Placement: Consent Agenda
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA2) Agreement between the City of Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council, Inc. (TCHSC)
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Submitted By: Alessandra “Alex” Tasca, Deputy Director, Neighborhood Services
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to be responsive to our community.
Summary Brief (Agreements/Contracts only)
1. Prepared by: Alex Tasca, Neighborhood Services
2. Parties: City of Port St. Lucie Neighborhood Services and the Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council, Inc. (TCHSC)
3. Purpose: Management of the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA2) Program
4. New/Renewal/Modified: New
5. Duration: Program set to expire on September 30, 2025
6. Benefits to Port St. Lucie: The ERA1 program was ended by the Treasury on September 30, 2022. As the dynamics of the pandemic change, the City is continuing to utilize funds available for emergency assistance such as the new ERA2 program with an expiration date of September 30, 2025. Current needs are centered around the most vulnerable populations facing eviction and at risk or experiencing homelessness. The upcoming program, managed by this agreement will address those populations first.
7. Cost to Port St. Lucie (Annual and Potential): This program is funded by the US Department of the Treasury ERA2 grant program that the City was awarded as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This grant program is specific to rental assistance and not part of the City’s larger, main ARPA grant allocation.
Presentation Information: Presentation with information about the program is available upon request.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the agreement to allow the Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council Inc. to administer the funding with City staff providing secondary oversight pursuant to guidance and approval from the US Treasury.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the agreement.
2. Move that the Council not approve the agreement and provide staff direction.
Background: The City of Port St. Lucie was awarded additional Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program funding under the ARPA authorized by Congress on March 11, 2021, which is referred to as ERA2. In June 2021, the City received its first tranche of ERA2 and has been managing this funding internally in tandem with ERA1 funding. ERA1 funding was being managed via an Inter-local Agreement with St. Lucie County and a previous contract agreement between the County and TCHSC as one centralized program. As a result of the ERA1 program ending on September 30, 2022, the City is now pivoting to administering the program directly with the TCHSC. The proposed agreement between the City and the TCHSC is to administer the ERA2 Eviction Diversion and Emergency Rental Re-entry program the same way that it was administered under the ERA1 program, following Treasury guidance, rules and regulations and approved by all parties including the Treasury.
The established coordinated efforts between the City and TCHSC staff has determined it is in the best interest of all of the City’s residents to continue forward with one centralized COVID-19 recovery assistance hub via the Federal Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) administered by the TCHSC as the dedicated lead for the tri-County area’s Continuum of Care (CoC). Neighborhood Services will work with the Communications Department and the 1PSL team to help ensure our residents are as informed as possible about all help available to them during the operation of the program.
Issues/Analysis: The City’s Community Programs staff will work closely with the TCHSC and all partners to execute and monitor the ERA Program in the most streamlined and efficient method for our residents. All City grant funds will only be used for City residents per grant guidelines. All programs and agreements shall adhere strictly to all US Department of the Treasury guidelines and updates will be monitored and implemented on a regular basis. Additional details are outlined in the attached agreements and informative documents.
Financial Information: The City received a total ERA2 allocation of $4,394,375 of which the City has received and encumbered/expended its first tranche of $1,929,036 representing forty-five (45%) percent of the total allocation of the award amount. This funding has been used and will be used to continue administering emergency rental assistance to eligible households. The City is looking to approve this agreement in order to plan for the administration of its second tranche of this same funding, for $1,232,669 representing approximately twenty-eight (28%) percent of the total allocation, in collaboration with the TCHSC. The agreement is for a total of $1,000,000 to be managed by the TCHSC per rules and regulations outlined. Upon approval of this agreement the City may authorize an initial setup payment for pre-program costs for no more than $75,000 to TCHSC to commence the program. Subsequent payments will be made on a reimbursement basis and will be contingent on approved assistance to qualified households, audited by the City and any other entities approved by the City. TCHSC shall use no less than eighty-five (85%) of $850,000 of the funding housing stability services, financial assistance payments, and emergency rental assistance payments to qualified residents for the ERA2 program as prescribed by Treasury. TCHSC may use up to Fifteen percent (15%) or $150,000 of the ERA2 program budget for administrative costs.
Special Consideration:
Location of Project: City of Port St. Lucie and County-wide as needed.
Attachments: SUBAWARD AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA AND TREASURE COAST HOMELESS SERVICES COUNCIL, INC. FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION SERVICES including Terms and Conditions reflected in Exhibits A-C, Emergency Rental Assistance Terms and FAQs originally published on 1-19-21 and updated 6-24-21.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: Legal Intake #9016
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Camille Wallace, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.