Okaloosa County BOCC — May 17, 2016 — 2016 Emergency Solutions Grant App — reading text

Activities: Activities related to preventing persons from becoming homeless and to assist participants in regaining stability in their current or other permanent housing. See 24 C.F.R. §576.103, 105, and 106 for complete list of eligible activities. Eligible Participants: Extremely low-income individuals and families with household incomes of at or below 30% of Area Median Income who qualify as homeless under Categories 2, 3 and 4 of HUD’s Definition of Homelessness or any category of HUD’s Definition of “At Risk of Homelessness”. Rapid Re-Housing Activities: Activities related to help a homeless individual or family to move into permanent housing. See 24 C.F.R. §576.104, 105, and 106 for complete list of eligible activities. Eligible Participants: Individuals and families who meet the definition of “homeless” who live in an emergency shelter or other place described in the definition provided by HUD. Prohibition against involuntary family separation. The age, of a child under age 18 must not be used as a basis for denying any family's admission to an emergency shelter that uses Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding or services and provides shelter to families with children under age 18. Allowable Activities for Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing: (See Exhibit 16 ) Financial Assistance – Rental application fee (excludes pet deposit); moving costs; security deposit for rental or utility; payment of rental arrears up to six months; and short-term (up to 3 months) or medium-term (up to 9 months) rental and/or utility assistance. Short and Medium Term Rental Assistance Requirements and Restrictions i. Compliance with FMR (Fair Market Rents) and Rent Reasonableness; ii. For purposes of calculating rent, the rent must equal the sum of the total rent, any fees required for rental (excluding late fees and pet deposits), and, if the tenant pays separately for utilities (excluding telephone) the monthly allowance for utilities as established by the public housing authority for the area in which the housing is located; iii. Compliance with minimum habitability standards; iv. Tenant based rental assistance means that participants select a housing unit in which to live and receive rental assistance. Project based rental assistance means that grantees identify permanent housing units that meet ESG requirements and enter into a rental assistance agreement with the owner to reserve the unit and subsidize it so that eligible program participants have access to the unit; v. A standard and legal lease must be in place; vi. No rental assistance can be provided to a household receiving assistance from another public source for the same time period (with the exception of rental arrears); and vii. Participants must meet with a case manager at least monthly for the duration of the assistance (participants who are victims of domestic violence are exempt if meeting would increase the risk of danger to client). viii. The Grantee must develop an individualized plan to help the program participant remain in permanent housing after the ESG assistance ends. 2016-17 Emergency Solutions Grant Application 6  Housing Relocation and Stabilization Services – Housing search and placement; assessment of housing barriers and needs; landlord mediation; legal services resolving landlord/tenant matters; assistance with submitting rental applications and leases; assessment of housing for habitability, lead-based paint and rent reasonableness; case management; HMIS data collection and submission; credit repair counseling; budget classes; and monitoring and re-evaluating program participants. B. Eligible Clients Persons eligible to receive services being funded by this grant are (See Homeless Definitions in Exhibit 13): 1) Homeless persons who meet the definition of homelessness as defined in 24 C.F.R. § 576, for type of service provided; 2) Persons at-risk of becoming homeless under 24 C.F.R. § 576, for the type of service provided; 3) Applicants must establish written policies and procedures specific to recordkeeping and documenting eligibility assessments at intake and periodic re-evaluation; and 4) Program must maintain documentation on all households seeking assistance, even if determined to be ineligible (documentation must reflect why). III. FUNDING ALLOCATIONS The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the State of Florida $5,098,790 based on area demographics of the communities in Florida that will not receive a direct award from HUD for 2016. Under grant administration, the Department retains $126,182 for its costs and lead agencies administrative costs may not to exceed five percent (5%) of the grant award. The Department will utilize fixed cost pricing for eligible expenditures or cost reimbursement to the grant recipients as a method of payment under this grant application. Funding of the 2016 ESG Program is subject to the appropriation of spending authority by the Legislature for FY2016/2017 budget year. The awards will be for three years, ending June 30, 2019. Subsequent fiscal year funding will depend on award allocations, budget availability, and performance under the grant. The Department may add to the allocations unobligated or unexpended funds available from the 2015 grant program. The maximum grant award a lead agency may request is $250,000 for FY 2016-17. Applications may be submitted for any amount up to, but not exceeding $250,000. The lead agency shall list the projects or activities to be funded and clearly identify a budget for those uses or activities. Administrative costs