REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
FY 2019/20 General Fund Human Services Grant Funding Allocations
Report
BACKGROUND
For more than 30 years, the City has used General Funds to "supplement" the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public service funds available to the City. The federal regulations allow a small portion (15%) of the CDBG funds to be used for public services, including human services that serve lower-income and vulnerable clientele; however, the City Council found merit in more proposals than could be funded through CDBG funds.
Over the years this practice of supplementing the available CDBG funds with General Funds has been refined and updated by Council several times, resulting in Council policies and directions to staff that guide the process as it exists today. Since a 2008 study issue, Council has directed staff to include up to $100,000 for supplemental human services funding every year in the City's 20-year Long Range Financial Plan. As is the case for other programs included in the long range financial plan, the amount serves as an estimate for planning purposes, may be changed from year to year, and is not a formal appropriation until it is adopted into the Projects Budget for the coming fiscal year.
Several years ago, Council provided additional direction to staff to allow Council to review and adjust this planning figure if necessary during the biennial Priority and Unmet Needs hearing, which is held every other November to comply with Council Policy on human services and CDBG citizen participation requirements. The rationale was to allow the figure to be adjusted up or down if needed before the request for proposals (RFP) is issued, to try to manage expectations among the applicants, and provide staff and the Housing and Human Services Commission (HHSC) an estimated total amount of funding to be recommended for allocation, subject to Council approval in May concurrently with approval of the Action Plan, and formal budget a...
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