Sponsor: Housing Stability
Title
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Grant Acceptance and Agreement to Comply with the Terms of the Agreement with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the city of Saint Paul for the Emergency Solutions Grant
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Recommendation
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1. Accept a grant award and approve a grant agreement with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the city of Saint Paul for the Emergency Solutions Grant upon execution, through September 2, 2026, in the amount of $591,281.
2. Authorize the Ramsey 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 federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) distributes the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), a formula grant program, to local governmental units for emergency shelter, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing. Since 2019, the city of Saint Paul has been transferring the full grant amount to Ramsey County as the sub-recipient of the ESG funds. The Joint Powers Agreement between Ramsey County and the city requires that the county agree to the terms of ESG grant agreements between HUD and the city, including the attached agreement covering September 3, 2024, through September 2, 2026, numbered E-24-MC-27-0007. Ramsey County is responsible for selecting service providers, complying with federal requirements, managing agreements and performance of sub-recipients, and aligning ESG with the Heading Home Ramsey Continuum of Care.
Ramsey County Housing Stability and the city of Saint Paul amended their Joint Powers Agreement to include language stating that in Year Two, ESG applicants who are funded in Year One will be required to complete a Letter of Interest in place of a full solicitation response.
A full solicitation process for the 2025 program year will occur by late February 2025. All ESG applicants (as well as potential new applicants) will be required to apply.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
In Ramsey County, individuals identifying as American Indian or African American are 14 and 8 times, respectively, more likely to experience homelessness than their white counterparts. Recent data from the single adult shelters indicates that 44% of shelter users are Black/ African American, 33% White, 3% American Indian, 6% LatinX, and 2% Asian with 5% unknown and 7% multiple races.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Heading Home Ramsey is a community-wide partnership committed to the goal of ending homelessness in the cities and neighborhoods of Ramsey County. This is a coalition comprised of residents, social service providers, housing providers, philanthropic partners, business, community, and government working together. The Joint Powers Agreement aligns ESG funding with Heading Home Ramsey’s community-driven priorities and bring greater community review of the subrecipient application and selection process.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding for this grant is included in the 2025 Housing Stability Budget.
Last Previous Action
On February 27, 2024, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved an Amendment to the Joint Powers Agreement with the city of St. Paul for the Emergency Solutions Grant (Resolution B2024-034).
Attachments
1. Funding Approval Agreement - Emergency Solutions Grant Program.
2. Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement - Saint Paul and Ramsey County