TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: Ragan Henninger
AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: September 6, 2022
Approved Date
9/15/22
SUBJECT: A GREEMENT WITH DESTINATION: HOME FOR FUNDING FROM
THE HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE, AND PREVENTION FOR
THE LIVED EXPERIENCE ADVISORY BOARD OF SANTA CLARA
COUNTY
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of Housing, or Director’s designee, to negotiate and execute an agreement with Destination: Home in the amount of $200,000 from the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funding to establish a two-year agreement with the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Santa Clara County.
OUTCOME
Approval of the recommended action will result in an executed agreement with Destination:
Home and a partnership with the Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) of Santa Clara County. The agreement creates a formalized partnership with LEAB for its advisory services and expertise as it provides input and participates in the development of policies and/or procedures, serves on panels, and helps design programs that address homelessness in the City of San José.
BACKGROUND
In 2018, Destination: Home spearheaded the creation of LEAB, a leadership development body consisting of members with current or past experience of homelessness. The board serves as a platform for people who have experienced homelessness to provide meaningful input to improve Santa Clara County’s supportive housing system and has become a vital voice in our community.
Currently, LEAB includes dozens of active members who bring a unique perspective to homeless services, providing consultation and advocacy for improving our supportive housing system, while also offering a source of personal and professional growth for its members. The board focuses on:
COUNCIL AGENDA: 9/27/22
FILE: 22-1419
ITEM: 2.15
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 6, 2022
Subject: Funding Award with Destination Home for a Two- Year Agreement with the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Santa Clara County.
• Fostering the development of self-determination, leadership skills, and sense of empowerment among stakeholders and individuals experiencing homelessness; • Providing clear lines of communication between leadership, staff, and individuals experiencing homelessness to resolve issues as they arise and better anticipate future consumer needs; and
• Creating a working partnership between consumers and providers to inform policy development and improve the quality and types of services provided.
On April 26, 2022, the City Council approved the Housing Department’s proposed expenditure plan for the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP) grant award to the City.
1 In that report, the Housing Department recommended a $200,000 award to Destination:
Home for the advisory services of LEAB. Additionally, the report noted that the HHAP application included a requirement to incorporate experience and feedback of people with lived experience of homelessness on all HHAP-funded programs.
ANALYSIS
City Council approval of this item allows the Housing Department to move forward providing up to $200,000 of State funds to Destination: Home establishing a two-year partnership with LEAB.
The agreement formalizes a partnership with LEAB for its advisory services and facilitates compensation for LEAB members.
The City is committed to implementing the strategies in the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness (Plan) and aligning its funding and grants to the strategies. This agreement advances all three strategies in the Plan through the following: 1) “provide leadership opportunities for people with lived experience of homelessness to shape how we address homelessness in our community;” 2) “center the voices of people who have lived experience of homelessness, especially people of color, in the policy and program design decisions of the supportive housing system;” and 3) “provide opportunities for people who have lived experience of homelessness to provide peer-to-peer support.” LEAB members will provide firsthand expertise and insight to address the causes of homelessness and impact policy change to adapt to the changing needs of those experiencing homelessness. LEAB members will also provide direct and immediate awareness to obstacles, identify deterrence strategies, and provide feedback regarding housing programs.
The agreement will include the following service areas:
1. Training for regional Supportive Housing System initiatives;
2. Advisory services to aid in policy development and system evaluation;
3. Strategic planning and outreach on program participant feedback and evaluation;
4. Regular consulting on new and existing program design;
5. Participation in Housing Department staff interview panels and selection process;
1 City Council report April 26, 2022, item 8.1:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/85214/637870917240270000
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 6, 2022
Subject: Funding Award with Destination Home for a Two- Year Agreement with the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Santa Clara County.
