DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Funding Allocations from FY 2016 Grant Funds and FY 2017 Grant Funds and Related Contract Amendments
SUMMARY:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is requesting authorization to reallocate a total of $150,012 in HOPWA Funds awarded to San Antonio Aids Foundation (SAAF) through Ordinances 2015-09-10-0754 and 2016-09-15-0693 to currently funded delegate agency programs and related contract amendments. Specifically, this item authorizes allocation of $51,376 to the SAAF Transitional Housing program from their Nursing Facility Based Housing Operations program; $84,535 to Alamo Area Resource Center (AARC) to support the Housing Works program; and $14,101 to BEAT AIDS to provide support for the Case Management Program through the period October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The HOPWA program provides funding to support housing assistance and related supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. HOPWA funds may be used for supportive services and housing support.
On August 4, 2016, through Ordinance 2016-08-04-0554, City Council authorized the HOPWA entitlement grant in the amount of $1,244,429 for FY 2017 as part of the City’s FY 2017 HUD Annual Action Plan. Funding was awarded to SAAF, AARC and BEAT AIDS programs through the FY 2017 and FY 2018 Human and Workforce Development Services Consolidated Funding Process, and approved as part of the FY 2017 Adopted Operating Budget.
ISSUE:
On December 21, 2016, SAAF notified DHS that their Nursing Facility Based Housing Operations Program, which provides residential skilled nursing/hospice care with supportive services to individuals with HIV/AIDS, would close on December 31, 2016. Due to changing community needs, SAAF opened a new outpatient ambulatory day clinic, and decided to close the special care unit, which has experienced a steadily declining patient census and while the City has maintained level funding support, private donations and other grant sources the agency receives has been reduced in recent years.
Through the December 21, 2016 notice, to allow for the transition of existing clients into alternative permanent housing placements, SAAF requested only a six month allocation of $154,372 from October 1, 2016-March 31, 2017 of the FY 2017 Consolidated Funding award of $291,962. DHS recommends the balance of $137,590 of the SAAF Nursing Facility Based Housing Operations Program plus $12,422 in unspent FY2016 HOPWA funds be allocated to the following:
$51,376 to SAAF Transitional Housing Program
$84,535 to Alamo Area Resource Center Housing Works Program
$14,101 to Beat AIDS Case Management Program
$150,012 Total Reallocation
ALTERNATIVES:
Grant funds could be allocated to other HOPWA eligible programs or DHS could issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals for new programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Through this action, HOPWA Funds totaling $150,012 are proposed to be reallocated to AARC, BEAT AIDS, and SAAF programs already funded through the Human and Workforce Development Services Consolidated Funding Process. This reallocation has no impact on the City’s General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the reallocation of HOPWA funds to HOPWA delegate agencies for supportive services and housing support activities.