AGENDA DATE: 5/20/2020
TITLE:
Title
Appropriation of funding to support the sheltering of homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolution to appropriate funds from the County’s Housing Fund to support the provision of hotel spaces for homeless persons living in congregate shelters.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Baumgartner, Filardo, Savides, Eggleston, Lynch, Downs, Pethia
PRESENTER (S): Stacy Pethia
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: On April 15, 2020 a coalition of local housing providers and advocates sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors requesting financial and other types of support for several affordable housing related issues.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government’s capacity to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities
DISCUSSION: Albemarle County staff analyzed the requests presented in the April 15, 2020 letter and determined that direct support for individuals experiencing homelessness presents the greatest community need at this time. To support this effort, staff presented the following recommendations to the County’s COVID-19 Incident Management Team which then forwarded its favorable recommendation to the County Executive for approval:
1. Provide a total of up to $89,458 for quarantine or isolation hotel shelter and related wraparound services, including healthcare and sanitization services, for individuals experiencing homelessness that have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or directed to self-quarantine by a healthcare provider. These funds are eligible to be used for a period of 60-days and at 60% of budgeted costs, using the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center cost-sharing agreement as a basis, where Albemarle County is responsible for 60% of costs. These funds will be available for reimbursement from Albemarle County’s Housing Fund.
2. Provide a total of $83,109 for non-congregate hotel shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. The regional Emergency Operations Center has already secured a block of 30 rooms at a local hotel for a period of 30 days. These funds provide an additional 30 days of reimbursement for shelter and replenish the ECC funds from which the initial 30 days of shelter was given. These funds would be used to pay for Albemarle County’s share of that commitment using the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center cost-sharing agreement, for which Albemarle County is responsible for 60% of costs. These funds will be available for reimbursement from Albemarle County’s Housing Fund.
BUDGET IMPACT: $172,567.00 is recommended to be provided from the Housing Fund to support the sheltering of homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appropriation of this funding is noted in attachments A and B. A budget amendment public hearing is not required for this appropriation pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-2507 because the amount of the cumulative appropriations does not exceed one percent of the currently adopted budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Board adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment B) to approve the appropriation described in Attachment A.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: FY20 Appropriation
Attachment B: Resolution