must not be more than 5% of the project total and are to be shared with sub-providers of services in the catchment area. The Department reserves the right to fund grant application funding requests at lower levels. The grant recipient will be allowed to expend the grant funds from the date of execution of the grant agreement, until June 30, 2019, subject to the approval by the Legislature of spending authority in the respective state budget years. This grant is renewable with successful performance. The grant funds shall be used to carry out the services or 2016-17 Emergency Solutions Grant Application 7 programs under the 24 C.F.R. § 576, as amended, and those that are consistent with the local homeless CoC plan, as demonstrated in the plan and certified by the lead agency. A. Funding Priorities The Department shall place a priority on funding those non-entitlement areas not receiving direct awards from HUD for ESG. Lead agencies in entitlement areas are able to provide services within non-formula jurisdictions in their catchment area. For lead agencies that are located in entitlement communities without exceptions, your application shall focus on providing services in: (1) under a service component not currently provided under your 2016 direct award from HUD, or (2) providing service within an entitlement area where you not are not utilizing a direct ESG award. (See Formula Jurisdiction Exceptions – Exhibit 14). Lead agencies must provide a list of projects to be funded under this application that is consistent with the CoC Plan for their catchment area. IV. MATCH REQUIREMENT Applicants who receive an ESG award are required by 24 C.F.R. § 576 and the State of Florida to match the award with an amount that equals the full amount of the ESG award. An applicant or sub-provider may use in-kind services, or other public or private cash sources to meet the dollar for dollar match. Matching funds must be provided after the date of grant award. Funds used to match previous ESG or any other grant may not be used to match the grant award made under this grant application. Grant recipients may use any of the following as matching funding: 1. Cash 2. Value or fair rental value of any donated material or building used to support the ESG program, including the value of any lease on a building 3. Value of the time and services contributed by volunteers to carry out the program of the recipient based on the value at rates consistent with those paid for similar work in the recipient’s organization (24 C.F.R. § 576.201(e)). For cash match, “provided” means when the funds are expended (or when the allowable cost is incurred). For in-kind match, it is the date the service (or other in-kind match source) is actually provided to the program or project. ESG matching funds must be expended within the same expenditure deadline that applies to the ESG funds being matched (i.e. the 12-month deadline). Non-cash contributions must be made within the expenditure deadline. A. Additional Federal Requirements As the applicant, lead agencies must ensure all sub-providers of services comply for additional federal requirements. Definitions - The definitions contained in the HUD regulations published in 24 C.F.R. § 576 shall govern the Department's grant awards. Copies of these federal regulations are available by contacting the Department Contact identified in Section V. Applicants are directed to review the definition of homelessness in 24 C.F.R. § 576.2. 2016-17 Emergency Solutions Grant Application 8 Local Certification - as required by 24 C.F.R. § 576.202, private nonprofit organizations providing emergency shelter services under this grant must obtain certification of approval from the unit of local government for the geographic area in which the grant activities will be carried out (Appendix G). Religious Organizations – Service providers shall be aware of and comply with regulations and requirements set forth in 24 C.F.R. § 576.23, ESG Program: Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Organizations that are religious or faith based are eligible, on the same basis as any other organization, to participate in the ESG program. Neither the Federal government nor a state or local government receiving funds under ESGs programs shall discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization’s religious character or affiliation. Provisions set forth generally require that when services are funded under the ESG program the services will be provided in a way that is free from religious influences. Non-Discrimination And Equal Opportunity – Service providers must ensure that facilities and services are available to all on a nondiscriminatory basis, and publicize the facilities and services. The procedures used to convey the availability of such facilities and services should reach persons with disabilities or persons of any particular race, color, religion, sex, age, familial status, or national origin within their service area who may qualify for them. If not, there must be assurances that establish additional procedures that to ensure that these persons are made aware of the facilities and services. Service providers must adopt procedures to disseminate information to anyone who is interested regarding the existence and location of handicap accessible services or facilities. Service providers must also comply with the requirements of 24 CFR Parts 5, 200, 203, et al Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity. Lead Based Paint - Housing assisted with ESG funds is subject to the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act and the Act’s implementing regulations at 24 CFR Part 35, Subparts C