To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Grant Agreement #28-789-17 from the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute Agreement #28-789-17 (VA #36C26124D0015) with the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS), a Government Agency, in an amount payable to the County not to exceed $2,000,000 for the provisions of Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) services and associated operating cost of West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond, for the period from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this agreement will result in funds from VANCHCS in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 over a 5-year period for the West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond through September 30, 2028. (No County match is required)
BACKGROUND:
Ending homelessness among Veterans was established as a national priority by the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, Eric Shinseki, in November 2009 at the National Summit on Ending Veterans Homelessness. In June 2010, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which is fully aligned with this goal. Eliminating Veteran Homelessness remains one of three agency priority goals.
The HCHV program provides a gateway for eligible Veterans who are homeless to receive outreach services including care, treatment and rehabilitative services, case management services; and therapeutic transitional housing assistance. The program uses County’s West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond to engage homeless Veterans who have been underserved.
The Health Services Department seeks continuous funding to provide interim housing, treatment, and other services for homeless veterans that access the County’s emergency shelter program. Each year the shelters provide interim housing and support services to over 75 homeless veterans of Contra Costa County. County has been receiving funds from VANCHCS for this program since October 2011.
On October 23, 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-9 to receive funding over a 5-year period from VANCHCS to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County for the period October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2023.
On October 23, 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-10 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $209,762 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County fort the period October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.
On November 5, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-11 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $209,762 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County for the period October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020.
On October 10, 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-12 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $212,736 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County at West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond for the period October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
On October 19, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-13 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $218,781 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County at West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond for the period October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
On January 13, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved Amendment Agreement #28-789-14 to include COVID-19 safety protocol terms, with no change tin the amount payable to the county of $218,781 or the term October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
On November 8, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved Agreement #28-789-15 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $56,251 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County at West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond for the period October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.
In May 2023, the County Administrator approved and the Purchasing Services Manager executed Agreement #28-789-16 to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $56,405 to support emergency shelter housing for homeless veterans of Contra Costa County at West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond for the period October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.
Approval of Grant Agreement #28-789-17 will allow the County to continue to receive funds to support the West County’s Adult Interim Housing Program in Richmond through September 30, 2028. The County is agreeing to indemnify and hold harmless the Contractor for claims arising out of County’s performance under this agreement and includes County being liable to Contractor for liquidated damages for data breach. This agreement is late due to the Division not receiving the agreement until September 27, 2023.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this agreement is not approved, the County will not receive funding to support the veterans requiring homeless shelter.