Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO:Jestin D. Johnson FROM:Scott Means
City Administrator Interim Director, Human
Services
SUBJECT:Oakland Path Rehousing
Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing
Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP)
FY 2023-2024
DATE:June 23, 2023
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1) Accepting, 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) 2023-2024; And 2) Awarding Grant Agreements To Four Non-Profit Agencies Identified In Table 1 To Provide Housing And Supportive Services Under OPRI/SBHAP In the Cumulative Total Amount Of $5,187,799 For FY 2023-2024; And
3) Authorizing the City Administrator To Accept and Appropriate Additional Funds From OHA For OPRI/SBHAP For FY 2023-2024 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) included asAttachment 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. The agreement from FY 2022-2023 allows for a First Option Term which allows the Oakland Housing Authority to extend the term of the contract for a period of one (1) year which would be effective FY 2023-2024.
Adoption of the proposed resolution will allow the City to receive OHA funds in the amount of $4,209,692 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 and enter into grant agreements with; Abode Services (Abode), First Place for Youth (FPFY), Cornerstone Community Development Corporation dba Building Futures for Women Children (Building Futures for Women and Children) and Roots Community Services (ROOTS), each serving a different population, for the Jestin Johnson (Jun 30, 2023 10:10 PDT) Jun 30, 2023
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
provision of permanent housing under the OPRI program for FY 2023-2024. 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 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, housing subsidies provided through funding from OHA and 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 FY 2016-2017 the OPRI program began a new process called Step Down. This process allows 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 until FY 21-22. At this current point in time the City of Oakland has limited access to Step-Down vouchers as the Oakland Housing Authority has available vouchers. Utilization of vouchers that become available opens more spots for new clients to become enrolled in the original OPRI program with intensive case management and rental subsidy.
Historical Summary of Housing Subsidies through Oakland Housing Authority Sponsor Based Housing Assistance Program (SBHAP):
Since 2010, the OPRI strategy has successfully housed more than 732 formerly homeless Oakland residents with subsidies provided by the OHA, and services and program administration provided by service providers pursuant to grant agreements with the City of Oakland. OPRI assists individuals who are homeless, living in encampments, or on the street, youth 18-24 who are exiting the foster care or juvenile justice systems, homeless families, and young adults ages 18-35, who are at high risk of being perpetrators or victims of violence and who are homeless, imminently homeless or unstably housed. First Place for Youth provides services to homeless youth and Abode Services assists homeless single adults.
Due to the success with First Place for Youth and Abode Services, OHA expanded the OPRI program in FY 2020-2021 to provide housing subsidies for up to 40 homeless families through an agreement with Building Futures For Women and Children. Building Futures for Women and Children spent the first year ramping up to serve the goal of 40 families. In addition to the normal performance outcomes included in prior agreements with the other service providers, new education outcomes were implemented to target educational goals for the children who are Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
assisted within the program. These performance outcomes include enrolling children in school (if they are not currently enrolled) and other educational programs.
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 during FY 2022-2023. This program has a focus on workplace development for those exiting the community 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. 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 RFP are nonprofit organizations with experience in the provision of housing and supportive services in the community.
Historical Summary of Funding for Supportive Services
On July 5, 2022 the City Council adopted Resolution No. 89310 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 service providers, to provide supportive services for FY22-23.
In July 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 89336 C.M.S authorizing the City Administrator to amend existing agreements and enter into new agreements, using Measure Q funds, in FY 2022-23. This included funding for Abode Services, First Place for Youth, Building Futures for Women and Children and Roots Community Health Center.
The proposed resolution will renew the Measure Q funded grant agreements with Abode Services, First Place for Youth, Building Futures for Women and Children and Roots Community Health Center for the supportive services portion of the OPRI program for FY 2023-2024.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The Oakland Path Re Housing Initiative (OPRI):
This recommended policy action supports the citywide priorities ofhousing and economic securityandholistic community safety. In FY 2023-2024, 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 Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
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 is to assist these populations to obtain 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 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 2023-2024, 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 and individuals exiting cabin communities 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 FY 23-25 Proposed Budget and appropriated in the HUD- ESG/SHP/HOPWA Fund (2103), Community Housing Services Org (78411), OPRI/ SBHAP OHA FY 2023-2024 Project (1006687), Fostering Safe and Healthy Communities Program (NB41), pending City Council adoption These funds will be used for housing subsidies.
Funding will be allocated toward grant agreements up to the following amounts to the agencies listed inTable 1below. 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.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
Table 1: OPRI Funds for FY 2023-2024 Operational Year
GRANTEE FUNDIN
G
SOURC
E
AMOUNT
*
GRANT
TERM
FY24
PROJEC
T
CODES
ORG
CODE
FUND
CODE
ACCT
CODE
PROG
CODE
Table 1a: Single Adults
OHA $1,684,82 7/1/23 – 1006687 78411 2103 54912 NB413 6/30/24 Measure $77,275 7/1/23 – 1005349 78411 2244 54912 NB41AbodeQ 6/30/24 Services CDBG $195,500 7/1/23 – 1006661 78411 2108 54912 NB416/30/24 GF $17,103 7/1/23 – 1006924 78411 1010 54912 NB416/30/24 Program Total: $ 1,974,701
Table 1b: Transitional Aged Youth
OHA $267,669 7/1/23 – 1006687 78411 2103 54912 NB416/30/24 First PlaceMeasure $20,606 7/1/23 – 1005349 78411 2244 54912 NB41for YouthQ 6/30/24 ESG $165,488 7/1/23 – 1006663 78411 2103 54912 NB416/30/24 Program Total: $ 453,763
Table 1c: Homeless Families
Cornerstone
Community
Development
OHA $1,128,60
0 7/1/23 –
6/30/24 1006687 78411 2103 54912 NB41
Corporation
dba Building
Futures for
Women
Measure
Q $252,135 7/1/23 –
6/30/24 1005349 78411 2244 54912 NB41
Children
Program Total: $ 1,380,735
Table 1d: Adults with workforce focus
Roots
Community
OHA $1,128,60
0 7/1/23 –
6/30/24 1006687 78411 2103 54912 NB41
250,000 1005349Health
Center
Measure
Q
7/1/23 –
6/30/24 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 Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 6
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
returning to the City Council within the duration of the grant terms of July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
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 732 formerly homeless Oakland residents with subsidies provided by OHA and services and program administration contracted by the City of Oakland (seeTable 3).
