Reserving Homeless Housing, Assistance, & Prevention Program (HHAP) Funding for Morbidity/Mortality Prevention
–Homeless persons left languishing on the streets with life-threatening and terminal illnesses
Has become a burgeoning crisis throughout the State of California–
–If each jurisdiction dedicated at least 10% of its non-competitive allocation of
HHAP funding, a collective $65 million could be committed to morbidity/mortality prevention–
(estimates of HHAP Funding by Urban Initiatives for counties, large cities, and continuums of care are listed in the tables below—official amounts by the state will soon be released)
During the coming months, the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAP) will provide an additional $650 million for homeless assistance to California counties, largest cities, and continuums of care. A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is scheduled to be released by the end of the year and submission of applications for the non-competitive and allocated funds are due to the state by February 15, 2020.
Each jurisdiction has an opportunity to reserve an appropriate amount of HHAP funding that can be spent over five years for homeless persons languishing on the streets with life-threatening and terminal illnesses and especially for those who have also been aging on the streets.
Life-threatening Illnesses
Life-threatening illnesses are chronic and often incurable and have the effect of limiting a person’s ability to carry out daily physical needs and reducing a person’s life expectancy. Such illnesses include diabetes, neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and heart disease.
Terminal Illnesses
Terminal illnesses or progressive end-stage diseases are incurable and expected to result in premature death. Cancer, advanced heart disease, leukemia, HIV/AIDS, and chronic lung conditions are some of these progressive diseases.
Aging on the Streets
A preponderance of research on aging on the streets has revealed that Adults age 55 and older who are homeless have mortality rates four times higher than the general population. Also, cognitive and mobility impairments are likely to increase for seniors while languishing on the streets.
Homeless Prevention
Directing HHAP funding can also include designating funds to prevent persons with life-threatening and terminal illnesses from becoming homeless.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities within the HHAP Program for morbidity/mortality prevention include
1. Outreach and coordination to assist vulnerable populations in accessing permanent housing stability in supportive housing;
2. Systems support for activities necessary to create regional partnerships and maintain a homeless services and housing delivery system;
3. Rental assistance and rapid rehousing;
4. Landlord Incentives (including, but not limited to, security deposits and holding fees); and
5. Prevention and shelter diversion to permanent housing.
Obligating and Expending Funds
HHAP Program legislation provides an opportunity to reserve an appropriate amount of HHAP funding that can be spent over five years for morbidity/mortality prevention as noted in number 3 below.
1. CoCs and large cities must contractually obligate no less than 50% of program allocations on or before May 31, 2023;
2. Counties must contractually obligate their full program allocation on or before May 31, 2023; and
3. funds must be fully expended by June 30, 2025.
Morbidity/Mortality Prevention: Implications for Next Steps
Supplement not Supplant
As stated on page 4 in the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP) Program Guidance,
“program recipients shall not use HHAP program funding to supplant existing local funds for homeless housing, assistance, or prevention. The intent of HHAP program funds is to expand or increase services and housing capacity. HHAP funds cannot replace local funds that are committed to an existing or developing homeless assistance program. However, if funds previously supporting a service or project end or are reduced for reasons beyond the control of the grantee and services or housing capacity will be lost as a result of these funds ending, HHAP program funds may be used to maintain the service or program and are not considered supplanting. Examples include, but are not limited to, a time-limited city and/or county tax or one-time block grant, such as HEAP.”
Thus, current services to unsheltered persons should be supplemented and not supplanted.
Establish an Initiative
Establishing a Morbidity/Mortality Prevention Initiative that supplements current services and resources for unsheltered persons by designating an appropriate amount of HHAP funds targeted specifically for homeless persons languishing on the streets with life-threatening and terminal illnesses and especially for those who have also been aging on the streets.
Reserve Appropriate Amount of HHAP Funds
An appropriate amount of HHAP funds should be reserved by counties, largest cities, and continuums of care through the HHAP legislative allowable timeframe of June 30, 2025 for morbidity/mortality prevention.
