The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends approval of a contract between the City of Houston and SEARCH Homeless Services, Inc. (SEARCH), providing $390,000.00 in Homeless Housing and Services Program and $360,000.00 in Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) funds for a total of $750,000.00, for a Homeless Services Program. The TIRZ funds for this project were appropriated under Ordinance 2017-759, approved on 10/4/17. A portion of these funds is now being allocated to SEARCH.
Through this contract, SEARCH will provide Mobile Outreach/Welcome Center and Housing Case Management services to 1,675 persons. SEARCH’s Mobile Outreach team travels throughout Houston providing interventions, assessments and referrals to services for homeless persons living on the streets and other places not meant for human habitation. The Welcome Center is a day shelter that engages clients and serves as a point of entry for a continuum of services that facilitate movement toward stabilized employment, housing, and self-sufficiency. The Housing Case Management program is designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis to formerly homeless individuals and families to assist them in sustaining housing stability. Services include on-the-spot housing assessments, and referrals to medical and mental healthcare, and substance abuse services. Clients have access to mainstream services like Harris Health's Gold Card and SNAP food stamps programs.
|
Category
|
Total Contract Services
|
Percent
|
|
Administrative
|
$13,253.00
|
1.8%
|
|
Program Services
|
$736,747.00
|
98.2%
|
|
Total
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$750,000.00
|
100%
|
HCDD conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Public Services contracts for fiscal year 2019. SEARCH was one of the agencies selected. This Contract is for 12 months from November 1, 2018 - October 31, 2019. SEARCH has received funding through the City of Houston for various contracts since 2000.
Funding for this item is included in the FY2019 Adopted Budget. Therefore, no Fiscal Note is required as stated in the Financial Policies. No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
This item was reviewed by the Housing and Community Affairs Committee on September 18, 2018.
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Tom McCasland, Director