View Report — Oakland City Council, July 19, 2022

City Council
July 19, 2022

AGENDA REPORT

TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Estelle Clemons
City Administrator Interim Director, Human
Services
SUBJECT: Oakland Path Rehousing
Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing
Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP)
FY 2022-2023
DATE: June 28, 2022

City Administrator Approval Date: Jul 7, 2022

RECOMMENDATION

Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt The Following Legislation:

A Resolution

1. Accepting, Appropriating, And Authorizing An Agreement For The Receipt Of Funds From The Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) In The Amount Of $ 4,209,692 To Continue Implementing The Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor -Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) For Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23; And

2. Awarding Grant Agreements To Four Non -Profit Agencies Identified In Table 1 To Provide Housing And Supportive Services Under OPRI/SBHAP For FY2022- 23; And;

3. Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Additional Funds From OHA For OPRI/SBHAP For FY2022-23 And To Amend The Grant Agreements Awarded Herein To Adjust The Grant Amounts, Subject To Available Appropriated OPR/SBHAP Funds.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On May 23, 2022, the OHA Board of Commissioners passed a Resolution (No. 5078 CMS) included as Attachment A, authorizing the execution of a grant agreement with the City of Oakland for SBHAP in an amount not to exceed $4,209,692 for FY 2022-2023. Adoption of the proposed resolution will allow the City to receive OHA funds in the amount of $4,209,692 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 and enter into grant agreements with; Abode Services, First Place for Youth, Building Futures for Women and Children and Roots Community Services, each serving a different population, for the provision of permanent housing under the OPRI program for FY 2022-2023. These housing subsidy funds will be combined in grant agreements with supportive services dollars to fund the full OPRI program model of housing and social services

Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 2
City Council
July 19, 2022

support. The adoption of the proposed resolution would maintain housing subsidy levels for the OPRI program, serving approximately 180 homeless individuals. In order to maximize the spending of all the OHA housing subsidy dollars the legislation also provides authorization to amend grant agreements and shift existing housing subsidy funds between the four OPRI agencies.

BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

The Oakland Path Re-Housing Initiative (OPRI):

The OPRI program has two components, the housing subsidies provided through funding from OHA and the supportive services to assist people in obtaining and maintaining housing which is funded by other sources discussed below. These two components come together in the OPRI grant agreements to form the full program model.

During FY2016-2017 the OPRI program began a new process called Step Down. This process allows those individuals who have been successful in the program to “step down” their level of intensive case management and receive an OHA Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) for rental subsidy instead of using OPRI subsidy funds. The program has had twenty-five individuals Step Down since the process began in 2016. The Step-Down process has opened more spots for new clients to become enrolled in the original OPRI program with intensive case management and rental subsidy.

FY 2020-2021 proved to be a year of both challenges and successes for the program due to COVID-19. The Alameda County Shelter in Place Orders required major shifts and changes in the way services were provided. Despite these changes, OPRI was still able to exceed most of the performance measures. COVID-19 did have an impact on measures such as employment due to the decline in the job market, however, the OPRI Collaboration was able to maintain housing for the clients served and was still able to bring new placements into the program.

In May 2022, the Oakland Housing Authority Board voted to expand the OPRI/SBHAP program to provide 40 additional slots for individuals exiting cabin communities through an agreement with Roots Community Health Services in FY 2022-2023. This program will have a focus on workplace development for those exiting the cabins that are willing and able to work.

The City selected OPRI providers through the Human Services Department’s Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) Request for Proposal (RFP) process in March 2018. This RFP process occurs every three years. The RFP solicited proposals from agencies on the provision of housing and supportive services to homeless youth and adults. The agencies selected under the 2018 RFP are nonprofit organizations with experience in the provision of housing and supportive services in the community.

ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES

Historical Summary of Funding for Supportive Services
On June 16, 2020, City Council adopted Resolution No. 88160 C.M.S., which authorized the City Administrator to accept Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and to enter into grant agreements with First Place for Youth and Abode Services, to provide supportive services for the OPRI program.

In December 2020, City Council adopted Resolution No. 88451 C.M.S., authorizing the City Administrator to amend existing agreements and enter into new agreements, using Measure Q funds, in FY 2020-21. This included funding for Abode Services, First Place for Youth and Building Futures for Women and Children.

In April 2021, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 88602 C.M.S. authorizing the City Administrator to amend existing agreements and enter into new agreements using Measure Q funds in FY 2021-22.

The proposed resolution will renew the Measure Q funded grant agreements with Abode Services, First Place for Youth and Building Futures for Women and Children for the supportive services portion of the OPRI program for FY 2022-2023 and provide authorization to enter into a new agreement with Roots Community Services for the supportive services portion of the OPRI program during FY 2022-2023.