If each jurisdiction dedicated at least 10% of its non-competitive allocation of HHAP funding, a collective $65 million could be committed to morbidity/mortality prevention statewide as noted in the tables below.
Funding Allocations
As noted within the HHAP legislation, a county, large city, and continuum of care’s allocation will be based on the proportionate share of the total homeless population of the jurisdiction according to the 2019 homeless point-in-time count.
The official 2019 homeless point-in-time count will soon be released by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will allow the state to designate the official allocated amount of HHAP fund for each jurisdiction.
Urban Initiatives is able to provide an unofficial estimate of allocated HHAP funds for each county, large city, and continuum of care after obtaining 2019 homeless point-in-time count data from continuums of care or through the media.
Continuums of Care
The following table provides an unofficial estimate of allocated funds for each continuum of care and 10% of the amount which could be set aside for morbidity/mortality prevention.
Table 1. Continuums of Care and Estimated HHAP Allocation
| Continuum of Care |
Unofficial Estimated Allocated Funds |
10% |
|
| CA-500 | San Jose/Santa Clara City & County CoC | $12,200,000 | $1,220,000 |
| CA-501 | San Francisco CoC | $10,100,000 | $1,010,000 |
| CA-502 | Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC | $10,100,000 | $1,010,000 |
| CA-503 | Sacramento City & County CoC | $7,000,000 | $700,000 |
| CA-504 | Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC | $3,700,000 | $370,000 |
| CA-505 | Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC | $2,900,000 | $290,000 |
| CA-506 | Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC | $3,400,000 | $340,000 |
| CA-507 | Marin County CoC | $1,300,000 | $130,000 |
| CA-508 | Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC | $2,700,000 | $270,000 |
| CA-509 | Mendocino County CoC | $810,000 | $81,000 |
| CA-510 | Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC | $2,400,000 | $240,000 |
| CA-511 | Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC | $3,300,000 | $330,000 |
| CA-512 | Daly City/San Mateo County CoC | $1,900,000 | $190,000 |
| CA-513 | Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC | $1,300,000 | $130,000 |
| CA-514 | Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC | $3,100,000 | $310,000 |
| CA-515 | Roseville, Rocklin/Placer County CoC | $1,300,000 | $130,000 |
| CA-516 | Redding/Shasta County CoC | $1,600,000 | $160,000 |
| CA-517 | Napa City & County CoC | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-518 | Vallejo/Solano County CoC | $1,500,000 | $150,000 |
| CA-519 | Chico, Paradise/Butte County CoC | $1,600,000 | $160,000 |
| CA-520 | Merced City & County CoC | $800,000 | $80,000 |
| CA-521 | Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC | $800,000 | $80,000 |
| CA-522 | Humboldt County CoC | $1,800,000 | $180,000 |
| CA-523 | Colusa, Glen, Trinity Counties CoC* | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-524 | Yuba City/Sutter County CoC | $900,000 | $90,000 |
| CA-525 | El Dorado County CoC | $800,000 | $80,000 |
| CA-526 | Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties CoC | $1,100,000 | $110,000 |
| CA-527 | Tehama County CoC | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-529 | Lake County CoC* | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-530 | Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-531 | Nevada County CoC | $1,300,000 | $130,000 |
| CA-600 | Los Angeles City & County CoC | $70,100,000 | $7,010,000 |
| CA-601 | San Diego City and County CoC | $10,200,000 | $1,020,000 |
| CA-602 | Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC | $8,600,000 | $860,000 |
| CA-603 | Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County CoC | $2,300,000 | $230,000 |
| CA-604 | Bakersfield/Kern County CoC | $1,700,000 | $170,000 |
| CA-606 | Long Beach CoC | $2,400,000 | $240,000 |
| CA-607 | Pasadena CoC | $700,000 | $70,000 |
| CA-608 | Riverside City & County CoC | $3,500,000 | $350,000 |
| CA-609 | San Bernardino City & County CoC | $3,300,000 | $330,000 |
| CA-611 | Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC | $2,100,000 | $210,000 |
| CA-612 | Glendale CoC | $500,000 | $50,000 |
| CA-613 | Imperial County CoC | $1,800,000 | $180,000 |
| CA-614 | San Luis Obispo County CoC | $1,400,000 | $140,000 |
The following table provides an unofficial estimate of allocated funds for each county and 10% of the amount which could be set aside for morbidity/mortality prevention.
