Attachment 9
1 MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 13, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director
SUBJECT: Discussion Paper Follow-up Items
BACKGROUND
On May 16, 2023, the City Council requested additional information on a few items related to the Proposed Budget.
The following is a list of the discussion papers that are attached in this report:
No. Dept. Subject
1 Library Creation of an Additional Administrative Analyst I Position to Enhance Sister City Activities: Updated
2 CDD Interim Program for Renter Relocation Assistance
3 CDD Expansion of Homeless Outreach Services – Possible Implementation Goals and Metrics
FINANCIAL SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
2 In addition, the City Council was previously provided the following discussion papers during the May 16, 2023 City Council Meeting:
No. Dept. Subject
1 CAO/CDD Landlord-Tenant Dispute Resolution Program
2 CM Addition of a Legislative Analyst in the City Manager's Office and Expansion of the Scope of Services for the City's Current State Legislative Advocacy Group 3 CDD Expansion of Homeless Outreach Services
4 CDD Emergency Solutions Grant for Security Deposit Assistance to Renters; or Similar Service Provider City Funded Program
5 FD Transitioning Emergency Medical Services Membership Program from "Opt-In" to "Opt-Out"
6 FD Introducing a Mobile Integrated Health Model into the Burbank Fire Department 7 P&R Information on Burbank’s Reforestation Strategy
8 P&R Funding Options for the Burbank Historical Society 50th Anniversary Event
Lastly, the following discussion papers were included in the Proposed Budget binder on May 9, 2023:
No. Dept. Subject 1 BWP Options to Expand Upon Existing Revenue Resources as an Alternative to Rate Increases
2 CAO Addition of a Senior Assistant City Attorney Position 3 CDD Addition of a Housing Development Manager
4 LB Creation of an Additional Administrative Analyst I Position to Enhance Sister City Activities
5 PD Community Service Officer Program
6 PW/CDD Community Development and Public Works Requests to Support Long-Range Land Use Planning
1 DATE: June 13, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Elizabeth Goldman, Library Services Director
SUBJECT: Budget Discussion Paper: Creation of an Additional Administrative Analyst I Position to Enhance Sister City Activities: Updated
BACKGROUND
On October 11, 2022, the City Council adopted a resolution inviting Arezzo, Italy, to be Burbank’s fifth Sister City. Arezzo is now an official Sister City partner, along with Solna, Sweden; Incheon, Korea; Gaborone, Botswana; and Ota, Japan. The Sister Cit ies International (SCI) program exists for the purpose of creating international understanding and strengthening ties between cities. As part of this discussion, Council gave direction to bring back a discussion paper for Council consideration at the May 16, 2023, budget meeting regarding the addition of a staff member to support Sister City activities as part of the Fiscal Year 23-24 budget. This report has been updated with information requested by Council during the May 16 budget presentation.
DISCUSSION
The City initiated Sister City acti vities in 1960 but has never had a staff member with dedicated time to support the program. An independent, volunteer nonprofit organization, the Burbank Sister City Committee (BSCC) , has existed for decades but does not have resources to expand beyond its current activities organizing student exchanges with Ota and Incheon.
A staff analysis conducted for the October 11, 2022, City Council presentation found that among area cities, Sister City student exchan ges are generally not supported with staff time but are instead left fully in the hands of a community volunteer group . Along with serving as liaison to volunteer groups, staff in other cities in the region generally focus on supporting visiting delegation s, supporting elected official travel, and coordinating economic development activities, cultural events, and milestone celebrations.
2 In Burbank, Sister City activities are supported within the Library Services Department by the Library Services Director, Senior Administrative Analyst, and Executive Assistant.
This takes the form of attending monthly BSCC meetings, providing forms and documents for student exchanges, reserving City fac ilities for activities, and generally providing continuity and institutional knowledge. The membership of BSCC is primarily students currently participating in an exchange trip and their parents, leading to high turnover.
BSCC has struggled in recent years to develop a core set of members to focus on any activity beyond student exchanges. None of the current staff positions have the capacity to provide more support than is presently made available. As a result, the Sister City program is limited to student exchanges.
Were staff time available, there are many other ways in which the City could benefit from its Sister City program. Incheon, for example, is a leader in sustainability with many creative solutions that could prompt ideas for Burbank staff. Cities like Glendale have made economic development the focus of Sister City work, identifying activities that support the local economy and business development , and several Burbank Sister City relationships could provide value in this area . Library and Economic Development staff have discussed targeted economic development around foreign direct investment and tourism that would benefit both Burbank and its Sister Cities.
