REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 4, 2021
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, CITY MANAGER
JERRY DYER, MAYOR
BY: TIM A. ORMAN, Chief of Staff to the Mayor
Office of the Mayor and City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 69th amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) No. 2020-159 appropriating $29,467,800 in Emergency Rental Grant Funds from the Federal and State Governments to facilitate payments to eligible applicants and reimburse the City for administrative costs associated with managing the programs (requires five affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Administration recommends Council adopt the 69th amendment to AAR No. 2020-159 appropriating $29,467,800 to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and authorize the City Manager to execute all related documents to the administration, modification, monitoring and closeout of this program.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) received a direct federal allocation of $15,804,673 in Emergency Rental Assistance Program grant funds from the federal government and has been informed by the State of California that they will be awarding the City a grant in the amount of $19,136,295 for its State Rental Assistance Program, creating nearly $35 million in funding to help renters in the City to stay in their homes. $5,473,200 was already appropriated to six community-benefit organizations (CBO) by the 63rd Amendment to the AAR approved by Council at the February 4, 2021 meeting.
BACKGROUND
The $34.9 million in funding will be distributed by the City Manager to a City-developed and administered program and to the six CBOs who are disbursing the City’s Housing Retention Grants. The Administration is requesting approval of a resolution in order to accept the State block grants. The City is committing to disburse all Emergency Rental Assistance monies in conformance with the State program and the U.S. Department of Treasury’s guidelines.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a project for the purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Not applicable.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding for this program is from a direct federal allocation already received and a State block grant that should be coming to the City in the next week or two.
Attachment:
RESOLUTION - 69th Amendment to AAR No. 2020-159