genda ep rt
October 24, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Finance Committee
FROM: Department of Housing
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF BUDGET AMENDMENT TRANSFERRING $150,000 TO THE PUBLIC HEAL TH DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2023
OPERATING BUDGET TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SHELTER
SERVICES USING EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT FUNDING
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1) Find that the recommended action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b )(3), the "common sense" provision that CEQA only applies to projects that may have a significant effect on the environment; and
2) Amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Operating Budget by transferring $150,000 from the Department of Housing to the Public Health Department to provide emergency shelter services to people experiencing homelessness.
BACKGROUND
On September 27, 2021 and January 24, 2022, Council approved the interdepartmental transfers of $220,000 and $86,272 respectively of Emergency Solutions Grant funding authorized by the CARES Act (ESG-CV) from the Department of Housing's Emergency Solutions Grant Fund (224) to the Public Health Department Fund (203). These funds have supported the provision of emergency shelter with motel stays ("motel vouchers") through existing Public Health Department programs including the Pasadena Outreach Response Team (PORT}, Geriatric Empowerment Model (GEM) Link, and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Link. The Public Health Department also utilized the ESG-CV funds to MEETING OF 10/24/2022 AGENDA ITEM NO. __ l_2--
Budget Transfer to Public Health for Emergency Shelter Services October 24, 2022
provide short-term motel stays during inclement weather in the 2021-2022 winter season.
The Department recommends transferring $150,000 of additional ESG-CV funding to the Public Health Department to support the continued provision of emergency shelter through motel stays, including weather-activated motel stays during the upcoming winter season, to people experiencing homelessness. Up to ten percent of the funds can be used for administrative costs and the balance can be used for motel stays and related costs such as transportation to motels and food for program participants. The funds are required by HUD to be expended by September 30, 2023.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
Approval of the recommended action has the potential to provide temporary emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Pasadena so that they can stabilize and prepare for permanent housing. Approval of the proposed budget transfer is in accordance with the Pasadena Continuum of Care system, General Plan Housing Element, Five-Year Consolidated Plan, and Five-Year Public Housing Authority Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b )(3), the "common sense" provision of CEQA which applies to projects which may 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. The proposed transfer of funds from the Department of Housing to the Pasadena Public Health Department will not have a significant effect on the environment and, hence, is not subject to CEQA.
Budget Transfer to Public Health for Emergency Shelter Services October 24, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended action will transfer existing ESG-CV grant funds in the amount of $150,000 from the Department of Housing's FY2023 Operating Budget within the ESG Fund (224) to the Public Health Department's FY2023 Operating Budget (Fund 203) to provide emergency shelter services for people experiencing homelessness.
Prepared by:
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Jennifer O'Reilly-1> es
Program Coordinator 111 ·
Approved by:
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City Manager
Respectfully submitted,
tor WILLIAM K. HUANG
Director of Housing