O 2020-0213 ORDINANCE approving and authorizing a Subrecipient Agreement between City of Houston and THE ALLIANCE to provide $1,322,100.00 in Hurricane Harvey Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Funds for the administration and operation of Hurricane Harvey Public Services Activities to provide Mental Health Services, Resilience Counseling Services, Small Business Technical Assistance, Occupational Training Services, and On-Site Child Care to low- and moderate-income persons who reside in Houston - DISTRICTS B - DAVIS; DISTRICT I - GALLEGOS and J - POLLARD

The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) is requesting Council approval of an ordinance authorizing a contract between the City of Houston and The Alliance, providing up to $1,322,100.00 in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery 2017 (CDBG-DR17) funds for the following services to low-to-moderate income (LMI) individuals residing in the City of Houston:

1. Mental health services for at least 600 individuals;

2. Small business technical assistance and financial education to at least 130 individuals;

3. Establishment of Center for Resiliency, in partnership with the City of Houston Office of New Americans and Immigrant Communities, that will provide at least 120 individuals direct counseling, assistance and/or coordinated referrals for disaster preparedness and recovery, housing, legal, and other information as per community needs;

4. Administrative support for 22 AmeriCorps service members providing literacy services to at least 1,085 individuals across the city of Houston;

5. Provide occupational training and support to at least 85 individuals and have the opportunity to become licensed in their respective training area;

6. Through the Child Care Entrepreneurship program, train a minimum of 120 individuals to receive home-based child-care training and have the opportunity to become licensed home-based child care providers; and

7. Expand on-site child care services provided for clients attending training and education classes at The Alliance’s main location, allowing parents or caregivers to access services.

CDBG-DR funds provide approximately 67% of the total cost of this activity. HCDD conducted a Notice of Funding Availability for CDBG-DR17 – Harvey Public Services contracts in fiscal year 2019, with a one-year renewal option. The Alliance was one of the providers selected. The term of this contract will be March 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021. This is their first Disaster Recovery contract.

Fiscal Note:

No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.

This item was reviewed by the Housing and Community Affairs Committee on February 18, 2020.

*Harvey Indirect Tieback: Job training services, financial education, small business development, mental health and other supportive services will build economic resiliency against future disasters. Services will assist individuals to achieve self-sufficiency, meet their economic and employment goals, as well as increasing their options to acquire or maintain affordable housing.

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Tom McCasland Director

$1,322,100.00

Federal Government - Grant Funded

Fund 5030

Roxanne Lawson
Phone: (832) 394-6307