Agenda

Return

C. 30

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	November 17, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS 2020-22 Funding Agreement between the City of Oakland and the County of Contra Costa

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/17/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Kristin Sherk, 925-674-7887

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 17, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. APPROVE the allocation of the 2020 Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS funds as follows: $250,000 to the County Health Services HIV/AIDS program $591,534 for housing development, and $63,341 for program administration; and

2. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to enter into a fiscal year 2020 funding agreement with the City of Oakland that authorizes the County to administer $904,875 in Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS funds for housing and supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS, for the period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No General Fund impact. Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the City of Oakland, as administering agent. Consistent with HOPWA regulations, $63,341 is designated to cover staff costs associated with program administration.

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA NUMBER):
Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS Program - 14.241

BACKGROUND:

The National Affordable Housing Act (Public Law 101-625, approved November 28,1990) authorizes the HOPWA Program to provide states and localities with resources to devise long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and related diseases.

The City of Oakland (City) is the HOPWA grant recipient for Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The City allocates HOPWA funds between the counties based on the number of living HIV/AIDS cases. Approval of a funding agreement with the City will provide $904,875 in FY 2020 funds to the County. These funds may be used for site acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction of affordable housing; supportive services, housing information services; rent, mortgage and utility subsidies; and certain other housing related activities for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County.

County staff from the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) and staff from the Health Services Department (CCHS) coordinate periodically to identify and address the housing-related service needs of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS in Contra Costa County. Funding allocations for both housing development and services are based on factors such as client needs and timely expenditure of HOPWA funds. The recommended allocations for 2020 reflect the anticipated funding needed for CCHS to continue its HIV/AIDS program ($250,000) and DCD's program administration costs ($63,341), and the remainder is allocated for housing development for persons with HIV/AIDS ($591,534). The Affordable Housing Finance Committee will work with DCD staff to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors at a later date on the project specific component of funding for housing development.

The CCHS HIV/AIDS program award of HOPWA funding is sufficient to allow for the continuation of the services through June 30, 2021. CCHS HIV/AIDS program has worked with the HOPWA program funding since its inception in the mid 1990s. Activities include housing advocacy and housing information services, including client intake, housing needs assessment, assistance with locating affordable housing, assistance with housing-related benefit applications, development and implementation of client housing plans, emergency assistance funds, follow-up to ensure receipt of benefits and housing, and referral to other services. In fiscal year 2020/21, CCHS will continue a Short Term Rental Mortgage and Utility Assistance Program (STRMU) as part of a homeless prevention strategy, intended to reduce the risks of homelessness and to improve access to health care and other needed support. STRMU will involve efforts to restore client self-sufficiency and future independence from housing support by the end of the program's term. This will be accomplished through the use of time-limited housing assistance payments for eligible individuals and by the creation of individual housing service plans that include an assessment of current resources and the establishment of long-term goals for recipient households. In FY 2019/20, 73 households were assisted with STRMU funds from CCHS.

DCD requests that the Board of Supervisors approve the recommended allocations and attached Funding Agreement in substantially final form, which has been approved by County Counsel. This is a two-year funding contract, with the second year's allocation to be determined later by the HUD.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the Board does not approve the FY 2020 HOPWA Funding Agreement with the City of Oakland, the County would not receive and administer $904,875 in HOPWA funds, and low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS in the County would lose vital housing and supportive services.