TABLE 3: OPRI Grant to Date: Clients Served
ABODE SERVICES
Encampment Referred: 194
BHCS Encampment Referred: 98
Reentry Referred: 155
Senior Shelter Referred: 32
FIRST PLACE FOR YOUTH
Homeless Youth: 202
BUILDING FUTURES FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN
Families: 51
Grant To Date Total as of June 30, 2021 732
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 7
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
CHILDREN SERVED
Children served in BFWC Family Program: 92
Children served in Abode Programs:
*Encampment/BHCS/Reentry/Seniors
33 Total Number of Children 125
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 2021-2022 year are as follows:
2021-2022 Abode OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 98
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 98.8%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 100%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer 92%
Clients who exited to permanent housing 50%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 100%
2021-2022 Abode OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 84%
White 9.2%
Multiple Races 4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1%
Asian 2%
Hispanic or Latinx 7%
2021-2022 FPFY OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 31
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 87.5%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 86.7%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer N/A*
Clients who exited to permanent housing 91.67%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 55%
2021-2022 FPFY OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 61%
White 26%
Multiple Races 1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 35%
*FPFY is only a two-year long program. There are no participants that remain for 3 years or longer
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 8
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
2021-2022 BFWC OPRI Outcome Measures Totals
Persons (clients) served 117
Families served 44
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 97.5%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 90.9%
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 0%*
2021-2022 BFWC OPRI Housing Demographics Totals
Black or African American 62%
White 19%
Multiple Races 17%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 20%
* BFWC did not have any participants for 36 months or longer in the program as of 6/30/2022.
The performance measures for the first half of FY 2022-2023 year are as follows:
2022-2023 Abode OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 92
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 96%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 100%
Remained Housed for 36 months or longer 98%
Clients who exited to permanent housing 33%
Percent of permanent housing exits that were Black or
African American clients 100%
2022-2023 Abode OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 81%
White 13%
Multiple Races 3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1%
Asian 1%
Hispanic or Latinx 12%
2022-2023 FPFY OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 21
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 74%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 75%
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 40%
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 9
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
2022-2023 FPFY OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 67%
White 19%
Multiple Races 0.05%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1%
Asian 0%
Hispanic or Latinx 29%
*FPFY is only a two-year long program. There are no participants that remain for 3 years or longer
2022-2023 BFWC OPRI Outcome Measures (Jul-Dec) Totals
Persons (clients) served 123
Families served 44
Remained Housed for 6 months or longer 97%
Remained Housed for 12 months or longer 100%
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 77%
2022-2023 BFWC OPRI Housing Demographics (Jul-Dec) Totals Black or African American 61%
White 18%
Multiple Races 20%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0%
Asian 0.2%
Hispanic or Latinx 17%
* BFWC did not have any participants for 36 months or longer in the program as of 12/31/2022.
*Roots began their contract on 10/1/2022. They are working to enter participants and will continue to ramp up in the remaining months of the fiscal year. Community Homelessness Services will report the progress of Roots Program year in the FY 22-23 OPRI Annual Report.
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.
Social 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.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 10
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
Race and Equity: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 2022 Point In Time count for Oakland, 59 percent of the population experiencing homelessness in Oakland identifies as Black or African American; however this demographic is only 21 percent of the general population. The data that is currently available shows that 70 percent of the clients served through OPRI in F Y 21-22 were African American.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 11
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
SCOTT MEANS
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Accepting, 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) 2023-2024; And
2. Awarding Grant Agreements To Four Non-Profit Agencies Identified In Table 1 To Provide Housing And Supportive Services Under OPRI/SBHAP In the Cumulative Total Amount Of $5,187,799 For FY 2023-2024; And
3. Authorizing the City Administrator To Accept and Appropriate Additional Funds From OHA For OPRI/SBHAP For FY 2023-2024 And To Amend The Grant Agreements Awarded Herein to Adjust the Grant Amounts, Subject to Available Appropriated OPR/SBHAP Funds.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Myisha Steward, Planner, Community Homelessness Services, at [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT MEANS
Interim Director, Human Services Department
Reviewed by:
C’Mone Falls, Interim Manager
Community Homelessness Services
Prepared by:
Myisha Steward, Planner
Community Homelessness Services
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Oakland Path Rehousing Initiative/Sponsor-Based Housing Assistance Program (OPRI/SBHAP) FY 2023-2024
Date: June 23, 2023 Page 12
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
Attachment (1):
A: Board of Commissioners of The Oakland Housing Authority Resolution # 5078