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Backup Documents 08/26/2025 Item #16F 1 (Absentia 08/12/2025 Item #16D 3) ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS CHECKLIST & ROUTING SLIP 1 8 D 3 TO ACCOMPANY ALL ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS SENT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE FOR SIGNATURE Print on pink paper. Attach to original document. The completed routing slip and original documents are to be forwarded to the County Attorney Office at the time the item is placed on the agenda. All completed routing slips and original documents must be received in the County Attorney Office no later than Monday preceding the Board meeting. **NEW** ROUTING SLIP Complete routing lines#1 through#2 as appropriate for additional signatures,dates,and/or information needed. If the document is already complete with the exception of the Chairman's signature,draw a line through routing lines#1 through#2,complete the checklist,and forward to the County Attomey Office. Route to Addressee(s) (List in routing order) Office Initials Date 1. Tracey Smith Community and Human TS 08/07/2025 Services 2. County Attorney Office County Attorney Office 3. BCC Office Board of County Commissioners 4. Minutes and Records Clerk of Court's Office 4/1/(/ ?cs . PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION Normally the primary contact is the person who created/prepared the Executive Summary. Primary contact information is needed in the event one of the addressees above,may need to contact staff for additional or missing information. Name of Primary Staff Tracey Smith,Grants Coordinator 252-1428 Contact/ Department Agenda Date Item was 08/12/2025 Agenda Item Number AiSeb Approved by the BCC I l 1,1 Type of Document HOME-ARP REVISED ALLOCATION PLAN Number of Original -2.-EOPIE6-0FFC,K Attached Documents Attached PO number or account number if document is to be recorded INSTRUCTIONS & CHECKLIST Initial the Yes column or mark"N/A"in the Not Applicable column,whichever is Yes N/A(Not appropriate. (Initial) Applicable) 1. Does the document require the chairman's original signature; (YES-STAMP IS FINE) 2. Does the document need to be sent to another agency for additional signatures? If yes, N/A provide the Contact Information(Name;Agency;Address;Phone)on an attached sheet. 3. Original document has been signed/initialed for legal sufficiency. (All documents to be Yes signed by the Chairman,with the exception of most letters,must be reviewed and signed by the Office of the County Attorney. 4. All handwritten strike-through and revisions have been initialed by the County Attorney's N/A Office and all other parties except the BCC Chairman and the Clerk to the Board 5. The Chairman's signature line date has been entered as the date of BCC approval of the document or the final negotiated contract date whichever is applicable. 6. "Sign here"tabs are placed on the appropriate pages indicating where the Chairman's Yes signature and initials are required. 7. In most cases(some contracts are an exception),the original document and this routing slip N/A should be provided to the County Attorney Office at the time the item is input into SIRE. Some documents are time sensitive and require forwarding to Tallahassee within a certain time frame or the BCC's actions are nullified. Be aware of your deadlines! 8. The document was approved by the BCC on above date and all changes made during the meeting have been incorporated in the attached document. The County Attorney's Office has reviewed the changes,if applicable. 9. Initials of attorney verifying that the attached document is the version approved by the BCC,all changes directed by the BCC have been made,and the document is ready for the Chairman's signature. t.r. r yovi C�d 'f"t�� U s D' 'l �sz- At t O Cad o✓t P)an biAl- o s 'h 0+ Obt,cArC Y1 c +1Ai1 J . r f CY- e— t cfi'A 16 © 3 Collier County , FL HOME-American Rescue Plan Allocation Plan 0)''' Collier County Community and Human Services Division 3339 East Tamiami Trail Health and Public Services Building H, Room 213 Naples, Florida 34112 Office: (239) 252-4228: Website: https://www.colliercountyfl.gov/government/public- services/divisions/community-and-human-services-division Revision #1: 08/13/2024 Revision #2: 08/12/2025 1 8 D 3 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Consultation 3 Public Participation 10 Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis 12 HOME-ARP Activities 20 HOME-ARP Production Housing Goals 22 Preferences 23 HOME-ARP Refinancing Guidelines 23 HOME-ARP Supporting Documentation 24 2 16 ® 3 HOME-ARP Allocation Plan Participating Jurisdiction: Collier County, Florida Date: 2/14/2023 Revised: 08/13/2024 Revised: 08/12/2025 Introduction In September 2021, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the allocation of $2,729,078 to Collier County, Florida for a new grant called the HOME Investment Partnerships Grant American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP). On April 30, 2025, Collier County was notified by HUD of a $4,105.00 increase in its HOME-ARP allocation, increasing the total award to $2,733,183.00. The purpose of HOME-ARP funds is to provide homelessness assistance and supportive services through several eligible activities. Eligible activities include acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter, tenant based rental assistance (TBRA), supportive services, HOME-ARP rental housing development through acquisition, rehabilitation or construction, administration and planning, and nonprofit operating and capacity building assistance. HOME-ARP funds must primarily assist people in HOME-ARP "qualifying populations" (QPs), which include: • Sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations •Those currently housed populations at risk of homelessness •Those fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or human trafficking • Other families requiring services or housing assistance or to prevent homelessness and those at greatest risk of housing instability or in unstable housing situations To receive funding, the County must develop a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan which describes the distribution of HOME-ARP funds and identifies any preferences for eligible activities. This Plan will be submitted and approved by HUD. The development of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan must also be informed through stakeholder consultation and public engagement. The following is the County's HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. Consultation Summarize the consultation process: Collier County's consultation process primarily consisted of the dissemination and feedback received via an online survey and one-on-one discussions. The online stakeholder survey was developed and disseminated in order to capture broad assessments of the community needs and areas for ARP allocation, as well as capturing stakeholders' direct observational insights and assessments of the unmet needs of QPs.The online survey was open from June 20, 2022 through August 15,2022.The survey included seven ARP