Title
Fiscal Year 2013 Continuum of Care Program Grant Application (NB)
The City of Gainesville will partner with North Central Florida Continuum of Care to develop an application for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Program funding. The City will participate by serving as the sponsor grantee for two local transitional housing projects, VETSPACE, Inc. and Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
Explanation
This item supports City Commission Strategic Initiative 3.1: Continue Implementation of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.
HUD is making available approximately $1.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2013 for Continuum of Care (CoC) Programs to supplement funding for local homeless programs. The purpose the CoC Program is to reduce the incidence of homelessness in local communities by assisting homeless individuals and families to move to self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
Since 1995, the City of Gainesville has participated in this application process to assist various organizations to apply for grant funding under HUD's CoC. The Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry is the lead agency for the North Central Florida CoC, which is a group of local community agencies working together to address the full continuum of causes, consequences, and solutions to homelessness. As part of the North Central Florida CoC, non-profit homeless providers have an opportunity to apply for CoC grant funding from HUD to provide various homeless services.
The City of Gainesville will again partner with the North Central Florida CoC to prepare applications for grant funding for the Fiscal Year 2013 Continuum of Care Program funds. As part of this process, the City sponsors the following two transitional housing projects, serving as both the applicant and grantee: 1) Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., "Project HOPE" Program, which provides supportive services and transitional housing for mentally ill and dually diagnosed homeless individuals at leased scattered sites; and 2) VETSPACE, Inc., "VETSPACE", which provides supportive services and transitional housing for homeless veterans in leased scattered sites. The grant award for each project may vary based on HUD's final approval of all the CoC grant applications submitted for funding.
Historically, the City has acted in the capacity as the fiscal agent for both CoC projects. However, the City, Vetspace, Inc. and Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. are in the process of working on a plan with HUD for both agencies to act independently, as fiscal agents, to directly implement and administer their grant projects. Therefore, starting with the FY 2014 CoC funding cycle, the City will continue to maintain its partnership with the North Central Florida CoC; however, both Vetspace, Inc. and Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. will apply for their CoC grant funding directly from HUD.
The deadline for submitting the CoC application to HUD is February 3, 2014; however, HUD is requiring for all grant applications to be submitted in their electronic application system by January 3, 2014.
Therefore, due to the timing of the FY 2013 CoC grant application deadline, the North Central Florida CoC has requested that the City act in the capacity as applicant and grantee until HUD approves the FY 2013 CoC funding award for each project. As a result, upon receipt of the FY 2013 CoC grant funding awards from HUD, the City will amend the FY 2013 CoC grant funding agreements with HUD, which will transfer the CoC grant agreements to both agencies to act independently as grantees and fiscal agents, to directly implement and administer their transitional housing projects.
Fiscal Note
None.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) authorize the City Manager or his designee to apply for grant funding in collaboration with the North Central Florida Continuum of Care under the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Continuum of Care Program; 2) authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute the Continuum of Care Program grant agreements and Continuum of Care Program grant agreement amendments with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. and VETSPACE, Inc. projects, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality; and 3) authorize the City Manager or his designee to act on behalf of the City of Gainesville in all matters pertaining to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Continuum of Care Program grants, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.