Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

A. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute Agreement between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) and Broward County, subject to review for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney,  in the amount of $1,002,158 with a HUD required match amount of $168,586 from Broward County for a total amount of $1,170,744, which covers the period of April 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the Agreement.

ACTION:  (T-10:30 AM)  Approved.

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Sharief was not present.

B. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute Agreement between Broward County and Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Inc. ("BPHI"), subject to approval by the Office of the County Attorney, in the amount of $348,697 with a HUD required match amount of $92,174 for a total project amount of $440,871, which covers the period of April 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020, to provide permanent housing assistance and supportive services for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the Agreement.

ACTION:  (T-10:30 AM)  Approved.

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Sharief was not present.

C. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute Agreement between Broward County and Broward County Housing Authority ("BCHA"), subject to approval by the Office of the County Attorney, in the amount of $653,461 with  a HUD required match amount of $168,586 for a total project amount of $822,047, which covers the period of April 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020 to provide permanent housing assistance and supportive services for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness; and authorize  the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the Agreement.

ACTION:  (T-10:30 AM)  Approved.

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Sharief was not present.

D. MOTION TO ADOPT budget Resolution No. 2019-107 in the HUD Continuum of Care Fund in the amount of $1,170,744 to be used to provide permanent housing assistance and supportive services for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness.

ACTION:  (T-10:30 AM)  Approved.

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Sharief was not present.

E. MOTION TO APPROVE waivers of conflict under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, for the following Broward County advisory board members holding an employment or contracting relationship with an entity receiving funds for the performance of homeless services under this agenda item:

A. to C. Agreements with external agencies require Board approval. 

D. In accordance with Section 129.06(2)(d), Florida Statutes, Board approval is required to provide for revenue.

E. A waiver of conflict arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, requires two-thirds approval by the Board in accordance with Section 112.313(12), Florida Statutes.

Approval of Motions A. to D. provides funding for 53 housing units, supportive services for chronically homeless individuals and homeless families, and administrative costs for programs to reduce homelessness in Broward County.

 
Approval of Motion E waives the existence of any conflicts arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, as authorized under applicable law.

April 24, 2018 (Item No. 5)

THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
 
These actions support the Commission Value of "Approaching human services collaboratively and compassionately with special emphasis on persons and families experiencing homelessness" and the goal to "collaborate with public and private partners to find creative, equitable, and responsible solutions to systemic community problems, especially permanent, supportive housing for persons experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness." Funding will provide permanent housing and related supportive services for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness.

On October 25, 2017, Broward County submitted its annual application for the Homeless Continuum of Care ("CoC") grant funding in response to the HUD Notice of Funding Availability ("NoFA") for 2017. Broward County submitted a renewal application for 26 total projects. In addition to the renewal projects, the application included one new project, two projects utilizing reallocations of existing HUD funding, and one Planning project.

HUD publishes awards the year after the application is submitted; thus, on January 11, 2018 HUD published its 2017 HUD NoFA awards. Only two projects appeared on that published notice: the CoC Planning Grant ($206,555) and the Right of Passage 2 Rapid Rehousing ($302,188). Two projects that had been submitted did not appear on that published notice: Broward Partnership Housing V ("Broward V," a reallocation project) from BPHI, and SHIELD Housing Project ("SHIELD" a new project), from Broward County Housing Authority ("BCHA"). It appeared that these two new projects were not funded when preparing the previous agenda item accepting the award, which occurred on April 24, 2018 (Item No. 5).

In December 2018, the County received a letter from HUD dated March 15, 2018 advising the County that four projects were awarded under the 2017 HUD NoFA Award (Exhibit 2). Two projects, Broward V and SHIELD, were omitted from the original published award notice, in the amount of $1,002,158, requiring separate Board approval.

The Broward V project by BPHI will add 18 additional beds and related support services for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness. HUD requires a 25% match of the award amount which equals $87,174. BPHI secured and exceeded the required HUD match in collaboration with the United Way of Broward in the amount of $92,174 (Exhibits 4 and 5). The HUD approved administrative portion of the funding will be shared equally between BPHI and the County. The County will retain $11,098.

SHIELD, to be implemented by BCHA, will add 35 permanent supportive housing units for families and individuals in Broward County who are experiencing homelessness. HUD requires a 25% match which will be satisfied through County funding in the amount of $168,586 allocated via an agreement with Volunteers of America, Inc. (VOA) for supportive services. VOA will provide supportive services to clients housed under the SHIELD Project (Exhibit 6). The full administrative amount of $40,974 is retained by BCHA.  

Staff will utilize the applicable Board-approved form agreement for these projects. As both Broward V and SHIELD are new projects, there are no unmet outcomes to report. The agreements and addenda will be reviewed and approved by the Office of the County Attorney prior to execution by the County Administrator.

Approval of this item would give rise to certain employment conflicts under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, which provides that "no public officer...shall have or hold any employment or contractual relationship with any business entity...which is doing business with an agency of which he or she is an officer or employee." In accordance with Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, Board approval is required to waive any conflict arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes. An effective waiver requires two-thirds vote of the County Commission after full disclosure of conflicting relationship (Motion E). Forms 4A attached hereto as Exhibit 3 constitute full disclosure of any existing conflict.

Darrell Cunningham, Director, CPD, (954) 357-6398
Rebecca McGuire, Administrator, HIP, (954) 357-5686