Chula Vista plans federal funding for homelessness

By Gary Warth

April 14

CHULA VISTA – Rental subsidies, homeless prevention and shelter services are among programs that Chula Vista intends to fund with its allocation of federal dollars in the coming year.

City Council members heard a presentation on anticipated grants at its April 14 meeting and received public input on how to spend money from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, the Home Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) and the Emergency Solutions Grant program, all under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The city released a notice of funding opportunities for organizations to apply for the money in February. As part of the funding process, the city must adopt an action plan for the funds each year and a five-year consolidated plan identifying housing and community development needs and establishing priorities for the federal funds. Chula Vista is in the second year of its plan.

Chula Vista’s five priorities in the plan are affordable housing, capital improvement & public facilities, social service programs, economic development and homeless solutions.

The city expects to receive about $2.3 billion in CDBG funds and still has $239,000 from last year’s allocation.

Another $801,000 is anticipated in HOME funds, adding to the $400,000 left from last year’s allocation.

Chula Vista also expects another $206,000 from the Emergency Solutions Grant program for a total of about $3.9 million from HUD.

Fourteen entities applied for the CDBG grants, and city staff recommended they each receive the amount requested, totaling $339,000 in allocations.

The money would fund a family resource center and emergency and basic services at Chula Vista Elementary School District, city homeless services, the Norman Park Senior Center, city therapeutic recreational programs for adults with severe disabilities, food for children from the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, delivery services from Mama’s Kitchen, deliveries from Meals-on-Wheels, family violence support services, homeless services and a food program from SBCS Corporation, court-appointed special advocates from Voices for Children and the rotational shelter program operated by Interfaith Shelter Network.

Staff recommended allocating the city of Chula Vista’s and the SBCS’  tenant-based rental assistance programs $400,000 each in HOME funds.

A presentation to council members during the meeting reported that the city has assisted 39 households with rental assistance this year, spending about $706,300 for an average of $18,000 for each household. A waitlist for the program consists of 12 people applying for a second-year renewal, 10 who are in shelters, seven who are unhoused and 29 in the homeless prevention program.

Another program that provides rental subsidies for seniors and is funded through the housing successor funds has provided $250,000 in assistance to 40 households.

Finally, staff recommended using the Emergency Solutions Grant to allocate $70,000 for shelter services and $120,800 for homeless prevention.

The city’s homeless prevention program has assisted 18 households with one-time rental assistance of up to 6 months this year at a cost of about $79,000.

A final public hearing on the plan is scheduled for May 12, and the deadline to submit the plan to HUD is May 15.