November 18, 2020
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
LETTER TO ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS AND FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
This letter provides information and guidance regarding the Project Roomkey and
Rehousing Strategy. It outlines the program’s purpose, funding information including
allocation methodology and steps for accepting these funds, and guidance on program
implementation and best practices.
November 18, 2020
LETTER TO ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
TO: ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS AND ALL TRIBAL
ADMINISTRATORS
FROM: JENNIFER HERNANDEZ, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT DIVISION
SUBJECT: PROJECT ROOMKEY AND REHOUSING STRATEGY
REFERENCE: ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS LETTER (ACWDL) DATED
JUNE 1, 2020; WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE (WIC)
SECTION 8255; GOVERNMENT CODE (GOV) SECTION 8690.6;
ASSEMBLY BILL 89
The purpose of this All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL) is to provide
information and guidance regarding the Project Roomkey (PRK) and Rehousing
Strategy. This new phase of the program builds on existing emergency shelter efforts
while also supporting permanent transitions to safe and stable housing to ensure
homelessness is non-recurring.
On November 16, 2020, Governor Newsom announced $62 million in one-time state
General Fund (GF) from the State’s Disaster Response Emergency Operations Account
(DREOA) to allow PRK operations to continue while transitioning participants to
permanent housing and for technical assistance. The goal of these funds is to ensure
the safety of participants during the ongoing public health emergency and to increase
the rate and speed of rehousing placements out of PRK sites.
This letter includes a description of emergency funding made available to support both
ongoing operations of the statewide PRK initiative and urgent rehousing services for
PRK participants. This guidance includes a description of the program scope and
eligible use of funding, notice of county and tribal allocations available, reimbursement
information, and data collection requirements. Further, this letter provides information
and guidance on rehousing best practices and recommended use of other state and
federal funds to leverage in support of housing surge efforts from PRK sites throughout
the state.
All County Welfare Directors Letter
Page Two
Background and Funding Overview
In March 2020, communities across California began operating PRK, a statewide,
locally driven and state supported initiative to provide emergency non-congregate
shelter (NCS) protective placements (e.g., hotel/motels) for people experiencing
homelessness and in need of isolation. Counties and tribes operating PRK sites have
continued to keep people experiencing homelessness and their communities safe
during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the ongoing and increasing spread of
COVID-19, PRK remains critical and is consistent with statewide and national public
health recommendations and guidance.
Program Scope and Eligible Use of Funds
The PRK and Rehousing Strategy funds must be used to offer supports starting from
the point of outreach engagement to participants, through their stay in non-congregate
shelter, and until the participant is stabilized in permanent housing. Therefore, PRK
operators may use PRK and Rehousing Strategy funding described in this letter to
support both continued PRK operations as described in the ACWDL dated June 1,
2020, as well as rehousing activities for current or former PRK participants. Funds must
be used consistent with state and federal law, including Housing First as specified in
Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) section 8255.
CDSS recognizes that rehousing assistance may be a new component of service
provision within the local PRK; this will be a critical component that PRKs must add (or
bolster) to their current service provision in order to urgently move participants into
permanent, safe and stable housing. The PRK and Rehousing Strategy funding made
available to counties and tribes through this letter is extremely flexible and may be used
to provide housing financial assistance, housing navigation and surge activities, and
housing case management to current or former program participants. Refer to
Attachment Three for additional guidance on operation of PRK and best practices for
rehousing and housing surge activities.
Allocations and Acceptance of Funds
The CDSS will make $59 million available immediately to counties or tribes operating
PRK as of July 2020. The funding available to each county or tribe is proportionate to
the number of occupied PRK rooms reported to CDSS in each community from July
2020 through the date of this letter. Allocation amounts are displayed in Attachment
One. These funds are available for both PRK operations and rehousing assistance.
The remaining $3 million in available funding will be used to provide targeted technical
assistance through experienced housing providers. Additional information on technical
assistance will be released under separate cover.
