Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement in an Amount not to Exceed $2,536,047 with Bay Area Community Services for Emergency Homeless Housing Services for Up to Two Years; and
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute an Agreement with Alameda County in an Amount Ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 in Homeless Emergency Aid Program Interest Funds to Assist with Remodel/Repair of City-Owned Housing for Use as Emergency Homeless Housing; and
Adoption of Resolution Establishing a Budget to Appropriate $2,836,047 in 2021 American Rescue Plan Act Funds (C99300) to Receive Contractual Services from Bay Area Community Services and Funds to Remodel/Repair and Provide Fixtures, Furniture, Equipment, a Vehicle, and Supplies for the Emergency Housing. (Community Development 10061833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) lacks sufficient housing space for our unhoused residents. Staff recommends that the City use existing real estate assets to provide emergency shelter for approximately 32 unhoused residents in three vacant properties located at Alameda Point. Staff also recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution establishing a budget to appropriate $2,836,047 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay for (i) contractual services from Bay Area Community Services (BACS) to operate emergency housing for unsheltered Alameda residents, and (ii) remodeling and repairs, fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle, and startup supplies for the emergency homeless housing.
Staff also recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement in an amount not to exceed $2,536,047 with BACS to provide emergency homeless housing services for up to two years. Emergency homeless housing programming is designed to promote and support placement in permanent housing. BACS services include one meal a day, food for individual meal preparation, case management and referral services, housing navigation services, staff oversight and other supportive services. In addition, BACS will dedicate $300,000 of its annual budget ($600,000 total over two years) towards flexible funds used to prepare and place residents in permanent housing.
Staff also recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Alameda County in an amount ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 for remodel/repairs of City-owned housing for use as emergency homeless housing. The source of this funding is the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) interest from Alameda County. These funds would be added to other funds available to ready the homes for use as emergency homeless housing and shared living.
BACKGROUND
City Council has 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 strategic plan, The Road Home: A 5 Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda, was approved by the City Council on October 5, 2021 (Road Home).
One of the key challenges and needs described in the Road Home was to offer housing-focused, low-barrier services. The Road Home describes these services as essential and needed in Alameda. Specifically, the report notes that Alameda needs emergency shelter that accepts everyone with no or only limited conditions, and that many people in the City are not getting connected to services and support.
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 providing this emergency housing to unhoused residents, the City is not only providing up to 32 beds for shelter, but is also creating a way for unhoused individuals to connect with permanent housing and supportive resources.
As the unhoused population grows, the needs of this unhoused community also grow. Alameda County’s homeless population grew by 43% (from 5,629 to 8,022) as shown by the 2017 and 2019 Point in Time (PIT) counts required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Alameda’s homeless population increased 13% from 204 to 231 individuals during the same period, though from observation staff believes homelessness in Alameda has further increased since 2019. However, due to COVID-19, the PIT count was delayed and is scheduled to occur in January 2022.
DISCUSSION
Alameda is in need of housing for its unhoused residents. Approving the recommendations in this report will create up to 32 beds of emergency housing for the City’s unhoused, as well as support services, and will allow the City to provide this emergency housing on a relatively short timeline. With colder weather and rain being a reality this time of year, staff is recommending this option to assist with providing emergency housing to the unhoused community on an expedited basis to the extent feasible.
This potential emergency housing is located within property owned by the City at Alameda Point at the following addresses: 2845 Pearl Harbor Road, 2815 Newport Road and 2700 Lemoore Road Unit A. The three properties are in need of some repair/remodeling to accommodate the emergency housing use. Anticipated repair/remodel work includes installing key systems to allow for rapid re-keying, painting, installing ramps to accommodate differently abled residents, carpeting, furniture, including beds, appliances, supplies (bed linens, bath towels, dishes and utensils, toiletries, etc.) and other basic household items.
Alameda County staff approached City staff to ask if there was interest in using HEAP interest funding for approved HEAP activities. County staff supports the effort to bring emergency housing for the homeless online in Alameda. There is HEAP interest funding available in the amount of $30,000 - $45,000 (the final amount is yet to be determined by Alameda County). However, these funds will not cover all necessary remodel/repair and purchasing expenses for the three properties and staff recommends that additional funding of $300,000 be allocated for this purpose.
In connection with this emergency homeless housing opportunity and in the interest of expediency, staff invited two organizations, BACS and Village of Love, to submit a proposal to offer emergency homeless housing at the various sites. The two organizations were selected based on their depth of experience providing social services and emergency and transitional housing to the homeless. Both organizations submitted a response, which were reviewed by staff. Staff interviewed both organizations and found both to be capable of offering emergency housing.
Staff is recommending BACS to operate the City’s emergency housing program. Staff’s recommendation is based on BACS history operating a comparable housing model, the strength of the written proposal and the high caliber of interview responses. BACS’ proposal was highly developed with a program model that supports placement of program participants in permanent housing. BACS also has extensive experience successfully providing homeless housing in single-family, scattered site dwellings throughout the Bay Area and in particular in Oakland.
The mission of BACS is to uplift under‐served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes. BACS provides an array of behavioral health and housing services for teens, adults, older adults, and their families. BACS’ philosophy is strengths‐based, person‐centered, and incorporates the wraparound approach of doing ‘whatever it takes’ at all levels of services. BACS’ philosophy utilizes the following framework to help people in need: trauma‐informed, harm reduction, housing first, and work first models.
