CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
February 24, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Beverly Johnson, Neighborhood Services Director SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF TWO CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANT AWARDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD), AMEND THE FY 2024-25 OPERATING BUDGET, AND AWARD A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OF LOS ANGELES (VOALA) RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-20 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF TWO CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANT AWARDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) TOTALING $3,364,026, AMEND THE FY 2024-25 OPERATING BUDGET TO INCREASE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATIONS BY $822,481 Award Professional Services Agreement to Volunteers of America of Los Angeles (VOALA) in the amount of $1,080,306; Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all contracts, subcontracts, amendments and any other documentation requested for acceptance of the award and operation of the above listed Continuum of Care Programs for submission to funders and subcontractor VOALA, subject to approval as to form by the City attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Approval of this action will authorize the acceptance of $3,364,026 in Continuum of Care (CoC) funding and approve a professional services agreement with VOALA, in the amount of $1,080,306.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
⊠ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-20 (Attachment No. 1) will authorize the acceptance of two Continuum of Care (CoC) grant awards from HUD totaling $3,364,026 for the City’s Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Program and the Operation Porchlight Program (OPL). The PSH grant award is for $2,299,993 of which $114,841 will be allocated to administrative costs (218-1702-XXXXX-00000) and $2,185,152 will be allocated to the operation of the program (218-1791-XXXXX-00000). Of the $2,185,152, $42,000 will be awarded to VOALA for a life skills program. The current FY 2024-25 operating budget reflects the previous award, therefore an increase to revenue and expenditures to equal the final grant award is needed. Additionally, the CoC grants require a 25% match, the chart below includes the required amount.
The OPL grant award is for $1,064,033, of which $1,012,580 will be allocated to the program operation (136-1791-XXXXX-00000) and $51,453 to administrative costs (136-1702-XXXXX-00000). The administrative funds are divided between the City of Pomona and VOALA, whereas the entire operation funds are awarded to VOALA. The current FY 2024-25 operating budget reflects the previous year’s award, therefore an increase to revenue and expenditures for the program and match is needed.
Funding Source
Final Grant Award
Revenue Account
Revenue Estimates
Expenditure Account
Requested 2024-25 Appropriations ($)
PSH
$2,299,993
218-1791-40850-00000
+$170,352
218-1791-52579-00000
$170,352
PSH – Admin Match
218-1702-40849-00000
+$28,711
218-1702-51123-00000
+$28,711
PSH – Prog. Match
218-1791-40849-00000
+$546,288
218-1791-51123-00000
$546,288
OPL
$1,064,033
136-1791-40850-00000
+$61,704
136-1791-52285-00000
+$61,704
OPL Match
136-1791-40849-00000
+$15,426
136-1791-51123-00000
+$15,426
Total
$3,364,026
$822,481
$822,481
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 into a single grant program called the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program. The HEARTH Act also codified the CoC planning process into law. The CoC Collaborative Applicant is the one entity per planning area identified in the planning process. For Los Angeles County, the CoC Collaborative Applicant is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The CoC must designate eligible applicants from nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, and public housing agencies to submit an application to HUD for grant funds. LAHSA has designated the City of Pomona and the Pomona Housing Authority to submit two grant applications annually to renew the two CoC programs.
The Continuum of Care Program
The CoC Program assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness. It provides the services needed to help such individuals move into transitional and permanent housing with the goal of long-term stability. More broadly, the purpose of the CoC Program is to promote community-wide planning and strategic use of resources to address homelessness to 1) to improve coordination and integration with mainstream resources and other programs targeted to people experiencing homelessness; 2) to improve data collection and performance measurement; and 3) allow each community to tailor its programs to the particular strengths and challenges in assisting homeless individuals and families within that community.
Permanent Supportive Housing Referring Agencies
The City has a Memorandum of Understanding Agreements for the CoC-Permanent Supportive Housing program with four homeless provider referral agencies. The four referral agencies are VOALA, Foothill Aids Project (FAP), Tri-City Mental Health (TCMH), and Prototypes. FAP is an organization whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by HIV through comprehensive supportive services. TCMH is the mental health authority and primary provider of outpatient services for individuals experiencing mental health conditions in the three cities that make up the Tri-Cities: Pomona, La Verne, and Claremont. Prototypes support women, children, and communities impacted by substance use, mental illness, and domestic violence. These agencies are responsible for identifying homeless persons with permanent disabilities or families with an adult or child member with a permanent disability and referring them for services.
Volunteers of America of Los Angeles
Volunteers of America of Los Angeles (VOALA) is one of Pomona's most prominent homeless service providers. The County of Los Angeles selected them to manage and operate the Pomona Project Roomkey, launched to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. They are the site operators for the Hope for Home Homeless Services Center. VOALA has established an ongoing relationship with individuals and families experiencing homelessness and provides ongoing case management, housing navigation, and life skills training. Therefore, they are qualified subrecipients for the professional services agreement.
In June 2024, the City was granted renewal funding by HUD in the total amount of $3,364,026 for the two CoC programs, effective January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Administrative delays have led to the grant being retroactive. The action taken by the City Council will accept these awards and award a Professional Services Agreements with VOALA for $1,080,306 of these funds. VOALA is a sub-recipient of both grants and written into the grant application.
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:
_____________________________
Cederrick Ashley
Housing Stabilization Supervisor
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2025-20
Award FY 2024-25 Continuum of Care Grants
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