STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Human and Social Needs
AGENDA DATE: October 13, 2020
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Homeless Solutions
EXECUTIVE: Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
title
Authorize the first twelve-month renewal option to the contract with Health Services of North Texas, Inc., with an increase of $31,350.00 from $616,734.00 to $648,084.00, for additional short-term rent, mortgage, and utility assistance funded under the entitlement grant and a one-time increase in the amount of $58,711.00 funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), to provide scattered site housing assistance for persons with HIV/AIDS for the period October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021 - Not to exceed $706,795.00 - Financing: 2020-21 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Grant Funds ($648,084.00) and 2020 CARES Act Relief HOPWA #1 Grant Funds ($58,711.00)
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BACKGROUND
The City of Dallas has applied for and received Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (“HOPWA”) funds since 1993 to support eligible activities within the Dallas Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (“Dallas EMSA”) which includes the counties of Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall.
On June 20, 2019, the City of Dallas Office of Procurement Services solicited and received Requests for Proposals (#BRZ19-00010793) for the HOPWA Program. Health Services of North Texas, Inc. (“HSNT”) submitted a proposal for scattered site housing assistance and was recommended for funding.
On October 23, 2019, City Council authorized a twelve-month contract, with two twelve-month renewal options contingent on available funding, with HSNT, to provide scattered site housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS, by Resolution No. 19-1662. This agenda item authorizes a small on-going increase in the contract of $31,350.00, from $616,734.00 to $648,084.00, to allow the agency to provide additional assistance for clients served under the short-term rent, mortgage, and utility program funded under the HOPWA entitlement grant.
On April 22, 2020, City Council adopted the FY 2020-21 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Grant Funds by Resolution No.20-0655. The FY 2020-21 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget includes HOPWA Grant Funds, which are available beginning October 1, 2020, contingent upon HUD’s approval of the City’s FY 2020-21 Action Plan (which is based on the approved HUD Consolidated Plan Budget, submitted on August 15, 2020) and execution of the grant agreements with HUD. HOPWA Grant Funds are to assist grantees in meeting the housing needs of low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and HIV-related illness and their families.
HSNT is a non-profit agency located in Denton, with offices also located in Plano, providing quality medical and support services to persons living with HIV/AIDS in the rural and outer urban communities of North Texas. The agency was founded in 1988 and has been providing HOPWA scattered site housing assistance since 1996.
HSNT will provide HOPWA assistance to persons with HIV/AIDS residing primarily in the rural/suburban counties within the Dallas EMSA. To ensure eligible persons across the Dallas EMSA have access to the full continuum of HOPWA eligible activities, the City intends to enter into additional project sponsor agreements with entities that provide additional eligible activities (e.g., facility based housing, housing information services, and support services) or that provide scattered site housing assistance to eligible individuals primarily in Dallas County.
Under the HOPWA Program, HSNT provides short-term emergency assistance and long-term tenant based rental assistance to low income persons living with HIV/AIDS primarily in Collin, Denton, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties. The emergency assistance program includes short-term rent, mortgage, and utility payments, for up to 21 weeks in any 52-week period, to prevent the homelessness of the client. The tenant-based rental assistance program includes rent assistance (with a utility allowance) similar to the Section 8 voucher program. In addition to housing assistance, HOPWA clients also receive supportive services through case managers who ensure that clients have access to needed services.
All HOPWA projects use the local Homeless Management Information System (“HMIS”) to collect client-level data for service coordination and reporting/evaluation purposes. HSNT staff must input client-level data into the local HMIS with applicable written consent. HSNT must also submit monthly financial reports (including supporting documentation) and performance reports (including demographic data, outputs, and outcomes) to the City. These reports are compiled at year end into the City’s annual report to HUD.
Further, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act included HOPWA funds to maintain operations and for rental assistance, supportive services, and other necessary actions, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. On April 22, 2020, City Council authorized acceptance of HOPWA CARES Act funds in the amount of $1,088,138.00 as a one-time funding increase for the Dallas EMSA. A portion of that amount has been made available to agencies under contract to provide HOPWA-funded scattered site and facility-based housing as a small one-time contract increase in response to the coronavirus pandemic. HSNT’s allocation of HOPWA CARES Act funds is $58,711.00 to be used to continue providing scattered site housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Number of Persons Assisted 2020-21
Goal
Emergency-unduplicated clients served 38
Tenant-based-unduplicated clients served 47
Total-unduplicated clients served 85
OUTCOME MEASURES
Housing Stability 2020-21
Goal
Emergency - percent in stable/temp housing 97%
Tenant-based - percent in stable housing 95%
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
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On October 23, 2019 City Council authorized a twelve-month contract, with two twelve-month renewal options contingent on available funding. Health Services of North Texas to provide scattered site housing assistance for persons with HIV/AIDS for the period October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020 by Resolution No. 19-1662.
On April 22, 2020, City Council adopted the FY 2020-21 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Grant Funds by Resolution No. 20-0655.
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2021 |
FY 2022 |
Future Years |
|
2020-21 HOPWA Grant Funds |
$648,084.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
|
2020 CARES Act Relief HOPWA #1Grant Funds |
$ 58,711.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
|
Total |
$706,795.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
M/WBE INFORMATION
In accordance with the City’s Business Inclusion and Development Policy adopted on September 23, 2020, by Resolution No. 20-1430, as amended, the M/WBE participation on this contract is as follows:
|
Contract Amount |
Category |
M/WBE Goal |
M/WBE % |
M/WBE $ |
|
$706,795.00 |
Other Services |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
• The Business Inclusion and Development Plan does not apply to 501C3 Non-Profit contracts. |
OWNER
Health Services of North Texas, Inc.
Board of Directors
Michael Foster, Chair
Dang-Le Trang, Vice Chair
James Henderson, Secretary
Dale Tampke, Treasurer
David Garcia
Howard Shaw
M. Dean Perkins
Melissa Winans
April Powell
M. Hamed Husain
Lee Brown
Sara Schroeder