Title
Recommendation to Approve Relocating the Day Center and Safe Sheltering Program to Alameda Point Building 2, Wing 3 and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Dialog Design LP for Architectural Services to Design the Space in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $168,815.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction). (Housing and Human Services Department 10021833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Day Center and Safe Sheltering Program (Day Center) is a safe and welcoming place for people who are unhoused and provides services, overnight emergency shelter and safe parking. Services include connection with social services, housing, health, mental health, substance use, and support with classes, meals, well checks, showers, referrals and enrichment activities. The program is currently located in a City-owned Alameda Point building at 431 Stardust Place. This building is now impacted by noise and dust due to demolition and construction of the City Council approved development project, Rebuilding the Existing Supporting Housing of Alameda Point (RESHAP). This building is slated to be demolished as part of RESHAP Phase 2.
In determining where to relocate the program, staff conducted a feasibility review and high-level cost estimates of several potential locations and determined that Alameda Point Building 2, Wing 3, located at 1041 W. Midway Ave. is the most cost effective option to redevelop for this purpose. Dialog Design LP (Dialog) assisted with the assessment and staff recommends authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for design services.
BACKGROUND
In December 2016, City Council approved the City of Alameda’s (City) first formal homeless outreach and case management services to provide services and relocate people living at Jean Sweeney Open Space Park ahead of the scheduled construction and development.
In March of 2018, City Council approved funding for initiatives to address homelessness proposed by the Social Services and Human Relations Board’s Report on Homelessness. In October 2018, City Council declared a shelter crisis, opening a pathway for the City to receive State of California funding assistance to serve individuals experiencing homelessness. The first tranche of funds was received January 2019 and appropriated with City Council approval for the creation of a physical Day Center and continued homeless services. Creative Build, Inc. as fiscal agent for the Village of Love, was chosen through a Request for Proposals process and approved to operate and provide direct services at the newly created Day Center.
In September 2020, City Council approved the extension of service hours for the Day Center and related support services which grew the program to extended operations including overnight emergency shelter beds, overnight safe parking, and weekend hours. The Day Center now operates 23 hours daily, year-round.
On July 18, 2023, City Council approved agreements with the Village of Love to operate the Day Center and Safe Sheltering Program, including emergency overnight shelter, safe parking, and safe shelter in four trailers from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2025.
The Day Center and Safe Sheltering program is composed of the following:
• Day Center services - a safe place to be indoors and receive meals and social services
• A 16-bed Emergency Overnight Shelter - set up in the Day Center
• 25 car or van Safe Parking services - overnight parking for individuals living in their vehicles who also receive Day Center services
• Monitoring and support of five beds located in four trailers
Since 2020, the year that the Village of Love Foundation assumed the Day Center Services contract and met County of Alameda database requirements for Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data tracking, the program has served an unduplicated 1,039 Day Center Services individuals, including 176 Safe Parking Program unduplicated individuals.
The City received $1,250,000 for the “Safe Parking and Homeless Day Center at Alameda Point” from the 2023-24 California Budget Bill Jr. (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2023, AB 102). In the City Council approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 budget, an additional $750,000 was allocated from General Fund Residual Fund Balance for the Day Center and Safe Parking Relocation Project.
At the September 5, 2023 meeting, City Council authorized the City Manager to execute the RESHAP Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) for the redevelopment of the site where the Day Center is currently housed. Demolition of the adjacent area in Phase 1 has begun and the current Day Center location will be demolished in a future RESHAP phase.