program-specific questions and one open-ended 3 1 6 D 3 comment for community needs assessment.The survey received 14 respondents, including those representing homeless services providers, Fair Housing agencies, affordable housing developers, domestic violence advocacy groups, and others. The Continuum of Care (CoC) and three other homeless service providers were consulted with via direct interviews. List the organizations consulted, and summarize the feedback received from these entities. Agency/Org Type of Method of Consulted Agency/Org Consultation Feedback Hunger& CoC Lead Interview Rental housing development would be the best Homeless Coalition use of HOME-ARP funds.There is no affordable of Collier County rental inventory, and the County is not currently addressing the issue.There are several hotel properties that would be good options for conversion to rental housing. The County is also in need of low barrier shelter,specifically for chronically homeless and disabled individuals.St Matthews has a great program, but it does not meet the needs of this population.The County does not have a true low-barrier, Housing First emergency shelter. More accessible mental health services are needed.The County has a great mental health provider, but individuals experiencing homelessness do not have access to services.The county needs a walk-in mental health clinic.The Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program that currently exists with HOME funds does not provide assistance to homeless households quickly enough.The Section 8 waitlist currently is seven years long and the Housing Authority isn't expanding. Collier County Housing Survey The County has a lack of affordable housing and Housing Authority Authority high rental rates and needs to increase inventory of housing units for low-income populations.Acquisition and rehab are the best uses of HOME-ARP funds for rental housing development. David Lawrence Continuum of Survey The biggest gaps are low barrier homeless Centers for Care Staff/ shelters and affordable housing for all. We also Behavioral Health Member, need more outreach and prevention services, Homeless Service mental health and addiction services and Provider, supports,supportive transitional and permanent Organization housing apartments, group homes, housing for Serving People Veterans and seniors, etc. Collier needs more with Disabilities, supportive housing, meaning we need Veterans'Group, affordable housing stock increased WITH supportive services to assist those in the housing to be successful (in the way of case 4 16D 3 Behavioral management, mental health counseling, Health Service addiction counseling, etc.). Needs of those Provider struggling with mental health and addiction challenges who are homeless or at risk of homelessness has been further exacerbated by the psychological toll of the pandemic. Cost of rentals are not affordable, and many residents are leaving the area. Plans for these funds need to be coordinated with and alighted with the strategic goals of the local Continuum of Care and other workgroups/focus groups that have been working to address this issue. Collier County- Local Survey Shelters and housing inventory are not Bayshore/Gateway Government complete.There is a need to form a Triangle-Naples, Agency; Fair subcommittee to keep a better track of the FL Housing inventory as well as working with NABOR to provide accurate information with a software system to add or remove properties. Homeless prevention by education and programs to assist with self-sufficiency classes and monthly budgeting classes being offered with some sort of computer training for work Is needed.Without the assistance to teach how to look for jobs and be self-reliant people do not know how to be motivated to search and do the work. Ensuring the population in need,work for the services will bring up their confidence, making them self-accountable and reliable. Providing them with the tools to be self- sufficient through education will help get them the help they need. St Matthews Homeless Service Interview Collier County has been experiencing an House Provider affordable housing crisis since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Rents have been increasing and new rental developments are not affordable to the qualifying populations.A growing subset of the homeless population is persons with disabilities and seniors. Often [Assisted Living Facility] ALF beds are not available for these individuals,and they are not the right fit for the shelter programs. Housing specifically for persons with mental health disorders is also a high need. Affordable rental housing development would be the best use of funds for the County. Conversion of nonresidential building to housing seems like it would be the most efficient, but there is a lack of buildings to convert.The areas where affordable housing development has 5 16D 3 been discussed in the past are not close to supportive services and transportation would become an issue. Immokalee Fair Low-income Survey The County needs to provide grants and loans Housing Alliance, Affordable for development of low-income rental housing Inc Housing for families with children born in US even if their parents are not citizens or legal residents. Affordable housing is the missing link to help low-income families escape from exploitation and poverty. 20th Judicial Legal;Civil Rights Survey We need A LOT of affordable and safe rental Circuit units.There are a lot of jobs and opportunities here, but they don't pay enough for people to take those jobs and live locally. I think we should convert commercial property to higher density housing and/or mixed use,so that affordable units could be closer to the jobs and public transportation hubs. We need to utilize some of the struggling strip-mall locations to revitalize them as mixed use, affordable housing, which could include non-congregate shelter housing. It has pained me to see rental assistance come through, only to have landlords evict or non- renew a month or two later. I'm grateful for funds that buy the tenant a bit of time, but it's ultimately wasted money, as there is no return on investment beyond that immediate month. The tenant will still be displaced and has no longer-term solution for having enjoyed the benefit of that rental assistance.We have to use band-aids to stop bleeding, but it's frustrating that there's no lasting benefit from that aid. Nothing is improved by it. Home Base Florida Veteran's Group Survey Non-profits often provide agility,flexibility and Veteran and subject matter expertise to respond to issues Family Care like these in ways government often can't. Increasing support through public-private partnerships with reporting requirements and grant applications that aren't administratively burdensome are the key to making impactful, long-term impacts within our community. believe that organizations like Wounded Warriors of Collier County, St Matthews and David Lawrence deserve the lion's share of the HOME-ARP funds as they are the community leaders making the difference in the lives of 6 �p individuals every day.Their