Sponsor: Housing Stability
Title
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Amendment to the Agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program
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Recommendation
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1. Approve an amendment to the agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program for the period of October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2023 in the amount of $1,504,263, in accordance with the rates established in the agreement.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the grant agreement.
3. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements and execute amendments to agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures provided the amounts are within the limits of the grant funding.
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Background and Rationale
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The Minnesota Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) was established in 1993 to assist families who were homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. The program goals aim to prevent homelessness, minimize periods of homelessness, and eliminate repeat episodes of homelessness.
The county works with its community partners through an FHPAP Advisory Committee to design a homeless crisis response system, develop project outcome measures, and assess the short and long-term effectiveness of the program in meeting the needs of families experiencing homeless. Past priorities for the FHPAP include implementing the Coordinated Entry system for families and street outreach for youth. This year, the county’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Governing Board prioritized serving singles, families, and youth for the 2021-2023 grant cycle to provide street outreach, prevention assistance, coordinated entry, and rapid rehousing services through FHPAP funding.
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) has a grant contract agreement with the Grantee identified as Family Homelessness Prevention & Assistance Program, with an effective date of October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2023, to prevent homelessness, reduce the length of time households are homeless and eliminate future episodes of homelessness.
MHFA is amending the original grant contract to modify the grantee’s project plan, increase the grant award by $1,504,263, to total $4,728,263, and modify the payment terms to meet the needs of the grantee during the grant period. This award is part of one-time funding for FHPAP known as “Fast Track” signed into law by Governor Walz on March 31, 2023 (2023 Minnesota Session Law, Chapter 20, Section 1 <https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2023/0/Session+Law/Chapter/20/>). The funding is allocated to existing program administrators without a new competitive process.
The primary purpose of the Fast Track funds is to help prevent families from being evicted and to help them achieve housing stability. The following subgrantees will receive funds to support residents through their existing FHPAP prevention projects:
• Catholic Charities
• Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES)
• YMCA
• Neighborhood House
• Minnesota Community Care
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Through the Minnesota Housing’s FHPAP application, a requirement of the CoC Governing Board is to select a preliminary practice model which includes elements of practices currently implemented or needing to be implemented. Ramsey County CoC Governing Board agreed to focus on Equity in the 2021-2023 biennium and has selected two culturally specific subgrantees service providers: CLUES and American Indian Family Center (AIFC)
It is the expectation of both Ramsey County and MHFA that staff and leadership represent the diversity of the populations/demographics served, service strategies are representative and responsive to the needs of diverse populations, stakeholders representing diverse populations have defined roles in the design and implementation of programs, the project evaluates disparities in outputs and outcomes, takes action to address these disparities. The FHPAP Advisory Committee plans to implement a sub-committee to focus on the Equity Focus component, Racial Equity Accountability Project (REAP). REAP is focused on continuing the work by moving racial equity action plans forward and to track and share progress to promote accountability in reducing racial disparities.
Community Participation Level and Impact
MHFA requires engagement of community members, stakeholders, people with lived experience, and school partners to be members of the CoC Governing Board. The CoC Governing Board voted six community members to serve on the evaluation committee of the FHPAP solicitation process. The six elected members represented two employees from Ramsey County, one from St. Paul Public Schools, and three community advocates. A second practice model that the CoC Governing Board decided to place its focus on is from one of MHFA’s component themes entitled “Nothing About Us Without Us”. This component focuses on ensuring persons with lived experience have helped shape and design the project model and that persons with lived experience are consulted during implementation and assist in evaluating the project.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The increase of $1,504,263 will be allocated to subgrantee vendors. The Housing Stability department will continue to administer and monitor the grant funds through the existing Housing Stability department budget. No additional administrative funds for Housing Stability are needed.
Last Previous Action
On March 14, 2023, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved an amendment from the Minnesota Housing Finance Association for Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (Resolution B2023-041).
Attachments
1. Amendment Two for Family Homelessness Prevention & Assistance Program Grant Contract Agreement