To: Board of Commissioners
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Staff Name and Phone Number: Martha Cheever, (707) 565-7521
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Housing Navigator Services
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Executive Director to execute an agreement with Overland, Pacific, and Cutler, LLC for housing navigation services for an amount not to exceed $190,000 for a term of two years with the option of two one-year renewals.
B) Authorize the Executive Director to execute an amendment to an agreement for housing navigation services with Catholic Charities of the Dioceses of Santa Rosa to extend the term through December 31, 2020 and increase the amount by $58,305 for a total not to exceed amount of $116,305 with the option of two one-year renewals.
C) Adopt a Resolution amending the Community Development Commission Department Allocation List extending one full-time, time-limited Leased Housing Negotiator/Inspector through June 30, 2022 to provide housing location and navigation services to clients of the Human Services Department’s Housing Assistance Response Team and Housing Support Program (HSP).
D) Adopt a Resolution authorizing a budgetary adjustment allowing the Community Development Commission to accept and expend $200,000 from the Health Services Department’s State funding to provide flexible housing assistance and rapid rehousing services to eligible clients residing in Sonoma County. (4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
In accordance with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission’s Three Year Strategic Plan, as approved by the Board of Commissioners in August 2019, the Commission is seeking authority to expand its capacity and provide housing navigation services to clients who are either experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness. To accomplish this, the Commission has developed several strategic program enhancements. Key enhancements include the development of a flexible Housing Assistance and Rapid Rehousing fund and the engagement of housing navigators to assist certain vulnerable households in locating housing and gaining acceptance of landlords. To provide these navigation services, the Commission is requesting authority for the Executive Director to enter into agreements to engage consulting services from Overland, Pacific and Cutler, LLC (OPC) and Catholic Charities of the Dioceses of Santa Rosa (Catholic Charities) and to extend one full-time, time limited housing locator position.
If approved, this expansion of navigation services throughout the system of care, and increase of rental assistance to vulnerable clients, together, are expected to greatly increase the probability of approximately 150 individuals to achieve and maintain stable housing.
Discussion:
In 2018, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (Commission) began implementation of several strategic program enhancements to assist voucher holders who are experiencing homelessness to obtain stable housing in the County. A key program enhancement was to provide rental assistance to households referred to the Housing Authority by the Sonoma County Coordinated Entry Program. Recognizing that clients of these new programs may face increased barriers in obtaining and maintaining housing, the Housing Authority released a request for proposals for housing navigation services in May, 2018. Two scopes of service were sought under the RFP -- one to serve clients of the Housing Choice Voucher program and another to serve clients of a new Continuum of Care rental assistance program. Two proposals were received. An evaluation panel consisting of staff from the Santa Rosa Housing Authority and the Community Development Commission met and rated the proposals for the based on the following criteria: understanding of the scope of work as evidenced by the approach outlined, competence, technical ability and demonstrated experience, estimated cost projections, responsiveness, and references. Upon review of the RFP responses, the Commission determined that it would be beneficial to award the agreement serving chronically homeless Continuum of Care clients to Catholic Charities and the agreement serving Housing Choice Voucher clients to Overland, Pacific and Cutler LLC (OPC).
On April 25, 2019, the Commission entered into agreement with Catholic Charities of the Dioceses of Santa Rosa (Catholic Charities) for $50,000 to provide housing navigation services. Commission staff have reviewed the progress made on the initial contract to ensure that each chronically homeless client has had an Individual Needs Assessment completed, that each client is receiving appropriate assistance in addressing their unique barriers to housing and are receiving appropriate service referrals, and that each client is receiving dedicated assistance to view available units and meet with landlords. After careful review of the progress made on the original contract, the Commission is satisfied that all clients are receiving the agreed upon services. The Commission is now requesting that the Executive Director be authorized to amend the agreement to increase the amount by $58,305, the amount of the current year grant award, for a total not to exceed of amount of $116,305, to extend the term of the agreement through December 31, 2020, and to provide the Executive Director the authority to enter into two, one-year renewals. Amending the agreement will allow for a seamless transition of services between grant years and allow the Commission to continue to link chronically homeless clients with a designated service provider to assist them in addressing their individual needs while locating housing. Funding for this agreement is being provided through grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Continuum of Care.