ability to address homelessness is largely driven by financial resources or lack of. Government housing is something no government in the world. Subjective Units of Distress Scale(SUDs) and Mental Health go hand in hand with homelessness. Improving access to quality behavioral health should be integral to addressing homelessness. Community Homeless Service Interview Rental housing development is the largest need. Assisted& Provider, Affordable housing stock is the main problem. Supported Living Organization Our new developments are filled with 100 Serving People households in less than 50 days and quickly with Disabilities reach a 2-4 year waiting list. Non-congregate shelter is needed, but shelter is only temporary and finding permanent affordable housing is still an issue.TBRA is not beneficial because tenants are having issues finding units to rent. Supportive services such as mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and medical services are also needed, but these services cannot be successful if the person does not have stable housing. Permanent supportive housing and the housing first model are successful. New construction of housing is a better use of funds as opposed to rehab, because it is more sustainable, and the building will last longer. Deals are more difficult now than ever due to rising costs. HOME-ARP should be leveraged with other funding sources,such as SHIP. Collier County Mental Health Survey The biggest gap is inadequate amount of Sheriff's Office and Substance affordable (less than $2000/month) rental Use houses and apartments. Rental properties that will accept vouchers,etc.for housing are nearly nonexistent.The county needs to support the construction of affordable housing through policy development, and push builders to comply.Collier's supportive services don't have an adequate inventory of affordable housing opportunities to refer clients to. Collier needs more non-congregate housing particularly for Veterans. Habitat for Fair Housing Survey Inventory of affordable homes for purchase Humanity of Organization (primary method of stabilizing workforce),and Collier County inventory of affordable rental units(with long 7 1 6 D 3 term affordability periods).Affordable rental housing development is the most significant area of need. HOME funds should be deployed to purchase land and assist in construction costs to ensure affordability in this high-cost market. ABLE Academy Organization Survey The cost of housing, medical services, and Serving People therapy services keep rising in our area.Wages with Disabilities for many of the families we serve do not. Our families are in a really hard spot. Especially coming off of COVID,where many families lost income. Collier County Misdemeanor Survey I see a lack of affordable housing for workers. In Probation Supervision an attempt to elevate our community's status, we have ignored housing needs of our vital service workforce, much to our detriment. Acquisition/construction/rehab of affordable properties will enhance community while reducing traffic of would-be commuters. Collier County Victims of Child Survey There's not enough shelter or affordable Child Advocacy Abuse, Sexual housing inventory. Need to develop more Council, Inc. Abuse affordable housing,and rental units.Also need more case management, specific to helping individuals obtaining housing, help with budgeting,and childcare. The Shelter for Domestic Survey Emergency Shelter for survivors is addressed in Abused Women& Violence Service this community by The Shelter. Funding for Children Provider/ additional transitional housing units and funding Homeless Service to maintain those units are needed. Permanent Provider housing units are needed for survivors when they exit emergency shelter or graduate from The Shelter's Transitional Housing Program. Funds are needed for the staff that address the immediate needs of survivors via emergency shelters.These staff members could help survivors attain housing.Additionally,funding to help support the operations of The Shelter's safe havens would be a useful way to address the needs of survivors in Collier County. More affordable rental housing units are needed, and these units need to be designated for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. Funding could be used for acquiring units. County Emergency Disaster-All- Survey Unmet need:Absence of sufficient homeless Management j hazards concerns day-shelter resources for health, hygiene, counseling and severe weather refuge. High priority should be given to homeless families or 8 1 6 D 3 those with fragile health conditions. Look at the "tiny-house" as a possible resource where these micro-home parks-have been successfully operated. Wounded Warriors Veterans'Group Survey Gaps: 1. Low Demand housing Homeless that of Collier County, /Homeless St Matthews will not house. Inc Service Provider 2. Funds available for immediate emergency housing 3. No HUD/VASH vouchers in Collier County 4. Lack of priority by Collier County to provide housing for homeless. Temporary shelters. TBRA: Make funding available to agencies& charities who have direct contact with the individual. Use agencies in Collier County- not Lee and SWFL organizations. For affordable housing, rehabilitation &acquisition -building takes too long. Cut the red tape with zoning and permitting. Waive fees and processing time. Many seniors are not equipped and experience to use PC and the Internet for information and filling out applications. Many are in need for wrap around services. Housing is just the 1st step. 90%of homeless have some level of mental health issues. Some don't won't housing but need services that can be provided by low demand housing, i.e., one or two nights. Youth Haven Homeless Service Interview Youth Haven has a teen transitional housing Provider program, Rob's Cottage,for youth aged 16-20. There is a lack of affordable housing for youth to transition to when they age out of the program. It can take six months for them to find housing. Many youth are in need of rental assistance as they transition, but they do not qualify for many of the federal rental assistance programs. The need for mental health services is growing, especially with youth. Families can not find access to timely mental health care.There are many job openings in the city, but people can not afford to live in the communities where they work.Geographically accessible affordable housing is needed.The HOME-ARP allocation is not a lot of money to work with, but all eligible activities are needed.As long as the funding is spent quickly, any use will benefit the County. 