Counties and tribes wishing to accept the funds outlined in Attachment One must agree
to comply with funding terms and conditions by signing and returning the Director
Certification (Attachment Two). The terms and conditions include a commitment to:
All County Welfare Directors Letter
Page Three
1. Use the funds in accordance with state law, including Housing First, and
applicable funding requirements;
2. Use the funds on the eligible activities as specified in this letter and consistent
with recommended rehousing practices;
3. Engage in ongoing technical assistance with CDSS and CDSS partners,
4. Utilize funds efficiently by leveraging other local, state, and federal funds
available to the community; and
5. Comply with data reporting requirements established by CDSS.
To accept these funds, County Welfare Directors or Tribal Administrators must review
and complete the PRK and Rehousing Strategy Director Certification (Attachment Two)
and return to housing@dss.ca.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. on November 30, 2020.
Note: counties or tribes that are not receiving a PRK and Rehousing Strategy allocation
due to not having any occupied rooms may request funds by emailing
housing@dss.ca.gov by end of day on Tuesday, November 24, 2020. The request
must include a brief description of how the county or tribe plans to open NCS in
accordance with the guidelines described within this letter and outlined in Attachment
Three. Requests will be considered by the CDSS on a case-by-case basis; there is no
guarantee of funds.
Leveraging Resources
Local governments are strongly encouraged to work with their fiscal counterparts and
applicable partners to identify how best to use all available local, state, and federal
funding to secure and maintain hotel/motel rooms for NCS and engage in critical
rehousing efforts. Key partners include cities, housing and public health agencies,
homeless Continuums of Care (CoC), behavioral health, and emergency response
agencies. In addition to the PRK and Rehousing Strategy allocations, PRK operators
are strongly encouraged to continue to strategically utilize all available local, state, and
federal funds to support the ongoing assistance of PRK and Rehousing Strategy
participants. Attachment Three provides additional information on available resources
that can be leveraged to ensure sufficient funds are available to support PRK operations
and rehousing efforts.
Reimbursement and Fiscal Claiming
Counties and tribes will utilize an invoice form to request a reimbursement or cash
advance, or to document actual expenditures of funds that have previously been
advanced. Invoices submitted for the purposes of requesting a reimbursement or to
reconcile expenditures of advanced funds shall report costs incurred in connection to
the project (e.g., costs related to non-congregate shelter, rehousing, etc.) and should
include supporting documentation for those costs. Invoicing and grant reimbursement
instructions will be included in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for all Tribes
allocated funds. Additional information regarding the invoice and reimbursement
All County Welfare Directors Letter
Page Four
process will be provided in the individual county or tribal award letter which will be
issued under separate cover in late November or early December 2020.
The funds available for the PRK and Rehousing Strategy described in this letter
are one-time funds and must be encumbered by June 30, 2021. Note: funds spent
on eligible costs associated with operating NCS may be utilized as a 25 percent local
cost share for FEMA. For more guidance on eligible FEMA expenses, refer to the FEMA
Non-Congregate Shelter (NCS) Guidance on the CDSS Housing and Homelessness
website, including the current approval for reimbursement through November 29, 2020.
Data Reporting Requirements
Counties and tribes participating in the PRK and Rehousing Strategy are required to
report updates on the progress of meeting goals identified in the Director Certification
and related program data elements as determined by CDSS. These requirements build
upon the data reporting needs established in the ACWDL dated June 1, 2020. CDSS
uses a web-based data portal for PRK that will also collect information on rehousing
efforts. This system is mobile-friendly, retains historic data, and allows for day-to-day
review. In addition to continued, daily PRK availability and occupancy reporting,
counties or tribes who are participating in the PRK and Rehousing Strategy are required
to complete reports twice a month on rehousing and outcomes data. The minimum data
reporting requirements for the PRK and Rehousing Strategy are further described in
Attachment Three including a combination of existing, updated, and new requirements.
