The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends approval of the expenditure of previously appropriated Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) Affordable Housing funds, and approval and authorization of a First Contract Amendment between the City of Houston and SEARCH Homeless Services to replace the funding source of a contract for the operation of a housing, case management and support services program for chronically homeless individuals.
This Contract Amendment is needed because the state had a six-month delay in executing the Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP) contract, which funded this SEARCH program. HCDD received assurances from the state that the HHSP contract could be extended beyond the original August 31, 2015 expiration date. Thirty days prior to the HHSP contract expiration, HCDD requested the extension. Two days prior to the expiration, HCDD was informed by the state that contrary to previous assurances, the HHSP contract could not legally be extended.
To enable the SEARCH program to continue, HCDD requests authorization to amend the SEARCH contract to replace unspent HHSP funds with an equal amount of TIRZ Affordable Housing funds.
In a prior council action, the City authorized up to $550,000 in HHSP funds to SEARCH for the operation of a housing, case management and support services program for 155 homeless individuals. The program provides: (1) case management and support services to once chronically homeless individuals housed at various apartment complexes, (2) housing navigator and case management support to guide homeless persons from the streets to permanent housing, and (3) move-in cost assistance to help homeless persons secure available permanent housing. This contract provides funding for a 12-month period from April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016.
The following table shows the revised funding sources for the 12-month SEARCH contract period:
|
Funding Source
|
Service Period
|
Contract Amount
|
|
HHSP
|
4/1/15 – 8/31/15
|
$155,197.88
|
|
TIRZ
|
9/1/15 – 3/31/16
|
$394,802.12
|
|
Total Contract Amount
|
|
$550,000.00
|
HCDD conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for fiscal year 2015 for Public Services contracts. SEARCH was one of the providers selected.
The Housing and Community Affairs Committee reviewed this item on September 15, 2015.