Mayor Alessandro Ghinelli of Arezzo visited Burbank in March to sign official Sister City partnership documents as part of the MUSEXPO music industry event at which he had initiated discussions about the partnership with then-Mayor Jess Talamantes the previous year. He expressed interest in building on Burbank and Arezzo’s shared arts and culture industries through Sister City activities. Arezzo, like Burbank, is also in the process of building a new, modern Central Library.
Staff has identified Administrative Analyst I (Analyst) as the appropriate level of staff position to support this work. In their first year, the staff member would focus on outreach to Burbank’s Sister Cities to develop practical ideas for exchange of information and shared activities around economic developme nt, tourism, sustainability, youth development, and arts and culture. Building these relationships is best handled by a City employee who can interact professionally with staff of Sister Cities. The individual in this position would also gather input from City staff, BSCC, and the general public, and would be able to build up volunteer and community engagement for Sister City activities.
Technology will allow many future Sister City activities to take place remotely, while travel could augment the experience when relevant. The new staff member would develop goals and plans for the program that align with City Council priorities and carry out work to benefit the City directly.
3 The Analyst would likely have the capacity to assist with Library Services Department needs beyond Sister City activities. Priority needs identified by the Library include oversight of the Library volunteer program and social media. Volunteer manage ment is currently covered by another staff member who does not have the bandwidth to recruit and supervise the Library’s nearly 100 volunteers while also developing a proactive volunteer program that can expand the Library’s capacity to serve community needs such as one-on-one assistance with English language learning, job searching, and technology.
The Analyst will be able to work with the Burbank Volunteer Program to create a fully realized Library volunteer program. Social media is currently handled by a staff committee but has grown in volume and importance over the years. A staff member with expertise in social media marketing to coordinate and measure the impact of these efforts will supplement the Library’s general marketing work to convey all of its many programs and services effectively to the community.
The general breakdown of the new Analyst role is expected to be:
• 50% Sister City program. Time allocated to this role may fluctuate during the calendar year in relation to Sister City exchanges and activities • 30% Volunteer management
• 20% Social media management
The three components of the position also support each other, as volunteers and marketing are key needs of the Sister City program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The recurring annual cost of an Administrative Analyst I position is $93,740.
CONCLUSION
Having a dedicated position at the appropriate level would allow for the strengthening of staff-to-staff relationships with Sister Cities, which in turn will lead to innovative projects that contribute to Burbank City Council and community goals while supporting the SCI mission of increasing global understanding. This position will help the Library meet needs in volunteer management and social media marketing, along with Sister City activities.
1 DATE: June 13, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director BY: Maribel Leyland, Housing Authority Manager
SUBJECT: Budget Discussion Paper: Interim Program for Renter Relocation Assistance
INTRODUCTION
At the May 16, 2023, City Council meeting. Vice Mayor Schultz requested information on utilizing $500,000 in one -time General Fund dollars for a n Interim Program for Renter Relocation Assistance (Interim Program). This memorandum summarizes the framework of a proposed Interim Program for Council consideration, discussion, and direction.
BACKGROUND
The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 , otherwise known as A ssembly Bill 1 482, established statewide rent caps along with just cause eviction standards for specific multi -family and rental properties. Subject to certain exceptions, AB 1482 applies to all multi-family housing, as well as single homes or condos that are owned by a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Corporation, and Limited Liability Company where one member is a corporation. Under the no -fault eviction provisions, a tenant being evicted may be entitled to a relocation fee equivalent to one month’s rent or to forego pay ment of the last month’s rent. (California Government Code Section 1946.2 (d)).
Furthermore, state law provides that when a tenancy ends, a landlord must return any security deposit unless the landlord uses it for a lawful purpose.1 The amount of a security deposit varies, and in many cases may include additional fees such as a parking fee or pet deposit; all of which are considered part of the security deposit. Per state law, c ities with local tenant protection ordinances can implement additional protections and relocation payment amounts.
1 Legal uses include unpaid rent, cleaning the rental unit, or repairs other than normal wear and tear, to name a few items. (California Civil Code § 1950.5.)
2 Following Council direction during the January 31, 2023, presentation to Council related to rent control and tenant pr otections, staff is preparing a study session regarding AB 1482 that will include a discussion on local tenant protection options . The study session is tentatively scheduled for August 8, 2023 , followed by community meetings and a second step staff report to consider a possible local tenant protection ordinance with additional protections beyond existing state law and incorporating best practices from other cities. Developing an ordinance of this type and conducting adequate community outreach may take several months . The ordinance would likely increase the relocation payment amount to tenants by the landlords. The proposed Interim Program would assist qualified households with additional financial assistance in the interim until an ordinance is in place.
