To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Director, Community Resources Department
Prepared By:
prepared
Jeremy Fink, Community Development Administrator, Community Resources Department
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presenter
Presenter: Elizzebeth Loomis, Community Development Housing and Homeless Services Division Manager
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Subject:
title
1:00 PM *Community Development Block Grant - COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) Reallocation
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this session is to review a funding reallocation recommendation for Community Development Block Grant - COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) funds and to seek direction from the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regarding the remaining unspent balance of CDBG-CV funds.
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Background and Discussion: At a Study Session on July 19, 2021, and subsequent Business Meeting on August 10, 2021 the BOCC reviewed and approved final staff recommendations for utilizing CDBG-CV funds. The approval and allocations provided up to $721,773.60 for housing activities administered in-house, including rent/mortgage/utility/hotel-motel voucher assistance. Based on these approvals, CDHHS funded a rent/mortgage/utility assistance program for $546,773, which was administered by CDHHS staff. This program has spent $434,552.05, and currently has a balance of $112,220.95.
Staff is recommending reallocated the remaining balance of $112,220.95 to HAAT Force to address and fulfill the significant gap in available resources for unhoused individuals, particularly during emergency weather, which was created by the closure of Severe Weather Shelter Network (SWSN).
In response to the news of SWSN closing their doors before the 2024-2025 emergency sheltering season, HAAT Force, in coordination with several local partnering agencies, has outlined a plan to minimize the impact of SWSN’s closure and provide shelter and services to former SWSN clients, in addition to their normal sheltering operations. To fill the significant gap created by the SWSN closure, HAAT Force has submitted a proposal and funding request to Arapahoe County, which includes hiring two SWSN staff and vouchering an estimated 40 SWSN clients per vouchering event, roughly 36 nights based on prior years.
Although the funding recommendation for HAAT Force fits within the original “housing activities” plan for CDBG-CV funds, the request is being made as the funding will be awarded to a third party and not directly administered by CDHHS staff, as originally presented and proposed.
In addition to the proposed reallocation of CDBG-CV funds. HAAT Force has been awarded 2024 CDBG funds (regular annual entitlement funds) in the amount of $40,000 for the 2024-2025 sheltering season. The regular CDBG award was made during the annual action plan review process, which was reviewed by the BOCC on the July 2, 2024, study session and subsequently approved on the August 6, 2024, business meeting. The 2024 CDBG applications and funding recommendations were evaluated and reviewed before any knowledge of the SWSN closure. However, the HAAT Force CDBG recommendation and award helped to minimize the additional funding request. If approved, CDBG-CV will be used in conjunction with CDBG to help ensure shelter and supportive services will remain available to our unhoused community members during extreme weather events during the 2024-2025 season.
Fiscal Impact: The CDBG-CV funds are allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Therefore, the allocation and use of these funds will not impact Arapahoe County general funds.
Alternatives: The BOCC may recommend an alternative distribution of funds.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: CDHHS staff is recommending the funding reallocation presented above.
Concurrence: N/A