This recommended policy action supports the citywide priorities of housing and economic security and holistic community safety. In FY 2022-2023, the OPRI program will continue to deliver housing, targeted services and subsidies for persons living in encampments or on the streets, youth 18-24 who are exiting the foster care or juvenile justice systems, young adults ages 18-35 who are at high risk of being perpetrators or victims of violence, homeless families, and individuals exiting cabin communities. The program's goal remains to assist these populations in obtaining stable housing and to provide the resources necessary to maintain housing.

To implement OPRI, the City proposes to enter into grant agreements with Abode Services, First Place for Youth, Building Futures for Women and Children, and Roots Community Health Services for the provision of permanent housing subsidies and support services. Failure to accept and appropriate these funds will result in over 180 households losing their housing subsidies

FISCAL IMPACT

The Oakland Path Re Housing Initiative (OPRI):

Services Funded through PATH
The OPRI program has two components, the housing subsidies provided through funding from OHA and the supportive services to assist people in obtaining and maintaining housing which is Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 4
City Council
July 19, 2022

funded by other sources discussed in this section. These two components come together in the OPRI grant agreements to form the full program model. In FY 2022-2023, Oakland will allocate approximately $978,107 for OPRI supportive services. HUD Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding provides supportive services to homeless youth in the OPRI program, HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds provide supportive services to homeless adults in the OPRI program, City of Oakland General Purpose Fund (Hunger/Outreach) and Measure Q funds provide supportive services to families in the OPRI program. Together, this $978,107 in funding will leverage over $4 million in housing subsidy funds from the Oakland Housing Authority.

Housing Subsidy funded through OHA
Approval of the proposed resolution authorizes the acceptance of an estimated $4,209,692 from OHA which is included in the Proposed Budget and appropriated in the HUD- ESG/SHP/HOPWA Fund (2103), Community Housing Services Org (78411), OPRI/ SBHAP OHA FY 2022-2023 Project (1005613), Fostering Safe and Healthy Communities Program (SC22). These funds will be used for housing subsidies.

Funding will be allocated toward grant agreements up to the following amounts to the agencies listed in Table 1 below. The proposed resolution also authorizes the City Administrator to amend the grant agreements by adjusting the amounts without returning to Council, with the condition that the combined total of the grant agreements does not exceed the City's OHA grant amount.

Table 1: OPRI Funds for FY 2022-23 Operational Year

GRANTEE FUNDING
SOURCE
AMOUNT* GRANT TERM FY23

PROJECT
CODES
ORG
CODE
FUND
CODE
ACCT
CODE
PROG
CODE
Table 1a: Single Adults

Abode
OHA $1,684,823 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005613 78411 2103 54912 NB41 Measure
Q

$77,275 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005349 78411 2244 54912 NB41
CDBG $195,500 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005594 78411 2108 54912 NB41 GPF $17,103 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005633 78411 1010 54912 NB41 Program Total: $ 1,974,701
Table 1b: Transitional Aged Youth

First Place
for Youth
OHA $267,669 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005613 78411 2103 54912 NB41 Measure
Q
$20,606 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005349 78411 2244 54912 NB41
ESG $165,488 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005599 78411 2103 54912 NB41 Program Total: $ 453,763
Table 1c: Homeless Families
Cornerstone
Community

OHA

$1,128,600

7/1/22 – 6/30/23

1005613
78411 2103 54912 NB41
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 5
City Council
July 19, 2022

TABLE 3: OPRI Grant to Date: Clients Served

ABODE

Development
Corporation
Dba Building
Futures for
Women
Children

Measure
Q

$252,135

7/1/22 – 6/30/23

1005349
78411 2244 54912 NB41
Program Total: $ 1,380,735
Table 1d: Adults with workforce focus
Roots
Community
Health
Services
OHA $1,128,600 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 1005613 78411 2103 54912 NB41 Measure
Q

250,000

7/1/22 – 6/30/23

1005349
78411 2244 54912 NB41
Program Total: $ 1,378,600
Furthermore, if additional grant funding becomes available from OHA for the same purpose within the existing grant term, staff is seeking authorization to accept and appropriate funds and amend the grant agreements with ABODE Services, First Place for Youth, Building Futures for Women and Children or Roots Community Health Services up to the OHA grant amount without returning to the City Council within the duration of the grant terms of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.

PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST

No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.

COORDINATION

This report and resolution have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney, Budget Bureau, and OHA.

PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP

The Oakland Path Re Housing Initiative (OPRI):

Initiated in 2010, OPRI has successfully housed 650 formerly homeless Oakland residents with subsidies provided by OHA and services and program administration contracted by the City of Oakland (see Table 3).