Additional information, including the reporting due dates and reporting user guide, will
be released under separate cover.
Training and Technical Assistance
Training and technical assistance will continue to be offered to help programs develop,
strengthen, and enhance their non-congregate shelter operations and rehousing efforts.
CDSS anticipates continued PRK office hours, continued dissemination of pertinent
resources and training information through regular statewide newsletters, and ongoing
technical assistance calls as needed. CDSS may connect counties and tribes as
needed with technical assistance providers and housing navigation and landlord
engagement providers to help bolster local efforts. Technical assistance assignments
will be made at the discretion of the CDSS.
If you have any questions or need additional guidance regarding the information in this
letter, please contact the CDSS Housing Branch at housing@dss.ca.gov.
Attachments:
Attachment One: Project Roomkey and Rehousing Allocations
Attachment Two: Project Roomkey and Rehousing Strategy Director Certification
Attachment Three: Project Roomkey and Rehousing Strategy Guidance and Best
Practices
ATTACHMENT ONE
FISCAL YEAR 2020-21 PROJECT ROOMKEY AND REHOUSING STRATEGY
ALLOCATION TABLE
COUNTY/TRIBE
ALLOCATION
Alameda
$3,520,417
Alpine
$0
Amador
$0
Butte
$613,380
Calaveras
$69,505
Colusa
$0
Contra Costa
$2,471,764
Del Norte
$148,567
El Dorado
$213,727
Fresno
$1,735,882
Glenn
$20,000
Humboldt
$246,742
Imperial
$370,113
Inyo
$20,000
Kern
$59,948
Kings
$277,150
Lake
$0
Lassen
$43,441
Los Angeles
$18,642,781
Madera
$45,178
Marin
$450,912
Mariposa
$42,571
Mendocino
$169,418
Merced
$178,975
Modoc
$20,000
Mono
$20,000
Monterey
$456,994
Napa
$464,813
Nevada
$24,327
Orange
$2,286,707
Placer
$284,969
Plumas
$20,000
ATTACHMENT ONE
Riverside
$1,658,558
Sacramento
$2,284,970
San Benito
$117,289
San Bernardino
$1,887,055
San Diego
$727,194
San Francisco
$10,055,604
San Joaquin
$342,311
San Luis Obispo
$20,000
San Mateo
$867,941
Santa Barbara
$408,341
Santa Clara
$2,818,419
Santa Cruz
$812,337
Shasta
$408,341
Sierra
$0
Siskiyou
$32,146
Solano
$620,330
Sonoma
$452,650
Stanislaus
$436,143
Sutter
$83,406
Tehama
$0
Trinity
$0
Tulare
$379,670
Tuolumne
$120,765
Ventura
$820,157
Yolo
$662,033
Yuba
$20,000
Wilton Rancheria Tribe
$20,000
Hoopa Valley
$26,059
Total
$59,000,000
Note: counties or tribes that are not receiving a PRK allocation due to not having any occupied rooms
may request funds; however, requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis and there is no
guarantee of funds. Refer the ACWDL for additional information. Requests will be considered by the
CDSS on a case-by-case basis; there is no guarantee of funds.
County/Tribe Name: ATTACHMENT TWO
1
PROJECT ROOMKEY AND REHOUSING STRATEGY
DIRECTORS CERTIFICATION
County Welfare Directors and Tribal Administrators wishing to accept the funds made
available to their county or tribe, reflected in Attachment One, shall complete and return
this Project Roomkey (PRK) and Rehousing Strategy Certification by 12:00 p.m. on
November 30, 2020. By accepting these funds and signing the certification below, the
County Welfare Director or Tribal Administrator agrees to the funding terms and
conditions outlined within this letter. This Director’s Certification must be completed and
signed by the County Welfare Director or Tribal Agency Director operating PRK or the
County Welfare Director with whom PRK operators have a formal agreement, i.e. a
Memorandum of Understanding.
