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CC:HA - CONSENT: Approval of the Submission of a Grant Application in the Amount of $10 Million under the County of Los Angeles Cities and Councils of Governments Interim Housing Services Notice of Funding Availability to Support the Culver City Homekey Interim Supportive Housing Motel Conversion.
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Meeting Date: April 25, 2022
Contact Person/Dept.: Tevis Barnes / CDD - Housing Division
Phone Number: (310) 253-5780
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (04/20/2022); Advisory Committee on Housing and Homeless (04/19/2022); Westside Council of Governments (04/20/2022), Saint Joseph Center (04/19/2022); and Landlord Tenant Mediation Board (04/20/2022)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (04/19/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Culver City Council approve the submission of a grant application in the amount of $10 million under the County of Los Angeles Cities and Councils of Governments Interim Housing Services (CCOGIHS) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to support the Culver City Homekey Interim Housing Motel Conversion.
BACKGROUND
Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
The Los Angeles County (County) Board of Supervisors (Board) recognizes the importance of supporting cities and Councils of Governments (COGs) across the County to strengthen the region’s homeless housing and services system. As such, the Board directed the Chief Executive Office Homeless Initiative (CEO-HI) to create a $10 million Cities and Councils of Governments Interim Housing Services (CCOGIHS) Fund to support services at interim housing projects located in local jurisdictions. Interim housing creates a pathway for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) to secure permanent housing by providing PEH with emergency shelter and onsite connection to supportive services, so that PEH can meet their most pressing and basic needs to become self-sufficient
The County will be allocated State of California Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program Round 3 (HHAP 3) funding. HHAP 3 provides flexible block grant funds to Continuums of Care, large cities with populations of 300,000 and above, and counties to build on the regional coordination created through previous California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council grant funding and supports local jurisdictions in their unified regional responses to reduce and end homelessness. The Board approved allocating $10 million of the County’s HHAP 3 funds to the CCOGIHS Fund.
The CCOGIHS Fund will be used to provide grants to cities and COGS in the County that are in need of financial support to provide services at interim housing sites. CCOGIHS Funds must be expended by June 30, 2024.
DISCUSSION
The CCOGIHS NOFA was released on April 7, 2022 with an initial application deadline of May 25, 2022.
Program Outcomes
Consistent with Health and Safety Code Section 50220.7(b)(3)(C)(i), the outcome goals defined in the CCOGIHA NOFA set definitive metrics for achieving the following:
1. Reducing the number of persons experiencing homelessness;
2. Increasing the number of people exiting homelessness into
permanent housing.
3. Reducing the number of persons who return to homelessness after
exiting homelessness to permanent housing;
4. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) trackable
data goals related to the outcome goals listed above as they apply to underserved populations and populations disproportionately impacted by homelessness.
If application submission is approved by the City Council, the use of the funds will be aligned with the above program outcomes.
Eligible Uses:
Consistent with Health and Safety Code Section 50220.7(e)(2), CCOGIHS NOFA applicants may apply for funding to expand or develop local interim housing capacity to address homelessness and move PEH into permanent housing. Programs and activities must be based on evidence-based solutions that prevent, reduce and end homelessness.
Examples of eligible uses under the CCOGIHS include:
1. Operating Costs such as:
• Client food cost
• Space Cost
• Utilities
• Maintenance/Repair
• Security
• Restrooms and Showers
2. Supportive Services such as:
• 24-hour bed availability
• Housing navigation
• Residential supervisor
• Crisis intervention
• Problem solving
• Housing placement
Homekey
Goal 1, Action 1a under the 2018 Council-adopted Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness calls for the creation of an emergency shelter through the conversion of a local motel. In an effort to effectuate that goal, on January 28, 2022, an application was submitted under the State of California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) Homekey Round 2 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the creation of 39 Interim Housing (IH) units and 37 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units. These IH and PSH units will be an integral part of the City’s infrastructure to address the supportive service and housing needs of our unhoused residents. On March 15, 2022, HCD announced Culver City was awarded $26.6 million to create IH and PSH units. Construction of these units is projected to commence July 2022 and to be completed by November 2022.
Under a low-barrier/harm reduction service provision model, the IH units will meet participants’ basic needs with three meals a day, unarmed security/ Residential Aides, medication storage, and linen service. The IH programing will also connect participants to social services including on-site case managers, 24/7 health monitoring, and mental health clinicians.
If awarded, the CCOGIHS funds will be aligned with the eligible uses defined above and will include utilities, client food, security, residential supervision, and housing placement.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The total grant award from Project Homekey to the City is $26.6 million, of which only $4 million is earmarked for services and operations. To fund operating costs associated with the PSH component, the County of Los Angeles (County) has dedicated $945,000 spread over 5 years through the Department of Health Services (DHS)/Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) and $1.7 million spread over 3 years from the County Homeless Chief Executive Office. The County has not offered additional funding to support the IH component of the Homekey Project.
The City has committed $4.9 million of General Funds annually for 5 years to support both the IH and PSH components of the Homekey Project. If approved, staff will submit a $10 million CCOGIHS funding application that could supplement the Homekey and City funds to support the IH component and secure the longevity of the programming.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Cities and Councils of Governments Interim Housing Services Notice of Funding Availability
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve of the Submission of a Grant Application in the Amount of $10 Million under the County of Los Angeles Cities and Councils of Governments Interim Housing Services Notice of Funding Availability to Support the Culver City Homekey Interim Supportive Housing Motel Conversion;
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/approve the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.