Meeting of the Priority Setting & Resource Allocation Committee
Monday, May 8, 2023
By Zoom Videoconference
3:00 – 4:05
Members Present: Marya Gilborn (Co-chair), Fulvia Alvelo, Matt Baney, Kyron Banks, Billy Fields, Graham Harriman, Steve Hemraj, Matthew Lesieur, Scott Spiegler (for Guadalupe Dominguez Plummer), John Schoepp, Terry Troia
Members Absent: Joan Edwards, Jeff Natt, Claire Simon, Dorella Walters
Staff Present: David Klotz, Johanna Acosta, PhD, Melanie Lawrence, Doienne Saab, Deb Noble, Roland Torres, Milen Beyene (NYC DOHMH); Gemma Barclay, Arya Shahi, Rosemarie Santos (Public Health Solutions)
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Introductions/Minutes
Ms. Gilborn opened the meeting, followed by a roll call and a moment of silence. The minutes of the April 10, 2023 meeting were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item #2: Housing Allocation Request
Ms. Noble explained that Ryan White Part A (RWPA) Housing programs in NYC and Tri-County are being rebid with new contracts starting in GY 2024 (March 1, 2024). Funding will be needed to allow currently funded RWPA subrecipients who are not awarded a contract under the new RFP to transition clients to newly awarded programs. This will allow time for current subrecipients to inform clients of transition to new subrecipients, communicate to landlords of program transition to new subrecipient, inform service providers (e.g., HASA, DSS, physicians) of transition to new subrecipient, and to continue the supportive services for clients until transition to new programs has been completed. The requested bridge funding will ensure continued service provision while new contracts are being negotiated with newly awarded subrecipient and executed by PHS. Other activities to be supported during the transition include continued payments of rents to landlords during transition period and negotiating new apartment leases with current landlords from outgoing programs to new ones in order to minimize disruption of stable housing, and coordination of client documentation to new subrecipient. The amounts presented are a worst-case scenario where none of the 14 existing providers are awarded new contracts.
The estimated amount requested for Short-term Housing is $367,377 to support continued payment of monthly rent costs for occupied units, seamless transition of consumers to new subrecipient (if needed), work with landlords to re-assign leases from outgoing subrecipient to new subrecipient, and continued supportive services for clients.
An estimated $667,130 is requested for Short-term Rental Assistance to pay monthly rents, ensure seamless transitions (if needed), etc. An estimated $171,568 is requested for Housing Placement Assistance to continue supportive services for clients until the transition is completed. The total request is $1,204,529.
Mr. Klotz explained that the hope would be that any needed funding can be covered by carryover from GY 2022-23. The full carryover amount will be known for the June meeting, and PSRA would then develop a full carryover plan including the Housing allocation.
A summary of the discussion follows:
- Current subrecipients would be notified in advance that their contracts are ending, and the 3-months transition period is based on previous experience with housing programs.
- The additional funds would go to the current subrecipients so that they can keep their clients housed while the new provider gets their program up and running and ready to accept clients.
- Most of the funds would be paid for rent and utilities, with some for administrative tasks to process clients’ rent and utility payments. Funds would not be used for agencies’ overhead costs.
- The requested amount is based on an average of the 3-month costs of all programs in each of the three areas.
- Taking the money from GY 2022 carryover would be ideal. If not, the funds will have to come out of the GY 2024 grant award.
- Using carryover would require the Recipient to push up the contract start date by at least a month (to Feb. 1, 2024) so that carryover can be used (as HRSA requires that all carryover be used by the end of the following grant year).
- The Recipient expressed doubt that the RFP and award timeline can be changed.
- In the event that the Council cannot allocate carryover, the alternative option is to allocate the funds in the application spending plan, then in the scenario planning process, figure out where in the portfolio to take the funds from.
- The importance of funding to cover a potential transition between subrecipients is to avoid any eviction action against the client.
There was a consensus in the Committee to clarify whether or not the new contracts can start before March 1, 2024, and if not, look at including the funds in the GY 2024 application spending plan.
Agenda Item #3: GY 2024-25 Application Spending Request
Mr. Klotz explained that the PSRA and Council must approve a spending request by the July meeting for the GY 2024-25 grant application. HRSA allows the EMA to request up to 5% above the current year’s Base award (an increase of $4,268,232). The Tri-County Steering Committee will develop an application spending plan for their region with a 5% increase. After administration, QM and Tri-County programs, PSRA would need to develop a plan for the remaining $3,618,919 in NYC program dollars. Approaches include across-the-board weighted increases or targeted allocations. GY 2022 close-out data will be available to show which categories overperformed, which can act as a proxy for the need for additional allocations. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