In 2013, BACS opened the first and largest navigation center/interim housing/rapid rehousing homeless program of its kind - the Housing Fast Support Network (HFSN) - continuously serving 137 chronically and literally homeless single adults in a 6‐month interim housing model. This same model is proposed to provide services for 32 individuals at a time in the Alameda emergency homeless housing program.
BACS’ goals are to: “provide low-barrier, compassionate, and non-judgmental respite to literally homeless individuals; assist literally homeless residents to rapidly obtain permanent housing; and to capture data in real-time Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) on all clients served and all major services rendered.” The City will benefit from BACS’ HMIS system as its data collection efforts will be greatly enhanced.
Emergency housing services would be open to all adults over 18 and residing in the city and with low barriers to entry. Referrals will be closely coordinated with other service providers and the Alameda County Coordinated Entry System. BACS will provide oversight of programming, and will ensure staffing is present overnight at each home to ensure safety. BACS will provide at least one meal a day Monday-Friday, will provide food for individual meal preparation and will work with residents to secure other food resources such as linking to the food bank. Participants will have access to storage and will be able to reside with their partners, as well as their pets and service animals.
Once in emergency housing, participants will receive intensive housing search assistance to support placement in permanent housing. The housing search assistance includes application assistance, advocacy, identification of roommates for shared housing, exploration of reuniting with family members, outreach to landlords, assistance with securing housing vouchers, job search support, and assistance with public benefits. As a part of programming, BACS will also offer flexible funds, which are focused on removing barriers to obtaining permanent housing. Once participants are placed in housing, they receive up to 9 months of transitional case management and up to 12 months tapering/transitional financial support. The yearly cost of operating the flexible fund programming is budgeted at $300,000.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution to support, including remodel/repair and purchase fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle and supplies, an emergency homeless housing program, operated by BACS, authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with BACS to provide emergency homeless housing services, and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Alameda County to receive HEAP interest funds for remodel/repair and purchase of supplies for the three houses for the emergency homeless housing program.
ALTERNATIVES
• Adopt a resolution authorizing (i) the City Manager to execute an agreement with BACS to provide emergency homeless housing services for up to two years in three homes at Alameda Point, (ii) the City Manager negotiate and execute an agreement with Alameda County to receive HEAP funds to be used to repair/remodel City-owned housing for use for emergency homeless housing and purchase supplies for emergency homeless housing, and (iii) establishment of a budget to appropriate funds to be used to pay for contractual emergency homeless housing related services provided by BACS and remodel/repair and purchase of fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle, and startup supplies for emergency homeless housing.
• Direct staff to negotiate an agreement with a different emergency homeless housing service provider; authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Alameda County to receive HEAP funds to be used to repair/remodel City-owned housing for use as emergency housing and purchase related supplies, and establish a budget to appropriate funds to be used to pay for contractual emergency homeless housing related services provided by another emergency housing service provider and remodel/repair and purchase fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle, and startup supplies for emergency homeless housing.
• Decline to move forward with the resolution and with any of the staff recommendations at this time.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This is a new appropriations request for $2,836,047 for emergency homeless housing to be allocated from ARPA funds. Staff is requesting City Council approval to appropriate $2,836,047of the City’s $14,339,954 phase one from theARPA funding. If approved, the remaining $11,503,907 of phase one from the ARPA funding would be subject to further City Council appropriations approval. This matter is being put forward now as a standalone request for ARPA funding due to the emergency nature of the city’s homeless crisis and the dire need for emergency homeless housing within Alameda.
|
|
Budget Request |
Revenue/ Expenditure |
Project Number |
Project Name |
Budget Amount |
|
Emergency Housing |
New Appropriation Request |
Increase Expenditure Budget |
C99300 |
American Rescue Plan 2021 |
$2,836,047 |
The funds would be used as follows:
• BACS Agreement - $2,536,047
• Remodel/repairs, fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle and startup supplies - $300,000
Following execution of an agreement with Alameda County, the HEAP funds would be placed in the General Fund - Homelessness program (10061833) and would offset the need for other General Fund revenues to support the Homelessness program.
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 Secure a Housing Future for All Alamedans.”
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) section 15378(b)(5) (not a project); and section 15601(b)(3) (no significant environmental impact).
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 City Manager to execute an agreement in an amount not to exceed $2,536,047 with Bay Area Community Services for emergency homeless housing services for up to two years;
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Alameda County in an amount ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 in Homeless Emergency Aid Program interest funds to assist with remodel/repair of City-owned housing for use as emergency homeless housing and purchase of related supplies; and
Adopt a resolution establishing a budget to appropriate $2,836,047 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for contractual homeless emergency housing services from Bay Area Community Services and remodeling/repairing and purchasing fixtures, furniture, equipment, a vehicle, and supplies for the emergency homeless housing in Alameda.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends execution of an agreement with Alameda County for Homeless Emergency Aid Program interest funds and an amount not to exceed $2,536,057 for emergency homeless housing services and to allocate $2,836,047 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Nelson Maxwell, Community Development Director
By:
Veronika Cole, Community Services Manager
Lois Butler, Economic Development and Community Services Manager
Financial impact section reviewed,
By: Annie To, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Bay Area Community Services Agreement
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager