title
ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FROM THE HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION (HHAP) PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS FOR EXISTING HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICE PROGRAMS, SHELTERS, EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS AND CHILDCARE VOUCHERS
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution to:
1. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,019,288.08 for the Housing Justice Program operated by Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center (AAAWLC);
2. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,019,288.09 for the Housing Assistance Program operated by Family Resource Center (FRC);
3. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $5,000,000.00 for the operations of the St. Mary’s Community Services Campus (SMCS) operated by St. Mary’s Community Services;
4. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,161,187.97 for the CATALYST Program operated by Children’s Home of Stockton (CHS);
5. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,161,187.94 for the Housing Assistance Program operated by Lutheran Social Services (LSS);
6. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,019,288.09 for the Childcare Voucher Program operated by Family Resource Center (FRC);
7. Approve and allocate HHAP funding totaling $1,325,880.00 for the Emergency Housing Vouchers Program operated by the Housing Authority of San Joaquin County (HASJC);
8. Approve findings pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code Section 3.68.070 that support an exception to the competitive bidding process;
9. Authorize the City Manager or designee to defund and reallocate awarded funding if the project is unable to meet the required spending obligations, or the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) does not approve the use of funds as detailed in this resolution. If defunded, the funding is to be reallocated to eligible projects that can meet HCD timelines and general requirements; and
10. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents, including subrecipient agreements and amendments, and take all necessary and appropriate actions to carry out the purpose and intent of the resolution.
body
Summary
The State's HHAP funds are designed to support regionally coordinated efforts between the City, the County, and the Continuum of Care (CoC) to expand and develop local capacity to address immediate homelessness challenges throughout the state. HHAP funds are focused on moving homeless individuals and families into permanent housing and ensuring those individuals and families maintain their permanent housing. (Regional Goals- Attachment A) However, funds for all the City’s HHAP awards are limited to those that are operating and serving Stockton residents.
The City must allocate the remaining HHAP Round 5 allocation and begin to allocate and expend the initial Round 6 disbursement prior to receiving the second disbursement of Round 6. To meet these requirements, staff issued a competitive Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) seeking service providers for Interim Housing Operations in 2025. In 2026, a competitive Funding Announcement was released seeking service providers who were currently providing Rapid Rehousing, Rental Assistance, and/or Landlord Incentive programs who utilized the Homeless Management System (HMIS) and Coordinated Entry Systems. All recommended programs were allocated funding previously through the following Council actions, Resolutions 2026-02-03-1205 (Attachment B) and 2025-07-15-1208 (Attachment C). The current recommendations will extend and increase the previous allocations to allow additional services to continue and thus rely upon the same competitive processes that occurred in 2025 and 2026. All recommended programs competed and scored high enough to receive allocations as indicated in the Scoring Tabulations included in (Attachment D), with the exception of the two voucher programs which are explained in detail following the brief descriptions of the competitive programs below.
Pursuant to those processes, staff recommends that Council approve a resolution authorizing the allocation of HHAP funding to the following projects (Additional program detail including population served and recent outcomes is include as Attachment E):
Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center, $1,019,288.08 - Housing Justice Program -
Case Management to determine needs and necessary services such as: Eviction Prevention, Rapid Rehousing, Landlord Incentives, and Security Deposits.
Family Resource Center, $1,019,288.09 - Housing Assistance Program -
Case Management to determine needs and necessary services such as: Eviction Prevention, Rapid Rehousing, Landlord Incentives, and Security Deposits.
St. Mary’s Community Center, $5,000,000.00 - St. Mary’s Community Services Campus Ops. - Operation of all shelters and housing (Men’s, Women’s, Family Shelter, Zeiter Navigation Center and Pathways Neighborhood) totaling over 600 beds, case management, transportation, meals, pet care, hygiene care and center, clothes distribution and donation center.
Children’s Home of Stockton, $1,161,187.97 - CATALYST Program - Housing, case management, transportation and meals.
Lutheran Social Services, $1,161,187.94- Project HOPE Youth Housing Solutions -
Housing, case management, employment and education support, behavioral health services.
The following two recommendations are a result of community need and require the Council’s support of suspending competitive bidding to allow single source procurement due to the specialized nature of the service programs; the critical (emergency) nature of timing to keep families supported through childcare vouchers and individuals housed through rental vouchers; and it being in the best interest of the City to do so. HHAP funding does not specify procurement processes, rather the funding relies upon the procurement processes of the agency grantee (City). In suspending competitive bidding for the reasons listed above and detailed in the Findings Section of this report, the City has adhered to its procurement policy and thus has met HHAP’s requirement.
Family Resource Center, $1,019,288.09 - The Childcare Voucher Program was approved for funding earlier this year, through Resolution No. 2026-02-03-1205 (Attachment A). With that allocation, the Family Resource Center was able to service all Stockton families on their wait list at the time (153 families). The current recommendation will maintain childcare stability for these families through the end of 2027. Case management is also available and strongly encouraged through this program. Given the ongoing community need, the good standing of the recipient organization, and their ability to consistently meet the terms of the funding requirements; staff recommends the allocation of HHAP funds for the Childcare Voucher Program through an amendment of their current contract.
Housing Authority of San Joaquin County, $1,325,880.00 - Emergency Housing Vouchers Program. With the reorganization and shifting of prioritization from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last year, Housing Authority of San Joaquin County was notified that the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), funded and distributed during COVID, would be ending in December of 2026. A full year before their initial anticipated expiration date. If the vouchers are allowed to end, over 300 Stockton residents are at extreme risk of becoming unsheltered. Given the positive strides that are being made in reducing homelessness within the City, failing to utilize HHAP funding to support these vulnerable residents seems counterproductive to the mission of reducing homelessness.
DISCUSSION
Background
Since the inception of HHAP in 2020, City Council has approved the application for and the acceptance of all awarded HHAP funding from Rounds 1-6. On August 12, 2025, Council approved by Motion 2025-08-12-1211 (Attachment F) the application of Round 6 funds. The approval of these recommendations will round out the final obligations for Round 5 and obligate the majority of Round 6 and expeditiously assist with the expenditure deadlines of both rounds. The deadline for the initial disbursement of Round 6 is June 30, 2027. Therefore, most of these contracts are for less than two years and include high quarterly expenditure and reporting obligations. A matrix of the HHAP funding timelines is included as (Attachment G).
Present Situation
The outcomes provided in the Point In Time (PIT Count), conducted every two years by HUD-mandate, provide important data regarding the region’s scope of homelessness, system needs, and how best to strategically align resources. These findings, in conjunction with the City’s continued collaboration with the County and San Joaquin Continuum of Care (SJCoC), support the strategic allocation of state resources across the homelessness response system. Investments in shelter operations, permanent housing development, outreach coordination, prevention programs, coordinated entry, and regional partnerships have contributed to measurable improvements. These outcomes indicate that the County and City have strategically invested in resources that are making a positive difference. The City’s recommended HHAP investments continue to support these efforts.
Breakdown of remaining HHAP 5 and HHAP 6
All recommended funding allocations meet the following requirements:
• Operate within the City of Stockton and serve households experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• Demonstrate alignment with City, SJ County, and SJCoC Regional Action Plan goals, including housing stability and system coordination.
• Participate in the Coordinated Entry System for participant referrals and tracking.
• Maintain data accuracy and reporting compliance within HMIS.
• Demonstrate measurable performance outcomes, at a minimum.
The two recommendations that require a single source procurement based on specialized service and critical/emergency need are recommended given the following information.
Childcare Vouchers
The initial allocation to Family Resource Center was approved based on a growing need that is exacerbated by a lack of additional state funding to support families at risk of homelessness who struggle with employment due to the need for safe, stable childcare. The Family Resource Center runs the only Childcare Voucher program in the City beyond the County and Delta College. The initial allocation supported 153 families with stable childcare. This second recommendation will keep families assisted for an additional 14 months. Currently, the waitlist has over 2,000 children in San Joaquin County, with 547 children in Stockton alone. The most vulnerable population on the waitlist is the 455 children under 2 years of age with an average monthly childcare cost of $1,151.15/monthly, ($13,813.80/annually). For 455 children, this translates into approximately $6,285,279/annually. The recipients of the recommended funding would be:
• Parents/families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• Parents making 30% or less of the area median income (AMI) ~ $40,000 annually
• Not receiving any other subsidies
• Seeking licensed child-care providers
The funding recommendation will not meet the full need in the community but will impact those it does reach and assist those families facing the decision of working or paying for childcare. As mentioned, these families will receive case management if they participate in the program.
