Agenda

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C. 50

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Kathy Gallagher, Employment & Human Services Director
Date:	March 31, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Housing Navigators Program

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/31/2020

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:

Elaine Burres 608-4960

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: March 31, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Department Director, or designee, on behalf of the Children and Family Services Bureau, to accept a grant in the amount of $115,000 from the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the Housing Navigators Program over two years for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022.

FISCAL IMPACT:

County to receive $115,000 from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to fund the Housing Navigators Program over a two-year period. Funding is 100% State, with no required cash or in-kind match.

BACKGROUND:

The State of California, HCD has allocated $5 million in funding to counties by item 2240-103-0001 of section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2019, as amended by Section 16 of Chapter 363 of the Statutes of 2019 (SB 109). Funds will be used for the support of housing navigators to help young adults aged 18 years and up to 21 years secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults in the foster care system.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

EHSD will use the funding to provide housing navigation services directly or through a contract with other housing assistance programs in the county. EHSD will coordinate with the Contra Costa Health, Housing, and Homelessness (H3) as the local Continuum of Care to foster communication and collaboration.

Pros and cons of request:
Pros:

Leverages existing Coordinated Entry System services and community-based partners to address gaps in housing services for homeless youth.
Focuses on prevention in order for youth adults to remain safely in their homes and avert homelessness and entry into shelters and foster care system.
Builds capacity for the County’s housing and homelessness systems to further leverage H3 funding streams.

Cons:

Sustainability of program funding beyond end of grant term, June 30, 2022.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without funding, the county will continue to face an increasing number of homeless and runaway youth without access to housing and preventive services.