Title
Grant Funding from the Alachua County Housing Authority for the installation of permanent supportive housing beds in the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center (B)
This is a request for the City Commission to accept funding from the Alachua County Housing Authority for the installation of eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds in the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center.
Explanation
On July 7, 2010, the Alachua County Housing Authority (ACHA) was awarded a grant in the amount of $85,739 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Assistance Program to continue improving the lives of homeless men, women and children through local planning efforts and direct housing and service programs.
Through this CoC grant, the ACHA will partner with the City to provide funding for the installation of eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds in the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center. The purpose of the GRACE Marketplace is to provide long-term transitional housing for homeless men and women and to help end chronic homelessness by funding services for homeless individuals in coordination with existing emergency shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing programs and resources in efforts to promote self-sufficiency. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that all residents, including those who are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing, live stable and independent lives.
This partnership with the ACHA will create eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds, in addition to the 60 transitional beds included in the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center facility for a total of 68 beds in the facility.
Additionally, the on-going management and operations of these additional eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds will be the responsibility of the local non-profit agencies who will provide the necessary funding for the shelter component of the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center. Some grant programs include assistance with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. Through the CoC partnership, other potential funding sources may be available to leverage funding for the operational costs of the shelter component after the development of the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center is completed.
Fiscal Note
The ACHA grant funds of $85,739 will be leveraged with the City's approved funding for the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center to include the additional eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds in the facility.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) accept the grant funding from the Alachua County Housing Authority in the amount of $85,739 to provide eight (8) permanent supportive housing beds in the GRACE Marketplace One Stop Homeless Assistance Center; and 2) authorize the City Manager or his designee to accept the grant funds and execute any other necessary documents, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.