To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Grant Agreement #78-071 with California Department of Housing and Community Development
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute, on behalf of the County Grant Agreement #78-071 with California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), to pay County an amount not to exceed $5,708,517 to provide homeless outreach services, interim shelter and permanent supportive housing through the Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) in the City of San Pablo effective subject to County Counsel approval and grantor’s execution of the agreement through April 15, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Under this Grant Agreement, the County will receive an allocation of up to $5,708,517 over a 4-year period. There is no required County match.
BACKGROUND:
This is a first-time grant award provided to Health, Housing, and Homeless Services (H3) to implement pathways for permanent housing through ERF services in the City of San Pablo. This grant funding will support the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, and salaries of a total of fifteen (15) staff members for approximately three (3) years of program operations. Additional staffing will aim to increase H3’s ability to provide a range of options including interim shelter (non-congregate) and permanent housing opportunities to encampment residents in San Pablo. ERF funding will also support the construction of twenty (20) modular units located on the Brookside Shelter campus in Richmond and expand County’s CORE program.
This ERF project for the encampment in San Pablo has been prioritized due to being a “legacy” encampment in Contra Costa County and presents existing high health and safety risks to residents and the local community. Previous and existing partnerships with the San Pablo Police Department and local providers have been in place for years, and the encampment has remained active due to high housing costs, limited ongoing engagement, and difficulty accessing the encampment. The encampment is hidden among dense and dry vegetation in San Pablo, posing safety risks such as risk of fire and encampment residents are at risk for chronic health conditions from exposure. Many residents are on probation or parole, and many have low to no income, creating high and near-impassable barriers to housing. Over the past year, at least 50 encampment residents have engaged with existing CORE Homeless Outreach teams and local organizations to obtain homeless services. With ERF funding, H3 can create a new full-time CORE team dedicated to this encampment.
On February 2, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved the Health Services Director, or designee, to apply for funding from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, in an amount not to exceed $20,000,000 to support new programs including Diversion, Outreach, Interim Housing, Bridge Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Shallow Subsidy, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Administration of these program.
Under Grant Agreement #78-071, County will receive funding to provide homeless outreach services, interim shelter, and permanent supportive housing for encampment residents through April 15, 2029.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Grant Agreement is not approved, County will not receive EFR funds to provide homeless outreach services, interim shelter, and permanent supportive housing further putting encampment residents’ health and safety at risk.