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Presentation, discussion, and possible action on State Fiscal Year 2025 Youth and Young Adult Homeless Program Awards, including a request to waive 10 TAC §7.6(a)
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
WHEREAS, the Youth and Young Adult Homeless Program (YYAHP) was created by the 88th Texas Legislature to be administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the Department) to fund homeless services for youth and young adults in Fort Bend County;
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has, through the enactment of Senate Bill 30 (88th Legislature), provided General Revenue funds of $1,000,000 for the biennium for YYAHP;
WHEREAS, the Board authorized the release of a Notice of Funding (NOFA) for the YYAHP totaling $1,000,000 on April 11, 2024;
WHEREAS, the Department has received and evaluated two Applications from eligible organizations in response to the NOFA, with requests totaling $2,000,000;
WHEREAS, the Previous Participation Review and Approval Process (PPRAP) included a review of the awards and compliance history and recommends the 2025 YYAHP awards to Building Up the Community, Inc. and Resources Inspiring Success and Empowerment (RISE) with no conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Board authorizes waivers and alternative requirements of certain provisions of 10 TAC Chapter 7 as described herein;
NOW, therefore, it is hereby
RESOLVED, that the Executive Director and his designees, be and each of them hereby are authorized, empowered, and directed, for and on behalf of the Department, to take any and all such actions as they or any of them may deem necessary or advisable to effectuate the award of not less than $800,000 in SFY2025 YYAHP funds, in the amounts reflected in Attachment A, as recommended by PPRAP; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board authorizes the waiver for these two awardees of 10 TAC §7.6(a) which requires that data on all persons served is entered into HMIS or an HMIS comparable database.
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BACKGROUND
During the Regular Session of the 88th Texas Legislature, SB 30 (the Supplemental Appropriations Bill) was passed. Article VII, Section 7.05 of SB 30 outlines the supplemental appropriation to Department Programs, as well as specific instructions for legislature for various high-priority items. SB 30 appropriates $1,000,000 from general revenue to the Department to fund the creation of a program for the provision of youth and young adult homeless housing and services in Fort Bend County.
Allowable activities include, but are not limited to, providing homeless youth and young adult housing and other services designed to prevent homelessness. Specific uses of funds will be proposed by the organization, allowing flexibility to provide innovative services and means of support for the target demographic.
On April 11, 2024, the Board authorized the release of the Youth and Young Adult Homeless Program (YYAHP) NOFA; in response to the NOFA the Department received Applications from Building Up the Community, Inc. and Resources Inspiring Success and Empowerment (RISE). The Department evaluated the proposals and funding requested against the requirements set forth in the NOFA, some of which include experience in serving homeless youth, providing emergency shelter services, transitional housing, counseling services, and/or educational and vocational services. The first Applicant, Building Up the Community, Inc., plans to use the funding to provide Transitional Housing and wraparound services for homeless youth, particularly those aging out of foster care. They requested $1,000,000 for their application. While the organization is new to managing state or federal grants, staff have assessed the potential community impact and determined that the organization's capacity makes this a viable project, justifying a funding allocation of $500,000. The second Applicant, RISE, plans to use the funding for a Rapid Re-housing program and potentially for shelter construction. They also requested $1,000,000. RISE has extensive experience managing both State and Federal funds, having provided services under TDHCA’s Homeless Housing and Services Program (HHSP) as a subgrantee of City of Fort Worth’s allocation, as well as administering a Continuum of Care (COC) Rapid Re-Housing program with HUD funding. However, because undertaking the construction of a shelter is a lengthy process and these funds have a nearing expiration date which would preclude construction as a viable activity, the award for RISE was reduced; based on RISE’s experience in managing a federally funded Rapid Rehousing program with a similar budget, Staff recommends a funding allocation of $300,000. Staff recommends, with Applicant agreement, that both proposed projects be funded, totaling $800,000 as detailed in Attachment A. The Department is in the process of evaluating a third Applicant, therefore $200,000 will be held until the evaluation of the third Application is complete.
The Previous Participation Rule at 10 TAC §1.302 includes a review of entities prior to Board award recommendation. The review is completed for both Applicants and are recommended for approval with no conditions. The initial effective Contract Term will be for twelve-months. The effective Contract Term will be March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026, unless a different term is requested by the Subrecipient and agreed to by the Department, but in no case will the initial Contract Term start after May 1, 2025.
Requirements for this program will be subject to the Department’s rules governing Homeless Programs under Title 10, Part 1, Chapter 1, Administration; Chapter 2, Enforcement; and Chapter 7, Homeless Programs, Subchapter A, General Policies and Procedures. Awardees must also administer the funds in accordance with the Texas Grant Management Standards (TxGMS).
In addition to the request to authorize the awards, Staff requests a waiver of 10 TAC Chapter 7, Subchapter A, General Policies and Procedures for Homelessness Programs, 10 TAC §7.6(a). The Board is authorized to provide such waivers by 10 TAC §7.12, Waivers. The waiver of 10 TAC §7.6(a) is requested because that section requires that data on all persons served is entered into HMIS or an HMIS comparable database. However, this program is limited in scope, and obtaining a license to utilize the HMIS database for these organizations may be cost prohibitive.