Agenda Item #14.2
For Council Meeting of: November 28, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MEGAN BASINGER, DIRECTOR,
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
SUBJECT: Home Investment Partnership – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Funding Awards AGENDA ACTION: REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Housing and Community Services Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) approve a Grant Agreement for the HOME-ARP Program with Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) in the amount of $711,375 for an eighteen-month period January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025; 2) approve a Grant Agreement for the HOME-ARP Program with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa (CCDSR) in the amount of $1,615,444 for an eighteen-month period January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025; and 3) authorize the Director of Housing and Community Services to execute the grant agreements for HOME-ARP Program funds with COTS and CCDSR in the total amount of $2,326,819.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In Fiscal Year 2021/2022, the City was awarded $2,737,433 in HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) funds by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Through HUD’s required consultation and public participation process, the City developed a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan (Plan) which identified the use of HOME-ARP funds for supportive services, specifically focusing on homelessness prevention. On February 28, 2023, Council authorized submittal of the Plan to HUD. On August 31, 2023, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was released, with a due date of October 2, 2023, and sought proposals from qualified and experienced organizations to provide supportive services starting January 1, 2024. Two proposals were received, one from COTS and one from CCDSR. Based on the review and scoring of the proposals, staff recommends funding awards to COTS and CCDSR in the respective amounts of $711,375 and $1,615,444 for an eighteen-month period January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
BACKGROUND
The HOME-ARP Program was created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which appropriated $5 billion to provide housing, services and shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations. The City was allocated $2,737,433 in HOME-ARP funds. HOME-ARP funds must be used to primarily benefit individuals or families from the following Qualifying Populations (QP):
Homeless;
At-risk of homelessness;
Fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; Other populations at risk of homelessness due to housing instability; and Veterans and families that include a veteran family member that meet one of the preceding criteria.
Through HUD’s required consultation and public participation process, the City developed a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan which identified the use of HOME-ARP funds for supportive services, specifically focusing on homelessness prevention. Supportive services include the provision of outreach, urgent assistance, financial assistance, housing counseling, mental health services, food, transportation, and other services necessary to obtain and maintain housing. On February 28, 2023, Council authorized submittal of the Plan to HUD.
The HOME-ARP award is allocated as follows:
$ 410,614.00
City administration (15%)
$ 2,189,947.35
Program delivery (80%)
$ 136,871.65
Non-profit operating costs (5%)
$ 2,737,433.00
Total
On August 31, 2023, the City released a RFP for a maximum amount of $2,326,819, with a due date of October 2, 2023, and sought proposals from qualified and experienced organizations to provide supportive services to start January 1, 2024. A total of two proposals were received, one from COTS and one from CCDSR.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On February 28,2023, Council authorized submittal of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan to HUD incorporating comments received at the public hearing. Additionally, Council authorized the City Manager or their designee to execute the funding agreements with HUD and any additional documentation required by HUD to implement the HOME-ARP Program.
ANALYSIS
On October 10, 2023, an evaluation committee reviewed and scored the two proposals. The evaluation committee was comprised of four members, including representatives from the Housing and Community Services and Finance departments.
A summary of the two proposals received is provided below. Both proposals plan to serve all QP on a first-come first-served basis consistent with HOME-ARP regulations:
COTS
Experience – COTS, based in Petaluma, has more than 35 years of experience providing services and housing to vulnerable populations in Sonoma County including shelter, housing, homelessness prevention, and supportive services. COTS operates the following programs in the city of Petaluma – the Mary Isaak Center Shelter, Kids First Family Shelter, Recuperative Care, and People’s Village Tiny Homes. Additionally, COTS is expanding their permanent supportive housing (PSH) services reach into Santa Rosa utilizing Measure O funding from the Sonoma County Continuum of Care (CoC) to add additional units of scattered site PSH housing in Santa Rosa.
Proposal – COTS proposes to open a satellite office in Santa Rosa and provide financial assistance (rapid re-housing or homelessness prevention) to 50 participants targeted at assisting individuals to retain their current housing or exit homelessness. Participants will also have access to the following supportive services – urgent assistance (toiletries, blankets, etc.), case management, food, transportation, and mental health services provided by a contracted licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). COTS plans to reduce the length of time participants spend homeless, increase retention of permanent housing, and limit returns to homelessness.
Budget Requested – $711,375
Budget Recommended – $711,375
CCDSR
Experience – CCDSR has more than 40 years of experience serving vulnerable populations in Sonoma County including shelter, housing, homelessness prevention, and supportive services. CCDSR operates the following programs currently funded by the City – Samuel L. Jones Hall Homeless Shelter, Caritas Family Center, Safe Parking Program, Caritas Drop-In Center, and the Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST).
Proposal – CCDSR proposes to provide financial assistance (rapid re-housing or homelessness prevention) to 90 participants targeted at assisting individuals to retain their current housing or exit homelessness. Participants will also have access to the following supportive services – housing counseling, food, and mental health services contracted by Santa Rosa Community Health (SRCH) at the Caritas Center Clinic. CCDSR plans to assist participants to build financial resiliency and housing stability, to bolster personal resiliency and coping skills to stabilize housing outcomes, and seeks to reduce food insecurity, recurrence of homelessness, and the impacts of homelessness.
Budget Requested – $1,800,015
Budget Recommended – $1,615,444. CCDSR adjusted its proposed outcomes proportionally to the recommended budget.
Based on the scoring, the proposal submitted by COTS received the highest average score, as shown in the table below. The full criteria utilized to determine scores can be found on page 8 of the RFP, included as Attachment 1. The committee recommends funding COTS for the full amount of $711,375 and CCDSR for the remaining amount of $1,615,444, a 10% reduction from their request for $1,800,015.
Organization
Average Score
Requested Budget Award
Recommended Budget Award
COTS
99.00 $ 711,375
$ 711,375
CCDSR
97.25 $1,800,015
$1,615,444
Total
$2,511,390
$2,326,819
Staff is requesting approval of two grant agreements, one with COTS and one with CCDSR, in the respective amounts of $711,375 and $1,615,444, to allow for HOME-ARP funded supportive services for an eighteen-month period January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. The Director of Housing and Community Services will have authority to execute the grant agreements.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund associated with these grant agreements which are funded by one-time HOME-ARP monies. This impact has not been included in General Fund projections previously provided to Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and no further environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Request for Proposals R163791 HOME – American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP) Provision of Supportive Services For Persons At-Risk of or Experiencing Homelessness and Other Vulnerable Populations Resolution/Exhibit A – Grant Agreement for HOME Investment Partnerships – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Program with Committee on the Shelterless Resolution/Exhibit B - Grant Agreement for HOME Investment Partnerships – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Program with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa
PRESENTER
Sasha Brown, Housing and Community Services Program Specialist, [email protected] HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP – AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (HOME-ARP) FUNDING AWARDS PAGE 3 OF 4