HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0049) M&C 21-0781City of Fort Worth,
Mayor and
Texas
Council Communication
DATE: 10/12/21 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 21-0781
LOG NAME: 19NSSUBSTANTIALAMEND2019-20ACTIONPLAN
SUBJECT
(ALL) Authorize a Substantial Amendment to the City of Fort Worth's 2019-2020 Action Plan, Change in Use, Authorize Execution of a Contract,
and Contract Amendment for a Total of $110,931.00 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Emergency Solutions Grant Funds for
Tarrant County Homeless Coalition for a Landlord Outreach and Engagement Program and Cornerstone Assistance Network for a Homelessness
Prevention Program
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that City Council:
1. Authorize allocation of $80,000.00 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV2)
funds for the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition for a landlord outreach and engagement program;
2. Authorize allocation of $30,931.00 of CARES ESG-CV2 funds to Cornerstone Assistance Network to expand its existing homeless
prevention program;
3. Authorize a substantial amendment to the City of Fort Worth's 2019-2020 Action Plan contingent upon successful completion of the federal
public comment period;
4. Authorize a contract with Tarrant County Homeless Coalition in the amount of $80,000.00 of ESG-CV2 funds for a landlord outreach and
engagement program to support local rapid rehousing programs serving homeless persons;
5. Authorize contract amendment in the amount of $30,931.00 of ESG-CV2 funds with Cornerstone Assistance Network for City Secretary
Contract No. 54959;
6. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute a contract with Tarrant County Homeless Coalition for a contract term from
September 1, 2021 to September 2, 2022; and
7. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to extend contracts if an agency requests an extension and such extension is necessary for
completion of the program or to amend contracts if necessary to achieve program goals, provided any amendment is within the scope of the
program and complies with City policies and all applicable laws and regulations governing the use of federal grant funds.
DISCUSSION:
The Fort Worth City Council approved a substantial amendment to the City of Fort Worth's 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan Mayor and Council
Communication (M&C) 20-0657 on September 15, 2020 to allocate and award contracts for $6,070,529.00 in ESG-CV2 funds received from the
United States Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) to support homeless services in preventing, preparing for, and responding to
the Coronavirus pandemic. Of those funds, 90% was awarded to local nonprofit homeless service providers and 10%, $607,052.00, was
budgeted for the City's grant administration.
Due to the large administrative burden from this significant increase in funds, and their short expenditure and performance deadlines, a portion of
the City's administrative funds were shared with the nonprofit subrecipient agencies. This has increased the amount of program and direct
assistance funds available to most agencies. Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS) received $110,931.00 in City administrative funds as a part
of their $1.8 million ESG-CV2 contract, and decided not to increase their rapid reHousing program budget in that corresponding amount, therefore
making these funds available for other services. The total amount of funds available to FWHS is not reduced.
The role of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC) is to coordinate effective delivery of services to the local homeless population, and to
identify gaps in services and methods to improve coordination of service delivery. The limited number of landlords participating in voucher -based
rental assistance for the homeless, and the lack of good information that landlords have about how such programs are delivered, was identified as
an ongoing barrier. TCHC has implemented a landlord engagement and education program, which has proven to increase the utilization of rental
assistance vouchers for the homeless and shortened the timeframe that many individuals remain homeless. Staff is recommending that
$80,000.00 of the available ESG-CV2 funds be awarded to TCHC to increase the capacity of this landlord outreach and engagement program, to
encourage more landlords to participate. The balance of $30,931.00 is recommended to be awarded, by contract amendment, to Cornerstone
Assistance Network to expand their homelessness prevention program.
A public notice authorizing this reallocation of funds was published in the Fort Worth Star -Telegram on September 8, 2021, with the five-day
comment period being completed on September 13, 2021.
Staff recommends reallocations, a contract authorization, and contract amendment in the following amounts.
Agency Name
Current
Contract
New Contract
Amount
Tarrant County Homeless
Coalition
0
�o�o
$80,000.00
erstone Assistance j $450,000.00I1 $480,931.00
With this M&C, Council will also authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to further extend the contracts if any agency requests an extension
and such extension is necessary for completion of the program or to amend contracts if necessary to achieve program goals, provided any
amendment is within the scope of the program and complies with City policies and all applicable laws and regulations governing the use of federal
grant funds.
These programs are available in ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION:
The Director of Finance certifies that upon approval of the above recommendations and reallocation of funds, funds will be available in the current
operating budget, as appropriated, in the Grants Operating Federal Fund. The Neighborhood Services Department (and Financial Management
Services) will be responsible for the collection and deposit of funds due to the City. Prior to an expenditure being incurred, the Neighborhood
Services Department has the responsibility to validate the availability of funds. This is a reimbursement grant.
Submitted for City Manager's Office by. Fernando Costa 6122
Originating Business Unit Head: Victor Turner 8187
Additional Information Contact: Barbara Asbury 7331