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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 16702: TERMINATING HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION/RAPID RE-HOUSING PROGRAM CONTRACT WITH ELLIS HOSPITALITY MEMO TO: Stephen Fitzgibbons, City Manager FROM: Rebecca Underhill, Assistant City Manager DATE: October 20, 2011 RE: P. R. # 16702 RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the City Council adopt Proposed Resolution # 16702 that terminates the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing contract with Ellis Hospitality Center and transferring the $37,171.40 balance to Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas. BACKGROUND: Congress has designated $1.5 billion for communities to provide financial assistance and services to either prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless or help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re- housed and stabilized with the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing Program (HPRP) under Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009( "Recovery Act "). The Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, has placed strict timeframes for expending HPRP grant funds. Under these expenditures requirements, 60 percent of the total HPRP grant award must be expended by July 28, 2011 and 100 percent of HPRP funds must be expended by July 28, 2012. Ellis Hospitality Center was allocated $95,000 of HPRP funds to provide financial assistance and services to either prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless or help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re- housed and stabilized. However, our records indicate that Ellis Hospitality Center has not provided service or requested reimbursement for services since June 2011. On August 18, 2011, the Grants Management office attempted to mail a certified letter to Mrs. Levine to inquire about Ellis Hospitality Center's HPRP activities and to request Ellis to make corrections to the data in the Homeless Information System, HMIS. The letter was returned to the Grants Management Office and stamped "Refused ". A second attempt was made on September 15 and 16, 2011, to invite Mrs. Levine to a meeting that was held on September 19, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. with the HPRP committee members to discuss Ellis' HPRP performance. Unfortunately, the telephone number and email address at the Center had been disconnected and Mrs. Levine didn't attend the meeting. On September 28, 2011, the Grants Management's office sent a letter to Mrs. Levine via certified mail, regular mail and hand delivery. The letter stated that city staff would recommend to City Council to terminate Ellis Hospitality Center's HPRP contract. Mrs. Levine hasn't made any contact with the Grants Management office since June 2011 therefore, terminating Ellis' HPRP contract and transferring the $37,171 balance to Catholic Charities is necessary so that the HPRP expenditure requirements are satisfied. BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT: The HPRP refers to a grant received from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for $564,089. STAFFING/EMPLOYEE EFFECT: Funding will not have an effect on our staffing level. SUMMARY: I recommend that the City Council adopt Proposed Resolution # 16702 that terminates the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing contract with Ellis Hospitality Center and transferring the $37,171.40 balance to Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas. , l DELORIS "BOBBIE" PRINCE, MAYOR -' STEPHEN FITZGIBBONS HAROLD DOUCET, SR. MAYOR PRO TEM City of CITY MANAGER � )41 COUNCIL MEMBERS: © J SHERRI BELLARD RAYMOND SCOTT, JR o r t r t h u r CITY SECRETARY ELIZABETH "LIZ" SEGLER MORRIS ALBRIGHT Texa VAL TIZENO JOHN BEARD, JR. CITY ATTORNEY ROBERT E. WILLIAMSON DERRICK FREEMAN KERRY "TWIN" THOMAS September 28, 2011 Ellis Hospitality Center Mrs. Audrey Levine 1048 Woodworth Boulevard Port Arthur, Texas 77640 Dear Mrs. Levine: On August 18, 2011, the Grants Management office mailed a certified letter to you concerning Ellis Hospitality Center's Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing, HPRP, activities. The letter also requested Ellis Hospitality Center to correct the data input errors in the Homeless Information System, HMIS; however, the letter was returned to the office and stamped "Refused ". A second attempt was made on September 15 and 16, 2011, to invite you to a meeting that was held on September 19, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. The meeting was scheduled to discuss Ellis Hospitality Center's HPRP program performance. However, the telephone at the Center, (409) 982 -7700, was disconnected and the email at e11is- audreylevineaatt.net was returned. As you are aware, Ellis Hospitality Center was allocated $95,000 of HPRP funds to provide financial assistance and services to either prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless or help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re- housed and stabilized. Our records indicate that Ellis Hospitality Center has not submitted an HPRP reimbursement request since June 2011 and has a balance of approximately $ 37,000. Since, HPRP funds are required to be expended before July 2012, the staff is prepared to recommend that the City Council terminate the contract with Ellis Hospitality Center. Please contact me at (409) 983 -8251 if you have any questions concerning this correspondence. Sincerely, 7 , r , C-4-4---k—Z Mary E. Essex Grants Program Administrator P.O BOX 1089 • PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 77641 -1089 • 409/983 -8115 • FAX 409/983 -8291 P. R. 16702 09/23/11 ME -Grants Management RESOLUTION NUMBER A RESOLUTION TERMINATING THE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND RAPID RE- HOUSING PROGRAM (HPRP) CONTRACT WITH ELLIS HOSPITALITY CENTER AND TRANSFERRING THE CONTRACT BALANCE TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WHEREAS, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded funding to the City in the amount $564,089 pursuant to the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re- Housing Program (HPRP), under Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; and, WHEREAS, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that sixty percent of the total HPRP grant award must be expended by July 28, 2011 and 100 percent by July 28, 2012; and, WHEREAS, Ellis Hospitality Center was allocated $95,000 of HPRP funds to provide financial assistance to homeless families or to prevent families for becoming homeless and has an existing balance of $37,171 that must be expended before June 2012; and, WHEREAS, Ellis Hospitality Center has not provided HPRP service since June 2011 and the Grants Management staff has not be able to contact the Director of Ellis Hospitality Center since June 2011; and, WHEREAS, the transfer of HPRP funds is necessary so that the HUD June 2012 expenditure requirement is satisfied; and, WHEREAS, the HPRP contract for Catholic Charities will be amended to increase the budget from $157,163 to $194,334 according to Exhibit "A "; and, WHEREAS, the City Council has designated the City Manager to sign all documents in connection with the contract amendment; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: THAT the HPRP contract with Ellis Hospitality Center is hereby terminated, THAT the City Manager is authorized to amend the HPRP contract with the Catholic Charities and to terminate the HPRP contract with Ellis Hospitality Center thereby transferring the balance of the contract with Ellis Hospitality Center of $37,171 to Catholic Charities. THAT a copy of the caption of this Resolution be spread upon the minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED this day of A.D., 2011 at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas by the following vote: AYES: MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS NOES: MAYOR ATTEST: CITY SECRETARY A PP VED OR FORM: iIA&4. CITY ATT I • " ' APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: CITY MANAGER APPROVED FOR AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: DIRECTOR OF FINANCE REBECCA UNDERHILL ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER EXHIBIT "A "- REVISED BUDGET CATHOLIC CHARITIES Activity Contract Amount Rental Assistance $ 140,543 Utility Assistance $ 8,855 Salary and Benefits $ 44,454 Mileage Reimbursement $ 482 $ 194,334 L