Agenda Item   

AGENDA STAFF REPORT

 

                                                                                                                        ASR Control  24-001050

 

MEETING DATE:

03/25/25

legal entity taking action:

Board of Supervisors

board of supervisors district(s):

All Districts

SUBMITTING Agency/Department:

County Executive Office   (Approved)

Department contact person(s):

Douglas Becht (714) 834-2323 

 

 

Amanda Sanchez (714) 834-3268

 

 

Subject:  Approve Renewal Contracts for Rapid Rehousing Services

 

      ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

          Concur

Approved Agreement to Form

Discussion

 

 

3 Votes Board Majority

 

 

 

    Budgeted: N/A

Current Year Cost:   N/A

Annual Cost: FY 2025-26 $1,518,094
FY 2026-27 $1,518,094

 

 

 

    Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:            

Sole Source:   No

    Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

   Funding Source:     FED: 3% (ESG), State: 97% (See Financial Impact Section)

County Audit in last 3 years: No

   Levine Act Review Completed: Yes

 

    Prior Board Action:         2/27/2024 #44; 4/25/2023 #36; 8/9/2022 #30

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

 

 

1.

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute Amendment No. 5 to Contract with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) for Rapid Rehousing Services for Individuals to renew and amend the Contract in an amount not to exceed $1,977,868, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, for a revised cumulative total amount not to exceed $6,052,068, effective September 15, 2022, through June 30, 2027.

 

2.

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute Amendment No. 4 to Contract with Families Forward for Rapid Rehousing Services for Families to renew and amend the Contract in an amount not to exceed $1,058,320, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, for a revised cumulative total amount not to exceed $2,552,198, effective September 15, 2022, through June 30, 2027.

 

 

 

 


 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Approval of Amendments to renew and amend the Contracts for Rapid Rehousing Services will provide individuals and families experiencing homelessness with rapid rehousing assistance to secure permanent housing through a tailored package of financial assistance and support intended to assist the households in achieving housing stability.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

Rapid Rehousing Services provide households experiencing literal homelessness with supportive services and financial assistance to transition them into permanent housing as quickly as possible. The Rapid Rehousing Services are structured to ensure that the unique needs of key target populations are addressed. People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) serves individuals, adult only households, and Families Forward serves families, households with at least one adult and one minor child. 

 

Rapid Rehousing Services are funded by the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program and the State Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program. The County of Orange’s (County) Office of Care Coordination serves as the administrative entity for the HHAP and State ESG Program on behalf of the Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC). The Office of Care Coordination also serves as the administrative entity for the HHAP Program on behalf of the County.

 

The HHAP Program provides local jurisdictions with funds to support regional coordination, the development of a unified response to homelessness, and funding to continue the efforts to end homelessness through permanent housing and supportive services informed by best-practices.

 

The ESG Program provides funding to engage individuals and families experiencing homelessness improve the quality of emergency shelters, help operate emergency shelters, provide essential services to shelter residents, and rapidly re-housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 

 

Prior Board of Supervisors (Board) Actions: 

 

Board Date

Contract/Amendment

Action

Term

August 9, 2022

Approve Contracts for Rapid Rehousing Services with PATH and Families Forward

Approved as Recommended

September 15, 2022 – June 30, 2024

April 25, 2023

Amendment No. 1 Contract with PATH for Rapid Rehousing Services to increase Contract maximum obligation and number of individuals served

Approved as Recommended

September 15, 2022 – June 30, 2024

February 27, 2024

Amendment No. 2 to Contract with PATH for Rapid Rehousing Services to renew Contract for a one-year term; Amendment No. 1 Contract with Families Forward for Rapid Rehousing Services to renew Contract for a one-year term

Approved as Recommended

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025


 

N/A

Amendment No. 2 to Contract with Families Forward for Rapid Rehousing Services to amend budget line items

Deputy Purchasing Agent (DPA) Delegated Authority Administrative

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

N/A

Amendment No. 3 to Contract with Families Forward for Rapid Rehousing Services to amend budget line items

DPA Delegated Authority Administrative

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

N/A

Amendment No. 3 to Contract with PATH for Rapid Rehousing Services to amend budget line items

DPA Delegated Authority Administrative

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

N/A

Amendment No. 4 to Contract with PATH for Rapid Rehousing Services to amend budget line items

DPA Delegated Authority Administrative

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

 

The proposed Amendments will renew Rapid Rehousing Services for two additional years, from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027.

 

Scope of Services:

The Rapid Rehousing Services are designed to provide up to 12 months of financial assistance and supportive services to assist households experiencing literal homelessness, either sheltered or those living in a place not meant for human habitation, in securing permanent housing and achieving housing stability. The Rapid Rehousing Services include the following services at a minimum: intake and assessment, housing-focused case management, financial assistance, housing stabilization and supportive services. Financial assistance supports participants with one-time costs associated with securing housing, including application fees, security deposit, rental arrears, utility assistance, and move-in expenses, as well as ongoing monthly rental assistance payments to access and maintain housing. 