6. Participation in competitive procurement processes, and rank-and-review panels;
7. Involvement in housing and/or citywide initiatives, communication, and coordination;
8. Advise on redesigned programs, including but not limited to, outreach and emergency interim housing programs;
9. Community engagement activities, including participation in City, County, and homeless advocate meetings;
10. Management of City-funded or supported programs that advance the strategies in the Plan;
11. Homeless outreach support, including strategies for meals or resource linkages; and
12. Other services as defined by the City and agreed upon by LEAB.
It is a national best practice to incorporate the perspective and feedback of those with experience of homelessness on programs that impact them. The National Alliance to End Homelessness held its annual conference on July 25-27, 2022 in Washington, D.C. One of the major themes shared by conference attendees during listening sessions, workshops, and from people nearest to the work, is that amplifying the voices of those with lived experience is necessary. Solutions to homelessness may not be effective solutions if they do not involve people with lived expertise in their design and implementation. People with lived experience should be involved in the policy and program decisions at all levels. This should increase the level of participation and client satisfaction.
Also, funding and regulatory agencies require partnerships with people who have lived experience of homelessness. The California Interagency Council on Homelessness (CAL-ICH) was created by Senate Bill 1380 in 2017 as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to oversee the implementation of Housing First policies, guidelines, and regulations to reduce the prevalence and duration of homelessness in California. Recent CAL-ICH grant applications are required to incorporate the perspective and voices of those with lived experience as a fundamental portion of the application when applying for HHAP funding. Respondents are required to identify strategies by which they will include and extend beyond the current and planned use of HHAP funding to be inclusive of, but not limited to, expanding, and strengthening partnerships with people with lived expertise and equity-focused strategies.
Further, Cal-ICH requests all grantees to demonstrate how they will partner with, or plan to use State funding to increase partnerships with, people with lived experience of homelessness.
This proposed new contract with Destination: Home will formalize the City of San José’s partnership with the LEAB and ensure that voices of those who use our services are at the forefront of design, operations, and evaluation, as strongly suggested and advised locally, by the State, and the federal government.
Conflict of Interest
Jacky Morales-Ferrand, Director of Housing, serves as an uncompensated member of the board of directors for Destination: Home, a California non-profit corporation. Ms. Morales-Ferrand has not participated in the selection of Destination: Home for the additional funding and will not
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 6, 2022
Subject: Funding Award with Destination Home for a Two- Year Agreement with the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Santa Clara County.
participate in the making of any contract, contract amendment, or grant agreement awarded to Destination: Home.
CONCLUSION
Approval of this item results in formalized partnership with LEAB for its advisory services and expertise as it provides input and participates in the development of policies and /or procedures, serve on panels, and help to design programs that address homelessness in the City of San José.
Incorporating the advice and feedback of those who have experienced homelessness on the programs and services that impact them is a not only a national best practice but increasingly becoming a requirement for State and federal funding.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Updates on the agreement with Destination: Home will be provided in the Housing Department’s annual report on homelessness programs.
CLIMATE SMART SAN JOSE
The recommendation in this memorandum has no effect on Climate Smart San José energy, water, or mobility goals.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City's Council Agenda website for the September 27, 2022, City Council meeting
.
COORDINATION
The memorandum was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Budget Office.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION/INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 6, 2022
Subject: Funding Award with Destination Home for a Two- Year Agreement with the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Santa Clara County.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
1. AMOUNT OF RECOMMENDATION:
PROPOSED USES AMOUNT
Destination: Home Agreement $200,000
2. SOURCE OF FUNDING: Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Fund (454) - Round 3
3. FISCAL IMPACT: This action will enable the funding of a $200,000 agreement with Destination: Home to fund a partnership with the Santa Clara County LEAB. There are no ongoing fiscal impacts to the General Fund as a result of the actions recommended in this memorandum
.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriations to fund the agreement recommended as part of this memo.
Fund # Appn # Appn. Name Total
Appn
Amt. for
Contract
2022-2023
Proposed
Operating
Budget Page*
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord. No.)
454 209T Destination:
Home COVID-
19 $200,000 $200,000 889 6/21/2022
Ord. No.
30790
* The 2022-2023 Proposed Operating Budget, as modified by the Mayor’s June Budget Message for 2022- 2023 and Manager’s Budget Addendum #43, Adoption of the 2022-2023 Operating and Capital Budgets, was adopted on June 21, 2022.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-003, Agreements/Contracts (New or Amended) resulting in no physical changes to the environment.
/s/
RAGAN HENNINGER
Deputy Director of Housing
The principal author of this memorandum is Alejandra Tlalli-Miles, Development Officer, on the Homelessness Response Team. For questions, please contact Kelly Hemphill, Division Manager, at [email protected]