Item Description:
title
Authorization to receive funds from MN Dept of Revenue for MN Local Homeless Prevention Aid to assist families and youth at risk of homelessness, 07/01/23-12/31/23; $5,995,827 (recv)
end
Resolution:
body
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners authorizes acceptance of a formula allocation from the State of Minnesota Department of Revenue of Local Homeless Prevention Aid to assist families and youth at risk of homelessness, during the period of July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, in the receivable amount of $5,995,827 be approved, and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that 3.5 FTEs be added to the 2023 Human Services and Public Health budget; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continuing funding commitment by Hennepin County for this program when grant funds are no longer available.
end
Background:
State of Minnesota legislation was approved in 2021 to "help local governments ensure no child is homeless within a local jurisdiction by keeping families from losing housing and helping those experiencing homelessness find housing." (Minn Stat. 477A.30 Local Homeless Prevention Aid)
Each county receives an allocation based on a formula using population-based data and counts of students experiencing homelessness as collected by the Department of Education.
Based on the formula, Hennepin's allocation for 2023 is:
Population based aid: $224,580
Student Data-Based aid: $5,771,247
Certified 2023 Local Homeless prevention Aid: $5,995,827
Funds will be distributed equally ($2,997,913) twice a year on July 20 and December 26. The program is set to sunset in 2028 (after payments are made). Since the distribution factors are not static (population and counts of homeless students), the Department of Revenue recertifies allocation amounts in August of each year. In August of 2023, Hennepin will be notified of the allocation amount for 2024. Housing Stability has developed a plan to serve families and youth at-risk of homelessness with Local Homeless Prevention Aid funds. Components of this plan include:
• Partnering with nine to ten public school districts to identify families at risk of homelessness
• Provide capacity funding and housing navigator staff support to the school districts
• Support existing school-housing partnerships (Minneapolis, Osseo, and Brooklyn Center programs) and support new school-housing partnerships
• Support families identified by schools with short-to-medium length rental assistance to obtain housing stability
• Fund services for families identified by schools to accompany rental assistance
• Fund services for Foster Youth to Independence voucher holders
• Fund rental assistance for pregnant or parenting youth in partnership with Hennepin's TeenHope program.
• Fund Hennepin staff to implement and administer programming and rental assistance
To implement Hennepin's Plan funded by Local Homeless Prevention Aid, the Housing Stability Department seeks to retain 1.0 FTE staff, hire 3.5 FTE staff, and utilize 6 AmeriCorps volunteers. Staff will be responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of projects funded with LHPA. Several staff will be dedicated to administering rental assistance directly to families from the County. Other staff will focus on supporting partnerships with school districts by serving as the primary point of contact and overseeing AmeriCorps members embedded in schools to navigate housing needs of students and families.
Impact/Outcomes: Reduce the number of families entering shelter
Increase the number of families and parenting youth that can maintain or obtain stable housing
• Increase school districts’ knowledge of and access to housing resources for families
• Support youth who have Foster Youth to Independence vouchers in obtaining housing
• Support the creation of a streamlined referral and application process from schools to Hennepin County prevention housing resources, including centralized administration of rental assistance (LHPA and other financial resources)
Disparity Reduction: Data from Hennepin's County homelessness systems (shelter and housing program data) identifies overrepresentation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in the homelessness system and show a majority of the students and families experiencing homelessness or that are highly mobile are BIPOC residents.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval