STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Housing & Homelessness Solutions
AGENDA DATE: September 14, 2022
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Homeless Solutions
EXECUTIVE: Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
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SUBJECT
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Authorize Substantial Amendment No. 4 to the FY 2021-22 Annual Action Plan for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Relief Fund No. 1 and CARES Act Relief Fund No. 2 for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program to reallocate funds in the amount of $1,589,407.00 from Rapid Re-Housing and ESG Administration to Emergency Shelter ($1 million for a solicitation to provide expanded shelter overflow and overflow services to hotels and $589,407.00 in emergency shelter expenses for repairs at the Bridge, which has had no major improvements in 14 years) - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
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BACKGROUND
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the federal CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act included additional ESG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus.” Under the CARES Act, ESG funds were awarded in two rounds: (1) $2 billion according to the standard entitlement formula; and (2) $2 billion according to a new formula taking into account factors to be determined by HUD.
On April 2, 2020, HUD awarded the first allocation of CARES Act ESG funds to the City of Dallas in the amount of $4,453,269.00. On April 22, 2020, City Council authorized final adoption of, and held a public hearing to receive comments on, the CARES Act Relief Funds Budget No. 1 from HUD, including CARES Act Relief Funds No. 1 for the ESG Program, by Resolution No. 20-0655.
On June 9, 2020, HUD awarded the second and final allocation of CARES Act ESG award to the City of Dallas in the amount of $16,651,199.00. On June 24, 2020, City Council authorized Substantial Amendment No. 5 to the FY 2019-20 Action Plan for the ESG Program to accept the CARES Act Relief Funds No. 2 for the ESG Program in the amount by Resolution No. 20-0994.
On November 11, 2020, City Council authorized Substantial Amendment No. 1 to the FY 2020-21 Annual Action Plan to amend Resolution No. 20-0655, previously approved on April 22, 2020, and Resolution No. 20-0994, previously approved on June 24, 2020, to reallocate ESG CARES Act Funds among eligible activities in support of COVID-19 relief efforts for persons experiencing homelessness, and to expand eligibility for ESG homeless prevention services by Resolution No. 20-1845.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) has used ESG CARES Act Relief Funds to fund Emergency Shelter services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. These COVID-19 relief efforts ranged from the original COVID-19 shelter at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and other temporary shelters implemented across City facilities, to overflow hotel/motel spaces for overburdened shelters during periods of COVID-19 resurgence. Through these efforts, OHS has partnered and continues to partner with several local shelter and services providers, including Family Gateway, Family Place, Austin Street Center, Bridge Steps, Salvation Army, Shared Housing Center, and Union Gospel Mission, among others.
With the ongoing pandemic, local emergency shelters continue to operate at a reduced capacity for social distancing and to use hotel space to quarantine and isolate homeless persons who test positive for COVID-19. ESG CARES Act Relief Funds continue to be used to fund this hotel space, as well as local shelter operations and services. Despite these efforts, a renewed and urgent need has been identified to expand shelter services, particularly overflow services, to hotels for individuals and families experiencing homelessness due to the recent loss of pandemic protections, rise in inflation, and scarcity of rental units.
This item will provide funding to meet this need for expanded shelter overflow and overflow services to hotels, staff propose to reallocate projected, unused funds in the amount of $1,589,407.00 ($1M for a solicitation to provide shelter overflow to hotels and $589,407 in emergency shelter expenses for needed major improvements and repairs at the Bridge) from the Rapid Re-Housing cost category balance of the former, OHS Rapid Re-housing program which closes September 30, 2022, and from the ESG Administration cost category balance of OHS administration to Emergency Shelter.
Further, the CARES Act provides that the use of amounts provided for ESG under the CARES Act is not subject to consultation, citizen participation, or match requirements that otherwise apply to the ESG program, except that a recipient, like the City of Dallas, must publish how it has and will utilize its allocation of CARES Act ESG funds, at a minimum, on the Internet at the appropriate Government website or through other electronic media. This provision applies only to ESG funds awarded under the CARES Act. The City of Dallas has published information regarding this intended use of its allocation of CARES Act ESG funds on its own Government website, in the manner provided by the CARES Act.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On April 15, 2020, City Council authorized preliminary adoption of the FY 2020-21 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget, the CARES Act Relief Funds No. 1 from HUD, and the FY 2019-20 Substantial Amendment/Reprogramming Budget No. 2; an amendment to the City’s Citizen Participation Plan to be consistent with expedited procedures for public review and comment period provided in the CARES Act, from no less than 30 days to no less than five days; and a public hearing by Resolution No. 20-0596.
On April 22, 2020, City Council authorized final adoption of, and held a public hearing to receive comments on, the FY 2020-21 HUD Consolidated Plan Budget; the CARES Act Relief Funds Budget, No. 1 from HUD; and the FY 2019-20 Reprogramming Budget, and an amendment to the City’s Citizen Participation Plan to be consistent with expedited procedures for public review and comment period as provided in the CARES Act from 30 days to no less than 5 days by Resolution No. 20-0655.
On June 24, 2020, City Council authorized Substantial Amendment No. 5 to the FY 2019-20 Action Plan for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program to accept the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Relief Funds No. 2 for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program from HUD; create three Caseworker II positions to provide homelessness prevention assistance funded by the CARES Act ESG funds; and expand eligibility for ESG homeless prevention assistance funded by the CARES Act ESG funds by Resolution No. 20-0994.
On October 28, 2020, City Council authorized preliminary adoption of Substantial Amendment No. 1 to the FY 2020-21 Annual Action Plan to accept CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds No. 3; amend Resolution No. 20-0655, previously approved on April 22, 2020, with respect to adding missing HUD CARES Act grant numbers and CFDA numbers; amend and replace Schedules A through E to Resolution No. 20-0655, previously approved on April 22, 2020, to reallocate funds across departments and units as necessary in support of COVID-19 relief efforts; amend and replace Schedule A to Resolution No. 20-0994, previously approved on June 24, 2020, to reallocate funds in eligible categories to support COVID-19 relief efforts; and expand eligibility for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) homeless prevention by Resolution No. 20-1674.
On November 11, 2020, City Council authorized final adoption of Substantial Amendment No. 1 to the FY 2020-21 Annual Action Plan to accept CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds No. 3; amend Resolution No. 20-0655, previously approved on April 22, 2020, with respect to adding missing HUD CARES Act grant numbers and CFDA numbers; amend and replace Schedules A through E to Resolution No. 20-0655, previously approved on April 22, 2020, to reallocate funds across departments and units as necessary in support of COVID-19 relief efforts; amend and replace Schedule A to Resolution No. 20-0994, previously approved on June 24, 2020, to reallocate funds in eligible categories to support COVID-19 relief efforts; and expand eligibility for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) homeless prevention by Resolution No. 20-1845.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.