Accepting Funds
A county or tribe may accept the amount identified within Attachment One, or a portion
of these funds. Counties and tribes may also indicate their ability to accept additional
funds (in excess of the allocation outlined in Attachment One) should additional funds
be available. Note: if the county/tribe wishes to decline these funds, skip to page 3.
To accept funds, check the appropriate box below (select only one) and complete the
projected number of individuals the county/tribe will serve with these funds. Refer to
Attachment One for allocation amounts.
Accept only the total PRK and Rehousing Strategy Allocation amount in
Attachment One. Complete the amount the county/tribe is accepting: $_________
Accept the total PRK and Rehousing Strategy Allocation amount AND accept
additional funds (if available) beyond current allocation level proportionate to
statewide need of any remaining funds.
Accept only a portion of the PRK and Rehousing Strategy Allocation amount in
Attachment One. Complete the amount the county/tribe is accepting $_________
1. Projected number of individuals the county/tribe will continue to serve or newly
serve in Project Roomkey NCS with these funds: _______
2. Projected number of individuals in Project Roomkey NCS that the county/tribe
will support with rehousing services and assistance with these funds: _______
a. If the number in (2) is less than the total number of PRK occupants as of
November 17, 2020, counties and tribes will be required to submit a
supplemental document describing how the county or tribe intends to
prioritize funding for PRK permanent housing transitions. This information
will be used to ensure counties and tribes are committed to ensuring PRK
participants are transitioned to permanent housing and homelessness is
non-recurring.
County/Tribe Name: ATTACHMENT TWO
2
Project Roomkey and Rehousing Strategy
Funding Terms and Conditions
I, , County Welfare Director or Tribal Agency Director of
_______________________, certify that I will:
1. Utilize the PRK and Rehousing Strategy funds allocated in accordance with the
eligible uses specified in the PRK and Rehousing Strategy ACWDL.
2. Operate PRK and Rehousing Strategy services consistent with all state and
federal laws, including Housing First as specified in Welfare and Institutions
Code section 8255 and recommended practices outlined in Attachment Three.
3. To the best extent possible, work with applicable partners, including cities,
housing and public health agencies, homeless Continuums of Care (CoC),
behavioral health, emergency response, to identify and strategically utilize all
available local, state, and federal funding to continue to provide NCS and for
rehousing efforts.
4. Collect and report PRK and Rehousing participant data to CDSS including, but
not limited to, daily non-congregate shelter information and regular rehousing
and outcomes data as determined by CDSS.
5. Engage in continuous quality improvement efforts including working with CDSS
staff for training and/or targeted technical assistance.
6. Acknowledge that the CDSS reserves the right to reallocate PRK and Rehousing
Strategy funds should the CDSS determine it is appropriate or necessary to
maximize program impact throughout the state.
I certify that _________________ ___ ______will utilize the PRK and Rehousing
Strategy funding pursuant to the terms outlined above and understand this is a condition
of receiving these funds.
____________________________________ _____________________
Tribal Agency/CWD Director Signature Date
Local Rehousing Lead Contact Information
Please provide the name and contact that is currently leading or will be leading your
county/tribe’s PRK and Rehousing Strategy (local individual who is leading the
rehousing efforts/strategy for PRK participants and an appropriate point of contact for
CDSS). [ ]
click to sign
signature
click to edit
County/Tribe Name: ATTACHMENT TWO
3
Declining Funds
Counties and tribes that do not wish to accept these funds are asked to notify CDSS by
completing and signing the section immediately below and returning to
housing@dss.ca.gov as soon as possible but no later than 12:00 p.m. on November
30, 2020. CDSS will consider the funds declined if no response is provided to CDSS by
the county or tribe by 12:00 p.m. on November 30, 2020. Note: counties and tribes
accepting funds should not complete this section; refer to page 1.
To decline the funds, check the box below and complete the name and signature of the
County Welfare Director/Tribal Administrator.
