Report to Housing Authority
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WESTERN ECONOMIC SERVICES, LLC TO ASSIST IN THE PREPARATION OF A FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND AN ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 19-158 TO AMEND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY’S FY2019-20 BUDGET (HOUSING AUTHORITY)
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I. SUMMARY
The requested action is for the purpose of securing the services of a firm on a contractual basis to assist staff in the preparation of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan (ConPlan), One-Year Annual Action Plan (Action Plan), and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI), as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the implementation of the CDBG Program.
These services are necessary to prepare the said documents; however, except for the Annual Action Plan, their preparation is only required once every five years. Therefore, hiring additional full time staff would not be economically feasible. In addition, the services provided by this consultant are highly specialized and require an in-depth technical analysis which staff is not able to provide.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. APPROVE a contract services agreement with Western Economic Services, LLC, to provide professional services in the preparation of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan, One-Year Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice from through June 30, 2020, at a cost not to exceed $74,505.00.
2. AUTHORIZE the Chairman to execute the agreement following approval as to form by the City Attorney.
3. ADOPT Resolution No. 19-158 to amend the Housing Authority’s FY2019-20 budget in account number 225-70-720-964-6004.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE any other action the Authority deems appropriate and is consistent with the requirements of law.
IV. BACKGROUND
Local jurisdictions participating in HUD’s formula grant programs such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), are required to prepare ConPlans and submit them to HUD every five years. Carson’s most recent ConPlan was prepared in 2015 and covers program years (PYs) 2015 (beginning July 1, 2015) through 2019 (ending June 30, 2020). As a result, a new ConPlan covering PYs 2020 (beginning July 1, 2020) through 2024 (ending June 20, 2025) must be prepared and submitted in advance of PY 2020.
The ConPlan is a strategic plan for the use of the above-noted Federal resources, as well as non-Federal resources aimed achieving similar or related objectives, over that five-year timeframe. Carson participates in the CDBG program as a direct entitlement recipient and in the HOME program as a subrecipient of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). However, having an approved ConPlan in place would position Carson to potentially qualify for participation in other formula grant programs in the future.
As each Annual Action Plan in the five-year timeframe of the ConPlan is based on and related to the ConPlan, preparation of the Action Plan for the first year of the new ConPlan cycle (PY 2020) takes place concurrently with the preparation of the ConPlan. The ConPlan constitutes the strategic plan for the use of the Federal funding and related resources over the five-year period; each Annual Action Plan constitutes the strategic plan for that particular program year.
The CDBG program contains a regulatory requirement to affirmatively further fair housing based on Section 808 of the Fair Housing Act. HUD requires grantee jusisdictions to (a) conduct an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction, (b) take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified through the analysis, and (c) maintain records reflecting the analysis and actions taken in this regard. The AI is a review of issues and factors creating obstacles to fair housing choice in both the public and private sectors, and includes:
a) A comprehensive review of a jurisdiction’s laws, regulations, and administrative policies, procedures, and practices;
b) An assessment of how those laws, et cetera, affect the location, availability, and accessibility of housing;
c) An assessment of conditions, both public and private, affecting fair housing choice for all protected classes; and
d) An assessment of the availability of affordable, accessible housing in a range of unit sizes.
In its Fair Housing Planning Guide, HUD suggests that entitlement jurisdictions conduct an AI at the beginning of each ConPlan cycle, therefore, Carson is coordinating the preparation of a new AI concurrently with the upcoming ConPlan process. Staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the combined assignment on June 20, 2019, with a response due date of July 11, 2019. The sole respondent to the RFP was Western Economic Services, LLC (WES), of Portland, Oregon. WES initially submitted a proposal for $88,730.00. Staff reissued the RFP from July 18, 2019 to August 1, 2019 and received no further proposals. Subsequently, staff negotiated with WES to submit a revised proposal for a cost not to exceed $74,505.00. A contract with that firm in that amount (Exhibit No. 1) is being submitted for Authority’s approval.
Though based in Oregon, WES has prepared a number of ConPlans and AIs throughout the nation, including in California. The firm’s recent experience has included ConPlans for the cities of Palm Desert and Tulare, and the last three ConPlans for the County of Los Angeles. It has also prepared AIs for the cities of Tulare, Fresno, and the last three AIs for the County of Los Angeles.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Resolution No. 19-158 (Exhibit No. 2) will appropriate funds from the undesignated Housing Authority fund to account number 225-70-720-964-6004 in the amount of $74,505.00. As a result, there is no direct impact to the City’s General Fund.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Contract Services Agreement By and Between Housing Authority of the City of Carson and Western Economic Services, LLC. (pgs. 4-40)
2. Resolution No. 19-157 (pgs. 41-42)
Prepared by: Keith Bennett, Community Development Department