9 1 6 D 3 Public Participation Describe the public participation process, including information about and the dates of the public comment period and public hearing(s)held during the development of the plan: • Notice of 15t public hearing published in Naples Daily News on 07/21/2022 • Public hearing:8/8/2022 • Notice of public hearing published in Naples Daily News on 01/26/2023 • Public comment period:start date 1/26/2023 end date 02/10/2023 • Public hearing:2/9/2023 • Notice to revise Allocation Plan due to scrivener's error in the number of HOME-ARP assisted units published in Naples Daily News on 05/13/2024. • Public hearing: 06/04/2024 • Public comment period:start date 05/14/2024 end date 06/14/2024 Public Participation —Substantial Amendment A substantial amendment is required because the original subrecipient of HOME-ARP funds notified the County that their proposed activity no longer meets the eligibility criteria for the qualifying populations. As a result, the County must reprogram the HOME-ARP funds. The County has received an additional allocation of$4,105.00 from HUD,further supporting the need for this amendment. • Notice of public hearing published in the Naples Daily News on 06/04/2025 • Public hearing: 06/19/2025 • Public comment period:start date 06/06/2025 end date 07/06/2025 Describe any efforts to broaden public participation: The 2023 Substantial Amendment to the PY2021 Action Plan recognizing new HOME-ARP funding was publicly noticed for a 30-day public comment period in accordance with the Collier County's Citizen Participation Plan and with HUD regulations.The HOME-ARP Substantial Amendment was advertised in the Naples Daily News on July 21, 2022 and January 26, 2023. The public comment period ran from January 26, 2023 through February 10, 2023. An initial public hearing was held on August 8, 2022 during the planning phase of the Allocation Plan. A second public hearing was held on February 9, 2023 at 9 AM to review the draft Substantial Amendment to the 2021 Annual Action Plan. One public comment was received during the advertising period. Copies of public comments are included in this plan. In addition to the public notice and public comment period, Collier County requested key stakeholders in the community to participate in the online survey and/or direct interviews. Key stakeholders included representatives of social service organizations, homeless services providers, neighborhood associations, the CoC, the Housing Authority and other nonprofit organizations. Collier County also posted the public notice and draft HOME-ARP Allocation Plan to the County's website and published a notice of public hearing in the Naples Daily News. 10 1 6 D 3 The 2025 Substantial Amendment to the PY2021 Action Plan recognizing the additional allocation of HOME-ARP funding and reprogramming to eligible activities was publicly noticed for a 30-day public comment period in accordance with the Collier County's Citizen Participation Plan and HUD regulations. The HOME-ARP Substantial Amendment was advertised in the Naples Daily News on June 4, 2025.The public comment period ran from June 6, 2025 through July 6, 2025. A public hearing was held.on June 19, 2025, during the substantial amendment phase. A second public hearing was held on July 8, 2025 at 9 AM to review the draft Substantial Amendment to the 2021 Annual Action Plan and additional allocation. No comments were received during the advertising period. Summarize the comments & recommendations received through the public participation process: With the original submission of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan, Collier County received one written submission containing three comments during the public comment period for the amendment of the Action Plan to receive HOME-ARP. No public comments were made during the public hearing. The submitted written comments recommended imposing a residency requirement of two years in order to receive assistance from the HOME-ARP program, working through private developers for the construction or management of housing, and segmentation and targeting of the homeless population. Summarize any comments or recommendations not accepted and state the reasons why: The HOME-ARP funding is intended to support the provision of affordable housing for qualified populations which already meet significant impediments to housing. Imposing additional restrictions will increase barriers to housing and the County will not explore such residency requirements. The County acknowledges that individuals experiencing Homelessness have different needs both from a housing and support service perspective. However, while some activities, such as job training, may be eligible under McKinney- Vento, the support of the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing has consistently been identified as a priority need in Collier County. 11 1 6 D 3 Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis Describe the size and demographic composition of qualifying populations within the PJ's boundaries: Homeless as defined in 24 CFR 91.5 The CoC releases an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count that includes valuable data for addressing the needs of residents who are experiencing homelessness.The 2020 Naples/Collier County CoC PIT count data was used to capture the most recent and relevant homeless population data due to alterations in methodology during the 2021 count to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2020 PIT count, White/ Caucasian residents are the largest demographic of people experiencing homelessness. Just over 78% of people experiencing homelessness are White/Caucasian, 14%are Black or African American, and the remainder are American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, or multi-racial. 30% percent of overall homeless are Hispanic/ Latino. 62% of homeless individuals identify as Male. 78% are over the age of 24 and 21% being under the age of 18, mostly in households with other adults. About 13% were reported as chronically homeless. 127 individuals reported having a mental illness, 155 reported having a substance use disorder, 27 are veterans, 10 are unaccompanied youth, and 95 are victims of domestic violence. [Notice CPD-21-10: Requirements for the Use of Funds in the HOME-American Rescue Plan Program- Veterans and Families that include a Veteran Family Member that meet the criteria for one of the qualifying populations are eligible to receive HOME-ARP assistance] Homeless Needs Inventory and Gap Analysis Table Homeless Current Inventory Homeless Population Gap Analysis Family Adults Only Vets Family Adult Family Adults Only HH (at HH Vets Victims #of #of #of #of #of #of #of #of #of least 1 (w/o of DV Beds Units Beds Units Beds child) child) Beds Units Beds Units Emergency 92 28 140 140 0 Shelter Transitional 54 20 144 144 6 Housing Sheltered 52 270 2 76 Homeless Unsheltered 7 142 25 19 Homeless Current Gap +87 -11 -131 -131 Data Sources: 1. Point in Time Count(PIT); 2. Continuum of Care Housing Inventory Count(HIC);3. Consultation 12 11 6 D 3 Populations At-risk of Homelessness as defined in 24 CFR 91.5 HUD defines those at risk of homelessness as individuals and families who have an income at or below 30% of the area median income (AMI), do not have sufficient resources or support networks to prevent them from becoming homeless, or live with instability. Using HUD's 2014- 2018 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data, the county has 12,075 households with incomes at or below 30% AMI, (over 8% of all County households). Forty-eight percent of these households are renter