The Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) recommends Council approval of an Ordinance authorizing a Subrecipient Agreement between the City of Houston (City) and Wesley Community Center, Inc. Of Houston, Texas (Wesley) providing up to $341,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant - CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funds to help prevent and respond to the impacts of COVID-19.
The Way Home developed the Community COVID Housing Program (CCHP) – Phase 2 to continue supporting Houston’s most vulnerable residents impacted by COVID-19, people experiencing homelessness. As part of CCHP Phase 2, Wesley will provide diversion services to a minimum of 100 persons who have been impacted by COVID-19. Diversion activities assist clients in crisis to identify immediate alternative housing arrangements to avoid emergency shelter or unsheltered living. Diversion can include, but is not limited to, direct financial assistance, family mediation, and counseling services.
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CATEGORY
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AMOUNT
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PERCENT
|
|
Program Services
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$307,900.00
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90.29%
|
|
Administration
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$33,100.00
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9.71%
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Total
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$341,000.00
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100%
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Through The Way Home, a collaborative partnership between the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (Coalition), CCHP was developed specifically to prevent and respond to COVID-19’s impacts on the homeless. For CCHP Phase 2, a joint Request for Expression of Interest (REI) from qualified agencies was released in March 2022 by the Coalition. Wesley was one of the applicants selected by the CCHP partners to receive funding for diversion services.
This agreement provides CDBG-CV funding from October 15, 2022, to September 30, 2023, with an optional one-year extension. This is Wesley’s first agreement with the City.
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
The Housing and Community Affairs Chair was briefed on this item on September 14, 2022.
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Keith W. Bynam, Director