Emergency Housing Vouchers
A federal rental assistance program, EHV, was created by HUD through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Those eligible for this program were vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, those at risk of homelessness, and survivors fleeing domestic violence. The federal government provided about 70,000 vouchers to local public housing authorities nationwide. Original projections assumed funding would last well into the 2030s, but steep rent increases caused money to run out much faster. HUD announced in late 2025 that all remaining program funding will be exhausted before the end of 2026. Local housing agencies are attempting to move current participants onto regular Housing Choice Vouchers or other waiting lists, though funding shortages leave some households at risk of homelessness. Staff recommend supporting the EHV through this allocation, keeping 104 families housed through 2027. Programmatic updates include strengthening the relationships with current resource providers, such as San Joaquin County WorkNet and Family Resource Center. These resources provide linkages and pathways to allow for clarity around and toward self-sufficiency. Professional development training and skills are offered, as well as other resources such as food and childcare resources and availability. The additional year of support will help the Housing Authority of San Joaquin work with residents most able to become more self-sufficient in hopes of moving them onto other programs where they contribute a greater amount towards their own livelihood. The goal is to get those most able into better employment and/or living options prior to the current vouchers decline and ultimate termination. Also of note, the County has allocated $500,000 to the Housing Authority to help in the effort to keep the voucher recipients housed.
FINDINGS
Pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070, contracts over $100,000.00 may be awarded without competitive bidding in cases where the City Council has approved findings which support and justify exceptions to the competitive bidding process. These circumstances may include, but are not to be limited to, the following:
These findings include:
1. When it is in the best interest of the City to do so, when the staff do not have the professional experience or capacity to carry out the scope of services.
2. Negotiated contracts following solicitation of competitive proposals.
The following are specific to the first finding:
1. The Childcare Voucher program provides the only previously Federal Subsidized program not run by San Joaquin County or Delta College within the City of Stockton.
2. Family Resource Center has a growing need for childcare voucher funding, exacerbated by a lack of additional state funding to support families at risk of homelessness who struggle with employment due to the need for safe, stable childcare.
3. The Childcare Voucher service provider is the lead agency for the Coordinated Entry System within the San Joaquin County, providing immediate access and intimate understanding to those families in need of said service.
4. Both programs provide case management for the duration of the recipients’ participation in the program. As found, case management is essential to the recipients’ success and ability to maintain housing. These programs also provide enhanced case management for other area programs, including job skill training through the County’s WorkNet.
5. Both programs possess significant understanding of the SJC Region and of the complex issues of homelessness, housing, and vulnerable populations. Because of this knowledge and experience they are poised and proven to carry out the scope within the imperative expenditure timeline.
6. The Housing Authority of San Joaquin is the recipient and administrator of the Federal Subsidized EHV program as well as Choice Housing Vouchers within the City of Stockton and San Joaquin County.
7. The Emergency Housing Voucher program serves vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, those at risk of homelessness, and survivors fleeing domestic violence. Without the recommended funding allocation, these individuals will be at considerable risk of homelessness.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
There will be no financial impact to the City’s General Fund or any other unrestricted fund as a result of this action. Funding to support the recommendations is appropriated, budgeted and available in the Special Grant Fund (Fund 280, Sub-fund 282), Housing Division.
Attachment A - Regional Goals
Attachment B - Resolution 2026-02-03-1205
Attachment C - Resolution 2025-07-15-1208
Attachment D - Competitive Process Scoring Tabulations
Attachment E - HHAP Recommendations - Project Descriptions
Attachment F - Approved Motion 2025-08-12-1211
Attachment G - HHAP Funding and Expenditure Deadlines