Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Interim City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Ruby’s Place, Inc. dba Restorative Pathways in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $1,511,000 to Operate the Day Center and Safe Parking Program for the term May 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with the Option of a One-Year Extension, for a Total Two-Year Amount Not-to Exceed $3,022,000.
This project is statutorily exempt from further environmental review pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21080.10 (services for people experiencing homelessness), and categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense). (City Manager 10021833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Adam W. Politzer, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ruby’s Place, Inc. dba Restorative Pathways (Restorative Pathways) is recommended to operate the existing Day Center and Safe Parking programs to provide site management and programmatic supportive services following a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process and extensive reference checks and vetting process. This program is the City of Alameda’s (City) critical emergency shelter and support for individuals experiencing homelessness in Alameda. Through an interim agreement under the City Manager’s authority, Restorative Pathways coordinated with City staff to re-open the program on April 20, 2026.
Staff recommends approval of a one-year agreement with Restorative Pathways in an amount not to exceed $1,511,000 with the option of a one-year extension with a not-to-exceed amount of $3,022,000 to operate the Day Center, Emergency Shelter, and Safe Parking Programs (Exhibit 1). The annual extension option would require approval by City Council. The agreement with Restorative Pathways will support service continuity, program stability, and effective delivery of homelessness response services while maintaining administrative efficiency.
BACKGROUND
On October 5, 2021, City Council approved The Road Home: A Five-Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (“The Road Home”), establishing homelessness as a City priority and outlining a comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to homelessness in Alameda. The Road Home reflects City Council’s recognition of the need for a coordinated, compassionate, and effective local response to homelessness.
The Day Center, Emergency Shelter, and Safe Parking Programs serve some of the most vulnerable populations in Alameda bringing people off the street and indoors to support their basic needs. This program is vital to the continuum of homeless services in Alameda. The current location serves up to 18 individuals indoors and 25 individuals in safe parking with access to services and restrooms as well as mobile showers and laundry weekly. Services include emergency low-barrier emergency overnight shelter, secure overnight parking, and indoor day center services with case management, therapeutic and life skills support. The Day Center, Emergency Shelter and Safe Parking programs are being relocated to Building 2, Wing 3 at Alameda Point and will open in early Fall 2026, providing additional meeting space, overnight beds, safe parking spaces and onsite shower/laundry facilities.
In Fall 2025, the Housing and Human Services Division (HHS) conducted a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP) process to identify service providers for both the Emergency Supportive Housing (ESH) program and the Day Center/Safe Parking program. Written proposals were reviewed by City staff and staff from partner agencies, including the Cities of Hayward, Berkeley, and Oakland. The three highest-rated organizations were Urban Alchemy, Restorative Pathways and Village of Love.
In November 2025, City staff, along with representatives from Alameda Family Services, the Building Futures Mid-County Housing Resource Center, and the Everyone Home Continuum of Care, conducted interviews with the three top-ranked organizations.
Based on the results of the RFP process, staff and evaluators determined that Urban Alchemy and Restorative Pathways were the best agencies to meet the City’s service delivery goals. Urban Alchemy was ranked higher for the Day Center program due to their specialization in operating similar program sites throughout California and in Texas. On February 17, 2026, City Council approved Urban Alchemy as the provider for this program site and approved Restorative Pathways as the provider for the Emergency Supportive Housing program. Due to requested amendments to the contract that Urban Alchemy could not agree to, the contract was not executed. Based on the RFP results and further extensive vetting, Restorative Pathways is recommended to serve as the operator of this program site.
DISCUSSION
The Day Center and Safe Parking program serves as a critical first-step, low-barrier access point for people experiencing homelessness in Alameda by providing basic needs and supportive services. While the program is designed to serve the homeless populations, the Day Center program provides meals and case management services to both housed and unhoused food-insecure households. This program has become a safety net for many vulnerable Alameda residents. It provides a level of stability as they work on their individual plans to gain shelter, income, and independence. Restorative Pathways provides services for people who are unhoused across California and has grown into a statewide leader in providing effective, low-barrier, first-step homeless services. They have provided these services for over 55 years specializing in serving individuals with arguably the highest degree of trauma. Restorative Pathways began their work supporting domestic violence victims and families. Over the years they have expanded to serving transitional age youth, seniors, individuals in recovery, undocumented youth, trafficking survivors, and the chronically homeless.
