DEPARTMENT: Social Services
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute Three Contracts With Guild, Inc., For Rental Assistance Administration And Case Management
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Dakota County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a vendor to provide rental assistance administration services on behalf of Dakota County Social Services in 2018; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 18-425 (August 21, 2018), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized the Community Services Director to contract with Hearth Connection for rental assistance administration; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution Nos. 19-850 (November 26, 2019), and 20-238 (May 12, 2020), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized the Community Services Director to execute renewal contracts with Hearth Connection to provide rental assistance; and
WHEREAS, Hearth Connection subcontracted with Guild to provide case management; and
WHEREAS, Rental Assistance resources included in the RFP are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Rapid Re-Housing (CoC RRH) and HUD Emergency Solutions Grant Rapid Re-Housing (ESG RRH); and
WHEREAS, Dakota County is the grant recipient for the CoC RRH program and the administrator on behalf of the CDA for the ESG RRH program; and
WHEREAS, these relationships will remain in place with the selection of a Rental Assistance Administrator; and
WHEREAS, the HUD CoC RRH funds are secured annually through a competitive grant process that runs from June 1 through May 31 of each year and is anticipated to renew, serving 48 family households at a time; and
WHEREAS, total rental assistance, application fee, security deposit and administration funds currently available are $329,500 for the grant year and must be spent within each grant period; and
WHEREAS, the HUD ESG RRH funds are secured annually through a formula allocation that runs from July 1 through June 30 of each year and is anticipated to renew, serving approximately 5 households (singles and families) at a time; and
WHEREAS, total rental assistance, application fee, security deposit and administrative funds currently available are $50,000 for the grant year and must be spent within 18 months of the beginning of the grant period; and
WHEREAS, rental assistance administration includes management of RRH rental assistance budgets and rent payments to landlords, management of program participant file and documentation requirements per program regulations, connection of participants to required case management services, and provision of all data entry; and
WHEREAS, to simplify administration, staff recommends that Dakota County contract directly with Guild to provide both rental assistance and case management services; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County will issue a solicitation for this service for 2024 contracts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Community Services Director to execute contracts for rental assistance administration and case management with Guild Inc., as follows, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form:
Service: Term, Amount
• HUD Continuum of Care Rental Assistance Administration: date of execution through May 31, 2023, $329,500
• HUD Emergency Solutions Grant Rental Assistance Administration: date of execution through June 30, 2023, $50,000
• County-funded rental assistance: date of execution through December 31, 2023, $610,000
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Community Services Director is hereby authorized to amend said contracts, within the amount budgeted, to alter the number and types of clients served, types of services provided, service expectations and rates, and the contract term, consistent with County contracting policies, subject to the approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the contracts shall contain a provision that allows the County to immediately terminate the contracts in the event sufficient funds from the county, state, or federal sources are not appropriated at a level sufficient to allow payment of the amounts due.
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