Agenda

Return

C. 20

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	November 1, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Accept CDSS Noncompetitive Allocations for CalWORKs Housing Support, Bringing Families Home, Home Safe, and Housing and Disability Advocacy Programs

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/01/2022

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:	L. Pacheco (925) 608-4963
cc:	Tracy Murray Carolyn Foudy Levon Gibson Rebecca Darnell Rosalyn Guillory Kathy Marsh

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 1, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to accept noncompetitive allocations from the California Department of Social Services, in the amount of $5,543,453 for the CalWORKs Housing Support Program, $1,079,500 for the Bringing Families Home Program, $1,382,181 for the Home Safe Program, and $2,649,735 for the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program, for the period July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.

FISCAL IMPACT:

County to receive $5,543,453 federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) fund for CalWORKs Housing Support Program, $1,079,500 (State General Fund) for Bringing Families Home Program, $1,382,181 (State General Fund) for Home Safe Program, and $2,649,735 (State General Fund) for Housing and Disability Advocacy Program.

FISCAL IMPACT: (CONT'D)

FY 22-23 expenditures appropriations and revenue adjustments for the noncompetitive allocations will be included as part of the mid-year budget adjustment.

Federal ($5,543,453) 52%; State ($5,111,416) 48%; no County match required.

BACKGROUND:

On September 21, 2022, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) notified all County Welfare Directors in California of FY 22-23 funds available for counties to establish, continue, and expand housing and homelessness assistance through the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP), Bringing Families Home (BFH) Program, Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP), and Home Safe Program. Unspent funds as of June 30, 2023 may be carried forward to FY 23-24 and it is anticipated that the same level of need-based noncompetitive allocations will be available in FY 23-24.

Grantees have the opportunity to accept the same level of need-based noncompetitive allocation offered for each program in FY 21-22. Grantees may also choose to request funding above or below the noncompetitive allocation amounts. Grantees may choose to decline the funding. The Department is recommending to your Board to accept the same level of need-based noncompetitive allocation.

CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP)
The goals of the CalWORKs HSP are to provide housing intervention and rapid rehousing to eligible CalWORKs recipients experiencing or at risk of homelessness. HSP will provide housing stabilization services, including case management and housing placement assistance to all eligible homeless and at-risk CalWORKs families. HSP will use a Housing First approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing placement assistance to homeless CalWORKs families by connecting them to support needed to quickly secure and sustain housing.

Bringing Families Home (BFH) Program
The goals of the BFH Program are to provide housing supports and direct services to families receiving child welfare services who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness or living in a situation that cannot accommodate the child or multiple children in the home. These housing supports are expected to increase family reunification and help prevent foster care placement. Eligible families must voluntarily agree to participate in the program.

Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP)
The goals of the HDAP are to provide outreach, benefits advocacy, housing subsidies, and case management to house homeless individuals who are assessed as having potential eligibility to any of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), veterans, Cash Assistance for Immigrants (CAPI) benefits or youth receiving benefits advocacy through County Child Welfare Agencies. The housing assistance includes help with housing navigation, housing case management and housing subsidies throughout HDAP participation. Both interim and permanent supportive housing will be sought.

Home Safe Program
The goal of the Home Safe Program is to support the safety and housing stability of individuals involved with Adult Protective Services (APS), a division of Aging & Adult Services, by providing housing-related assistance using evidence-based practices for homeless assistance and prevention. Home Safe will serve APS clients that are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness due to elder or dependent adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation. Clients must also voluntarily agree to participate in the program.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without funding, Aging and Adult and Workforce Services Programs will continue to face an increasing number of vulnerable CalWORKs families and older adult clients becoming homeless without prevention or diversion activities to mitigate the rising costs of affordable housing, loss of housing subsidies, and lack of appropriate short-term housing options. In addition, CFS will face an increased number of children brought into foster care due to inadequate and/or lack of housing supports for biological parents.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Funding resulting from the CalWORKs Housing Support Program and Bringing Families Home Program allocations will support four of the five community outcomes established in the Children’s Report Card: 2) "Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood"; 3) “Families that are Economically Self Sufficient”; 4) “Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing”; and 5) “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families. This is accomplished by providing safe housing and housing supports to assist families and their children.