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Housing and Human Services outlines $41.8 million budget; highlights CDBG, $4M SAMHSA behavioral health grant and veterans services
Summary
Director Juanita presented a $41.8 million Housing and Human Services budget that includes community resources, affordable housing, home repair and veteran services; she described a $4 million SAMHSA behavioral health expansion grant, plans for 11 single-family rental units funded by ARPA and questioned uncertainty about federal funding trends.
Juanita (first name used in presentation), director of Housing and Human Services, presented the department’s fiscal 2024–25 budget to the Board of County Commissioners and said the total is approximately $41.8 million and that the department employs about 48 positions. “This is a overview of our entire department budget, $41,800,000,” she told commissioners.
Why it matters: Housing and Human Services administers the county’s community development block grant (CDBG) programs, the Community Action Agency (CAA) that provides emergency utility and housing assistance, affordable-housing programs including rehab and weatherization, and veterans services required under state law. Large federal and state grants drive much of the department’s activity and staffing.
Program highlights and funding
- Community Resources: Juanita said the program manages CDBG, the Community Action Agency and several discretionary grants. She said community resources account for a portion of the department budget and that CDBG-funded projects impacted about 8,160 residents. She said demolition for blight abatement under CDBG is not income-driven and carries a county lien when used.
- Community Action Agency: The CAA provides utility, rent, mortgage and indigent-burial assistance and certified eligibility; Juanita said the CAA impacted about 4,951 residents and that 2-1-1 Brevard and Meals on Wheels are funded through the department’s aids to private organizations line.
- Behavioral health and opioid programs: Juanita said the department is administering a $4 million Behavioral Health Expansion grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); she said the county is in year one and will contract Family Partnership of Central Brevard to administer the initial $1 million. She also said the county oversees a board-approved Brevard County Opioid program with contracted services such as mobile medication-assisted treatment and education/marketing efforts.
- Housing: The housing program is “a little over $20,000,000,” with $8.2 million in balance forward and about $11.9 million in grants, Juanita said. She described in-house rehab, repair and replacement programs aimed at keeping low-income homeowners in place, and a HOME-ARP (American Rescue Plan) rental project to build 11 single-family rental homes on Houston Lane on Merritt Island; the county expects wrap-around services for tenants and will issue RFPs for property management and homeownership components.
- Weatherization and veteran services: Juanita said the weatherization program is a federal pass-through that improves home energy efficiency, and the Veterans Services Office operates with roughly $613,000 in general-fund support and $87,000 in charges for services (Palm Bay contracts) to fund a field service officer. She said veteran-services staff are accredited and that local VSOs helped bring $672 million in pension/compensation benefits to county veterans (presenter’s figure).
Questions and clarifications
Commissioner Delaney asked how the county selects tenants for HOME-ARP rentals. Juanita said the county will partner with Community Housing Initiatives (CHI) for first-time homebuyer selections, using CHI’s certified waiting lists, budget training and home-ownership readiness programs. She said property management and landlord functions will be contracted out and that rental operators must hold reserves and set aside funds for repairs from rent collected.
Juanita also said veteran services are a required function under Florida statute (presenter cited Florida statute 292) and that while local funding is required, the county will pursue grant opportunities; Palm Bay funds a position to expand services and the county will research additional external funding options.
Ending note
Juanita said the department sees increasing demand for assistance, that grants drive staffing, and that construction cost inflation is a primary constraint on building affordable housing going forward.
