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Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a $643,338 First Amendment to the Agreement with The Village of Love (V OL) Foundation to Provide Services in a Fourth Emergency Supportive Housing Unit for a Total Agreement Amount Not-to-Exceed $2,091,322 from March 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024; and a $198,000 Agreement with Cerda-Zein Real Estate for Preparati on and Maintenance of All Four Emergency Supportive Housing Units. (Community Development 10061831)
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On September 20, 2022, City Council approved a two-year contract with The Village of Love Foundation (VOL) to provide servic es and operate three emergency supportive housing units in three City of Alameda (City) owned residential properties located at Alameda Point. One of the three units is operated as a six-bed congregate home for individuals, while the other two units ar e provided for family emergency supportive housing. City Council also directed staff to return once the progr am was successfully operating to request adding a fourth housing uni t to the program. Due to the success of the program and the ongoing need to provide emergency housing for the City’s unhoused population, staff is requesting a fourth additional housing unit be added to the program.
Based on prior City Council direction, the proposed fourth housing unit, located at 2845 Pearl Harbor Road near the other three em ergency supportive housing units, will house up to six additional individual s with priority given to Al ameda seniors and the medically fragile. Operational costs for supportive servic es at the fourth home total $643,338 from February 15, 2023 until Sept ember 30, 2024. The housing will be provided in a congregate setting with supportive services being offered 24 hours per day, seven days per week. If approved, the fourth housing unit is anticipated to open by mid-May.
In addition to the direct services offered by VOL, ongoing maintenance of the four homes is also needed, including general repairs and upkeep, pest remediation, and appliance servicing. Cerda-Zein Real Estate (CZ) , the City’s residential property manager, has successfully worked with staff and VOL to prepare the first three homes in a professional, responsive, and timely manner. To prepare the fourth unit for occupancy, a ramp will be installed at the main entrance and the first floor will be leveled between the laundry room and downstairs bedroom to accommodate resi dents with limited mob ility. Staff is estimating $198,000 will be needed to prepare, maintain, and service the four homes through September 30, 2024, which coincides with the end of the service contract period for the program.
Staff is recommending that City Council authorize the City Manag er to execute a $643,338 first amendment agree ment with VOL to operate the fourth emergency supportive housing unit, and to execute a $198, 000 agreement with CZ to prepare and maintain the homes.
BACKGROUND
The City Council approved The Road Home: A Five-Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (The Road Home) on October 5, 2021. The Road Home was a culmination of City Council’s recognition of the need to address homelessness in Alameda. In November 2021, City Coun cil approved support of the Emergency Supportive Housing program through the appropriation of $2,836,047 from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to fund th e physical preparations needed for the first three homes and contract with a social serv ice provider to oper ate the homes. The creation of emergency supportive housing in Alameda meets Goal 2 of The Road Home by increasing access to a homeless emerg ency response system through the provision of low-barrier, housing-focused temporary hous ing. With the existi ng three homes, the Emergency Supportive Housing program has increased the City’s year-round shelter bed stock by 57% and by 38% during months when the winter warming shelter is operational.
Overall, with four homes oper ating, the City’s overall shelter bed stock increases 74% year-round and 42% when winter sheltering options are available.
In March 2022, CZ submitted a response to a Request for Proposal to the City’s leasing agent, RiverRock Real Estate Group, for the property management of the City’s residential units. CZ is a local, family-owned business operating in Alameda since 2009.
DISCUSSION
Staff recommends contracting with VOL to provide supportive services to the individuals occupying the six-bed home located at 2845 Pearl Harbor Drive, including 24-hour, seven-days-a-week staffing due to the congregate setting nature of this home. These staff will work with the existing VOL team providing services at the other three homes in a coordinated and collaborative approach to leverage best program outcomes. In addition to the 24-hour staffing schedule, the individuals in the fourth home will have access to a full-time case manager to assist with imme diate and long-term social service needs and resources, such as housing, mental health support, medical treat ment, education, and more, as determined by the needs of the individuals.
VOL will provide the following social services to the residents of the fourth home, similar to their services provided to the residents of the existing three homes:
Deliver harm reduction services to meet immediate resident needs within the framework of purposeful relationship building.
Implement a “Housing First” approach that enables homeless individuals in need to enter into housing and access services quickly.
Provide linkages to case management, c linical care, public benefits, and other resources that will support the trajectory of positive growth and change while being housed in a stable and safe environment.
Complete housing preparation work to prepare residents for future homes and identify permanent housing solutions, including implementing “Good Neighbor” policies and practices.
Coordinate care with City, County, and State systems and providers to serve residents.
Currently, the Emergency Supportive Housi ng program is thriving and seeing some positive outcomes for its participants, though challenges still present themselves. To date, City staff, and VOL, and the Alameda Police Department (APD) have not received any calls or complaints regarding the residen ts of the Emergency Supportive Housing program. The Alameda Police Department (APD) has received one call, but the call was placed to obtain medical attention.
Program participants that are the adult head of households have voluntarily agreed to a savings plan and are currently saving 30% of their income each month. Additional positive outcomes for individuals include securing employment, enrollment in a post-secondary trade school, referral to an Alameda Housing Authority senior housing development, and ongoing immigration status wo rk with the assistance of attorneys and an immigration nonprofit organization. Some individuals st ruggled during the holiday season due to financial challenges related to reduced work hours. Children housed in the program report feeling secure in their homes and are maintaining regular attendance at school.
With the addition of a fourth home, there is the potential to serve a total of 26 persons in the four homes. Careful deli beration and consideration are given to placements in the Emergency Supportive Housing program, wh ich is managed by the Coordinated Outreach Team (COT), comprised of Alameda so cial service providers working directly with the City’s homeless, APD members working closely with the unhoused community, and Community Development Department staff. Also invited to collaborate with the group are members of Alameda Unified School Dist rict (AUSD), Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless (ACHCH), and other servic e professionals that overlap with the individuals and families served, like Shelter in Peace, a local organization serving immigrants in need of housing. Adult members of each household and the individuals in the group home were carefully interviewed and screened for appropriateness for placement. The coordination of provided servic es within a continuum of care offered by the City, County, and State l eads to best possible outcomes for those served in the Emergency Supportive Housing program.
City Council previously approved housing 14- 19 individuals in Emergency Supportive Housing. However, due to the composition of the families who occupy two of the homes and certain medical needs of two residents, th e program currently has 20 persons living in three homes:
(i) 2820 Pearl Harbor Road, seven (7) individuals,
(ii) 2825 Pearl Harbor Road, family with six (6) members, and, (iii) 2700 Lemoore Road, #A, family with seven (7) members.
Staff continues to correspond with over 400 neighbors and constituents who signed up to receive updates on this program. Through this correspondence, staff received questions from individuals in need of housing and continues to inform the public about the program and its progress.
Regarding property management of the four units, CZ staff are available around the clock, every day of the week and have staff who speak more than five languages. Beginning in late summer of 2022, staff worked closely with CZ to tour the homes being considered for the Emergency Supportive Housing program. Following Council approval of the program in September 2022, the timeline for preparati on of the homes accelerated due to the desire to open the program before the winter season. CZ’s responsiveness and ability to complete needed repairs was exceptional.
ALTERNATIVES
Authorize the City Manager to execut e a $643,338 First Amendment to the agreement with VOL to provide social services from March 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024 to residents of a fourth emergency supportive housing unit; and authorize the City Manager to execute a $198,000 agreement with CZ for the preparation of the fourth home and main tenance of all four emer gency supportive housing homes.
Decline to open a fourth home as emergency supportive housing and instead lease the property as a market-rate rental unit, and reduce and approve the agreement with CZ for maintenance of only the existing three emergency supportive housing units.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for the Emergency Supportive H ousing program comes from the $2,836,047 ARPA allocation approved by City Council in November 2021 (see File 2021-1450). The staff recommendation to open and operate a fourth home fa lls within the appropriated budget for the program.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Social Services Human Relati ons Board Charter and Ordinance authority “to improve social servic es 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.”
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 secti on 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. Planni ng strategies should always consider these vulnerable populations in adaptation efforts.”
Funding a fourth Emergency Supporting Hous ing home will help some of the most vulnerable in the community with the c onsequences of climate change by providing services and shelter from inclement weat her, extreme heatwaves, or hazardous air quality.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a $643,338 first amendment agreement, for a total agreement amount not-to-exceed $2,091,322 with VOL to provide services in a fourth emergency supportive housing unit from March 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute a $198,000 agreement with CZ for the preparation and maintenance of all four emergency supportive housing units.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Maxwell, Community Development Director
By,
Lois RP Butler, Economic Development and Community Services Manager Marcie Soslau Johnson, Social Services Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Village of Love Foundation First Amendment
2. Village of Love Foundat ion Original Contract
3. Cerda-Zein Real Estate Contract