To: Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County and Board of Commissioners of the Community Development Commission
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Michael Gause, (707) 565-1977
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program Funding
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution as required by the California Department of Housing and Community Development authorizing and directing the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (Commission) to:
A) Receive up to $452,220 in Federal funds from the State’s 2021 allocation of Federal Emergency Solutions Grant Program;
B) Function as Administrative Entity for administration of the State’s Federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds;
C) Authorizing the Executive Director or the Assistant Director of the Commission to execute the required Standard Agreement and any subsequent amendments or modifications thereto, as well as any other documents that are related to the Program or the State’s Federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds, as the California Department of Housing and Community Development may deem appropriate.
end
Executive Summary:
This agenda item seeks authority to receive and administer between $226,110 and $452,220 in federal Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) allocated by the State to the Sonoma County Continuum of Care. Funds will be used to support the homeless system of care, specifically for emergency shelter and rapid rehousing.
Discussion:
On August 17, 2021, the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released a Notice of Funding Availability for its Federal ESG dollars allocated to Homeless Continuums of Care. The amount of funding available to Sonoma County through this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is estimated at $226,110, including $87,972 that must be used for Rapid Rehousing, $131,957 available for all ESG eligible uses, and a $6,181 administrative allowance. HCD recommends that Administrative Entities request Board authorization for up to twice this allocation, to ensure local communities’ access to all available dollars, and this amount of “up to $452,220” is reflected in the resolution that authorizes the Commission to apply for and receive the State’s Federal ESG funds (Attachment 1). These funds are dedicated to the Continuum of Care but must be approved by the Community Development Commission as the Administrative Entity. Funds can be used in the jurisdictions of Santa Rosa and Petaluma.
Funds will be awarded via a competitive process to be conducted in the spring of Fiscal Year 2021-2022 for award during the following fiscal year. Eligible uses of these funds include Rapid Rehousing (at least 40% of funds must be used for this purpose), Homelessness Prevention, Emergency Shelter operations, Street Outreach, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) coordination. Rapid rehousing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Rapid rehousing assistance is offered without preconditions - like employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety - and the resources and services provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household. Following completion of this NOFA process, staff will bring funding recommendations to the Continuum of Care Board and return to the Board of Commissioners for approval.
In previous years, State ESG funds have been utilized to provide core services at emergency shelters such as Sam Jones Hall and Family Support Center with Catholic Charities and Mary Isaac Center at Committee on the Shelterless (COTS). Rapid rehousing funds have supported both Catholic Charities and COTS.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan as it relates directly to providing additional assistance and resources to proven programs (such as rapid rehousing) that keep people housed and bring people back into housing if they have lost it. It is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal: Goal 4: Reduce the County’s overall homeless population by 10% each year by enhancing services through improved coordination and collaboration.
Objective: Objective 5: Continue to collaborate with local partners, including Continuum of Care, to advance planning and policies to address homelessness.
Prior Board Actions:
July 7, 2020, Agenda Item #4: Adoption of Resolution to administer $606,798 (in federal Emergency Solutions Grants allocated by the State to Sonoma County).
February 11, 2020, Agenda Item #5: Adoption of Amended Resolution No. 19-0552 Direction Commission to Receive up to $439,482 in Federal Funds from the Emergency Solutions Grant Program.
July 10, 2018, Agenda Item #49: Funding awards for FY 2018-2019 for Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, State and Local Emergency Solutions Grant.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY 22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$226,100 to $452,220 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
$226,100 to $452,220 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
$226,100 to $452,220 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
$226,100 to $452,220 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The allocation will support the system of care with annual ESG funds. Appropriations will be added to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Recommended Budget during development. If the County receives an amount above $226,110 but below $452,220, then the NOFA and FY 2022-2023 Recommended Budget will be amended accordingly.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None