Title:
title
Approve a substantial amendment to the 2023/2024 Annual Action Plan and authorize the Chairman to execute all corresponding documents and signature pages, Standard HUD Forms, HUD certifications, HUD Assurances, Subrecipient Agreements, and subsequent Grant Agreements with HUD, and authorize Community Services Department staff to submit amendments to HUD for approval. Countywide (Allison Thall, Community Services Director)
end
Division:
division
Community Services - Community Development
body
Authorized By:
Allison Thall, Community Services Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Carrie Longsworth/407-665-2389
Background:
Seminole County is an entitlement community that receives direct allocations of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Seminole County submitted the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan which outlines the priorities and uses of these federal grants for five years. The Consolidated Plan was approved by the Seminole Board of County of County Commissioners February 23, 2021 and subsequently submitted and approved by HUD.
Each year Seminole County develops an Annual Action Plan to describe the annual goals and projects that will be implemented. Seminole County Community Services is currently implementing the FY 2023/2024 Action Plan. The 2023/2024 Action Plan was approved in July 2023.
In September 2022, Florida was impacted by Hurricane Ian. Seminole County, along with other impacted communities across the state, experienced economic and housing impacts as a result. As authorized by 42 U.S.C 113654a(c)(1), HUD has determined to make a special allocation of ESG funding to Seminole County to address the needs of homeless individuals and families or individuals and families at risk of homelessness in areas affected by a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) on or after December 20, 2019, whose needs are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs, including the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program under such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b). Seminole County received $386,784 in special ESG Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) funds. To date, Seminole County has expended ninety-two (92) percent of the original allocation. HUD has recently notified Seminole County of a second RUSH award in the amount of $125,578. A substantial amendment is required to be completed to receive the RUSH funding from HUD.
The proposed amendment is as follows:
1. Programming $125,578 in RUSH Funds made available through disaster relief
RUSH Funds may be used for:
• Shelter Operations-Maintaining a sanitary shelter environment will help to keep staff and participants healthy
• Street Outreach-Materials to assist unsheltered homeless
• Rapid-Rehousing-Rapid-Rehousing assistance
• HMIS/Data Collection
• Grant Administration
• Homelessness Prevention
The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program section of the Annual Action Plan will be amended to include a special allocation of ESG-RUSH funding to address the needs of literally homeless individuals and families or individuals and families at risk of homelessness in areas affected by a major disaster.
ESG-RUSH funding will be allocated as follows: Rapid Re-Housing ($116,788), and Admin/Planning ($8,790)
Requested Action:
Staff is requesting action to approve a substantial amendment to the 2023/2024 Annual Action Plan and authorize the Chairman to execute all corresponding documents and signature pages, Standard HUD Forms, HUD certifications, HUD Assurances, Subrecipient Agreements, and subsequent Grant Agreements with HUD, and authorize Community Services Department staff to submit amendments to HUD for approval.