Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Claire Cunningham, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Agreement with Focus Strategies for Technical Assistance with Homeless Services and Continuum of Care
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Focus Strategies to provide technical assistance and consultation services, for the term of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, and a total obligation amount not to exceed $745,677.
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BACKGROUND:
The Human Services Agency (HSA), in close collaboration with the County Executive’s Office and County and community partners, coordinates the homeless crisis response system, which includes a broad spectrum of homeless services, including homeless prevention, shelter services, and rapid re-housing programs. HSA is designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the Continuum of Care (CoC) Lead Agency. As the CoC Lead Agency, HSA ensures compliance with HUD homeless system requirements, completes required federal reporting, coordinates the bi-annual One Day Homeless Count, and conducts the annual process to submit the CoC funding application to the HUD CoC competition.
In March 2024, HSA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a provider of technical assistance for San Mateo County’s homelessness response system planning and CoC activities.
Focus Strategies was awarded an agreement, because they best met the need of the County as outlined in the RFP evaluation criteria.
DISCUSSION:
HSA would like to enter into an agreement with Focus Strategies to provide services that will allow the County to maximize available federal funding, ensure compliance with HUD CoC requirements, and implement policy and practices to make homeless services delivery improvements to help the County reach functional zero. Focus Strategies will identify, finalize, and implement homeless system strategies; will conduct planning and data analysis for the County’s Homeless One Day Count; and will provide intensive technical support to the County on its application for program funding through the HUD CoC funding competition.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 in aggregate.
It is anticipated for each Fiscal Year of the agreement that 90% of technical assistance project deliverables will be completed on time. HSA estimates the County will receive at least $13.5 million in new, or renewed, program funding through the annual CoC federal funding competition.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Anticipated |
FY 2025-26 Anticipated |
FY 2026-27 Anticipated |
|
Percentage of technical assistance project deliverables completed on time |
90% |
90% |
90% |
|
Estimated amount of new or renewed program funding received through the annual CoC federal planning competition* |
$13.5 million |
$13.5 million |
$13.5 million |
*Calculated by calendar year on an annual basis
FISCAL IMPACT:
This agreement is for the term of July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, and a total obligation amount not to exceed $745,677.00. The total obligation amount is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Planning Grant and Net County Cost. Budgetary appropriation for this agreement is included in the FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget and in all subsequent budgets that are affected by this agreement.