DATE: 06/18/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: City Manager’s Office – Housing and Homeless Solutions Division 2025-243
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
AMENDMENT TO THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE
SOLUTIONS SANTA ANA RIVERBED ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUNDING
GRANT AGREEMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve an Amendment to the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Agreement.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Approve an Amendment to the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Agreement to add $114,580 to the agreement for a maximum obligation of $1,186,014.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to approve any non-substantive amendments, including term extensions, line-item adjustments and hourly compensation rate increases within the approved budget for the agreement. c. Authorize an appropriation and an estimated revenue increase in the amount of $114,580 to the Housing and Homeless Solutions Division within the State Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Fund 412 to increase the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Agreement to a maximum allocation of $1,186,014.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
In support of Homeless Strategic Plan Goal 5 which is to develop sub-regional collaboratives with neighboring cities, in April 2021, the City of Corona worked in collaboration with Supervisor Spiegel, County Agencies, nonprofit partners, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the cities of Jurupa Valley, Norco, and Riverside to establish the Santa Ana Riverbed Encampment Resolution Collaborative.
In December 2021, the County agreed to act as the lead fiscal agent and apply for a State Encampment Response Funding (ERF) Grant. The City of Corona submitted a scope of work and budget to the County in the amount of $1,071,434 which was included in the County’s consolidated grant application totaling $10,997,002.
In March 2022, the County was notified that it was not funded in Round One for the ERF allocation; however, in the later part of 2022, the State funded the Riverside County application in Round Two. At that time, Riverside County received the second highest allocation in the State.
On November 8, 2022, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved the State Standard Agreement for the ERF Grant along with funding allocations for the City of Corona, City of Norco, City of Jurupa Valley, City of Riverside, County Animal Services, County Housing Authority, and the County Housing and Workforce Solutions Department.
On June 21, 2023, City Council approved the ERF grant agreement between the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions Department and the City of Corona with a retroactive term beginning February 1, 2023, to September 30, 2025.
ANALYSIS:
Although the ERF agreement term is through September 30, 2025, the County required ERF subrecipients to submit all invoice packages by May 15, 2025. Demand for ERF program services was higher in Corona than in Norco; therefore, rather than recapture Norco’s unused funding, the County is authorizing an amendment to Corona’s agreement to support eligible ERF expenses that occurred prior to May 15, 2025.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation and an estimated revenue increase in the amount of $114,580 to the Housing and Homeless Solutions Division within the State Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Fund 412. 100% of the revenue source is State ERF grant funds received from the County of Riverside Housing and Workforce Solutions Department.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action involves an amendment to an agreement for homeless encampment resolution funding to provide outreach, engagement, shelter, and housing resources for the homeless. Approval of this amendment will not have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: KAREN ROPER, HOUSING & HOMELESS SOLUTIONS MANAGER REVIEWED BY: JACOB ELLIS, CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Original Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Agreement
2. Exhibit 2 – Amendment to Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Agreement