DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
FY 2018 Housing Counseling Grant
SUMMARY:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) requests authorization of the following actions related to a grant application for the Fair Housing/Housing Counseling Program:
a) submission of a grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Housing Counseling Grant funds and acceptance upon award of an amount up to $30,000.00 for the period October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019 and approves a budget for the term of the grant;
b) negotiation and execution of Memorandum of Agreements, after review and approval by the City Attorney’s Office, to collaborate with community agencies and educational institutions to support DHS community assistance programs when at no cost to the City;
c) negotiation and execution of any and all necessary documents and a grant contract to effectuate the application and acceptance of this grant, and to execute grant contract amendments pertaining to the grant when approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to include: a) carry-over funds; b) line item budget revisions; c) modifications to the performance measures so long as the terms stay within the general parameters of the intent of the grant; d) no cost extensions; e) supplemental grant funds in an amount up to 10% of the total amount initially awarded; f) reimbursement increases or decreases due to a change in the number of participant served; g) one-time equipment purchases or defined program services; and h) changes in regulations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Fair Housing/Housing Counseling Program (FHHC) has provided housing counseling services to homeowners as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Certified Housing Counseling agency since 1979. FHHC supports the delivery of a wide variety of housing counseling services to homebuyers, homeowners, low to moderate income renters, and those in danger of or experiencing homelessness. Services are provided regardless of income.
The primary goal of FHHC is to improve housing stability by:
• Providing public education to reduce discrimination in housing
• Educating landlords and tenants regarding their legal rights and responsibilities
• Expanding homeownership opportunities and improve access to affordable housing
• Helping homeowners prevent or resolve mortgage delinquency, default and foreclosure and maintain homeownership
• Providing relocation assistance in the event of displacement
• Connecting residents to emergency assistance, financial empowerment to prevent homelessness
In FY 2017, DHS’s FHHC helped 1,442 households maintain housing stability. Of these households, 140 received foreclosure prevention counseling, 1,000 received fair housing counseling related to housing stability, 276 households received rental assistance, 26 individuals were successfully relocated through DHS relocation assistance. Funding was also used to conduct 4 community workshops focused on renters, attended by over 85 individuals.
ISSUE:
HUD Housing Counseling funding augments DHS’s Fair Housing/Housing Counseling Program. For FY 2018, DHS received $246,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to operate the Fair Housing/Housing Counseling Program as part of the FY18 HUD Action Plan on August 3, 2017, Ordinance No. 2017-08-03-0521.
DHS is requesting authorization to submit a Housing Counseling Grant application to HUD and accept upon award $30,000.00 for the period October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019. DHS anticipates serving 65 households with FY 2017 Housing Counseling funding of $30,000.00.
Upon Council approval of the HUD Housing Counseling grant dollars in the amount of $30,000.00, the DHS FHHC Program combined budget will total $276,000.00. Combined funding will assist 1,500 households with maintaining housing stability.
ALTERNATIVES:
If this ordinance is not approved, another grantee would need to be identified by HUD to provide service in this area. The process of identifying a new grantee to implement services would delay the provision of housing counseling services. In addition, the discontinuation of this grant may affect the City’s ability to secure HUD Housing Counseling grant funding in the future.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of FY 2018 Housing Counseling Grant funds in the amount up to $30,000.00 from HUD for the period October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019, and approves the FY 2018 budget. There is no associated personnel complement.
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance to authorize the acceptance of FY 2018 Housing Counseling Grant funds, if awarded, in an amount up to $30,000.00 for the grant period of October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019.