households. Households at-risk of homelessness include an estimated 21,785 households who are extremely cost burdened, paying over 50% of their income toward housing and 23,315 who are cost burdened (above 30%, less than 50%). An estimated 15,380 LMI (<=80% AMI) renters are cost burdened at the 30% mark, approximately 11% of total households in the County. The County's demographic makeup is primarily 84.5% White/ Caucasian and 28% Hispanic or Latino (American Community Survey (ACS) 2016-2020). According to ACS data 20,184 renters in the County were cost burdened between 2016-2020. Of those renters, 27.7%were over the age of 65. Additionally, according to ACS data, 27.67% (5,585 households) of cost burdened renters earned less than $20,000 between 2016-2020, while only approximately 2,366 rental units offer a gross rent price within the needed range to prevent being cost burden. In other words, there is a lack of about 3,219 affordable rental units for households making under$20,000 a year. Fleeing, or Attempting to Flee, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence,Sexual Assault, Stalking,or Human Trafficking, as defined by HUD in the Notice According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence 37.9% of women and 29.3% of men in Florida experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes. Statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement document that there was a total of 1,686 domestic violence offenses with 668 arrests in Collier County during 2019.There is no data available regarding size and demographics of victims of human trafficking.The State of Florida reported 738 human trafficking cases in 2020. Other populations requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness and other populations at greatest risk of housing instability, as defined by HUD in the Notice There is a large overlap between those at-risk of homelessness (above data) and households in need of assistance to prevent homelessness or at greatest risk of housing instability. Lack of affordability is the primary issue highlighted in data and consultation. Of the extremely cost burdened, 4,160 are renting households who are also in the extremely low-income range (<=30%) and are considered at greatest risk of housing instability. While there is insufficient data sources that match the exact definition of QP #4, we can glean general demographics and need from looking at the County's poverty levels. Poverty is often a direct correlation as it relates to households requiring housing assistance to prevent homelessness or to those being at-risk of housing instability. According to ACS, there are 41,222 (11% of County) residents below the poverty level, of which 26% are under 18 years old and 48.8% of those in poverty are above the age of 60. Of those living under the poverty level, an estimated 32,823 are White, 3,701 are Black or African American, 231 are Asian, 19,059 are 13 60 3 Latino, and 2,438 are mixed race. There are more females (21,459) under the poverty level than males (19,763). 14 1 6 D 3 Describe the unmet housing and service needs of qualifying populations: Homeless as defined in 24 CFR 91.5 The primary unmet need is the availability of units for residents experiencing homelessness. In particular, there is a need for approximately 130 beds for people who do not have children. Further,there is a shortage of homeless shelter units for families. During our consultation, many respondents highlighted the need for additional affordable housing within the County. As well as the need for supportive services. Stakeholders highlighted the following unmet service needs for the homeless population: case management, housing counseling, mental health services, supportive housing, and additional outreach services. It was also noted that there is an absence of sufficient homeless day-shelter resources for health, hygiene, counseling and severe weather refuge. Of note, many of the stakeholders highlighted a growing senior and disabled homeless population and no shelter that meets their needs,access to mental health services is a huge issue. Populations At-risk of Homelessness as defined in 24 CFR 91.5 The unmet needs for the populations at risk of homelessness include sufficient stock of available, affordable rental units and resources for rental or utility deposit assistance. Ultimately, there is a lack of inventory of affordable homes for purchase (primary method of stabilizing workforce), inventory of affordable rental units (with long term affordability periods). More development of affordable rental housing units would help ease the financial burden faced by many. More affordable, supportive transitional and permanent housing apartments, group homes, housing for Veterans and seniors, etc. would benefit the County. Housing counseling, mental health services, and legal aid/ landlord mediation for eviction proceedings were highlighted during our consultation as service needs for the at-risk of homelessness and greatest risk of housing insecurity. Further, ACS estimates 54% of the County's renters are costs burdened (paying over 30% of income to housing costs).This amounts to a little over 20,637 households who are cost burdened. Lack of affordable housing inventory and a persistent affordability gap challenge both populations recovering from homelessness and those households at risk of homelessness or housing instability. Those at-risk of homeless or housing instability often need short-term subsidies such as mortgage/rent assistance to avoid foreclosure or eviction, as well as utility assistance to avoid shutoff or security deposits to allow new rental contracts. Supportive services such as housing or financial counseling, landlord mediation for eviction proceedings will also benefit these groups. Fleeing, or Attempting to Flee, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence,Sexual Assault,Stalking,or Human Trafficking, as defined by HUD in the Notice According to the 2022 Domestic Violence Counts Report for Florida conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence victims of domestic violence made 31 requests for shelter, housing,and other supportive services that providers could not provide.With approximately 90% of these unmet requests being for housing and emergency shelter. There is one organization in Collier County that provides emergency shelter and supportive services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking, there are not enough beds available to meet the 15 , 6D 3 needs of victims in the area. Funding for additional transitional housing units and funding to maintain those units are needed. Permanent housing units are needed for survivors when they exit emergency shelter or graduate from The Shelter's Transitional Housing Program. Other populations requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness and other populations at greatest risk of housing instability, as defined by HUD in the Notice The unmet needs for the populations needing assistance to prevent homelessness or at risk of greater housing instability mirror those from above, including rental payment assistance