Department: County Administration
Department Head/Elected Official: Diana Ramirez, County Administrator
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Award
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Coalition for the Homeless
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of a Data Use and Security Agreement with the Coalition for the Homeless for access to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to aid with research understanding the needs of High-Utilizers of Harris County services for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness.
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Background and Discussion:
2020 Cost Estimate of Harris County Services for an Individual Experiencing Homelessness
• In December 2021, the Commissioners Court’s Analyst’s Office (the “Analyst’s Office”) commenced an update to the memo, Cost Estimate of Harris County Services for an Individual Experiencing Homelessness, which published in August 2020.
• The 2020 memo was produced in response to a request from the County Judge’s Office, that the Analyst’s Office “conduct the necessary research and analysis to calculate and report the average cost estimate of Harris County services provided to an individual experiencing homelessness.” The Analyst’s Office’s 2020 memo was transmitted via the August 25, 2020 Commissioners Court agenda, appended to the final report from the Harris County Homeless Task Force.
• The Analyst’s Office has an original data sharing agreement with the Coalition for the Homeless, approved by Commissioners Court in March 2020, to facilitate access to HMIS data for the 2020 memo. The new contract, presented for approval, includes the following changes from the 2020 contract: update to the local custodian for the data, update to the time period for the data sought, update to the departments included as partners in this project.
2022 Updated Cost Estimate of Harris County Services for an Individual Experiencing Homelessness, FY2019 - FY2021
• Following two years of program and policy changes in Harris County, the 2022 memo serves to update that August 2020 estimate and offer a multiyear comparison.
• The 2022 Point-in-Time Count for Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties shows the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the region decreased by 62% over the past 12 years, from 8,471 individuals in 2011 to 3,223 individuals in 2022.
• Key findings for this analysis include:
o In FY2021, the maximum utilization cost to Harris County for an individual 18 years and over experiencing homelessness is $126,132, a 26.6% increase from FY2020 ($99,611). The maximum utilization cost assumes a singular individual accesses, or is impacted by, all services that may reach an individual experiencing homelessness, in a given fiscal year. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the addition of new services, and new available funding explain, in part, the increase in the maximum utilization cost.
o In FY2021, the maximum utilization cost to Harris County for an individual under 18 years experiencing homelessness is $116,205 in FY2021, a 41.6% ($82,816) decrease from FY2020 ($199,021). The number of individuals under 18 years experiencing homelessness and receiving County services is small, and the change of one participant can yield a considerable shift in expenditures.
2024/2025 Homelessness Report
The Research and Analysis Division (RAD) is revisiting the homelessness project by revising the research question and methodology for feasibility, accuracy, and utility to develop an analysis that can better serve the needs of the county.
• Recognizing that the initial request to assess costs of homelessness services was made in the context of a proposed development of a new navigation center in Harris County, RAD believes a more valuable approach would be an evaluation of specific programs and alternatives (such as housing alternatives, mental health programs, etc.), to inform future investment in services to the most vulnerable population. RAD is also considering a more targeted evaluation focusing on one sub-set of the homeless population (for example, homeless veterans), depending on data availability.
Expected Impact:
The data sharing agreement with the Coalition for the Homeless for access to the HMIS data is integral to defining the population in need and completing the assessment. Access to the HMIS data system could also help with future vulnerability studies assigned to RAD.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Alignment with Goal(s):
_ Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
X Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
X Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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3/10/2020 |
6 |
Initial Contract Awarded for HMIS data needed to complete the Cost Estimate of Harris County Services for an Individual Experiencing Homelessness |
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2/8/2022 |
123 |
New Contract Awarded for HMIS data needed to complete the Updated Cost Estimate of Harris County Services for an Individual Experiencing Homelessness, FY2019 - FY2021 |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Anticipated Court Date: October 8, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): N/A
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, and department: Pernilla Johansson, Director, Research and Analysis Department, Office of County Administration
Attachments (if applicable): 2024 DSA Harris County Homelessness Analysis (PDF); ORDER OF COMMISSIONERS COURT (24GEN2422- HMIS DSA)