Sponsor: Housing Stability
Title
title
Amendment to the Agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program
end
Recommendation
recommendation
1. Approve an amendment to the agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program for the period upon execution through September 30, 2025, in the amount of $1,218,060, 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.
end
Background and Rationale
body
The Minnesota Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) was established in 1993 to prevent or shorten the duration people experience homelessness. The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) administers the FHPAP with the guidance from the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness and the state’s plan to prevent and end homelessness. The FHPAP provides funds to serve low income (less than 200% Federal Poverty Guidelines) families with dependent children, single adults, and unaccompanied and/or parenting youth (ages 24 and younger) to prevent homelessness and/or to rapidly re-house those households that are homeless.
Ramsey County works with its community partners through an FHPAP Advisory Committee, as well as the county’s Continuum of Care (CoC) comprised of 64 partners and advocates, 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 residents experiencing homeless. This biennium, the county, with approval from community partners, prioritized serving residents for the 2023-2025 grant cycle by providing street outreach, prevention assistance, coordinated entry, and rapid rehousing services.
Current funding for FHPAP is comprised of two grant agreements: Round 1 and Round 2. Round 1 and Round 2 have two funding sources each: Fast Track and Standard.
MHFA is amending the original grant contract for Round 1 to modify Ramsey County’s work plan, increase the Standard grant proceeds of an additional $1,218,060, and modify the payment terms to meet the needs of the grantee during the grant period. This amendment does not impact the grant end date of September 30, 2025. The amendment increases the Round 1 grant total to $7,808,060. The amendment increases total funding between Round 1 and Round 2 to $11,096,078.
Ramsey County Housing Stability department is amending six of its subgrantee contracts, which include:
1. American Indian Family Center
2. Merrick Community Services
3. Minnesota Community Care (also known as Westside Community Health Services)
4. Neighborhood House
5. 1 Day At A Time
6. Amherst Wilder Foundation
end
County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Examples of this include supporting a state plan to prevent and end homelessness which focuses on racial, housing and health justice, as well as providing funding commitments such as FHPAP. To further address the racial disparities that exist among Minnesotans experiencing homelessness, MHFA prioritizes working with grant administrators who will be successful in improving housing stability for communities disproportionately impacted by homelessness, including those who can provide culturally specific services.
Through this amendment, additional funding will be provided to the American Indian Family Center who works with American Indian/Indigenous households to prevent homelessness. Additional funding will also be provided to 1 Day At A Time who works with residents to provide rapid rehousing services to quickly stabilize and provide housing for African American residents who have experienced homelessness.
Ramsey County also prioritizes the Equity Focus prevention practice model as outlined in the 2023-2025 FHPAP Program Guide. The Equity Focus practice model employs strategies and responses that are attuned to the populations at greatest risk for homelessness. To effectively carry out Equity Focus, Ramsey County works with the Heading Home Ramsey CoC, FHPAP Advisory Committee and its subgrantees to develop and implement data-driven strategies to ensure interventions for homeless individuals and families are representative of the populations being served and culturally appropriate.
Community Participation Level and Impact
MHFA requires engagement of community members, stakeholders, people with lived experience, and school partners to be members of the required FHPAP Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee doubly functions as the Heading Home Ramsey CoC’s Prevention and Tenant Stabilization (PTS) Work Group which develops homeless prevention-focused strategies and recommendations. The FHPAP Advisory/PTS Work Group is currently focused on the following areas:
1. Continue to partner with the Ramsey County Financial Assistance Department to align strategies and services for residents seeking FHPAP and emergency financial assistance to resolve crises to prevent homelessness.
2. Continually update public-facing information for residents, property owners, and other community members in need of resources.
3. Continue to collaborate as providers and partners to ensure a No Wrong Door Approach (Phase 1).
4. Develop recommendations for a centralized system so that residents and partners to ensure consistent coordination and referrals for housing assistance (Phase 2).
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☒ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The original amount of Round 1 Standard funding totaled $3,196,150. The total amount of amendment funds for Round 1 Standard are $1,218,060, which will be awarded to six subgrantees. Seven percent will be allocated to support Ramsey County Housing Stability Administration of FHPAP. In total between Round 1 and Round 2, MHFA has awarded Ramsey County $11,096,078 for the 2023-2025 grant period.
Last Previous Action
On June 4, 2024, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved a grant agreement with Minnesota Housing Finance Association for the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (Resolution B2024-103).
Attachments
1. FHPAP Amendment Number Two
2. FHPAP_Exhibit B_Work Plan