To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services, Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jennifer Solito, 707-565-4774
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Interdepartmental Multi-Disciplinary Team Staffing Memorandum of Understanding Amendment and Budget Adjustment
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of the Department of Health Services or designee, to execute an amendment to existing memorandum of understanding facilitating payment by the Department of Health Services to the Sonoma County Community Development Commission for 1.0 FTE Housing Negotiator/Inspector support staffing for the Interdepartmental Multi-Disciplinary Team adding $63,533 for a new not-to-exceed $438,533 through June 30, 2025. The contract term is unchanged.
B) Adopt a Resolution authorizing budgetary adjustments to the Department of Health Services Fiscal Year 2024-2025 adopted budget, increasing appropriations in the amount of $63,533 to reflect revenue and expenditures associated with a memorandum of understanding with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission.
(4/5th Vote Required)
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Executive Summary:
On May 9, 2023 the Board authorized the Director of the Department of Health Services (hereinafter “DHS” or “the Department”), or designee, and the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, or designee, to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) facilitating payment by DHS to the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) for 1.0 FTE Housing Negotiator/Inspector to support the Homelessness Division’s Interdepartmental Multi-Disciplinary Team, in an amount not-to-exceed $375,000 for the period July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. DHS is returning to the Board for authorization to amend the MOU increasing the contract by $63,533, for a new not-to-exceed amount of $438,533, in order to fully fund the position incorporating recently implemented salary increases for this job class.
This item additionally asks the Board to adopt a budget resolution adding $63,533 revenue and expense to the DHS Fiscal Year 2024-2025 adopted budget.
Discussion:
Sonoma County CDC and DHS have partnered together to provide intensive, personalized housing location assistance to clients experiencing homelessness. The program connects our most vulnerable community members with property owners and managers, helping clients rent and live in the private housing market while increasing economic stability for property owners. The Housing Navigator advocates with landlords on behalf of clients, negotiates financial arrangements to encourage landlords to rent to clients receiving subsidies, and coordinates with victim advocates and DHS staff to obtain case management in support of each client's needs. Some of the critical duties of the Housing Negotiator position include:
• Recruiting and engaging landlords, renter associations, property management companies, and other local housing providers to identify potential rental properties.
• Providing financial incentives to landlords to encourage them to rent to clients receiving subsidies, including reimbursement for additional security deposits, and paying for last month's rent, tenant screening reports, and the cost of bring a unit up to habitability standards.
• Negotiating and implementing housing assistance contracts and leases between property owners and tenants
• Coordinating with case managers to find appropriate housing and assisting clients with housing applications and vouchers.
• Arranging and advocating on behalf of clients for shared or innovative housing arrangements for participants when appropriate
• Performing initial housing unit inspections and annual re-inspections of properties for compliance with Federal housing quality standards, to include mediating owner and tenant complaints, processing terminations and claims, and assisting landlords in handling appeals.
• Working collaboratively with the Department of Health Services, Homelessness Services Division case managers and IMDT cohort agencies in Sonoma County.
• The Department of Health Services, Homelessness Services Division intents to extend the housing navigator position for the next fiscal year 2025-2026.
The increase in cost of $63,533 is attributed to the 5.9% SEIU Market Adjustment effective 05/02/2023. In addition, the position obtained a 5% cost of living adjustment effective 05/16/2023, 4.5% effective 03/05/2024 and 4% effective 03/04/2025. The position is fully supported by Measure O revenues designated for Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing.
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 3: Increase investment in programs that treat underlying causes of homelessness, including substance abuse, mental illness, poverty, and lack of affordable housing.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
May 9, 2023 - Authorize the Director of Health Services, or designee, and the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Community Development Commissions, or designee, to execute a memorandum of understanding facilitating payment by the Department of Health Services to the Sonoma County Community Development Commission for Housing Negotiator/Inspector support staffing for the Interdepartmental Multi-Disciplinary Team in an amount not-to-exceed $375,000 for the period July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025.
On May 3, 2022 the Board approved the extension of the 10.00 FTE time-limited positions to June 30, 2023.
On March 10, 2020, the Board of Supervisors and the Commissioners of the Community Development Commission approved staff recommendation to expand the Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) Sonoma County initiative to add a permanent Intensive Care Team to respond to homeless encampments. To support this expansion, a total of 10.00 full-time equivalent (FTE) time-limited positions were approved for the Department of Health Services (DHS), Human Services Department (HSD), and the Community Development Commission (CDC) through June 30, 2022.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$187,500 |
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$63,533 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$251,033 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
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|
General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$251,033 |
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Fees/Other |
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|
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Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
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General Fund Contingencies |
|
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Total Sources |
$251,033 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The adoption of this resolution and amendment to the MOU will increase the FY 2024-2025 adopted budget revenues and expenditures by $63,533. This increase will cover the full cost of the position through the term of the amendment, ending June 30, 2025. The increased position costs are primarily due to market adjustments and cost-of-living increases. Funding for this position is fully supported by Measure O revenues designated for Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing.
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Staffing Impacts: None |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Budget Resolution
Attachment 2 - Amendment to MOU
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None