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sr-092209-1h~® City of City V®~~\I I' ~\Gp®, i Santa Monica City Council Meeting: September 22, 2009 Agenda Item: 1-H To: Mayor and City Council From: Barbara Stinchfield, Community and Cultural Services Director Subject: Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) Implementation Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute athree-year contract with St. Joseph Center to provide case management, housing and financial assistance, data collection and administration services related to the implementation of the City of Santa Monica's .HPRP grant for an amount not to exceed $530,576. Executive Summary The City of Santa Monica has received $553,576 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for a new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing Program (HPRP). A proposed framework for the City's HPRP program was developed by an interdepartmental team and approved by Council on May 12, 2009. A Request for Proposals was released on June 18, 2009 and a contractor selection process followed. St. Joseph Center, in collaboration with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (CAECA) and St. Anne's Church and Shrine, is recommended to provide case management, housing relocation, financial assistance and administrative services to prevent eviction and stabilize low-income, at-risk Santa Monica households.. Background On March. 19, 2009 $1.5 billion in ARRA funds were allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for-HPRP. In total, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions received over $58 million in HPRP funding, with the City of Santa Monica receiving an allocation of $553,576. Informed by research on regional needs, local survey data, and feedback from stakeholders, an interdepartmental project team from Human Services, Housing and Rent Control, developed a proposed framework. Santa Monica's HPRP program will target low- income Santa Monica residents in danger of losing their housing and provide financial 1 assistance, housing relocation and case management services. On May 12, 2009 Council approved the proposed program framework as outlined in the "Substantial Amendment" to the City's Consolidated Plan 2008-09 Action Plan to HUD posted at http:/lwww01.smgov.neUhsd/AdminJDocuments/final-hprpsubamend CSM.pdf. Discussion A Request for Proposals (RFP) was released to a mailing list of approximately 300 contacts on June 18, 2009. Notices were placed in the Santa Monica Daily Press and on the City's website. Two proposals were submitted by the July 22"d deadline; St. Joseph Center and LAFtA submitted a collaborative proposal, and St. Anne's Church and Shrine proposed collaborating with Santa Monica College (SMC) and the Westside Interfaith Council. Contractor Selection A review and selection process was conducted by the interdepartmental project team. Additional comments were received from the City Attorney's Office. Staff conducted clarifying follow-up calls and meetings with the applicants. St. Joseph Center has a strong history of providing case management, housing relocation and on-going financial assistance to the target population. The agency also proposed using innovative program tools such as a telephone hotline and a screening questionnaire, as well as adaptations of tools used by established eviction prevention programs. Furthermore, the organization has the capacity to administer on-going financial assistance and collect and report data through a homeless management. information system (HMIs). The formal partnership with the Santa Monica LAFLA office created for this project provides households with access to legal advice and representation in tenant/landlord matters. St. Joseph Center is recommended as the City of Santa Monica's HPRP subgrantee based on its experience providing case management and housing location services to low-income households, its capacity to administer on-going financial assistance to third parties and its formal partnership with tAFtA. To ensure that the program utilizes 2 existing and familiar neighborhood resources and is accessible to the target population, St. Joseph Center will partner with St. Anne's Church and Shrine. St. Anne's will conduct additional outreach and perform initial eligibility screenings under the direction of St. Joseph Center. St. Joseph Center will provide St. Anne's with an opportunity to build their case management capacity. Prior to the execution of the contract, City and St. Joseph Center staff will negotiate a final program plan and budget to ensure compliance with all HPRP requirements. St. Joseph Center will establish Memorandums of Understanding and subcontracts with tAFLA and St. Anne's and administer pass- through funding. Financial Impacts & Budget Actions The total HPRP grant to the City of Santa Monica is $553,576, which is available in account 202628.556990. Approximately $23,000, or 4% of the grant award, will be applied to City administrative, data collection and reporting costs. The three-year contract with St. Joseph Center will not exceed $530,576. Fifty percent (50%) will be allocated to financial assistance, forty percent (40%) will be spent on case management and housing stabilization services and the remaining funds will be applied to administrative, data collection and reporting costs Prepared by: Danielle Noble, Sr. Administrative Analyst, Homeless Services Approved: Forwarded to Council: Barbara Stinchfield Director, Community and Cultural Services 'P. I~amq'nt Ewell Ciy Ci Hager 3 Reference Contract No. 9121 (CCS).