or utility deposit assistance and development of affordable rental housing units. Housing counseling, mental health services, and homeless prevention were highlighted during our consultation as service needs for those at greatest risk of housing insecurity. Healthcare assistance greatly benefits those at-risk of housing instability who are also disabled or elderly. Identify and consider the current resources available to assist qualifying populations, including congregate and non-congregate shelter units, supportive services, TBRA, and affordable and permanent supportive rental housing: There are multiple organizations providing services in Collier County,such as homeless assistance providers, victim service providers, nonprofit organizations, public housing agencies, mental health agencies and government-based organizations. Many social service agencies in Collier County provide benefits to homeless individuals and families to address homelessness. These organizations provide many services to their clientele, including but not limited to counseling, case management, life skills training, financial literacy classes, and victim advocacy, all of which help residents to develop the skills and knowledge to transition into permanent housing or independent living and to maintain steady employment.The goal of providing supportive services is self-sufficiency. The Collier County Housing Authority(CCHA) has been committed to providing safe, decent,and affordable housing to low-income residents in Collier County since 1966. The CCHA administers a number of programs, such as the Farm Worker Housing,the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, to promote self-sufficiency and economic opportunity for local residents. These programs are income based and the eligibility requirements are set by HUD. The CCHA owns and manages four public housing developments: 276 units of low-income housing in Farm Worker Village, 315 units of farm labor housing also in Farm Worker Village, 30 units of farm labor housing known as Collier Village, and a 192-bed dormitory known as Horizon Village. In addition, CCHA serves an over 3,100 persons through the administration of the Section 8 rental assistance program and Family Self Sufficiency Program to provide support services to low, elderly, disabled, and homeless persons living in Collier County. Collier County partners with the Hunger& Homeless Coalition of Collier County to address the needs individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.The Hunger & Homeless Coalition of Collier County is a working group whose mission is to "support the planning, delivery and coordination of high-quality services to the hungry, homeless, and those at risk of homelessness in our community." The group also works to provide programs and 16 1 6 D 3 services related to housing, mental and physical health, nutrition, clothing, and education. According to the 2021 Housing Inventory Count,the Coalition has 91 Rapid Re-Housing beds. The Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Naples is the only domestic violence center in Naples. Additionally, the organization is Collier County's official service provider for human trafficking victims, as ratified by Collier County Commissioners and Collier County Sheriff's Office in 2016. Its services include emergency shelter (where stays average 29 days) and a transitional housing program (where residents can live for up to 2 years). The organization currently has two emergency shelters. The Beau Venturi Home, located in Naples, is a 60-bed emergency shelter serving victims of domestic violence.The Shelley Stayer Shelter,also a 60-bed emergency shelter, was built in 2020 in Immokalee to serve victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.Other services include a confidential hotline, safety planning, counseling and support groups in English and Spanish,court advocacy and assistance with daily needs such as food, clothing,toiletries,and household items. St. Matthew's House operates several facilities in Collier County, including emergency and transitional housing in Naples, an emergency shelter in Immokalee (Immokalee Friendship House), and transitional supportive apartments for persons with substance abuse or mental health needs. Other services include a food pantry, thrift store, counseling and case management, and access to referrals for medical, mental health, and substance abuse needs through partnerships with other organizations in Collier County. Youth Haven is a 24-hour residential shelter for children removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In addition to a 23-bed emergency shelter, Youth Haven offers a child and family counseling center, in-home parenting classes, case management, and a teen drop-in center with showers, laundry facilities, and meals. Typical length of stays range from 45 to 60 days until children are placed in foster care or with a relative. Providence House provides a faith-based, transitional housing and self-sufficiency program for motivated women with young children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. These women lack the long-term support necessary to acquire the assets foundational to reestablishing their families.The two-year accountability program not only encourages the development of self- efficacy, but it also provides women and their children with resources that they need to become independent. Providence House also offers case management, life skills training, and counseling referrals. Wounded Warriors assists with the needs of Veterans and their families, with the focus on education, housing, and mental health. Wounded Warriors of Collier County is dedicated to ending Veteran homelessness in Collier County by employing various housing models. Its Alpha House is a transitional living facility for Veterans struggling with mental health and/or substance abuse issues.Additionally, it operates the Bravo House, a long-term supportive housing program. It is a three-bedroom home serving Veterans with fixed incomes. 17 i 6 D 3 The Jewish Family & Children Services (JFCS) provides services to Veterans and their families through a client-centric approach. JFCS provides care for Veterans to maintain self-sufficiency and facilitates solutions to living a healthy lifestyle with a support system.Through the Operation Military Assistance Program (OMAP), Veterans are able to gain the assistance needed to obtain or maintain permanent housing, removing the barriers to living a stable, comfortable, and more satisfying life.According to the 2021 Housing Inventory Count,JFCS has 19 SSVF Rapid Re-Housing beds dedicated to Veteran families. Collier County will continue to increase its efforts to implement anti-poverty strategies for the citizens of Collier. The County will strive to increase its efforts in assisting homeowners and renters with housing rehabilitation and renovation of affordable housing to decrease the financial burden on low-to-moderate-income persons. Collier County will actively work to address the need for more decent and affordable housing by continuing to prioritize the investment