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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
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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
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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
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Reference Contract No.
9121 (CCS).