FROM:
Housing
SUBJECT:
Title
Family Homelessness Challenge Grant Round 2 Application
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute and transmit any documents necessary to ensure the City's timely submittal of the Family Homelessness Challenge Grant Round 2 Application
End
COUNCIL GOALS:
• Practice sound fiscal management by pursing grant opportunities.
• Provide a diverse range of housing types and levels of affordability while addressing homelessness in the community by promoting diverse range of housing projects and levels of affordability.
• Provide a diverse range of housing types and levels of affordability while addressing homelessness in the community by address Homelessness through proactive programs, including the efforts of the COAST and MET teams.
• Concentrate on Inter-governmental relations by pursuing financial participation from county, state and federal governments.
DISCUSSION:
The California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) was created in 2017 to oversee the implementation of Housing First policies, guidelines, and regulations to reduce the prevalence and duration of homelessness in California.
On March 1, 2022, Cal ICH released a Request for Applications (RFA) in conjunction with the Family Homelessness Challenge Grant, Round 1 (FHC-1). The Housing Department submitted an application on April 30, 2022, and was subsequently awarded the full amount of $2,726,608 in June 2022. These funds have been utilized to construct an efficiency unit and a detached ADU at the Bridge of Hope Emergency Shelter. This shelter now houses three families with children.
Funds are also being used to provide Street Outreach, Interim Shelter, Rapid Rehousing, Delivery of Permanent Housing units, Services coordination, systems support, operating subsidies as well as administration funds to cover the cost of program delivery.
On December 29, 2023, Cal ICH released RFA for the Family Homelessness Challenge Grant, Round 2 (FHC-2). Grantees that were awarded Round 1 funds, remain in compliance with FHC-1 requirements and demonstrate reasonable, sufficient progress toward their self-identified goals may apply now for the second round of grant funding.
Cal ICH has requested innovative applications that accelerate efforts by local jurisdictions and continuums of care to address and end family homelessness by making families’ experience of homelessness rare, brief, and one-time.
Staff has structured the enhanced program to include the following key components:
• Additional case management through street outreach, interim housing, and permanent housing
• Additional hotel/motel vouchers for unsheltered families
• Financial Assistance/Support for those families transitioning or “graduating” from interim housing to permanent housing
• Administration and staff costs
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the approval of this item. There is $15.0 million of grant funding available in the FHC-2 program and if awarded, staff will return to Council for final acceptance of the grant.
MOTION:
Approve Staff Recommendation.
.