DISCUSSION
Staff, assisted by Dialog, toured and analyzed several potential sites for relocation: the former Navy Chapel, Building 7, Building 16 and Building 2, Wings 1, 3 and 9 as well as considering parking lots that could be repurposed with a modular building. Staff determined that Building 2, Wing 3 best meets the programmatic needs with the most cost-effective remodeling and modifications. It was already remodeled for office use and while it still requires extensive upgrades to change it to an overnight shelter use, there is a cost efficiency to this option. Other buildings and sites were ruled out due to the following factors:
• Significantly more remediation required for mold, lead and asbestos abatement
• Anticipated to be leased or sold within the next five years per the City Council approved Alameda Point Sale and Disposition Plan
• Significant cost for remodeling to this intended use (such as demolishing old lab areas)
• Building size created uncertainty with section off a portion for this use without knowing if future uses of other building areas would be compatible
• High cost to bring in utility services (specifically for a parking lot with no available utilities)
The requirements for a new Day Center location include:
• Adjacent parking lot for Safe Parking with direct physical access to the Day Center building for access to client services for both programs as well as overnight restroom access.
• Sufficient space to provide at least the same number of emergency overnight beds and safe parking with the goal to provide more.
• Space to add shower and laundry services, both of which are critical for dignified and effective supportive services. These services are currently only available once each week through a trailer program brought to the site.
• Additional space for confidential meetings with clients and larger meetings for training and support groups such as job training, Narcotics Anonymous meetings and life skills training. The Village of Love has expanded its services and is currently using other locations to augment the minimal space available at the existing Day Center site. It is ideal to have all services located within one site.
Alameda Point Building 2, Wing 3 meets these criteria as both the building and parking lot are larger, providing opportunity for expanded services with up to 10 additional overnight shelter beds, meeting rooms for confidential case management and counseling, larger space for group meetings and trainings and space to add an onsite shower, washers and dryers. The proposed location also is directly adjacent to City Hall West, which houses the Housing and Human Services Department staff who are responsible for supporting and coordinating social services in the City.
Dialog assisted City staff with assessment of various buildings at Alameda Point at no cost and staff is recommending a sole source procurement for this agreement based on Dialog staff’s familiarity with the project which creates cost and time efficiencies, Dialog staff experience with similar projects and the low cost proposal which is less than five percent (5%) of the anticipated construction cost. Design services typical cost at least 10% of the total project cost. The Dialog agreement scope of work is to provide detailed design and construction documents as well as an engineer’s estimate and support with bidding, contracting and construction.
The Day Center relocation project has $2 million in funding including $1.25 million from the FY 2023-24 State budget and $750,000 from the City FY 2024-25 budget. The building rehabilitation is anticipated to cost $3.5 million, including soft costs, based on current Bay Area construction costs per square foot. Staff will work to minimize costs as much as possible and will seek grant funds for the unfunded portion. With this financial investment, staff anticipates this location will be suitable to house the Day Center and Safe Parking program for 10 or more years, pending future City Council approvals to fund programming.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Dialog Design LP to design the rehabilitated Day Center at Alameda Point Building 2, Wing 3.
• Direct staff to continue seeking an alternative location and provide direction on specific conditions. This option will significantly delay the project which ultimately could result in insufficient time to move the program before the current building is demolished. Given previous research conducted, it is unlikely another suitable site exists at Alameda Point and there are limited City-owned buildings in other areas of Alameda.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The City received $1,250,000 for the “Safe Parking and Homeless Day Center at Alameda Point” from the 2023-24 California Budget Bill Jr. (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2023, AB 102). In the City Council approved FY 2024-25 budget, an additional $750,000 was allocated from General Fund Residual Fund Balance for the Day Center and Safe Parking Relocation Project.
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 Road Home: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda.”
This project also addresses the City FY 2023-26 Strategic Plan Priority to House All Alamedans and End Homelessness, specifically Project HH2c to relocate and expand the Day Center and overnight shelter.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction).
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.”
Day Center and Safe Sheltering programs provide safe, warm, and needed shelter, providing basic human services, and access to case management for the unhoused in Alameda.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve relocating the Day Center and Safe Sheltering Program to Alameda Point Building 2, Wing 3 and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Dialog Design LP for architectural services for an amount not-to-exceed $168,815 to design the space.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Assistant City Manager
By,
Marcie Johnson, Social Services Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brian, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Building 2 Wing 3 Site Location
2. Agreement