Important note: The following recommendation was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 10, 2015:
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Iliana Rodriguez, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Measure A Adjustments for Motel Voucher Program; Emergency Housing Assistance; and North Peninsula Food Pantry and Dining Center of Daly City roof replacement
Recommendation:
Adopt a Resolution to:
A) Approve authorization of an appropriation transfer request in the amount of $563,000 using Measure A Funding, of which $338,000 is for the InnVision Shelter Network Agreement to cover additional Direct Motel Costs associated with its provision of the Motel Voucher Program to eligible homeless families and $225,000 for the Core Services Agencies through a Samaritan House agreement for Emergency Housing Assistance for households at risk of becoming homeless.
B) Authorizing an amendment to the agreement with InnVision Shelter Network to continue to provide the Motel Voucher Program, increasing the amount by $338,000 to an amount not to exceed $6,256,664 and authorize the Director of Human Services Agency to execute an amendment to the Samaritan House CORE Service Agreement in the amount of $225,000 to add Measure A funding to extend the Emergency Housing Assistance Program.
C) Approve an appropriation transfer request in the amount of $39,860 to reimburse the City of Daly City for costs associated with the roof replacement at the North Peninsula Food Pantry and Dining Center of Daly City using Measure A funding.
Background:
On October 21, 2014, a presentation of the “Homeless Study Session Report Back” was made to the County of San Mateo’s Board of Supervisors through a collaborative effort between the County Manager’s Office, the Department of Housing, Real Property and the Human Services Agency (HSA). HSA presented on the increasing costs of motel night room stays and the number of homeless families that can be served within the current state mandated allocation, noting that not all homeless families are able to be served each night.
In order to address this concern, HSA requested from the Board of Supervisors $150,000 in supplemental funding to be added to the Agreement with InnVision Shelter Network (IVSN) to provide the Motel Voucher Program (MVP) to eligible homeless families. However, due to a variety of new factors that has surfaced in the past few months as shown below, HSA after careful review of services anticipates the need for an additional $188,000 or a total of $338,000 for the MVP to cover services through FY 2014-15.
- Increased number of homeless families seeking services (13 rooms per night in October to 19 rooms per night in January);
- Decreased transitional housing capacity of 14 beds at Family Crossroads due to a planned facility renovation project; this program serves families referred from the motel voucher program and in its absence, families are staying longer in motels with fewer housing options to move to;
- Continued increase of nightly motel room rental rates (ie, the average cost per night rose from $82.10 in FY 2011-12, to $105.60 in FY 2013-14, to the current rate of $135 per night); and
- Decreased funding available for emergency housing assistance through Core Service Agencies.
The Core Service Agencies (City of Daly City, City of Redwood City, Coastside Hope, El Concilio of San Mateo County, Pacifica Resource Center, Puente de la Costa Sur, Samaritan House and the Young Men’s Christian Association) received one-time Measure A funding of $385,000 in FY 2013-14 to provide emergency housing assistance through security deposits, rental and utility assistance to help new clients remain housed. The one-time funding ended on December 31, 2014, and there continues to be a high demand for temporary housing assistance to prevent homelessness due to a continual rising cost of housing and rental fees and its impact on low-income workers. HSA is requesting $225,000 in Measure A funds to extend emergency housing assistance through June 30, 2015.
The North Peninsula Food Pantry and Dining Center of Daly City (NPFPDCDC) is a 501(c) 3, which currently receives Community Development Block Grant funding from the City of Daly City towards its ongoing services benefitting low-income North County residents. The Dining Center serves just over 20,000 meals per year with an average of 62 meals per day. The Food Pantry feeds approximately 3,000 families per year and 40- 50 families per week. The Daly City Redevelopment Agency entered into a License Agreement with the NPFPDCDC on July 14, 2005, for the ongoing use of the building at 31 Bepler Street which houses the Dining Center and Food Operations. The License Agreement provides for the use of the facility at a cost of $1 per year. Additionally, the Successor Agency of the Former Redevelopment Agency (Successor Agency) provides minor maintenance and repairs for the facility. It is the intent of the Successor Agency to maintain the use of this facility for the stated purpose of serving hot meals and providing emergency food distribution to needy low-income residents of North San Mateo County.
