Title
Resolution to Amend the City Council Approved Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to Accept and Appropriate Certain Funding to be Received from the Fort Monroe Authority to Provide Services to Homeless Persons and Families
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The Fort Monroe Authority ("FMA") was the sole recipient of two (2) Economic Development [Property] Conveyance transfers at Fort Monroe, one of which occurred in 2015 and the other in 2017. As the sole transferee of those properties, FMA agreed to pay $428,000 ("GVPHC Homeless Trust") to be used for the benefit of homeless persons. Those funds were initially deposited with and remain at Old Point National Bank. The FMA desires to work with the City of Hampton in the use of those funds.
Discussion:
The FMA and City entered into an agreement in September, 2020 under which the City agrees to provide support services to homeless persons and families determined on a client-by-client basis, within the City of Hampton and the Virginia Peninsula. Those services will consist of providing housing placement, emergency shelter and comprehensive day program assistance services (including, but not limited to, employment assistance and placement, educational services, and coordination of health care services), administered in accordance a plan to provide those services, prepared by the City and approved by FMA. Funds will be disbursed and paid to the City upon written request by the City to FMA identifying the amount requested and the proposed uses of the funds in accordance with the approved implementation plan, for a period of five (5) years or until the GVPHC Homeless Trust is exhausted.
In 2020 the FMA, the City, and the entire Nation experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. That pandemic impacted the manner in which individuals could safely interact. And, the federal government distributed a substantial amount of grant funds to state and local governments to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on civic operations. Within the City, some of those grant funds were expended to provide homeless services. As a result, the City, with the support of FMA, first used those federal grant funds, delaying the need to draw on the FMA funds until now.
The City's proposed implementation plan is focused on the concept of "Bridge to Rapid Re-Housing," a national initiative to rapidly connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to permanent housing. The City would distribute portions of the funds it receives to Newport News and James City County to ensure those services are provided within the City and the Virginia Peninsula, as required by the agreement with FMA. Hampton, Newport News, and James City County are all members of the Greater Virginia Homelessness Consortium ("GVPHC"), and will partner with other members of GVPHC to meet the objectives of the implementation plan, once approved.
Impact:
Use of the funds held in the GVPHC Homeless Trust will help remove housing barriers, such as unpaid rent, for transitioning vulnerable homeless persons and families. .
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the Resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, the Fort Monroe Authority ("FMA") was the sole recipient of two (2) Economic Development [Property] Conveyance transfers at Fort Monroe, one of which occurred in 2015 and the other in 2017, and as the sole recipient of those properties, agreed to pay $428,000 to be used for the benefit of homeless persons;
WHEREAS, the FMA established the GVPHC Homeless Trust Fund to escrow those funds;
WHEREAS, the FMA and the City of Hampton (the "City") entered in an agreement (the "Homeless Provider Services Agreement"), under which the City is obligated to provide to FMA an implementation plan to provide support services to homeless persons and families determined on a client-by-client basis, within the City and throughout the Virginia Peninsula, which must be approved by FMA before the City can draw funds from the GVPHC Homeless Trust Fund; and
WHEREAS, FMA has expressed an intent that the funds should be shared among members of the Greater Virginia Peninsula Consortium ("Consortium"); therefore the City's proposed implementation plan includes an obligation of the City to share funds with Newport News and James City County, all of which are members of the Consortium.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia hereby (1) amends the City Council Approved Fiscal Year 2025 Budget by accepting $428,000 from the Fort Monroe Authority, to be paid in increments upon written request by the City, and appropriates those funds to the Grants Fund, to be used by the City solely for the purposes set forth in the Homeless Provider Services Agreement and the proposed implementation plan, as approved by the FMA; and (2) authorizes the City Manager or her designee to execute any and all agreements or other documents that may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this resolution.