The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends Council approval of an Ordinance authorizing a Second Amendment to the Contract between the City of Houston (City) and Buckner Children and Family Services, Inc. (Buckner), to provide up to $100,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for supportive housing and support services to vulnerable families with children who are in danger of being separated from their families.
The program will provide supportive housing and support services to 30 families who meet criteria outlined by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and who are low- to moderate-income, which qualifies them for residence in New Hope Housing at Reed Road. Services will include family coaching (case management) and adult empowerment (i.e. English as a Second Language, and General Equivalency Diploma). Buckner adopts the Keeping Families Together (KFT) model, which leverages supportive housing to offer stability to families with children at risk of being separated from their birth parents, reduces foster care placement costs, and reunites children with their families. Families are defined as at least one adult and one child who are related biologically, emotionally, or legally and are living in the same household, as well as non-custodial parents with legal responsibility for children under 18 years old. Families may consist of one parent, two parents, grandparents, foster parents or legal guardians who are caring for children under the age of 18.
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CDBG FUNDING CATEGORY
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AMOUNT
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Percent
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Administrative
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$0
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0%
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Program Costs
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$100,000.00
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100%
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Total
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$100,000.00
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100%
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HCDD conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Public Services contracts for fiscal year 2019 with a one-year renewal option for fiscal year 2020. Buckner Children and Family Services, Inc. was one of the agencies selected. The initial term of this agreement was from March 1, 2019 – February 29, 2020, with an administrative extension to May 31, 2020. The First Amendment provided funding from June 1, 2020 – May 31, 2021, with an administrative extension to October 31, 2021. This Second Amendment will provide funding from November 1, 2021 - October 31, 2022.
As of August 2021, Buckner had utilized 63% of their funding and served 26 low to moderate income families of their goal of 30 families. Buckner began receiving funding through the City of Houston in 2019, and there were no findings on the annual compliance monitoring.
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
This item was reviewed by the Housing and Community Affairs Committee on August 31, 2021.
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Keith W. Bynam, Interim Director