Agenda - 02-19-2019 8-a - Minutes

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I Orange County—$139,613 (includes $25,000 for the Rapid Re-Housing Program and 2 $114,613 for the new Local Rent Supplement Program). 3 4 H&CD staff will conduct a conference call with the aforementioned entities in early February to 5 ascertain the impact to the projects and what actions may need to be undertaken at that time. 6 7 There are approximately 537 to 550 voucher holders in the County Housing Choice (HCV) 8 Voucher Program. HUD allocated 623 general vouchers and 5 Veterans Affairs Supportive 9 Housing (VASH) vouchers to the Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA). The County 10 received payment from HUD for January and anticipates, per HUD, receipt of the February 11 2019 payment. HUD payments are made the first of each month. The County pays its landlords 12 and applicable HCV participants on the first of each month. The total amount of HUD-Held 13 Reserves is $235,736. The OCHA will seek HUD permission to utilize its HUD-Held Reserves, 14 as needed. HUD has limited the use of outside sources of funding in the Housing Choice 15 Voucher (HCV) Program. HUD provides guidance for this in a Public and Indian Housing (PIH) 16 Notice 2013-28 (Attachment 2). 17 18 FINANCIAL IMPACT: The $100,000 from the Social Justice Fund will be used for non- 19 reimbursable food expenses and will leave a balance of $128,000 in the Social Justice Fund. 20 21 Nancy Coston, Social Services Director (DSS), said because of the way the continuing 22 resolutions were written, there was an opportunity for the USDA to release some of the food 23 and nutrition funds early, which caused a gap for people so their next distribution will not be in 24 March; however, she heard today, that even if the government shuts down again on February 25 15t", the March distribution will occur. She said the $100,000 was to help the department with 26 the stopgap until the March distribution can be sent out. She said there are 5000 households in 27 Orange County that receive SNAP benefits, and staff is trying to make sure they can support 28 their food pantry at DSS and other food banks. 29 Sherrill Hampton, Housing and Community Development Director, said it is still very fluid 30 for her department, and staff is waiting on more information from HUD; and if there is another 31 shutdown, her department will need to have additional funding. She said there are roughly 195- 32 200 landlords, and there is a total of$350,000 per month between landlords and utility 33 assistance. 34 Commissioner Dorosin clarified that the February payments have been made and, 35 without another shutdown, all will be fine with March. 36 Sherrill Hampton said yes. 37 Commissioner Dorosin clarified that there may be a gap in the food benefits, even 38 without an additional government shutdown, but this is not the same with the housing 39 department. 40 Sherrill Hampton said no, not right now. She said there are about 4-5 HOME program 41 projects that have been interrupted, and all involved have been notified. She said this impact 42 will continue if there is another governmental shut down. 43 44 A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price for the 45 Board to approve $100,000 from the Social Justice Funds to be used for food if the demand is 46 greater than the capacity of the existing food programs. 47 48 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 49 50