of funds into all its housing programs. In the interest of preserving affordable housing, the County will continue to support the use of HOME program funds for activities such as: down- payment assistance, land acquisition, TBRA, and single/multifamily acquisitions and rehabilitation. Additionally, the County will continue to utilize CDBG program funds to rehabilitate owner-occupied homes. Identify any gaps within the current shelter and housing inventory as well as the service delivery system: As noted above, the primary gap in the shelter and housing inventory is the availability of beds for households without children.There are only approximately 314 beds available and nearly 412 residents who occupy or need a bed. Additionally, on the 2021 Housing Inventory Chart, there are 64 permanent supportive housing beds for households without children and 0 permanent supportive housing beds for families with children. The availability of housing units does not meet the needs of the qualifying population. There is a need for quality affordable housing units of multiple sizes in neighborhoods throughout the County.The renter vacancy rate in 2019 was 7.14%with those rates estimated to be much lower since the pandemic. Low-income renters are at the greatest risk of being unable to find affordable units, particularly extremely low-income households. There is also a gap in emergency shelter and permanent housing assistance for individuals and families that are fleeing domestic violence. The County has emergency shelter beds that remain fully occupied with no permanent housing beds (permanent supportive housing, other permanent housing, rapid rehousing) dedicated to the population. Identify the characteristics of housing associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness if the PJ will include such conditions in its definition of "other populations" as established in the HOME-ARP Notice: Collier County recognizes the definition of Other Populations set forth by HUD in the CPD Notice (Families Requiring Services or Housing Assistance to Prevent Homelessness or At Greatest Risk of Housing Instability). The criteria related to these categories include households/persons who 18 16p 3 are(1) extremely low-income with a severe cost burden, or households with (2)an annual income that is less than or equal to 50%of the area median income meet one of the following conditions from paragraph (iii) of the "At risk of homelessness" definition established at 24 CFR 91.5. Ne further characteristics of housing instability have been defined in the County's Consolidated Plan; thus the County will use the criteria listed in first six conditions listed in the "At risk of homelessness" definition established at 21 CFR 91.5. Collier County outlines particular housing characteristics that have been linked with instability and risks of homelessness in the 2021-2025 Consolidated Plan.The County's TBRA program will follow the definitions and conditions outlined in 24 CFR 91.5. Identify priority needs for qualifying populations: The analysis above and consultation with key stakeholders have identified the following priority needs: 1. Development of Affordable Rental Housing including rental rehabilitation 2. Homelessness prevention services, including rental assistance, security& utility deposits 3. Supportive Services (McKinney-Vento Supportive Services, Housing Counseling Services) Explain how the level of need and gaps in its shelter and housing inventory and service delivery systems based on the data presented in the plan were determined: To determine the level of need and gaps Collier County looked at both qualitative and quantitative measures. Data from the US Census, Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), 2020 CoC Point in Time Count, and 2020 Housing Inventory Count were used in partnership with feedback and on-the-ground insights from key stakeholders in the area. The takeaways from data analysis and stakeholder input were incorporated into the needs assessment. 19 1 6 D 3 HOME-ARP Activities Describe the method for soliciting applications for funding and/or selecting developers,service providers, subrecipients and/or contractors and whether the PJ will administer eligible activities directly: The County expects to administer programs directly. Once the County has received the full HOME-ARP grant award from HUD, the County will conduct a Request for Proposals for a specified period of time to make it a more competitive process in awarding these funds. During that time any organization, developer, subrecipient, or Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) is eligible to apply. At the close of the application period, all applications received will be reviewed for completeness, eligibility, and their ability to deliver on the priority needs identified within this plan. Each applicant will also be reviewed for their ability to carry out the project meeting all eligibility criteria. Award(s)will be made based on the applicant's project scope as it pertains to the outlined priority needs in this plan as well as the applicant's familiarity with utilizing federal funding and ability to comply with all federal and local requirements. If any portion of the PJ's HOME-ARP administrative funds were provided to a subrecipient or contractor prior to HUD's acceptance of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan because the subrecipient or contractor is responsible for the administration of the PJ's entire HOME-ARP grant, identify the subrecipient or contractor and describe its role and responsibilities in administering all of the PJ's HOME-ARP program: The County will administer the program.The County has not yet expended any of the HOME-ARP administrative funds to a subrecipient or contractor to administer the HOME-ARP program. Use of HOME-ARP Funding (Substantial Amendment) Funding Amount Percent of the Statutory Grant Limit Supportive Services $0 Acquisition and Development of Non- Congregate Shelters $0 : Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) $288,001.30 � Development of Affordable Rental Housing $2,035,820.00 Non-Profit Operating $0 0% 5% Non-Profit Capacity Building $0 0% 5% Administration and Planning $409,361.70 15% 15% Total HOME-ARP Allocation $2,733,183.00 Additional narrative, if applicable: Development/Rehabilitation of Affordable Rental Housing and Tenant Based Rental Assistance Collier County will allocate $2,319,717 $2,035,820.00 (74%) to support the development and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for individuals and families who meet one or more of the qualifying populations. An additional $288,001.30 (11%) will be allocated for a Tenant Based Rental Assistance program to aid eligible households with housing and housing-related costs such 20 1 6 D 3 as rental assistance, security deposits and utility deposits. Collier County will retain $409,361.70 for administration of these projects.The County will seek to maximize use of funds by leveraging with other sources of funding as available. Please see further information on page 2022 in the Housing Goals section. In the event any of