Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute Agreement and Documents with Alameda County to Accept $189,150 for Partial Funding of Winter Relief Programs Through Fiscal Year 2027-28; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Christ Episcopal Church to Operate the Alameda Warming Shelter in Fiscal Year 2025-26 in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $305,282. (City Manager 10021833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The agreement with Alameda County Social Services Agency (ACSSA) will allow the City of Alameda (City) to accept and allocate $189,150 to implement winter relief programs. Combined with funds in the approved Fiscal Year 2025-26 City budget, the funds will be used to address increased shelter needs during inclement weather months including the provision of 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. The agreement with Christ Episcopal Church (Christ Church) is to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter (Winter Shelter), a critical service component of the City and county-wide winter relief programs.
The Winter Shelter has been enhanced in 2025-26 by adding client support services through case management and extending the time frame from four to five months.
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, 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 Alameda Winter Warming Shelter provides emergency shelter to homeless Alameda residents during the winter season. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, Christ Church served up to 20 households per night over the course of four months. In recent years, the Bay Area has seen unprecedented storms and extreme weather with temperatures at night dropping to freezing levels. This is particularly dangerous, and even life threatening for homeless individuals living outside. In mid-October, the Bay Area experienced its first storm of the season leading to an increase in individuals seeking shelter. For several years, Alameda has been fortunate to receive funding from Alameda County to help support its winter relief efforts, receiving approximately $60,000 each year. This year ACSSA is administering the funding and will award three fiscal years of funding in one 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.
DISCUSSION
Inclement weather in the winter and spring seasons bring conditions that can be hazardous for those living without shelter. With City Council approval, the City Manager would enter into an agreement with Alameda County to accept ACSSA funding to support the ongoing winter relief programs and execute an agreement with Christ Church to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter for the winter season from December 2025 through April 2026.
The 2025-26 Alameda Winter Warming Shelter is a congregate setting providing shelter for up to 25 individuals per night experiencing unsheltered homelessness from December 3, 2025, through April 30, 2026. The Winter Shelter will open daily from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am. An additional 30 nights of shelter have been added to the shelter calendar this season, extending the period of time individuals have access to indoor shelter, heat, dinner, breakfast, and showers. Services have also been increased by adding a dedicated case manager supporting shelter guests to identify 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 in the evening and breakfast in the morning 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 the seasons of 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 individuals to receive expanded social services and matches to shelter options.
Staff recommends City Council authorize the City Manager to execute documents, agreements and modifications with Alameda County to accept $189,150 for funding toward winter shelter services and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Church to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter for $305,282 including $60,000 from ACSSA.
Should the Term of this Agreement need to be extended, it can be done by amendment without returning to City Council.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute documents, agreements and modifications with Alameda County to accept $60,000 in funding for winter relief programs and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Church to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter for $305,282.
• Decline to authorize the City Manager to execute documents, agreements and modifications with Alameda County, and/or 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 2025-26 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 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 provide 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 agreement and documents with Alameda County to accept $189,150 for partial funding of Winter Relief Programs through Fiscal Year 2027-28; and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Christ Church to operate the Alameda Winter Warming Shelter in Fiscal Year 2025-26 in an amount not-to-exceed $305,282.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Assistant City Manager
By,
C’Mone Falls, Housing and Human Services Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Alameda County Winter Relief Program Grant Agreement
2. Christ Episcopal Church Agreement