STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Human and Social Needs
AGENDA DATE: November 11, 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 Legacy Counseling Center, Inc. with a one-time increase in the amount of $81,943.00, from $564,200.00 to $646,143.00, funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), to provide master leasing including supportive services and emergency vouchers for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS for the period October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021 - Not to exceed $646,143.00 - Financing: 2020-21 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Grant Funds ($564,200.00) and 2020 CARES Act Relief HOPWA #1 Grant Funds ($81,943.00)
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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. 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.
On June 20, 2019, the City of Dallas Office of Procurement Services issued and solicited and received Requests for Proposals (#BRZ19-00010793) for the HOPWA Program. Legacy Counseling Center, Inc. (“Legacy”) submitted a proposal for master leasing and emergency vouchers 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 Legacy to provide master leasing including supportive services and emergency vouchers for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS by Resolution No. 19-1665.
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.
Legacy is a non-profit agency located in the Oak Lawn area. Legacy was founded in 1989 and has been providing services to the HIV/AIDS impacted population of Dallas and surrounding counties since that time. The agency’s programs fall under three categories of services: mental health, substance abuse, and housing. Mental health and substance abuse services include individual, couple, and family therapy and support groups for persons impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including crisis counseling as well as short and long-term therapy.
Legacy will provide a HOPWA master leasing program, as well as emergency hotel/motel vouchers, for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS. Legacy also provides HOPWA facility based housing assistance and HOPWA housing information services and resource identification for persons living with HIV/AIDS under separate contracts.
Under master leasing, Legacy leases apartment units under a master lease with a private landlord, and subleases those units to homeless persons with HIV/AIDS for independent, long-term living. The master leasing program covers the cost of rent and utilities (less the required tenant portion), along with other costs to operate the units. The agency also provides a housing case manager to provide support for the client in maintaining housing stability and access to care and services. Under emergency vouchers, Legacy provides emergency hotel/motel vouchers for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS for up to 30 days to reduce their stay on the streets or in a shelter prior to moving into permanent housing.
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, scattered site housing assistance, housing information services, and support services).
All HOPWA projects use the local Homeless Management Information System (“HMIS”) to collect client-level data for service coordination and reporting/evaluation purposes. Legacy staff must input client-level data into the local HMIS with applicable written consent. Legacy must also submit monthly financial reports (including supporting documentation) and performance reports (including demographic data, outputs, and outcomes). 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 (including master leasing) as a small one-time contract increase in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Legacy’s allocation of HOPWA CARES Act funds is $81,943.00 to be used to continue providing master leasing with supportive services for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Number of Persons Assisted
2020-21
Goal
Unduplicated clients (master leasing) 50
Unduplicated clients (emergency vouchers) 15
OUTCOME MEASURES
Housing Stability
2020-21
Goal
Percent in stable housing (master leasing) 96%
Percent in stable/temporary (emergency vouchers) 83%
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On October 23, 2019, City Council authorized a twelve-month contract, with two twelve-month renewal options contingent on available funding, with Legacy, to provide master leasing including supportive services and emergency vouchers for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS by Resolution No. 19-1665.
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 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Grant Funds |
$564,200.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
2020 CARES Act Relief HOPWA #1 Grant Funds |
$81,943.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Total |
$646,143.00 |
$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 $ |
$646,143.00 |
Other Services |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
• The Business Inclusion and Development Plan does not apply to 501(c)(3) Non-Profit contracts. |
OWNER
Legacy Counseling Center, Inc.
Board of Directors
Shannon Mitchell-Percell, Chair
Brian Ralston, Vice Chair
Scott Kahle, Secretary
Jason Wallace, Treasurer
Martin Camp
Serj Kaftajian
Roberta McDonald
Pamela Roberts
Justin Rogers
Courtney Sherman
Chaselyn Wade