the HOME-ARP activities identified in the project or activity list does not perform or results in the return of grant funds, or in the event that additional funds become available, the County reserves the right to reprogram these funds for use in the Tenant Based Rental Assistance program. Administration Fifteen percent of the allocation is set aside for costs of overall HOME-ARP program management, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation. Expenditures may include salaries, wages, and related costs of the county's staff and/or administrative services performed under third party contracts or agreements. Describe how the characteristics of the shelter and housing inventory, service delivery system, and the needs identified in the gap analysis provided a rationale for the plan to fund eligible activities: After reviewing the gap analysis for shelter and affordable housing availability, as well as analyzing local capacity and other sources of funding as it relates to community needs, the County identified eligible activities that will assist individuals and families of the most vulnerable qualified populations. The gap analysis shows that there is a need to increase the supply of affordable housing as a means to increase availability of permanent supportive housing and provide opportunities for LMI households who are at-risk of homelessness or housing instability. Developing affordable rental housing was highlighted by stakeholders as the top priority and these efforts work as a more permanent solution to assist the QPs. A tenant based rental assistance program helps very low and low-income households by reducing their housing cost burden and provides support for those households experiencing housing instability. determined the one time HOME ARP allocation was best used as a long term capital investment, hence, the 4 lk ,f f ., J ., . going toward de el p •, ,ff, J ble rental sousing. Furtherme Supportive Services and TBRA programs can be more difficult to run,given the relative size of the grant and available operating or administration dollars to support potential subrecipients. Substantial Amendment After identifying the need to consider new applicants in the PY 2025-2026 application cycle, to reprogram HOME-ARP funds, Collier County revisited the needs expressed in the organizational survey feedback from the planning phase of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. It was confirmed that the demand for both affordable rental housing development/rehabilitation and Tenant Based Rental Assistance remained a community need in Collier County. Subrecipients were selected to carry out affordable rental housing development/rehabilitation activities at scattered sites and Community and Human Services (CHS) will administer the Tenant Based Rental 21 1 6 D 3 Assistance (TBRA) program as no applicants came forward to administer this program. HOME-ARP Production Housing Goals Estimate the number of affordable rental housing units for qualifying populations that the PJ will produce or support with its HOME-ARP allocation: Collier County is in the process of planning an affordable housing project that will produce an estimated 250 total units. The County estimates 10 of these units will be new affordable rental units that will be new affordable rental units that will be produced using HOME ARP funds. The County will allocate HOME-ARP funds towards the development/rehabilitation of affordable rental housing as well as Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA). The funds will aid in the rehabilitation of an estimated 26 units of affordable rental housing for qualifying populations and provide TBRA for an estimated 11 households for up to 24-months. Describe the specific affordable rental housing production goal that the PJ hopes to achieve and describe how it will address the PJ's priority needs: The primary goal will be to help address the lack of affordable housing in the county and to assist as many QP households as possible with the rehabilitation of affordable rental housing and tenant based rental assistance.and supportive services. By adding rehabilitating affordable rental units,to the housing stock, Collier County aims for the HOME-ARP allocation to offer a long-term solution that contributes to the overall goal of reducing homelessness and housing instability for the most vulnerable populations. 22 16D 3 Preferences Identify whether the PJ intends to give preference to one or more qualifying populations or a subpopulation within one or more qualifying populations for any eligible activity or project: • Preferences cannot violate any applicable fair housing, civil rights, and nondiscrimination requirements, including but not limited to those requirements listed in 24 CFR 5.105(a). • PJs are not required to describe specific projects to which the preferences will apply. o Collier County will not apply preferences in the Tenant Based Rental Assistance program due to the demonstrated need. Complete applications will be processed in order of receipt. o Collier County will give preference to populations such as homeless individuals and families, elderly, individuals with special needs or persons with disabilities like chronic mental illness for the affordable rental rehabilitation projects. If a preference was identified, explain how the use of a preference or method of prioritization will address the unmet need or gap in benefits and services received by individuals and families in the qualifying population or subpopulation of qualifying populations, consistent with the PJ's needs assessment and gap analysis: A preference permits an eligible QP applicant to be selected for assistance before another eligible qualifying applicant. A method of prioritization is the process used to determine how two or more eligible QP applicants qualifying for preferences are selected for HOME-ARP assistance. It should be noted that all of the qualifying populations described in HUD's HOME-ARP guidance will be eligible to be served in one or more of the County's HOME-ARP funded activities; preferences do not limit eligibility but only indicate how applicants will be prioritized. Applications from any person meeting any of the qualifying population definitions will be reviewed for eligibility. Eligible applicants meeting one or more of the preference conditions listed above will receive priority placement to include any waiting lists established. The County established the above preferences in HOME-ARP Rental Housing to ensure the funding requirements of the HOME-ARP program are met. The County consulted with stakeholders and made available for public participation. Stakeholders addressed the County's unmet needs to include vulnerable populations like homeless, elderly, persons with disabilities and mental illness. Therefore, the above preferences have been established to meet the County's housing needs and priorities and assist individuals and families with housing instability. HOME-ARP Refinancing Guidelines The County does not intend to use HOME-ARP funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily rental housing. 23