Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Christ Episcopal Church to Operate the Alameda Warming Shelter in Fiscal Year 2026-27 in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $275,000. (City Manager 10021833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Gerry Beaudin, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Episcopal Church (Christ Church) to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter (Winter Shelter), a critical service component of the City of Alameda (City) and county-wide winter relief programs. Funds in the approved Fiscal Year 2026-27 City budget will be used to address increased shelter needs during inclement weather months, including providing hotel/motel vouchers, 25 additional shelter beds, and supporting on-site case management services. Funds will support those living on the street with a focus on sensitive populations such as individuals with underlying serious health conditions, families with minors and seniors.
BACKGROUND
City Council identified addressing homelessness as one of its key priorities. As a result, in January of 2021, work began on a five-year plan to address homelessness. The resulting strategic plan, The Road Home: A 5-Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (Road Home), was approved by City Council on October 5, 2021.
Strategy 2.2 of The Road Home recommends providing low-barrier, housing-focused temporary housing. Strategy 2.3 recommends expanding outreach and supportive services to unsheltered households. By implementing winter warming programs, the City is providing shelter to vulnerable unsheltered neighbors and creating a way for these residents to connect with housing and supportive resources.
The Winter Shelter provides emergency shelter to homeless City residents during the winter season. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26, Christ Church served up to 25 households per night over five months. In recent years, the Bay Area has seen unprecedented storms and extreme weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping to freezing. This is particularly dangerous and even life-threatening for homeless individuals living outside. For several years, the City has been fortunate to receive funding from Alameda County to support its winter relief efforts, approximately $60,000 each year. Last year, the Alameda County Social Services Agency (ACSSA) administered the funding and awarded three fiscal years in a single agreement. ACSSA awarded $60,000 in FY 2025-26, $63,000 in FY 2026-27, and $66,150 in FY 2027-28 for a total award of $189,150. Every year, Christ Episcopal Church contributes $44,000 to the annual Winter Warming Shelter budget.
DISCUSSION
In 2026 and 2027, California is expecting an unprecedented rainfall, which will increase unsafe and adverse health outcomes for individuals living on the street. Providing shelter under these conditions is critical for those in need. It is also critical for the efficacy of systems as a whole, since shelter can reduce the need for healthcare services such as emergency room visits. People who prefer to live on the street are more likely to utilize shelter during inclement weather. The 2026-27 Winter Shelter is a congregate setting providing shelter for up to 25 individuals per night experiencing unsheltered homelessness from December 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. The Winter Shelter will be open daily from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am. An additional 30 nights of shelter were added to the shelter calendar last season, extending the period individuals have access to indoor shelter, heat, dinner, breakfast, and showers. Maintaining the shelter for an additional month is recommended for this season. Services have also been expanded by adding a dedicated case manager to support shelter guests in identifying alternative long-term shelter options, including permanent housing.
Christ Church is directly contracting with Episcopal Community Services (ECS) again this year as the shelter operator and service provider. Two additional community parishes, Trinity Lutheran Church (Trinity Lutheran) and Twin Towers United Methodist Church (Twin Towers), will host the shelter for portions of the season. Showers are available two times a week when the program is hosted at Christ Church and once a week when the program is hosted at the other two locations. Each night, all participants receive dinner and each morning breakfast at all locations. ECS will also have hotel voucher funds to provide off-site shelter to households that are not suitable to stay in a congregate setting. This includes families with minor youth, fragile seniors with disabilities and/or serious health conditions, individuals with a communicable illness, and registered sex offenders.
The Winter Shelter is a first step in the continuum of care for the City’s unhoused residents during inclement weather. Each willing person is entered into Alameda County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and will receive a Coordinated Entry Assessment (CE), which serves as the conduit for expanded social services and matches to shelter and housing options.
If City Council authorizes the City Manager to sign the Agreement, should the term of this Agreement need to be extended, without changing any other provision of the Agreement as approved by the City Council, staff further requests that City Council grant the City Manager the discretion to do so by amendment without returning to City Council for further approval.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider the following alternatives to the staff recommendation, as well as other alternatives not identified below:
• Decline to authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Church to operate the Winter Warming Shelter.
• Provide alternative or additional direction to staff regarding winter relief programs.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The FY 2025-27 Biennial Budget passed by the City Council on June 17, 2025, includes funding for the agreement with Christ Church in the Homelessness General Fund budget (10021833) and the funding from Alameda County for the Winter Warming Shelter.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Social Services Human Relations Board Charter and Ordinance authority “to improve social services in the community” (Alameda Municipal Code Section 2-11.5) and the Report on Homelessness Policies and Programs.
This action is consistent with Goal 2 of the “The Road Home - A 5 Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda” Secure a Housing Future for All Alamedans.” It also supports the City Strategic Plan Priority to House all Alamedans and End Homelessness, specifically projects HH2b to Implement the Homelessness Strategic Plan for Sheltering: Safe Parking, Emergency Supportive Housing, Warming Shelter, and Day Center.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The Social Vulnerability Assessment section of the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan states:
“Adaptation strategies should consider how [the homeless] will receive emergency communications and how they will be sheltered. Proper, safe housing for all is an adaptation and resilience strategy. Planning strategies should always consider these vulnerable populations in adaptation efforts.”
The Alameda Winter Warming Shelter program provides a safe, warm shelter for those who are unhoused and the most vulnerable in Alameda while connecting them to meals, referral services, and warm clothing.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Episcopal Church to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter in Fiscal Year 2026-27 in an amount not-to-exceed $275,000.
Respectfully submitted,
C’Mone Falls, Housing and Human Services Manager
By,
Camille Rodriguez, Program Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Christ Episcopal Church Agreement