Encampment Referred: 158
BHCS Encampment Referred: 81
Reentry Referred: 134
Senior Shelter Referred: 27
Households with Children (Abode): 26
FPFY
Homeless Youth: 178
BFWC
Families: 10
Children: 19
Grant To Date Total as of June 30, 2021 650
Approval of this proposed resolution will maintain level, if not greater success, compared to the outcomes referenced below for the OPRI Program.

The performance measures for FY 2020-2021 year are as follows:

2020-21 Abode OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 102
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 97.33%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 86.98%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer 71.42%
Clients who exited to permanent housing 71%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 82%
2020-21 Abode OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 74%
White 15.5%
Multiple Races 4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 3%
Asian 2%
Hispanic or Latinx 10%
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 7
City Council
July 19, 2022

2020-21 FPFY OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 23
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 65%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 47%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer N/A*
Clients who exited to permanent housing 100%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 75%
2020-21 FPFY OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 56%
White 21%
Multiple Races 1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 26%
*FPFY is only a two-year long program. There are no participants that remain for 3 years or longer

2020-21 BFWC OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 29
Families served 10
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer N/A*
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer N/A*
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer N/A*
Clients who exited to permanent housing N/A*
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients N/A*
2020-21 BFWC OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 65%
White 17%
Multiple Races 14%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.03%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 27%
* BFWC did not have any participants for 6 months or longer in the program as of 6/30/2021. There were also no exits from the program.

The performance measures for the first half of FY 2021-2022 year are as follows:

2021-22 Abode OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 84
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 98%
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 8
City Council
July 19, 2022

Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 98%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer 62%
Clients who exited to permanent housing 57%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 100%
2021-22 Abode OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 81%
White 11%
Multiple Races 4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1%
Asian 1%
Hispanic or Latinx 8%

2021-22 FPFY OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 20
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 75%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 50%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer N/A*
Clients who exited to permanent housing 100%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 43%
2021-22 FPFY OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 65%
White 25%
Multiple Races 1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 25%

2021-22 BFWC OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 84
Families served 30
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 43%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer N/A*
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer N/A*
Clients who exited to permanent housing 0%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients N/A*
2021-22 BFWC OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 65%
White 15%
Multiple Races 19%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2022-2023
Date: June 28, 2022 Page 9
City Council
July 19, 2022

Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 21%
* BFWC did not have any participants for 12 months or longer in the program as of 12/31/2021. There were also no exits from the program.

SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES

Economic: All funds identified in this report are for the purpose of providing housing and services to the homeless to eliminate and prevent homelessness.

Environmental: The provision of permanent housing and support services is intended to address the environmental degradation caused by homeless individuals precariously housed or living on the streets.

Race and Equity: The expenditure of these funds is targeted to the most vulnerable and at-risk populations in the City and is providing essential and basic human services, housing and support. In Oakland, the drivers of homelessness fall most squarely on the backs of the African American community who, due to long standing structurally racist practices such as red lining and employment discrimination, are most vulnerable to losing their homes. Ending homelessness in Oakland must be defined by what works for African Americans first and foremost in order to reduce the racial disparities. These drivers of homelessness include:

• Structural racism
• Insufficient controls on the rental housing market that create vulnerability and housing instability for tenants
• Insufficient housing units that are affordable to households with the lowest incomes, including particularly those whose incomes are below 20 percent of Area Median Income (AMI)
• Systematic barriers that often prevent residents who are returning home from incarceration from living with family members and/or accessing both public and private rental housing and employment opportunities
• Inadequate pay and benefits for many of the jobs that are available in the community, and insufficient access to quality employment opportunities that pay wages that meet the cost of housing

One of the goals of Oakland’s Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) Plan is to eliminate racial disparities in the rates at which people experience homelessness, and in exits to stable housing.

The City utilizes data from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to track client demographics and outcomes. A project to disaggregate outcome data by race is currently underway.

According to the 2019 Point In Time count for Oakland, 70 percent of the population experiencing homelessness in Oakland identifies as Black or African American; however this demographic is only 24 percent of the general population. The data that is currently available shows that 86 percent of the clients served through OPRI are African American.

ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Staff Recommends the City Council Adopt The Following Legislation:

A Resolution

2. Awarding Grant Agreements To Four Non-Profit Agencies Identified In Table 1 To Provide Housing And Supportive Services Under OPRI/SBHAP For FY 2022-23; And

For questions regarding this report, please contact Myisha Steward, Planner, Community Housing Services, at [email protected].