The Commission is also requesting authority for the Executive Director to enter into an agreement with OPC for an amount not to exceed $190,000 for a term of two years, expiring December 17, 2021, with two one-year options for renewal. Under this two-year agreement, a minimum of 100 Housing Choice Voucher clients who were referred through Coordinated Entry or another County homeless services partner will receive housing navigation and stabilization services. The clients served under this program are not expected to be chronically homeless and therefore not expected to need the intense services necessary for clients served under the agreement with Catholic Charities. Funding for this agreement is being provided through grant funds from the Partnership HealthPlan of California.
Additionally, the Commission has partnered with the Sonoma County Human Services Department’s Housing Assistance Response Team (HART) and Housing Support Program (HSP), to connect Human Services clients with financial resource needed to lease-up, and provide support during the lease-up process. To facilitate this, on March 12, 2019, the Board of Commissioners approved the addition of one full-time, time-limited Leased Housing Negotiator/Inspector (Housing Locator) position. The position is set to expire on December 31, 2019. The Commission is asking that the position be extended to June 30, 2022. If this extension is approved, the Commission and Human Services Department (HSD) will enter into Memorandum of Understanding for the housing location services to be provided by the Commission where the infrastructure for these services already exists. HSD will provide the funding for the position.
Finally, on February 26, 2019, the Board approved $200,000 from the California Department of Health Care Services funding allocation for Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment Program to be used to provide a rapid rehousing program for homeless and mentally ill residents of Sonoma County. The Commission and the Department of Health Services have collaborated on the best use of these funds and have determined that the development of a flexible Housing Assistance and Rapid Rehousing Program is the most appropriate use of the funds at this time. If approved, these funds will be used to augment services being provided by the housing navigators to meet a variety of client-specific needs. Services provided through these funds may include assistance with rental application fees, security deposits, utility deposits, and other client-centric housing.
Prior Board Actions:
8/20/2019, Item 20, Approval of the CDC Three-Year Strategic Plan
3/12/2019, Item 3, Resolution 19-0099, Approval of Time-Limited FT Housing Navigator Position
2/26/2019, Item 17, County Medical Services Program Health Systems Development Grant Program, approved $300,000 in funding from the California State County Medical Services Program for a funding allocation for Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment Program to be used to provide a rapid rehousing program for homeless and mentally ill residents of Sonoma County
3/20/2018, Item 2, Housing Authority Program Updates: Board of Commissioners approved the addition of a preference for persons referred to the Housing Choice Voucher program from the Sonoma County Coordinated Entry system of care
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
302,859 |
303,164 |
149,859 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
200,000 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
502,859 |
303,164 |
149,859 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
58,000 |
58,305 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
444,859 |
244,859 |
149,859 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
502,859 |
303,164 |
149,859 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Revenues and expenditures available in the adopted FY 19/20 budget and subject to future budgeting:
• $95,000 for FY 19/20 and $95,000 for FY 20/21 for a total of $190,000 for the agreement with Overland, Pacific, and Cutler.
• $58,000 for FY 19/20 and $58,305 for FY 20/21 for a total of $116,305 for the agreement with Catholic Charities.
• $149,859 for FY 19/20, $149,859 for FY 20/21 and 149,859 for FY 21/22 for Housing Navigation MOU with Sonoma County Human Services totaling $449,577.
Additional revenue and expenditure authority requested for FY 19/20:
• $200,000 for the flexible Housing Assistance and Rapid Rehousing Program. These funds are available for FY 19/20 only.
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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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|
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Approval of this item will extend one existing full-time, time-limited Leased Housing Negotiator Inspector position allocation (Job Class 9113) through June 30, 2022.
Attachments:
1. Draft Agreement with Overland Pacific and Cutler, LLC for Housing Navigation Services
2. Draft Amendment to Agreement with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa for Housing Navigation Services
3. Draft Memorandum of Understanding between the Sonoma County Community Development Commission and the Sonoma County Human Services Department
4. Budget Resolution
5. Department Allocation Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None