title
HA-Approval of an Agreement with the County of Los Angeles in the Amount of $425,000 Under the Cities Homeless Plan Implementation Grant Priority Areas 1 and 2
body
Meeting Date: October 28, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Tevis Barnes/Housing - CDD
Christina Stoffers/Housing - CDD
Phone Number: (310) 253-5782
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/23/19); Committee on Homelessness (08/14/19); LeSar Development Consultants (10/21/19); Saint Joseph Center (08/27/19); Upward Bound House (10/16/19); John Kaliski Architects (10/21/19); and Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (10/21/19).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (10/18/19)
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Culver City Housing Authority Board (Board) approve an agreement with the County of Los Angeles in the amount of $425,000 under the Measure H Cities Homeless Implementation Grant Priority Areas 1 and 2.
BACKGROUND
The Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative and Home for Good Funders Collaborative teamed up to release a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for cities to take specific next steps in preventing and combating homelessness. The 2018 Cities’ Implementation RFP provides up to $9 million in County Measure H funds and $1 million in private support through the Home For Good Funders Collaborative to fund implementation of local projects that 1) increase the supply of interim and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness, and 2) enhance County service systems for those currently experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
On October 22, 2018 the Board approved the submission of a grant application in the amount of $390,000 under the 2018 Cities Homelessness Plan Implementation RFP for the Implementation of the City’s Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness. The deadline to submit a proposal was November 7, 2018. The County made funding announcements on January 24, 2019. The Culver City Housing Authority was awarded a total of $425,000. The amount of $280,000 was awarded under Priority Area 1 and $145,000 under Priority Area 2.
The County office of the Homeless Initiative CEO directed the Authority to work with Los Angeles Community Development Authority (LACDA) (formerly the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles) to enter into a contract to administer the Homeless Incentive Program (HIP). This contract with LACDA for the administration of HIP is presented to the Board for approval this evening
DISCUSSION
City Proposal/Award
The grant application identified two priority areas for grant awards. The grant funding is intended to be used to implement the goals of the Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness under both Priority Areas 1 and 2.
The total grant request under Priority Area 1 was $280,000 to support affordable housing feasibility studies for Motel Conversion and Manufactured and Modular Housing. The maximum grant allowed was $300,000. Funds were also requested for implementation of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and to secure consulting services for to develop a housing referral list matching available rental units with property owners who will rent to homeless and rental assistance participants. All the activities listed above were included as goals and action items in the Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness. All activities except the Housing Navigator were included in the Housing Programs summary matrix provided to Council on March 12, 2018. There is no funding match requirement under the Priority Area 1 component.
The Authority was awarded the total requested $280,000 under Priority Area 1 for the following activities
Motel Reuse Feasibility Study $ 49,868
Manufactured and Modular Housing Feasibility Study $106,300
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance $ 50,000
Housing Navigator $ 65,000
Administration $ 8,832
Total Award $280,000
The total grant funding request under Prior Area 2 was $110,000. The maximum grant award was $300,000. This funding component also required a two for one match of either in-kind or direct funds. These funds were earmarked to be utilized for First Responder Training and Landlord Outreach. The First Responder Training is targeted, skills-based training to assist frontline City departments such as Police, City Attorney and Parks, Recreation and Community Services with developing methods to assist homeless in the community and refer them to services and shelter. The desire is to prevent harm and to divert and connect homeless city residents. The City provides Landlord Incentives intended to attract more property owners to participate in rental assistance programs. These incentives include signing bonuses, holding fees, damage claims, and security deposits. All the activities listed above were included as goals and action items in the Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness. The Start Up activity, noted in the table below is intended to co-locate the St. Joseph Center (SJC) Homeless Outreach Team to the Housing Division Office to provide more streamlined outreach services to the homeless. The match for the Landlord Incentive was included in the Housing Programs summary provided to Council on March 12th, 2018. The First Responder Training and Co-location of the SJC Homeless Outreach Team were new programs. For the SJC Homeless Outreach, the match will be met with in-kind resources of allowing use of city office space and equipment. The matching funds are available in the Housing Division budget to cover the First Responder Training.
The Authority was awarded $145,000 under Priority Area 2 for the following activities:
Affordable / Homeless Accessory Dwelling Unit Program $105,000
Homeless Outreach Expansion $ 40,000
Total Award $145,000
The Culver City Housing Authority (Authority) was not awarded $25,000 in funding under the First Responder Training program. The County removed this item from the list of eligible activities under Priority Area 2. The County will now establish a County program for First Responder Training and local governments will be invited to participate. The First Responder Training funds were realigned to a newly proposed Affordable/Homeless Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program. The County also reduced the amount of funds available for homeless outreach. The County has made extensive efforts to increase homeless outreach teams and contends there is a saturation of homeless outreach throughout the County. The Authority’s initial request of $50,000 in funding was reduced to $40,000. The balance of $10,000 will be realigned to the Affordable/Homeless ADU program which will be considered by the City Council and Board shortly.1
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The total award amount is $425,000. All funds will be deposited into the Low and Moderate-Income Housing Asset Fund. Under Priority Area 2 there is a match requirement of $237,250 (both in-kinds and funds). The co-location of homeless outreach involves an in-kind match of office space in the amount of $50,000, Housing staff support in the amount of $74,069, and funds of $152,250. On August 12, 2019 the Authority approved the expansion of the Saint Joseph Center Homeless Outreach to include evenings and Saturdays. The total contract amount was $690,844. These approved funds will support the homeless outreach match requirement of $152,250.
The funds match for the Homeless ADU program is $35,000. For the Homeless ADU program, as part of the 2019/2020 Fiscal Year budget, $175,000 in funding was approved for an ADU program. These funds will support the $35,000 in Homeless ADU match requirement.
The Housing Division solicited consulting services for the Motel Re-Use and Modular/Manufactured Housing Feasibilities Studies. John Kaliski Architect was selected to perform the Motel-Reuse Feasibility Study in the amount of $49,868. Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects was selected to perform the Modular/Manufactured Housing Feasibility Study in the amount of $106,300. The Board approved these selections on December 10,2018. The other awarded components under Priority Area 1 are to be determined.
ATTACHMENT
1. 2019-10-28_ATT - County Measure H Contract
MOTION
That the Housing Authority Board:
1. Approve an agreement with the County of Los Angeles in the amount of $425,000 under the Measure H Cities Homeless Implementation Grant Priority Areas 1 and 2; and
2. Authorize Housing Authority General Counsel to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the Executive Director to execute such documents on behalf of the Housing Authority.
NOTES
1. HIP offers cities monetary incentives to encourage landlords to rent their available units to homeless and rental subsidy voucher holders. Funding for the program comes as part of the Homeless Prevention Initiative, a collaborative effort between multiple County agencies supported by funding from Los Angeles County Measure H. The initial request of $35,000 was diverted to fund the proposed Affordable/Homeless ADU program. Under the program, property owners will be provided with a $50,000 grant for either rehabilitation or new construction in exchange for an income and affordable rent covenant of 10 years to rent to a homeless household. This will be a component of the Affordable ADU program that will be proposed to the City Council/Board to address homeless, low/moderate income and workforce housing needs.