The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends approval of a contract between the City of Houston and the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, providing $90,000 of federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds for the operation and maintenance of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
HMIS is a software application designed to record and store individual client data, including the types of services needed by Houston’s homeless community. HMIS was developed in response to Congress' request for information on how appropriated federal homeless funds are spent. Congress is not only interested in fiscal responsibility, but also wants to know who the homeless are as a group, as well as understand the outcomes of the programs assisting them. All agencies receiving federal funds for homeless services are required to participate in the HMIS. The City is contracting with the Coalition to comply with this requirement. ESG funds provide 13% of the funding for this project.
|
Category
|
Amount
|
Percentage
|
|
Program Administration
|
$0
|
0%
|
|
Program Services
|
$90,000
|
100%
|
|
Total
|
$90,000
|
100%
|
This contract provides funding for a 12-month period, from May 1, 2016 – April 30, 2017. The Coalition began receiving ESG Funds for HMIS operation through the City in 2012.
The Housing and Community Affairs Committee reviewed this item on March 22, 2016.