CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
September 11, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: James Makshanoff, City Manager
Submitted By: Benita De Frank, Neighborhood Services Director SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution to amend THE fy 2022-23 OPERATING BUDGET TO INCReASE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE OPERATION PORCHLIGHT PROGRAM by $164,990 RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
Adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-148 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, Authorizing the amendment of the fy 2022-23 operating budget to increase revenue estimates and appropriations by $164,990 for continuum of care operation porchlight program EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Pomona applies for an annual renewal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) funding for the Operation Porchlight (OPL) program for a term of one calendar year (Jan-Dec), which includes two fiscal years. Hence, expenditures in the first six months of FY 2021-23, were minimal and in the second half of FY 2022-23, there was an increase in expenditures resulting in the need to increase revenue estimates for FY 2022-23 in order to pay invoices for services rendered.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adoption of Resolution No. 2023-148 (Attachment No.1) will amend the FY 2022-23 Operating Budget by increasing revenue estimates and appropriations. Revenue will increase by $164,990 and appropriations by an equal amount.
FUNDING SOURCE
PROJECT
REVENUE ACCOUNT #
REVENUE ESTIMATES
EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT #
APPROPRIATE ($)
CoC
Operation Porchlight (OPL)
136-1791-40850-00000
+$164,990
Controllable Contract Services
(136-1791-52285-00000)
+$164,990
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION: On December 05, 2022, the City Council accepted the Continuum of Care (CoC) – Operation Porchlight (OPL) award for $1,002,329.
DISCUSSION:
Background
The HEARTH Act, enacted into law on May 20, 2009, consolidated three of the separate homeless assistance programs administered by HUD under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) into a single grant program called the CoC Program. The HEARTH Act also codified into law the CoC planning process. As part of the planning process, one entity per planning area was identified as the CoC Collaborative Applicant. For Los Angeles County, the CoC Collaborative Applicant is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Eligible applicants consisting of nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, and public housing agencies must be designated by the CoC to submit an application to HUD for grant funds. The City of Pomona and the Pomona Housing Authority have been designated by LAHSA to submit two grant applications annually for renewal of two different CoC programs.
The Continuum of Care Program
The CoC Program is designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness and to provide the services needed to help such individuals move into transitional and permanent housing, with the goal of long-term stability. More broadly, the CoC Program is designed to promote community-wide planning and strategic use of resources to address homelessness; to improve coordination and integration with mainstream resources and other programs targeted to people experiencing homelessness; to improve data collection and performance measurement; and allow each community to tailor its programs to the particular strengths and challenges in assisting homeless individuals and families within that community.
Rapid Re-Housing
Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) is a component of the Operation Porchlight Program which emphasizes housing search and relocation services and short-and medium-term rental assistance to move homeless persons and families as rapidly as possible into permanent housing. As a best practice, RRH appears to have encouraging outcomes such as: decreased length of homelessness, fewer returns to homelessness, lower costs per household than other interventions, and decreased homelessness in communities. A key element of RRH is the “Housing First” philosophy, which offers housing without preconditions such as employment, income, good credit or sobriety. If issues such as these need to be addressed, the household can address them most effectively once they are in housing. Working within a Coordinated Entry System (CES), staff will continue to develop rapport and encourage homeless persons to accept shelter, housing and other support services. RRH funding is funded by HUD, through LAHSA, therefore the City is a subrecipient of LAHSA and a contract with LAHSA for this funding is necessary.
Each year, the City of Pomona applies for annual renewal of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) funding for the Operation Porchlight (OPL) program. OPL is a Rapid-Rehousing (RRH) program that is awarded from January to December, which crosses two fiscal years. It is budgeted by dividing half the funds to be allocated in the last half of one fiscal year and the remaining funds are allocated in the first half of the following fiscal year. Funds expended were still within the total award amount, but more than what remained in the budget, resulting in the need to increase revenue estimates for FY 2022-23 to pay invoices for services rendered.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS: This item supports City Council Goal K: - to reduce the unsheltered homeless population by 10% annually and take actions to mitigate the impacts of homelessness on the community.
Prepared by:
_________________________________
Genesis Hernandez
Housing Analyst
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2023-148
Acceptance of Continuum of Care Program Grant Funds