Decline the entire amount of PRK and Rehousing Strategy funds available to
county/tribe.
____________________________________ _____________________
Tribal Agency/CWD Director Signature Date
____________________________________
Printed Name of Tribal Agency/CWD Director
ATTACHMENT THREE
Project Roomkey and Rehousing Strategy Implementation Guidance and
Recommended Promising Practices
The purpose of the Project Roomkey (PRK) and Rehousing Strategy is to continue
operation of non-congregate shelter options such as hotels, motels or self-contained
trailers for people experiencing homelessness as well as offer rehousing and housing
surge activities to PRK participants with the goal of protecting human life and minimizing
returns to homelessness for PRK participants.
Project Roomkey and Rehousing Strategy: Overview and Guidance
A. Housing First
Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) section 8255 requires all state-funded housing
programs incorporate the core components of Housing First. Therefore, the CDSS will
continue to require the PRK and Rehousing Strategy be operated in a manner
consistent the core components of Housing First enumerated in WIC section 8255. For
additional information and resource tools related to Housing First, please refer to the
following:
NAEH Housing First Fact Sheet
HUD Exchange Housing First Implementation Resources
USICH Housing First Checklist
B. Racial Equity
Because COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black people, Indigenous people,
and people of color (BIPOC), and because of inequities in health outcomes and rates of
homelessness experienced by these populations, both PRK shelter operations and
rehousing strategies should consider racial equity in their design, implementation, and
outcomes assessment. The following resources are available for guidance and
strategies to ensure programming addresses racial disparities:
NAEH Racial Equity Network Toolkit
NAEH Racial Equity Resources
HUD Disaster Response Rehousing: Equity Operations and Best Practices
HUD Exchange Racial Equity
HUD Homeless System Response: Equity as the Foundation
C. Eligible Use of Funds
The PRK and Rehousing Strategy funds are flexible and may be used for the following
purposes: continued non-congregate shelter, rehousing assistance, data collection,
and administration. Programs are strongly encouraged to maximize the use of funds on
direct assistance while limiting administrative costs. The guidance below for continuing
PRK and Rehousing Strategy efforts describe recommended uses, detailed allowable
costs, and best practices for ensuring these funds achieve the maximum impact
possible.
ATTACHMENT THREE
1. Guidance for Continuing Project Roomkey (Non-Congregate Shelter)
Public health guidance continues to reaffirm the need for non-congregate shelter for
people experiencing homelessness to protect human life, and to minimize the strain on
the health care system capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goals of PRK are
to locally secure and provide emergency NCS placements to vulnerable individuals
experiencing homelessness in order to protect communities’ most vulnerable people
experiencing homelessness. Populations specifically eligible for FEMA reimbursement
include:
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 that do not require hospitalization,
but need isolation or quarantine (including those exiting from hospitals);
Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 (as documented by a state or
local public health official, or medical health professional) that do not require
hospitalization, but need isolation or quarantine; and
Individuals who are asymptomatic, but are at “high-risk,” such as people over
65 or who have certain underlying health conditions (respiratory, compromised
immunities, chronic disease), and who require Emergency NCS as a social
distancing measure.
The PRK and Rehousing Strategy is intended to continue operating PRK sites and
ensure the aforementioned goals can continue to be achieved. For additional
information on PRK operation reference the PRK ACWDL dated June 1, 2020. The
CDSS Housing and Homelessness Branch website includes additional resources
regarding operations and essential wraparound supports and core services for more
detailed and specific guidance on providing non-congregate shelter. Please contact
CDSS at housing@cdss.ca.gov for additional guidance or strategies to continue PRK
operations.
2. Guidance and Strategies for Rehousing Efforts
PRK sites are intended to be temporary shelter options that enable and facilitate
residents’ transitions to permanent housing. Through the PRK and Rehousing Strategy,
local PRK operators can provide rehousing support which should include financial
assistance in coordination with housing navigation and housing case management
services.