The Successor Agency is willing to amend the term of the existing license for use of property at 31 Bepler Street to coincide with the anticipated useful life of the newly installed roof at the facility.
Discussion:
With your Board’s support and approval of the ATR in the amount of $563,000 ($338,000 for MVP and $225,000 for Emergency Housing Assistance Program), approval of this Fourth Amendment to Inn Vision Shelter Network and authorization of the Agency Director to execute an amendment to Samaritan House to add the
$225,000, HSA will be able to increase its MVP and Emergency Housing Assistance Program providing additional motel rooms for the homeless families and Emergency Housing Assistance for low-income families in San Mateo County.
This temporary increase will cover MVP services for the remainder of FY 2014-15. Funding will supplement the “Direct Motel Cost” component of the Agreement enabling IVSN to increase the number of motel rooms from 9 rooms up to 19 rooms per night. Also, IVSN will be able to address the increasing motel rates by providing the necessary gap funding to bridge the divide between local motel rates and the CalWORKs mandated state motel rate cap of $65.00 per night when families are unable to pay the difference. This will reduce the number of homeless families living on the streets. The MVP will undergo a performance review this Fiscal Year to determine the effectiveness of its services.
In anticipation of the ATR approval and the Board of Supervisors’ positive response, Center on Homelessness suggested that IVSN increase the program capacity and respond to the growing demand for the emergency motel rooms by the families at-risk.
Extending the Emergency Assistance Program will allow Core Service Agencies to serve approximately 129 households by June 30, 2015. Authorizing the Human Services Agency Director to execute an Amendment to the Samaritan House CORE Service Agreement, which is currently being drafted, will allow for the prompt distribution of the $225,000 to the Core Service Agencies by Samaritan House who is the lead Core Service Agency.
Additionally, approval of the ATR in the amount of $39,860 will cover the cost of a new roof at 31 Bepler Street in Daly City, allowing NPFPDCDC to extend its property use license and continue providing meals and emergency food assistance to indigent residents of North San Mateo County. NPFPDCDC has replaced its roof and the City of Daly City reimbursed them while this request was being processed, in order to provide immediate funding during the holiday season. The funds from this ATR will reimburse the City of Daly City.
County Counsel has reviewed the Fourth Amendment and Resolution as to form, and the Contractor meets the insurance requirements.
Approval of these ATRs and Amendments to InnVision Shelter Network and Samaritan House contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Prosperous Community by providing additional access to motel rooms, meals and emergency food assistance to homeless families and emergency housing assistance to families at risk of homelessness in San Mateo County. The number of families housed annually through the Motel Vouch Program for FY 2014-15 is anticipated to be up to 470 and the percent of families exiting through the program into transitional family is estimated at 67%. The number of households receiving emergency housing assistance will be an additional 129 in FY 2014-15, and it is anticipated that 70% will remain housed.
Performance Measures:
|
Measure |
FY 2013-14 Actual |
FY 2014-15 Projected |
|
Number of families housed through the Motel Voucher Program |
468 |
470* |
|
Percent of families exiting the program into Transitional Housing |
67% |
67% |
|
Number of families receiving emergency housing assistance |
135** |
247 |
|
Percent of people receiving emergency housing assistance will remain housed |
70% |
70% |
*The average lower motel rate of $80/night in FY 2013-14 helped the program to serve more clients, however the average motel rate in FY 2014-15 has increased to $135/night. This number has been adjusted from 420 to 470 to accommodate the increase in funding and services.
**The grant for this program runs corresponds with the calendar year. The number of families who have been served through December 2014 is 253.
Fiscal Impact:
The ATR of $563,000 will increase services in FY 2014-15 to MVP by increasing the IVSN Agreement by $338,000 and Core Services Agencies Emergency Housing Assistance Program through a pending amendment to the Samaritan House Agreement in the amount of $225,000.
The ATR for $39,860 will cover the costs of a new roof for the NPFPDCDC.
Both ATRs will be funded through FY 2014-15 Measure-A Sales and Use Tax revenue.
Important note: This is a copy of the official report -- item 30 on the Board agenda.