Respectfully submitted,

ESTELLE CLEMONS
Interim Director, Human Services Department

Reviewed by:

Myisha Steward, Planner
Community Housing Services

Prepared by:

Kelly Rush, Program Analyst II
Community Housing Services
Attachments (1):

A: Board of Commissioners of The Oakland Housing Authority Resolution # 5078

Attachment A

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

On Motion of Commissioner:

Seconded by Commissioner:

Lynette Jung-Lee
Mark Tortorich
And approved by the following vote:

AYES: Hartwig, Griffith, Castillo, Jung-Lee, Montgomery, Tortorich NAYS: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
EXCUSED: 0
ABSENT: 0

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED: NUMBER: 5078

AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A GRANT

AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF OAKLAND FOR THE SPONSOR-BASED

HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SBHAP) IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT-TO- EXCEED $4,209,693 FOR TH EINITIAL ONE-YEAR TERM AND $4,209,693 FOR

EACH OF THE TWO ONE-YEAR OPTION TERMS

WHEREAS, in 2010, the Oakland Housing Authority (Authority) adopted the Sponsor - Based Housing Assistance Program (SBHAP) to serve low income clients who otherwise might not qualify or be successful in either the public housing or Section 8 programs ; and

WHEREAS, the goal of this MTW initiative is to assist a population of hard- to-house clients with special needs by leveraging additional funding and program expertise in the community; and

WHEREAS, in order to meet these goals the Authority established a partnership with the City of Oakland's Department of Human Services and the Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) Strategy to end homelessness; and

WHEREAS, on June 28, 2010, the Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 4269, which authorized the Agency to enter into an agreement with the City of Oakland to provide up to $925,000 in funding; and

WHEREAS, the Authority augmented this amount by $810,000 in September 2011 by the adoption of Resolution No. 4393; and
Attachment A

WHEREAS, on February 4, 2013 OHA extended the agreement to provide up to $1,500,000 in funding with the adoption of Resolution No. 4497; and

WHEREAS, this amount was augmented to a funding level of $1,926, 218, with the adoption of Resolution No. 4674 on May 23, 2016;

WHEREAS, on April 9, 2018, the Authority Board of Commissioners approved Resolution No. 4800, further supporting the partnership by increasing it to its current funding level of $2,000,000 and authorized the execution of a one-year contract with three additional one- year Option Terms; and

WHEREAS, on Ju ne 24, 2019, the Authority Board of Commissioners approved Resolution No. 4874, further augmenting the agreement to its current funding level of $2,020,000 and authorized the increase of $20,000 per year for each of the three one - year Option Terms; and

WHEREAS, through the partnership, OHA has provided rental housing assistance and security deposits to up to one hundred and forty (140) households who are also receiving services from providers working under contract with the City's Department of Human Services; and

WHEREAS, of the one hundred forty (140) households that could be served under the SBHAP agreement, eighty (80) come fr om homeless encampments or are exiting the criminal justice system, in addition to twenty (20) youth and up to forty (40) homeless families with children; and

WHEREAS, in FY 2022, an additional $1,061,093 funding was approved and provided an opportunity for OHA to pilot an increase in rental subsidies and security deposits to serve up to 40 homeless families with children; and

WHEREAS, families were referred through the Family Front Door (FFD) which serves as the North County coordinated entry system for homeless families; and

WHEREAS, the City contracted with Building Futures for Woman and Children (BFWC) for the family expansion; and

WHEREAS, BFWC is an experienced provider of services to homeless famili es and is currently the lead agency partner of the FFD; and

WHEREAS, as of April 30, 2022, all 40 slots for homeless families were filled and these families have exited the shelter and are residing in open market rental units; and

WHEREAS, in FY 2023, st aff recommends further expansion of SBHAP to address homelessness and provide support for the unhoused population; and Attachment A

WHEREAS, the expansion would support 40 residents who reside in City of Oakland Community Cabins; and

WHEREAS, the expansion will have a workforce services focus for those people ready, willing and able to work; and

WHEREAS, in FY 2020, the Community Cabins served 508 individuals, including 260 chronically homeless individuals; and

WHEREAS, the majority of clients, 63 percent, identified as Black or African American; and

WHEREAS, even for people exiting the cabin program with employment, initial wages usually do not support paying Bay Area rents; and

WHEREAS, the expansion resolves the likelihood of individuals returning to homelessness and supports cabin residents on a path to permanent housing; and

WHEREAS, the additional funding of $1,128,600 will provide rental subsidies and security deposits for this population.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA:

THAT, the Board of Commissioners authorize the Executive Director to execute a grant agreement with the City of Oakland for the Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (SBHAP) in a total amount not-to-exceed $4,209,693 for the initial one-year term and $4,209,693 for each of the two one-year option terms; and

THAT, the Executive Director, on behalf of the Authority, is hereby authorized to take all actions necessary to implement the foregoing resolution.

I certify that the foregoing resolution is a full, true and correct copy of a resolution £!,9.SS e Commissioners of the Housing Authority Of the CiJyof Oakland, alifomia on May 23, 2022.

ADOPTED: May 23, 2022 RESOLUTION NO. 5078

Oakland City CouncilJuly 19, 2022

Oakland City Council
July 19, 2022