Allowable costs for housing-related financial assistance are listed below:
Housing barrier removal, including credit repair or legal services.
Landlord engagement and incentives.
Move-in costs and housing stabilization costs, including security, utility and pet
deposits, storage fees, and costs associated with making the home habitable (i.e.
furniture and appliances).
Rental assistance.
Assistance in making higher level of care placements, such as board and care
settings.
Other costs the county or tribe determines are necessary to support permanent
housing transitions, with pre-approval from CDSS
ATTACHMENT THREE
Allowable costs for housing-related case management, housing navigation, and surge
activities are listed below:
Housing-related case management assesses a participant’s specific housing
needs and assists the client in accessing those supports, maintaining the
obligations of tenancy, and achieving housing stability.
Housing navigation
efforts provide targeted assistance to support participants in
finding safe and decent housing that is affordable and sustainable to clients.
Affordability and sustainability are based on the participant’s income and may be
achieved through rental subsidies, connections to permanent housing, and/or
care facilities. Examples include affordable housing vouchers or higher level of
care placements. Housing navigation may also include housing location and
landlord engagement activities.
Housing surge refers to coordinated efforts to swiftly rehouse a group of people
experiencing homelessness. Housing surge strategies are often used in
emergency response efforts. PRK operators are encouraged to utilize these
strategies for rehousing efforts. Staff time associated with housing surge efforts
are allowable costs. Additional information below.
3. Guidance on Creating and Implementing a Rehousing Strategy
HUD provides guidance and strategies for planning and implementing an effective
rehousing strategy for residents exiting PRK in their guide Homeless Systems
Response: Rehousing Out of Non-congregate Shelter: Maximizing Placements. This
guide follows disaster response rehousing principles and includes examples from the
field of creating collaborative strategies, including coordinated entry, landlord
engagement, and synching policies and procedures across different stakeholders. It
also provides a checklist with six main steps to getting started and creating a rehousing
strategy:
Step One: Increase capacity for rehousing out of non-congregate shelter (PRK):
Create dedicated housing navigator capacity, which may include hiring new staff.
Step Two: Conduct population specific “housing surge fairs” onsite, either outside
to virtually as safety precautions.
Step Three: Create a process for assessing and matching to rehousing options.
Being creative, flexible, and providing a diverse range of options will help achieve
the most successful outcomes.
Step Four: Adapt existing Rapid Rehousing (RRH) models, which may require
streamlining and extending “RRH” subsidies where you can (beyond 12 or 24
months). This step also includes ensuring that RRH facilitate transitions to
permanent supportive housing to reduce returns to homelessness.
Step Five: Boost capacity by matching to other social service resources and
supports (disability benefits, In-Home Supportive Services, etc.) to meet acute
and chronic health needs. CDSS programs can also be supportive programs for
transitions to stable permanent housing.
Step Six: Create a process to measure outcomes, including racial demographics
to ensure that exits to housing reduce racial inequities.
ATTACHMENT THREE
4. Guidance on Housing Surges
A housing surge is a concentrated, time-limited community effort in which stakeholders
collaborate to connect a targeted group of households to a pre-identified pool of housing
subsidies and units, as well as other services.
HUD has released a guide Homeless System Response: Planning a Housing Surge to
Accelerate Rehousing Efforts in Response to COVID-19 detailing the operational steps
for how to plan and execute a housing surge focusing on residents in non-congregate
shelter, like PRK, and includes detailed guidance on housing navigation and case
management best practices. The guide calls out the following key components of a
successful housing surge:
Demonstrated Need (a clear and well-defined target population to be served)
Political Will and Strong Coordination
Targeted Public and Private Program Funding
Pool of Housing Units and Strong Landlord Relationships
Strong Rehousing Programs and Services
Strong Partnerships for Supportive Services
The guide provides links for each step of the process to examples, resources, and
further guidance. Even if a county is not able to execute an entire housing surge effort,
focusing on any of the elements described in this guide can strengthen a rehousing
effort.
