To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Paul Dunaway, 565-3673 and Eric Glentzer, 565-5952
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Housing and Disability Advocacy Program contract with InterFaith Shelter Network
End
Recommended Actions:
Recommended action
Authorize the Director of Human Services Department to execute a Safety Net contract with InterFaith Shelter Network for $235,000 for July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 as part of the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program.
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Executive Summary:
The State’s Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) was authorized by Assembly Bill 1603 (Chapter 25, Statutes of 2016). In January 2018, the Human Services Department (HSD) was awarded $742,846 to develop HDAP, a program utilizing a Housing First approach to assist people with disabilities and veterans to find and sustain housing. The HDAP funding period is from January 2018 through June 2020. The initial $743K grant was divided into three tranches for each of the three fiscal years of its duration. The year 3 tranche is $235K of the whole $743K grant. Included in the contract are goals to support 80% of clients in obtaining increased income, and to support 60% of clients in obtaining housing.
HDAP addresses the needs of people with disabilities who are homeless, and assists at-risk individuals to find stable housing while they apply for disability benefits. Eligible individuals must be recipients of General Assistance and in the process of applying for either Veterans benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).
Discussion:
Since launching in June 2018, the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program has enrolled 49 individuals in Coordinated Entry. Of those, 25 met HDAP eligibility criteria and were enrolled into HDAP. All 25 clients enrolled in HDAP have been assisted with the disability application process, and 5 of the applicants have been approved for disability benefits. HDAP staff assist every client enrolled with housing case management and have assisted 8 clients to secure permanent housing.
As HDAP receives additional referrals and the caseload grows, staff gain experience to better understand the gaps in the current system and the specialized needs of the individuals being served. In January 2019, HSD executed a contract with InterFaith Shelter Network (IFSN) in the amount of $40,000 to provide up to 10 beds per night of transitional housing through June 30, 2019. Transitional housing beds are important because clients enrolled in HDAP are not always able to receive needed shelter beds from the homeless services system. In addition to transitional housing, HDAP has identified the need for increased case management support to clients and direct financial assistance that could be quickly provided to landlords to secure housing units for clients as soon as they become available. In March 2019, HSD released a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking applicants who could provide transitional housing beds, case management services and financial assistance for housing, and InterFaith Shelter Network was the only applicant. IFSN brings 30 of experience working with Sonoma County’s homeless population. All of their programs include permanent housing placement support and assistance, transitional housing as needed, and case management services, including resource linkage and advocacy.
Through this contract, IFSN will continue to provide transitional housing and will begin providing daily case management services and direct financial assistance to HDAP clients. IFSN will provide transitional housing services for up to 8 individuals per night. They will also hire a full-time case manager to provide support to up to 50 HDAP clients, whether or not the clients are residing in IFSN transitional housing. Case management support will be coordinated with the HSD social work team and will focus on reducing barriers to housing, securing and maintaining permanent housing, and coordinating related day-to-day activities. The HSD social work team (SSW IV and SWA) will continue to provide comprehensive case management, including advocacy and support around disability benefit advocacy and long-term stability planning. IFSN will also provide up to $75,000 in direct financial assistance to HDAP clients.
Prior Board Actions:
May 21, 2019: Board adopted a position resolution to approve the addition of 1.0 FTE time-limited Social Work Assistant to support Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) and Home Safe Program.
April 17, 2018: Board accepted Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) grant funding of $742,846 through June 2020, and authorized a Human Services Department program to assist homeless individuals to find stable housing while applying for disability benefits.
April 17, 2018: Board adopted a resolution adjusting position allocations for the Human Services Department due to the new Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) for an additional 1.0 FTE time-limited Social Service Worker IV through June 30, 2020, to staff the HDAP program.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY 20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
235,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
235,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
235,000 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
235,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The HDAP allocations are in the Human Services Department FY 2019-20 adopted budget. This allocation will be financed by claiming against the funds already awarded in the grant. The preponderance of trending program expenditures indicate that there will be an un-programmed balance on the original grant sum of $743,000. The over-arching basis for this trend is the lack of housing resources in the county upon which this and other housing grants can be spent. [However, that is another matter outside the scope of HDAP’s original mission of using currently available housing in which to place its target clientele.]
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Staffing Impacts: |
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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:
Contract
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None