Table 2. Counties and Estimated HHAP Allocation
| Counties |
Unofficial Estimated Allocated Funds |
10% |
| Santa Clara County | 11,290,000 | 1,129,000 |
| San Francisco | 9,319,000 | 931,900 |
| Alameda County | 9,331,000 | 933,100 |
| Sacramento County | 6,479,000 | 647,900 |
| Sonoma County | 3,433,000 | 343,300 |
| Contra Costa County | 2,670,000 | 267,000 |
| Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC | 3,141,000 | 314,100 |
| Marin County CoC | 1,203,000 | 120,300 |
| Santa Cruz County | 2,521,000 | 252,100 |
| Mendocino County | 750,000 | 75,000 |
| Stanislaus County | 2,237,000 | 223,700 |
| San Joaquin County | 3,058,000 | 305,800 |
| San Mateo County | 1,759,000 | 175,900 |
| Kings, Tulare Counties | 1,243,000 | 124,300 |
| Fresno Madera Counties | 2,917,000 | 291,700 |
| Placer County | 594,000 | 59,400 |
| Shasta County | 1,453,000 | 145,300 |
| Napa County | 376,000 | 37,600 |
| Solano County | 1,339,000 | 133,900 |
| Butte County | 1,525,000 | 152,500 |
| Merced County | 707,000 | 70,700 |
| Yolo County | 762,000 | 76,200 |
| Humboldt County | 1,713,000 | 171,300 |
| Colusa, Glen, Trinity Counties | 223,000 | 22,300 |
| Sutter County | 821,000 | 82,100 |
| El Dorado County | 750,000 | 75,000 |
| Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties | 983,000 | 98,300 |
| Tehama County | 327,000 | 32,700 |
| Lake County | 433,000 | 43,300 |
| Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties | 249,000 | 24,900 |
| Nevada County | 594,000 | 59,400 |
| Los Angeles County | 68,556,000 | 6,855,600 |
| San Diego County | 9,424,000 | 924,400 |
| Orange County | 7,980,000 | 798,000 |
| Santa Barbara County | 2,097,000 | 209,700 |
| Kern County | 1,547,000 | 154,700 |
| Riverside County | 3,270,000 | 327,000 |
| San Bernardino County | 3,033,000 | 303,300 |
| Ventura County | 1,941,000 | 194,100 |
| Imperial County | 1,644,000 | 164,400 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 1,309,000 | 130,900 |
The following table provides an unofficial estimate of allocated funds for each large city and 10% of the amount which could be set aside for morbidity/mortality prevention.
Table 3. Large Cities and Estimated HHAP Allocation
|
Large Cities (General population of 300,000+) |
Unofficial Estimated Allocated Funds |
10% |
| Los Angeles | 123,750,000 | 12,375,000 |
| San Diego | 21,333,000 | 2,133,300 |
| San Jose | 25,556,000 | 2,555,600 |
| San Francisco | 21,093,000 | 2,109,300 |
| Oakland | 21,122,000 | 2,112,200 |
| Santa Ana | 9,031,000 | 903,100 |
| Anaheim | 9,031,000 | 903,100 |
| Sacramento | 14,666,000 | 1,466,600 |
| Fresno | 6,604,000 | 660,400 |
| Long Beach | 4,987,000 | 498,700 |
| Bakersfield | 3,502,000 | 350,200 |
| Riverside | 7,401,000 | 740,100 |
| Stockton | 6,922,000 | 692,200 |