Data Collection Requirements
CDSS is expanding the web-based data portal for the PRK and Rehousing Strategy.
Counties, cities, or tribes who are currently reporting on PRK availability and occupancy
and accept the PRK and Rehousing Strategy funds are required to continue to complete
daily reports in this portal, with updates due at 1 p.m. every day. Minimum reporting
requirements for the PRK and Rehousing Strategy are outlined below. Additional
instruction on new and updated data reporting requirements will be sent to PRK and
Rehousing Strategy leads when available.
A. NEW: Participant Exit Data
Exit data will be submitted twice a month. Further instructions on the due date and time
will be released under separate cover. The portal will collect, at minimum:
1. Total participants served to date; and
2. Total participants that have exited into:
Permanent housing
Congregate shelter
Other non-congregate shelter
Unsheltered/vehicle/street
Unknown
Other
ATTACHMENT THREE
B. UPDATED: Hotel/Motel Data:
Hotel/motel data will continue to be due daily at 1 p.m. with the exception of weekends
and holidays. The portal will collect, at minimum:
1) Information on all hotels and motels available to-date with occupancy
agreements or alterative arrangements with the county or tribe for purposes of
PRK;
2) The population being sheltered (i.e., COVID-19 positive, exposed to COVID-19,
asymptomatic but “high risk”);
3) The number of rooms committed or reserved at the hotel/motel;
4) The number of rooms occupied by PRK clients;
5) NEW: The number of participants in each hotel/motel site; and
6) Whether or not there is a formal agreement executed with the hotel/motel.
C. CONTINUED: Trailer Data
Data on trailer usage will continue to be due daily at 1 p.m. with the exception of
weekends and holidays. The portal will collect, at minimum:
1) Information on trailer sites hosting PRK trailers;
2) Total number of trailers available at the site;
3) Total number of trailers reserved for target populations;
4) Total number of trailers with occupants;
5) Determination of move-in ready status; and
6) Certification of adequate data tracking for purposes of FEMA reimbursement of
trailer use.
III. Guidance on Leveraging Multiple Funding Sources and Programs
As stated in the above letter, local governments are required, to the extent possible, to
identify and strategize on how best to use all available local, state, and federal funding
to continue non-congregate shelter and scale up rehousing efforts. Key partners include
cities, housing and public health agencies, homeless Continuums of Care (CoC),
behavioral health, and emergency response agencies. In addition to the funds made
available through the PRK and Rehousing Strategy, multiple funding sources are
available and are strongly encouraged to be used to support ongoing non-congregate
shelter and rehousing surge activities:
A. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Reimbursement
On March 27, 2020, FEMA approved the state’s request for federal reimbursement for
non-congregate sheltering in response to COVID-19. In a follow-up letter dated
April 2, 2020, FEMA clarified that local governments were approved as part of the
March 27, 2020 approval to the state, consistent with the eligibilities and tracking
ATTACHMENT THREE
requirements outlined in the March 27, 2020 letter. The March 27, 2020 FEMA approval
letter describes eligible FEMA reimbursable uses, including eligible populations, and
should further equip communities in evaluating local funds available for this response.
(See the CDSS FEMA Guidance webpage and information under “Fiscal Matters” below
for more information on FEMA non-congregate shelter and PRK.) The majority of PRK
expenditures are federally reimbursable under FEMA, for both hotel/motel room
occupancy agreements and necessary core operating services for FEMA-prioritized
populations, at 75 percent federal share of cost. FEMA has continued to approve
requests for extensions for reimbursement of NCS costs. Extensions are granted on a
monthly basis; currently these costs are reimbursable through November 29, 2020. The
State intends to continue to request these extensions through the public health
emergency.
