CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
September 18, 2023
To: Honorable Chairperson and Governing Board of the City of Pomona Housing Authority From: James Makshanoff, Executive Director
Submitted By: Benita De Frank, Neighborhood Services Director SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF POMONA HOUSING AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT a grant award and receive funding from the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD), totaliNG $176,009 RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council, sitting as the Governing Board of the City of Pomona Housing Authority, take the following actions:
Adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-156 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE POMONA HOUSING AUTHORITY (PHA), APPROVING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A u.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (hud) PROGRAM GRANT AWARD, TO RECEIVE FUNDING TOTALING $176,009, AMENDING THE FY 2023-24 OPERATING BUDGET BY INCREASING REVENUE ESTIMATES, APPROPRIATING funds in the same amount Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) for a term not to exceed one year to develop a prioritization plan for these vouchers.
Authorize the Executive Director of the Pomona Housing Authority or his designee to execute the contracts and other documentation requested for acceptance and implementation of the grant awards, subject to approval as to form by the Agency Counsel.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Pomona Housing Authority (PHA) received notification that it was eligible to receive and administer eleven (11) new Housing Stability Vouchers (SV) under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P. L. No: 116-260) (2021 Act) given that the PHA administers the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. The SVs will assist the following under four eligibility categories: a) individuals and families at-risk of homelessness; b) those fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, c) dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking and d) veterans and families that includes a veteran family member. The PHA is requesting approval to accept the award, amend the FY 2023-24 operating budget by increasing revenue estimates and appropriating funds in the amount of $176,009.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-156 (Attachment No. 1) will amend the FY 2023-24 Operating Budget by increasing revenue estimates and appropriations as follows:
Program
Revenue Acct #
Appropriate ($)
Expenditure Acct #
Appropriate ($)
SV Program
205-1791-40850-00000
$170,509
205-1791-52579-00000
$170,509
205-1791-40853-00000
$5,500
205-1791-52598-00000
$5,500
DISCUSSION:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260) (2021 Act), made available $43,439,000 for new incremental voucher assistance under Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 for use to: a) individuals and families at-risk of homelessness; b) those fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, c) dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking and d) veterans and families that includes a veteran family member. In effort, verification that a family meets one of these four eligibility categories is conducted by the Continuum of Care (CoC), or another partnering agency that makes direct referrals to the PHA. The CoC, or other direct referral partner must provide supporting documentation to the PHA of the referring agency’s verification that the family meets one of the four eligible categories for SV assistance.
SVs are a resource that communities can use to house individuals and families. SVs have a specific eligibility criteria focused on particularly vulnerable families. To ensure priority is given to these families that are most in need, PHAs are required to work with community partners to determine the best use in the same manner required for Emergency Housing Vouchers. The program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness, provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, State, and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals, while minimizing the trauma and dislocation experienced by homeless individuals, families, and communities.
Furthermore, HUD is establishing an alternative requirement under which PHAs must enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CoC, which for Los Angeles County is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). This MOU will establish a partnership with the CoC to pair SVs with CoC-funded supportive services; and to collaborate with the CoC and other stakeholders to develop a prioritization plan for these vouchers. The primary responsibility of the CoC under the MOU is to make direct referrals of qualifying individuals and families to the PHA and to identify any CoC-funded available supportive services that may be paired with SVs.
In the MOU, CoCs are encouraged to outline any existing partnerships with health and behavioral health care providers and agencies, State Medicaid agencies and agencies and organizations that may be leveraged to provide ongoing tenancy and wrap-around supportive services for those that may benefit from such services to maintain housing stability. All services provided by the CoC will be outlined in the MOU and should demonstrate the community’s strategy to coordinate assistance through available resources.
PHAs that agree to accept an allocation must enter into an MOU with a partnering CoC within 90 days of the effective date of the ACC funding increment for the SVs. The PHA must provide the MOU to HUD if requested to do so.
To facilitate and expedite leasing, PHAs that accept an allocation of SVs will receive an allocation of administrative fee funding for other eligible expenses that are not normally eligible administrative expenses under the HCV program, as well as administrative fees for the cost of administering SVs.
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:
________________________________
Jacqueline Contreras, Housing Analyst
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2023-156
Authorize the Acceptance of a HUD Grant Award
Authorize the Acceptance of a HUD Grant Award