REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Planning and Development Department
PHIL SKEI, Assistant Director
Planning and Development Department
BY: JILLIAN GAYTAN, Senior Management Analyst
Homeless Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve an Agreement with Housing Authority of the City of Fresno to operate Journey Home emergency shelter in the total amount of $2,200,075 in Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funds (HHAP).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the agreement with Housing Authority of the City of Fresno (Fresno Housing Authority) to operate Journey Home Triage Centers using HHAP funds; and authorize the City Manager to sign all implementing agreements.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) has existing agreements with the Housing Authority to operate and provide homeless services at Journey Home Triage Center (formerly Welcome Inn) funded through Emergency Solutions Grant - CARES Act (ESG-CV), Community Development Block Grant - CARES Act (CDBG-CV) and Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) funds. These agreements will be fully expended by May 2023 and additional funding is needed to continue operations without disruption through June 30, 2024.
BACKGROUND
On February 18, 2021, City Council approved ESG-CV and CDBG-CV allocations that included funding for the operations of Fresno Housing Authority’s Journey Home Triage Center (formerly Welcome Inn). The City entered into ESG-CV and CDBG-CV agreements with Fresno Housing Authority to provide funding for shelter operations at Journey Home Triage Center from January 01, 2021, through December 31, 2023. Fresno Housing Authority procured Turning Point to provide the homeless services at the shelter. Since that time, City Council has approved multiple agreements with the Fresno Housing Authority to operate this shelter.
In February 2020, the City was awarded HHAP funding in the amount of $6,158,246.18 from the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to address homelessness, in September 2021 received $2,911,171 in a second round of HHAP allocations, and on January 18, 2023 received a total of $7,524,257.15 in a third round of HHAP allocations. Health and Safety Code Section 50220.5 (d) allows program recipients to use its allocation for operating subsidies in new and existing emergency shelters and services coordination for homeless populations.
Approving the agreement will provide funding for the Fresno Housing Authority to provide homeless emergency shelter services at Journey Home totaling $2,200,075.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because of the use of state funds.
FISCAL IMPACT
The agreements will be funded through the City’s HHAP allocations.
Attachments:
1. Agreement with Housing Authority of City of Fresno