B. State and Federal Funding Sources
The Guide to Strategic Uses of Key State and Federal Funds to Reduce Homelessness
During the COVID-19 Pandemic describes many state and federal funds available,
eligible activities, and strategic guidance for local use. Of the available funding sources,
the PRK and Rehousing Strategy, Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP), and
Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAP) are among the
funding streams that can be used as the 25 percent cost share for FEMA. In addition to
the guidance offered in the above Guide, the following descriptions and resources are
among those that should be considered for PRK operations and rehousing efforts to
leverage funds and programs for maximum benefit to communities:
Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF): In addition to federal allocations, CRF was
distributed to local communities by the California Department of Finance (DOF)
and may be used for PRK operations and rehousing efforts. These funds may be
used for costs incurred from March 2020 to December 30, 2020. The guidance
from DOF describes the allocations, reporting process, and frequently asked
questions. DOF has also made a presentation available to describe the
requirements and eligible uses of CRF funds. These funds may be used as the
25 percent cost share for FEMA, but must be tracked closely to ensure the uses
comply with FEMA eligibility.
Whole Person Care (WPC): WPC may be leveraged to support PRK clients
through NCS operation as well as services such as connection to behavioral and
physical health and permanent housing. DHCS is seeking approval for an
extension of WPC through 2021 and CDSS is available to offer additional
information to counties that wish to leverage these funds.
ESG-CV: These funds are eligible to be used on PRK operations, referred to in
the HCD NOFA as non-congregate shelter. Eligible uses include both emergency
shelter and transitions to permanent housing out of emergency shelter. Note: it is
recommended that these funds be prioritized for use on rehousing out or PRK
sites. As a reminder, these funds are not eligible to be used for the 25 percent
FEMA cost share for non-congregate shelter.
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DSS Programs: Many programs administered by local Departments of Social
Services may be leveraged to support families and individuals in PRK sites and
to support transitions to permanent housing. For example, families in PRK may
be eligible for the CalWORKs Housing Support Program, CalWORKs Homeless
Assistance, or Bringing Families Home, and many older adults and adults with
disabilities may be eligible for Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP)
or Home Safe. It is strongly recommended that families and individuals who are
not already receiving CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal, In-Home Supportive
Services, or other protective services (as appropriate) be evaluated and served
by these programs to support stable transitions to permanent housing.
III. Additional Resources on COVID-19 Response for Homeless Service
Providers
Many resources and guidance documents are available to ensure the safe provision of
services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For general information and updates
on the status of COVID-19 restrictions and guidance in California, visit
https://covid19.ca.gov/.
Specific guidance for California homeless services providers on planning for and
responding to COVID-19 was issued by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing
Agency on March 10, 2020 (see Guidance for Homeless Assistance Providers on
COVID-19), in addition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19,
which includes recommendations for homeless service providers on suggested
strategies to help homeless service providers plan, prepare, and respond to this public
health threat.
Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness
In partnership with Margot Kushel, MD and the UCSF Benioff Homelessness
and Housing Initiative, Recommended Strategic Approaches for COVID-19
Response for People Experiencing Homelessness and a Flow Chart: COVID-
19 Recommended Protocol for People Experiencing Homelessness are
available for local use to support local communities in prioritizing the isolation
of people experiencing homelessness
Resources for people experiencing homelessness published by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Resources for Preventing and managing the Spread of COVID-19
State guidance for homeless assistance providers was published on March 18,
2020 by the Business and Consumer Services and Housing (BCSH) Agency.
The guidance identifies how to prevent disease spread among clients and staff
in shelters, provides considerations for sheltering people who are at risk of
infection, including in hotel/motels, and outlines available funding resources.
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Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance for limiting infection risk,
health preparedness for homeless assistance providers, preventing and
managing the spread of infectious disease within encampments, and a Webinar
on Infectious Disease Preparedness.
Resources for Shelter Operations
Center for Disease Control (CDC) interim guidance for operating and preparing
homeless shelters for COVID-19 and steps healthcare facilities can take to
prepare for COVID-19.
Housing and Urban Development guidance for preventing and managing the
spread of disease within shelters.