REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Grant Agreements with Abode Services and Bill Wilson Center to administer the City's Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara's Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program assists homeless households and households in jeopardy of becoming homeless with an emphasis on assisting families with children and/or domestic violence survivors. The goal of the program is to assist participants in stabilizing their housing situation with housing search assistance, payment of housing deposits and monthly rental subsidies for up to a two-year period. The program is designed to act as a "bridge" until participants enhance their self-sufficiency to the extent they can cover their full contract rent. Case management services are provided to help participants connect with social services, get on waitlists for long-term affordable housing, develop financial budgeting skills and improve employment/educational standing with the intent to help participants transition to a stable housing situation at the end of the program term.
Participants pay 30% of their adjusted gross income towards their total housing costs and the program subsidizes the balance. Criteria for eligibility includes families with:
* An income of 60% or less of Area Median Income (AMI); and
* Current or last place of residence in the City of Santa Clara, or
* Employment or a bonafide job offer in Santa Clara, or
* Children attending school in Santa Clara.
The TBRA Program is primarily funded through use of the City's Home Investment Partnership Act (HOME) federal grant funds which are used to provide rental subsidies and deposits, while case management activities and much of the administration costs are paid for with City Housing Funds.
On July 14, 2015, the City Council approved a two-year agreement with Abode Services to administer the City's TBRA program (as detailed in Exhibit A, "Scope of Services").
On September 26, ...
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