DISCUSSION
Should City Council want to create a n Interim Program, there are several considerations to implementation including, but not limited to:
✓ Program Parameters
✓ Household Income Eligibility;
✓ Amount of Financial Assistance per Household;
✓ Eligible Use of Funds;
✓ Timeframe for Fund Expenditure;
✓ Costs for Program Administration; and
✓ Cost for Third-Party Service Provider.
In addition to how the funds are expended , City Council can also consider adding housing navigation services to assist households with locating a unit, and other administrative requirements that are discussed later in the report.
Below are proposal considerations from staff, should City Council want to implement an Interim Program.
Program Parameters
This Interim Program is only available to Burbank renters being subject to no-fault evictions. City Council should also consider the following:
• Should the participants be existing residents for a certain period of time to qualify? • That participants may need to move out of the City to find new housing they can afford.
Household Income
The next consideration for City Council is household income. Most programs that provide financial assistance to renters, such as the Federal Section 8 program or state affordable housing prog rams, limit eligibility to lower -income households based on household size as summarized in the chart below. Staff recommends income eligibility be a part of the proposed Interim Program that would include households from extremely low to moderate income.
3 State Income Limits for Los Angeles County (2023) 2
Income Level 1 person
household
2 person
household
3 person
household
4 person
household
5 person
household
6 person
household
7 person
household
8 person
household
Extremely Low $26,500 $30,300 $34,100 $37,850 $40,900 $43,950 $46,950 $50,560 Very Low $44,150 $50,450 $56,750 $63,050 $68,100 $73,150 $78,200 $83,250 Lower $70,650 $80,750 $90,850 $100,900 $109,000 $117,050 $125,150 $133,200 Moderate -2022 $76,500 $87,450 $98,350 $109,300 $118,050 $126,800 $135,550 $144,300 Area Median Income: $98,200
Financial Assistance
The third consideration for City Council is the amount of financial assistance the City should provide an income eligible household . While there are numerous ways to determine/calculate financial assistance, staff has summarized three options for consideration. A Flat Rate option would be easiest for a service provider to implement, the least cumbersome for the community, and allow the funds to be distributed quicker. Another option is utilizing the City’s current median rent for a calculation. The City of Burbank Median Rent as of the writing of this report is $2,150, changes month to month , and does not reflect the specific housing needs of potential eligible recipients, which could cause confusion .3 Finally, some local cities with tenant protection ordinances utilize Federal Fair Market Rents (see No. 3 chart below).
The three proposed financial assistance options are summarized below:
No. 1 – Flat Rate (If Interim Program is pursued, this is staff’s recommended option) Total Assistance: 1. $2,500 for Moderate-Income Households
2. $5,000 for Low-Income Households
3. $7,500 for Extremely-low- and Very-Low-Income Households
No. 2 – City of Burbank Median Rent (Changes Monthly)
Total Assistance: 1. 2x $2,150 or ($4,300 current total) Burbank Median Rent for Moderate- Income Households
2. 3x $2,150 ($6,450 current total) Burbank Median Rent for Extremely- Low-, Very-Low and Lower-Income Households
No. 3 – Utilizing HUD Fair Market Rents (Changes Annually - Based on Unit Size) Total Assistance: 1. 2x HUD FMRs for Moderate-Income Households
2. 3x HUD FMRs for Extremely-Low-, Very-Low and Low-Income Households
2 New Income Limits for 2023 were published in May 2023 by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for low- income households only. The State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes the Moderate-Income limits.
Those figures are expected in mid-June 2023. The chart will be updated when the figures are available. 3 Source: https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/burbank-ca .
4 Number of
Bedrooms 1 2 3 4
2023 FMRs $1,747.00 $2,222.00 $2,888.00 $3,170.00
Note: Studio Units would fall under the one-bedroom amount.
Staff would recommend the Flat Rate option for clarity to the community and ease of implementation. Council may choose one of these options, a combination of options, or provide a different option/direction.
Eligible Uses and Expenditure of Funds
If the Interim Program is put into place, s taff recommends eligible uses for the funds , up to the maximum amount, be limited to security deposit, payment of fees , and pre-paid rental assistance. Staff recommends the funds be paid directly to the new landlord, rather than be issued directly to the tenant. Moving expenses paid to a moving company may also be an eligible use. Based on staff’s recommended Flat Rate option, the total financial assistance could fund one or a combination of these eligible costs up to the maximum amount.
