community to support vulnerable, young adults that are in need of housing supports.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
H&SS will work in partnership with local youth organizations and the Probation Department to ensure that eligible young adults may be referred to the program for housing support.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION