City Council
MEETING DATE: 9/11/2018
TITLE:
Title
Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP)
End
FROM:
Tami Scott, Administrative Services Director
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution declaring a Shelter Crisis pursuant to SB 850(Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018 and Government Code § 8698.2).
Body
BACKGROUND:
The California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) announced the launch of the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP). HEAP is a $500 million block grant program designed to provide direct assistance to cities and counties to address the homelessness crisis throughout California. HEAP is authorized by Senate Bill (SB) 850, which was signed into law by Governor Brown in June 2018. This overview provides a program timeline with key milestones and delineates when stakeholders may expect program deliverables.
DISCUSSION:
HEAP funding is divided into three categories for distribution.
|
Category for Distribution |
Funded Amount |
Eligible Applicants |
|
Continuum of Care - Based on Point in Time Count Ranges [SB 850: Section 2, Chapter 5, 50213 (a)] |
$250,000,000 |
Continuum of Care (CoC) |
|
Continuum of Care -Based on Percent of Homeless Population[SB 850: Section 2, Chapter 5, 50213 (b)] |
$100,000,000 |
Continuum of Care (CoC) |
|
City / City that is also a County - Based on Population [SB 850: Section 2, Chapter 5, 50213 (c)] |
$150,000,000 |
Large Cities (LCs) with a population over 330,000 |
Eligible Uses
HEAP funds are intended to provide funding to Continuums of Care (COCs) and large cities (LCs) with populations over 330,000, so they may provide immediate emergency assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Eligible uses include, but are not limited to the following:
a. Homelessness prevention activities,
b. Criminal justice diversion programs for homeless individuals with mental health needs,
c. Establishing or expanding services meeting the needs of homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness, and
d. Emergency aid.
The parameters of the program are intentionally broad to allow local communities to be creative and craft programs that meet the specific needs they have identified. All activities must directly benefit the target population.
Expenditure Deadlines
The HEAP statute mandates that 50 percent of the awarded funds must be contractually obligated by January 1, 2020. Additionally, 100 percent of the funds must be expended by June 30, 2021. Unexpended funds must be returned to the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) and will revert to the General Fund. Finally, administrative costs are capped at five percent of program funds, but this does not include staff costs directly related to carrying out program activities.
Eligible Applicants
For the HEAP program, an Administrative Entity (AE) is the CoC, in our case the County of Riverside. The CoC is the eligible applicant for HEAP funding for the same geographic boundaries for which it administers federal Department of Housing and Urban Development CoC funds. LCs with populations over 330,000 are also eligible applicants. LC grant applicants will enter into a contract with BCSH and administer their own funds separately, however, they will still be expected to collaborate with their CoC.
Shelter Crisis Declaration
The shelter crisis declaration is required for all cities and counties within a CoC that wish to receive HEAP funds, except for CoCs with fewer than 1,000 homeless people, based on the 2017 Point in Time count. Each incorporated city must declare a shelter crisis pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 8698) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code. Counties may declare a shelter crisis only for the unincorporated areas of the county. The declaration is a resolution that must be adopted by the governing body of a jurisdiction or jurisdictions within a CoC or LC.
Pre-Application Program Timeline
Beginning in early August, the HEAP team will begin the distribution of key program information and documents. These pre-application materials will help inform the local collaborative process and assist stakeholders as they plan their applications.
|
Program Guidance, Timeline, Sample Shelter Crisis Resolution, Funding Allocations |
|
August 3, 2018 |
The guidance document includes a program timeline, sample resolution and funding allocation spreadsheet. |
|
HEAP Frequently Asked Questions |
|
August 10, 2018 |
The FAQs will be updated on a regular basis on the HCFC website: http://www.bcsh.ca.gov/hcfc/ |
|
Sample Application and Instructions |
|
August 17, 2018 |
An application map will be released in advance of the HEAP Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The map will track to the application. The map, once completed will make the application process seamless. |
|
August 20, 2018 |
Application instructions will be distributed along with the sample application. |
|
Workshops/Webinars - Application Training Documents |
|
August 13 - Ongoing |
Outreach and technical assistance will be conducted by the HEAP team. A detailed schedule will be posted on the HCFC website at a later date. |
Application Timeline
Applications will be accepted immediately upon release of the Round 1 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) beginning on September 5, 2018. The Round 2 NOFA is planned for release on February 15, 2019. If, after the second round of awards, not all funds have been claimed by all administrative entities, the BCSH shall, no later than June 15, 2019, work with the Department of Finance to identify an appropriate allocation methodology for a third round of awards or determine if any unallocated funds should revert to the General Fund.
|
Round 1 |
|
NOFA Release |
September 5, 2018 |
|
Early Applications Reviews Start*** |
Starting in September 2018 |
|
Early Applications Awarded |
Starting in September 2018 |
|
Early Distribution of Funds Begins |
Starting in late October 2018 |
|
|
|
Round 1 Application Cut-off Date |
No later than December 31, 2018 |
|
Standard Applications Awarded |
No later than January 2019 |
|
Standard Distribution of Funds Begins |
April 2019 |
|
|
|
Round 2 |
|
NOFA Release |
February 15, 2019 |
|
Early Applications Reviews Start*** |
Starting in February 2019 |
|
Early Applications Awarded |
Starting in February 2019 |
|
Early Distribution of Funds Begins |
Starting in late March 2019 |
|
|
|
Round 2 Application Cut-off Date |
No later than April 30, 2019 |
|
Standard Applications Awarded |
No later than May 2019 |
|
Standard Distribution of Funds Begins |
July 2019 |
***The HEAP team, recognizing the urgent need in cities and counties, encourages early applications and will review applications, make award decisions, and disburse funds on a rolling basis, immediately upon receipt.
Application Process
HEAP applications will be received through an online portal, with supporting attachments submitted via email. There are separate applications for CoCs and LCs. The applicant (CoC or LC) must submit with the application proof that a resolution declaring a shelter crisis has been approved for all jurisdictions receiving funds. Applicants must conduct a local collaborative application process to determine how HEAP funds will be utilized in the CoC or LC. The submitting entity must also demonstrate coordination with stakeholders, including but not limited to, homeless service and housing providers, law enforcement, cities, and homeless advocates whose general service area falls within the CoC or LC. The CoC or LC in turn may make sub-awards to entities it determines are qualified to carry out the eligible activities and operate within areas with approved shelter crisis status.
FISCAL IMPACT:
By adoption of the resolution declaring a Shelter Crisis will make funding available to organizations such as National Core for implementation of improvements and programs for homelessness at their Cathedral Palms location.
ATTACHMENTS:
RESO- Homeless Emergency Aid Program- HEAP 09.11.2018