The vetting process of Restorative Pathways included the following:
• Housing and Human Services (HHS) staff site visits to programs Restorative Pathways operates that are similar in scope to the Day Center
o Two site visits were conducted at Solara House in Oakland and one at their drop-in center in Castro Valley. During both visits, the facilities appeared orderly and actively staffed, and program staff were engaged with participants. The homeless program sites were well maintained and reflected a high level of care in the way the environment was organized and presented. Restorative Pathways demonstrated experience managing programs serving individuals experiencing homelessness and low-income households.
o HHS previously conducted a site visit to Restorative Pathways’ Hayward shelter program serving families, unaccompanied minors, and trafficking survivors, similar in scope to the Emergency Supportive Housing program.
• Three reference checks with agencies overseeing similar programs operated by Restorative Pathways.
o References were provided by a former director with the City of Oakland with added feedback from the current City Administrator, Alameda County shelter administrator, and the Chief Operating Officer of Abode Services. All references provided positive feedback regarding their experience working with the organization. The agencies reported that Restorative Pathways met contractual expectations, maintained professional working relationships with partner agencies, and operated programs without generating community concerns. Respondents also spoke favorably about the organization’s leadership team, particularly the Executive Director. Staff and leadership were described as responsive, collaborative, solution-oriented, and accountable in their communications and program management. References confirmed that Restorative Pathways has experience operating low-barrier shelter environments with hard-to-serve clients that require consistent monitoring and site management.
• Review of press and social media.
• Review of Charity Navigator, the agency’s Form 990, and request for information on lawsuits over the past ten years.
o Restorative Pathways has a 100% rating on Charity Navigator, which is the largest non-profit evaluator in the United States and assesses organizations based on financial health, accountability and transparency. This includes review of the organization’s IRS Form 990 showing the revenue, expenses and executive compensation.
o The Restorative Pathways Executive Director confirmed the organization has not had any lawsuits over the last ten years.
o HHS staff conducted an extensive search and review of online comments and reports regarding Restorative Pathways, including social media. HHS staff did not see anything of concern. To support HHS staff’s review, the City Attorney assigned the Police Auditor to collaborate in the review process. Based on documents provided to the Police Auditor by HHS staff and her Google and social media searches, the Police Auditor did not uncover any disqualifying material.
In addition to site visits and reference checks, HHS met with the leadership team from Restorative Pathways and provided a tour of the existing and future shelter program sites that the organization would operate for the City. During this meeting, leadership reviewed the facility layout, operational expectations, and program needs.
The leadership team demonstrated familiarity with low-barrier shelter operations and acknowledged the operational requirements associated with the site. The agency demonstrated understanding of the program environment and is prepared to implement appropriate staffing, oversight, and service coordination necessary to support the shelter program.
The City Manager’s Office and Housing and Human Services Division recommend Restorative Pathways to operate the Day Center and Safe Parking program, which will support continuity of services while strengthening the City’s homelessness response system.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with Restorative Pathways to provide shelter and services at the City’s Day Center, Emergency Shelter and Safe Parking program.
• Not authorize the new agreement. The Day Center, Emergency Shelter and Safe Parking program would continue to remain closed without a service provider. This would extend the gap in services for this critical service.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for this agreement is available in the Housing and Human Services budget for Fiscal Year 2025-27.
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 § 2-11.5) and the Report on Homelessness Policies and Programs.
This action is consistent with Goal 2 of “The Road Home: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda.
This program supports the City Strategic Plan Priority to House all Alamedans and End Homelessness, specifically Project HH2b to Implement the Homelessness Strategic Plan including providing the Emergency Supportive Housing.
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.
On a separate and independent basis, this project is statutorily exempt from further environmental review pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21080.10 (services for people experiencing homelessness), and categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense).
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.”
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with Ruby’s Place, Inc. dba Restorative Pathways in an amount not-to-exceed $1,511,000 to operate the Day Center, Emergency Shelter, and Safe Parking Program for the term May 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with the option of a one-year extension, for a total two-year amount not-to exceed $3,022,000.
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. Agreement - Restorative Pathways
2. Restorative Pathways Vetting Results