To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jennifer Solito, 707-565-4774
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Emergency Shelter and Rapid Rehousing Grant
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing and directing the Director of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, or designee, to:
A) Receive on behalf of Sonoma County’s Continuum of Care (aka Homeless Coalition) up to $844,753 in Federal funds from the State’s 2024 allocation of Federal Emergency Solutions Grants Program for a three-year term granted to finance competitive funding awards for rapid housing programming exclusively within the City of Santa Rosa and City of Petaluma.
B) Accept on behalf of the Homeless Coalition to function as the Administrative Entity for implementation of the State’s Federal Emergency Solutions Grants funds; and
C) Execute on behalf of the Homeless Coalition the Emergency Solutions Grants Program Standard Agreement, any subsequent related program agreements, amendments, or modifications thereto, as well as any other documents that are related or deemed appropriate by the California Department of Housing and Community Development
end
Executive Summary:
The Department of Health Services (hereinafter, “DHS” or “the Department”) is requesting Board adoption of a resolution, as required by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, authorizing and directing the Director of Health Services, or designee, to receive and administer up to $844,753 in Federal Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funds allocated by the State to the Sonoma County Continuum of Care (CA-504). Funds are provided on a reimbursement basis, based on required eligible expenses. DHS is not aware of any plan to freeze these funds at this time. These funds cover a three-year term. Funds will be used to support the homeless system of care, specifically emergency shelter and rapid rehousing. The proposed resolution delegates authority to the Director of Health Services, or designee, to execute the Emergency Solutions Grants Program Standard Agreement, any subsequent related program agreements, amendments, or modifications thereto, as well as any other documents that are related or deemed appropriate by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Though the DHS Director already has authority to accept and execute state and federal grants for FY 2024-2025, this requested resolution maintains the formatting requirements of the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Discussion:
On December 31, 2024, California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for its Federal ESG dollars allocated to Homeless Continuums of Care (CoCs). The amount of funding available to Sonoma County through this NOFA is estimated at $563,169 over a three-year period. This includes:
• $202,323 in the first year
• $180,423 in the second year
• $180,423 in the third year
The amounts total $563,169. HCD requires the local Administrative Entity (DHS) obtain Board authorization for up to 150% of this allocation to ensure local communities’ access to all available dollars, and this amount of “up to $844,753” is reflected in a resolution that authorizes the DHS to apply for and receive the State’s Federal ESG funds (Attachment 1).
These funds are dedicated to the CoC but must be approved by DHS as the CoC Lead Agency. Funds can only be used in the jurisdictions of Santa Rosa and Petaluma per ESG regulations, but individuals from any part of the County may be served. For example, someone from outside of Santa Rosa and Petaluma may access services that are offered in Petaluma and Santa Rosa.
ESG Funds will be awarded via a competitive application process to be conducted in March 2025, with funds distributed in FY 2025-2026. Eligible uses of these funds include Rapid Rehousing programs (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 pre-conditions (e.g., employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety), and the resources and services provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household. Following the Department’s completion of this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process, staff will bring funding recommendations to the CoC Board and return to the Board of Supervisors 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 COTS in Petaluma. Additionally, rapid rehousing funds have supported both Catholic Charities, COTS, and the Individual & Family Support Network (IFSN) previously known as the Interfaith Shelter Network.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and 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.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
On July 23, 2024, the Board adopted a resolution delegating authority to the Director of Health Services to accept funding allocations and execute revenue agreements, amendments and related documents received in fiscal year 2025-2025 as necessary to receive revenue from California State and Federal agencies.
On November 7, 2023, the Board adopted a resolution for 2023 Emergency Solutions Grant funds to administer up to $322,434 (in Federal Emergency Solutions Grants allocated by the State to Sonoma County).
On September 12, 2023 the Board adopted a resolution for the transfer of current grant agreements and any amendments thereto of State of California Emergency Solutions Grants, State of California Emergency Solutions Grants-Coronavirus from the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to the Sonoma County Department of Health Services as the new Continuum of Care Lead Agency.
September 20, 2022, the Board adopted a Resolution to administer $452,220 (in Federal Emergency Solutions Grants allocated by the State to Sonoma County).
March 22, 2022, the Board adopted a Resolution to administer $452,220 (in Federal Emergency Solutions Grants allocated by the State to Sonoma County).
July 7, 2020, the Board adopted a Resolution to administer $606,798 (in Federal Emergency Solutions Grants allocated by the State to Sonoma County).
February 11, 2020, the Board adopted the amended Resolution No. 19-0552 Direction Commission to Receive up to $439,482 in Federal Funds from the Emergency Solutions Grant Program.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
No Fiscal Impact at this time. If the Department is awarded the grant, appropriations will be added to the appropriate fiscal year budget.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None