 

The agreed upon Scope of Services outlined in each providers’ proposed Amendment are in alignment with the Housing Pillar’s best practices, guiding principles and commitments as detailed in the Homeless Service System Pillar Report.

 

Performance Metrics:

Each provider has a specific target population and number of households to be served in the renewal term, outlined in the table below.

 

Provider

Target Population

Households to be Served

PATH

Individuals, adults ages 18 and older, and adult only households

A minimum of 150

 

Families Forward

Families, households with at least one adult and one minor child ages 17 and younger

A minimum of 34

 

 

The target goals for the performance metrics for the renewal term are detailed below. One performance metric has been revised from the original contract term and is noted below.

 

From September 15, 2022, to November 30, 2024, the following performance outcomes were achieved:


 

 

Performance Metrics

PATH

Families Forward

Number of households enrolled

196 (Goal: 250)

45 (Goal: 42)

100 Percent of households that established an Individualized Housing and Service Plan (IHSP) within 30 days of program enrollment*

90%

 

76%

50 Percent of participants will secure permanent housing within 90 days of enrollment to the program

63%

89%

85 Percent of participants will exit the program to a permanent housing destination

51%

81%

45 Percent of participants with have an increased income at program exit due to employment and/or mainstream benefits.

23%

73%

*Note: The performance metric for the percent of participants with an IHSP has been reduced from 100 to 90 percent for the renewal term.

 

Families Forward is meeting or exceeding most of their performance outcomes. Families Forward is currently underperforming on the metric for completion of the of the IHSP within 30 days of enrollment. Family households face unique challenges such as lack of childcare and transportation, which can result in difficulty completing paperwork on a consistent schedule, including IHSPs. Families Forward continues to make progress towards meeting this performance outcome and improvements in this metric are anticipated. The Office of Care Coordination is actively working with Families Forward to review practices related to the program operations and implement strategies that will assist in improving performance outcomes related to IHSP completion within 30 days of program enrollment.

 

PATH is currently low performing on two of the outlined performance outcomes. Individuals in Rapid Rehousing Services can face unique challenges in increasing income and securing the level of income necessary to maintain permanent housing in the current rental market. Individuals may have fewer resources and fewer opportunities to increase income within the household as compared with families. The Office of Care Coordination is actively working with PATH to review practices related to the program operations and implement strategies that will assist in improving performance outcomes related to exits to permanent housing destinations and increased incomes at program exit. Since the metrics for permanent housing and increased income are captured at program exit, it is anticipated that these metrics will increase as participants successfully exit the program.

 

As noted above, the performance metric for participants with an IHSP within 30 days of enrollment has been reduced from 100 percent to 90 percent. This update is in alignment with similar County contracts and accounts for practical realities within the enrollment process, allowing for situations where households may need to prioritize immediate needs and not be able to complete program paperwork within 30 days of program enrollment.

 

The Contractors’ performance has been deemed satisfactory. The County Procurement Office has verified there are no concerns that must be addressed with respect to Contractors’ ownerships/names, litigation status or conflicts with County interests. The non-profits have been verified to be in good standing.

 

These Contracts do not currently include subcontractors or pass through to other contractors. See Attachments C and D for the Contract Summary Forms. The Orange County Preference Policy is not applicable to these Contract awards. The Office of Care Coordination has worked to incorporate the Homeless Service System Pillars Attestations into the Amendment for the renewal of Contracts as detailed in the recommended actions, for Housing Pillar as applicable to the Rapid Rehousing Services being provided.

 

The County Executive Office (CEO) requests the Board approve the Amendments for the renewal of the Contracts with PATH and Families Forward as referenced in the Recommended Actions above. Approval of the Amendments will continue to support the County's effort to build a responsive System of Care that meets the needs of different segments of the homeless population in achieving housing stability.

 

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

 

Appropriations for these Contracts will be included in Budget Control 018 FY 2025-26 Budget Request and in the budgeting process for future years. These Contracts have no impact on the County General Fund.

 

The proposed funding sources are:

Federal: 3% (ESG)

State: 97% (53% HHAP-CoC, 33% HHAP-County and 10% State-ESG)

 

The proposed Contracts include provisions allowing CEO to terminate the Contracts, reduce the level of services, and/or renegotiate the levels of services provided, as necessary. This includes a notice that allows CEO adequate time to transition or terminate services to clients, if necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

STAFFING IMPACT:

 

N/A

 

ATTACHMENT(S):

 

Attachment A - Amendment No. 5 to Contract MA-017-22011905 with PATH - People Assisting the Homeless
Attachment B – Amendment No. 4 to Contract MA-017-22011903 with Families Forward
Attachment C - Contract Summary Form for MA-017-22011905
Attachment D - Contract Summary Form for MA-017-22011903