There is no General Fund impact. All funds are provided to Contra Costa County (County) on a formula basis through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program - 14.218
- HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) Program - 14.239
- Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program - 14.231
- Housing Opportunities for Person with AIDS (HOPWA) Program - 14.241
The CDBG Program will be entering its forty-fourth year. The primary objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable urban communities through the provision of decent housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunity. CDBG funds are allocated annually to eligible entitlement jurisdictions by HUD on a formula basis. The County's DCD administers CDBG funds on behalf of the "Urban County". The Urban County includes the unincorporated County and all cities except Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek. Those cities administer independent CDBG programs.
The purpose of the HOME Program is to increase and maintain the supply of affordable housing for lower income households. Funds are allocated to eligible participating jurisdictions and HOME consortia on a formula basis by HUD. The Contra Costa Consortium (Consortium) consists of the unincorporated County and all cities. As the Consortium representative, the County is responsible for administration and management of the HOME program for the Consortium.
The County, as an entitlement jurisdiction, receives ESG funds annually from HUD on a formula basis for use in funding renovation, major rehabilitation, or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters for the homeless; provision of essential services for the homeless; emergency shelter operations and related services; and homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing activities. The County administers ESG funds on behalf of the Urban County.
The County also receives HOPWA funds, as a sub-grantee of the City of Oakland, to provide localities with resources and incentives to devise long term strategies for meeting the housing needs of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases and their families. HOPWA funds may be used for a wide range of housing, social services, program planning, and development costs. These include, but are not limited to, the acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction of housing units; costs for facility operations; rental assistance; and short-term payments to prevent homelessness.
FY 2018/19 Action Plan
The Action Plan describes the projects and programs the County will undertake during the program year to address priority needs identified in the Contra Costa County FY 2015-2020 Consolidated Plan, and identifies the use of grant funds and program income received during the program year by activity, and proposed accomplishments. In order to begin the program year on time, the County's FY2018/19 Action Plan must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and submitted to HUD by June 29, 2018.
On November 4, 2014, the Board of Supervisors (Board) amended its funding guidelines originally adopted in 1993 and revised in 2006, for the use of CDBG funds as follows: Housing - 45 percent; Public Services - 17 percent; Economic Development - 10 percent; Infrastructure/Public Facilities - 8 percent; and Program Administration - 20 percent. Funding recommendations are made by the following Committees:
Family and Human Services Committee – CDBG Public Service (PS) category and ESG
Finance Committee – CDBG Economic Development (ED) and Infrastructure/Public Facilities (IPF) categories
Affordable Housing Finance Committee – HOME and CDBG-Housing category
Board of Supervisors-- The funding recommendations for HOPWA funds are within the Action Plan for Board approval.
Family and Human Services (FHS) Committee: The FHS Committee met on May 30, 2018, to consider staff recommendations for FY 2018/19 PS and ESG projects. The meeting was noticed and project applicants were encouraged to attend and provide input into the allocation process. Approximately 10 persons representing various agencies attended the meeting. After discussion, the FHS Committee approved staff recommendations as shown in Attachment A-1 and A-2.
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee met on June 5, 2018, to consider staff funding recommendations for ED and IPF projects. The meeting was noticed and project applicants were encouraged to attend and provide input into the allocation process. Approximately 6 persons representing various agencies attended the meeting. After discussion, the Finance Committee approved the recommendations as listed in Attachments B-1 and B-2.
Affordable Housing Finance Committee (AHFC): The AHFC is a Board-appointed advisory committee that develops funding recommendations for the Board concerning the allocation of federal funds for affordable housing development. The AHFC met on January 29 and April 5, 2018, to consider staff funding recommendations for CDBG-housing and HOME projects. Members of the public, including project sponsors, were invited to attend and provide input into the allocation process. Following discussion and comment on each project, the AHFC developed recommendations for the allocation of CDBG and HOME funds for affordable housing programs and projects (Attachment C).
Delay in approving the Committees recommendations and the Action Plan may result in the County not submitting its application on time and jeopardize the County receiving its FY 2018/19 CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds.
Most of the projects and programs funded with CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds address at least one of the five community outcomes established in the Children's Report Card.