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To: Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB)
From: Lisa Fitts
Date: March 15, 2018
Re: CDBG FY 19-20 Public Services Applications
Staff would like to thank the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) for its continued participation in the CDBG FY 19-20 funding cycle.
On January 3, 2019, the CDBG FY 19-20 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was released. In the Public Services category, all of the currently funded subgrantees reapplied, and no new applications were received. Furthermore, as the requested funding amounts and goals were unchanged from the prior year for the competitive applicants, no additional review or rescoring was required by SSHRB. Below is a summary of the Public Services applications that were submitted through the City Data Services (CDS) system, the current year’s funding, the FY 19-20 funding request, and staff’s recommendation for FY 19-20 funding levels.
|
Applicant |
Project Name |
FY18-19 Funding |
FY19-20 Request |
Staff’s Recommended Funding |
|
Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) |
Fair Housing |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
|
Eden I & R |
Information & Referrals |
$25,000 |
$23,813 |
$23,813 |
|
Alameda Food Bank |
Emergency Food Distribution |
$25,615 |
$25,615 |
$25,615 |
|
Building Futures with Women and Children |
Midway Shelter, DV Collaborative, Emergency Fund |
$76,830 |
$76,830 |
$76,830 |
|
Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) |
Housing Counseling |
$8,915 |
$8,915 |
$8,915 |
|
Family Violence Law Center (FVLC) |
Family Violence Prevention Project |
$19,750 |
$19,750 |
$19,750 |
|
Legal Assistance for Seniors |
Legal Assistance and Education for Alameda Seniors |
$19,755 |
$19,755 |
$19,755 |
|
|
TOTAL |
$190,865 |
$189,678 |
$189,678 |
Due to the federal government shutdown earlier this year, and HUD’s January 2018 guidance that entitlement jurisdictions must continue to adhere to the CDBG regulations and requirements, including the timeline for submitting the Action Plan, the City released its NOFA on January 3, 2019, and will prepare a draft Action Plan for the May 7, 2019 City Council Public Hearing. However, because public services funding is capped at 15% of the annual CDBG entitlement amount plus the previous year’s program income, the total amount of available funds will not be known until Congress adopts a final budget.
As an entitlement jurisdiction that receives federal funds, the City is required to comply with HUD Fair Housing requirements. Therefore, staff recommends $15,000 to fund the City’s Fair Housing Program through a contract with ECHO Housing. In addition, $23,813 is proposed to fund Eden’s 2-1-1 Information and Referral Program. This funding helps cover the City’s portion of a Countywide social services referral service to serve homeless individuals and other low-income residents. Further, Eden I&R has requested a three-year funding agreement to ensure that it can provide uninterrupted critical, safety net service and provide staff resources that can be devoted to developing systems that support internet and mobile communications.
Staff recommends the following:
1) Enter into a three-year funding agreement with Eden I&R.
2) Set aside funding for Fair Housing and Information & Referral services and exclude it from any proposed pro rata adjustments.
3) For the public services agreements for all other nonprofits, return to a two-year funding cycle, beginning with FY 20-21, which will be the first year of the Five Year Consolidated Plan.
4) Make FY 19-20 funding recommendations assuming the same level of funding as received in FY 18-19, and propose funding allocations be adjusted on a pro rata basis (excepting Fair Housing and Information and Referral services) and rounded down in $50 increments after the CDBG allocation for FY 19-20 has been published.
Based on the chart above and after subtracting $15,000 for Fair Housing and $23,813 for Information and Referral services, this would result in the following percent allocations:
|
• Alameda Food Bank |
17% |
|
• Building Futures with Women and Children |
51% |
|
• Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) |
6% |
|
• Family Violence Law Center (FVLC) |
13% |
|
• Legal Assistance for Seniors |
13% |