The Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) recommends approval of a contract between the City of Houston and Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Inc., providing HOPWA funds for legal services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
The City will grant Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Inc. up to $150,000 in HOPWA funds. The scope of work is to deliver comprehensive legal assistance to a minimum of 150 low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. This contract will provide for five attorneys who work with local corporate legal departments and law firm pro bono sections to coordinate volunteer efforts, resulting in 1,500 active volunteers donating over 22,000 hours of legal services. Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Inc. will conduct a minimum of 30 legal advice clinics at Houston-area AIDS service organizations and HOPWA-funded housing facilities. Legal and supportive services will include counseling and legal advice on a range of housing- and health-related civil matters, including estate planning, family law, public benefits, disability, employment and discrimination. Clients requiring more extensive civil legal representation will be referred to a volunteer or staff attorney, who will assist the client in reaching a resolution to his or her issue. The City provides approximately 74% of the budget for this program, with 26% provided by other funding sources.
|
Category
|
Total Contract Amount
|
Percent
|
|
Administrative
|
$10,500.00
|
7%
|
|
Supportive Services
|
$139,500.00
|
93%
|
|
Total
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$150,000.00
|
100%
|
HCDD conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for HOPWA contracts for fiscal year 2016 with a one-year renewal option for fiscal year 2017. Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Inc. was one of the agencies selected. This Ordinance will authorize funding for the contract period from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Inc. has received HOPWA funding through the City of Houston for various contracts since 2008.
This item was reviewed by the Housing & Community Affairs Committee on February 16, 2016.
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Neal Rackleff, Director
Housing and Community Development Department