To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Grant Agreement #78-071-1 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 Amendment #78-071-1 with California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), to amend Grant Agreement #78-071, to modify the Contract provisions to conform to HCD’s requirements including the state’s updated budget detail, terms and conditions and to extend the termination date from April 15, 2029 to April 30, 2029 for homeless outreach services, interim shelter and permanent supportive housing through the Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) in the City of San Pablo with no change in the amount payable to the County of $5,708,517.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Grant Amendment will not impact the amount payable to the County of up to $5,708,517 over a 4-year period. There is no required County match.
BACKGROUND:
This grant award was 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.
On January 14, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved Grant Agreement #78-071 with HCD to receive funding in an amount not to exceed $5,708,517 for the provision homeless outreach services, interim shelter, and permanent supportive housing for encampment residents through April 15, 2029. The Agreement included an indemnification provision requiring County to indemnify, defend and save harmless the State for any claims arising out of County’s performance under the Agreement.
Approval of Grant Amendment #78-071-1 will update HCD’s terms and conditions and extend the termination date through June 30, 2029.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Grant Amendment is not approved, the budget detail and terms and conditions will not be updated and the County risks being non‑compliant with state grant requirements, and may face delays or termination of the funds.