Funding Period
All funds should be expended during the eviction notice period (60 days in most instances). The tenant could request an extension from the landlord citing pending Interim Program financial assistance and if granted, the eviction notice period could be extended. Should a tenant fail to relocate within the eviction notice or extension (if applicable) period, approved assistance may be rescinded.
To coincide with the March 31, 2023 , end of the Los Angeles County COVID-19 Emergency Tenant Protections for renters, staff recommends the Interim Program apply to no-fault eviction notices issued on or after April 1, 2023. Households that received a no-fault eviction notice on or after April 1, 2023 , and vacated their unit, may still be eligible for assistan ce, up to the maximum amount, for any outstanding, eligible costs owed within the described parameters.
Tenants whose notice pre-dates the Interim Program’s approval would have to apply within 60 days of moving for consideration. For example, households that moved June 1 , 2023, would have until July 31, 2023, to apply to the Interim Program.
Housing Navigation
In addition to needing financial assistance, tenants have expressed frustration about finding new housing that meets their needs. Having a service provider that already has relationships with landlords in the region along with the experience representing moderate, low - and very-low- income tenants in l ocating new housing will be an imperative part of a successful Interim Program. Staff would recommend including housing navigation within the program offerings.
Service Provider Recommendation and Implementation
Working with a qualified service provider to administer the program will be critical to the success of the proposed Interim Program. Staff would recommend contracting with Home Again Los Angeles (HALA) as they have experience with implementing similar programs such as the current rapid rehousing program that provides rental assistance to extremely-low-income, homeless households , and those at risk of homelessness . Furthermore, HALA successfully
5 implemented the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (C DBG-CV) emergency rental and security deposit assistance in Burbank during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
HALA’s cost to administer the program would be 20% of the Program’s total allocated amount up to $100,000. The City Council could either allocate $500,000 towards relocation assistance under the Interim Program or propose an additional appropriation of $100,000 for a total of $600,000 in General Fund money to fund a professional services agreement (PSA) with HALA to administer an Interim Program that includes housing navigation services. The contract scope would include the Council approved parameters of the proposed Interim Program, and navigation services to assist households with locating a unit . Navigation services has been a need of renters expressed in the last several weeks as they seek out an affordable unit in Burbank. HALA would assist eligible applicants, if needed, with the search for a replacement rental unit. Finally, staff will work closely with HALA to ensure all requirements are met for the use and distribution of the funds appropriated to the Interim Program. One such requirement is issuing 1099s to recipients that receive funds through the Interim Program that can be taxable.4 HALA has indicated they are equipped to provide required documents as necessary.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff recommends either a one-time appropriation of $500,000 or $600,000 for the proposed Interim Program. $ 100,000 of the appropriation would be utilized for a PSA with HALA to administer the Interim Program funding along with housing navigation services. The remaining funds would be utilized for financial assistance on behalf of eligible applicants as outlined in this report. If the Interim Program is approved, staff recommends HALA be included in the Agreements and Contract List with the amount of $100,000 in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget for administration of the program.
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS
Under AB 1482, Burbank renters are currently eligible for a one-month relocation assistance payment (or last month credit) from landlords for a no-fault eviction. Tenants in good standing should also receive most or part of a security deposit as outlined in state law. The proposed Interim Program would provide additional financial assistance that a household facing a no-fault eviction could utilize to relocate.
Staff’s Interim Program recommendations and considerations should City Council wish to proceed are below.
Should City Council allocate $600,000 for the program the total number of participants in the program would vary based on the number of people in each income level and amount of financial assistance provided. This would be between 66 and 200 households. If $500,000 was allocated, between 53 and 240 households could be helped.
4 https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-misc
6 • Policy Questions
1. Should the participants be existing residents for a certain period of time to qualify?
2. Should the participants new residence be within the City of Burbank? • Interim Program Funding: $500,000 or $600,000
• Financial Assistance: Option 1 - Flat Rate Amount as noted or provided by Council
1. $2,500 for Moderate-Income Households
2. $5,000 for Low-Income Households
3. $7,500 for Extremely-Low-, Very-Low-Income Households • Funding U ses Include: Security deposit, payment of fees and rental assistance ; may include moving expenses.
• Funding Period: Applies to no-fault evictions noticed on or after April 1, 2023.
Must be e xpended during the eviction notice period (60 days) unless an extension is agreed upon in writing by tenant and landlord. Funding may be rescinded if a tenant fails to relocate during the eviction notice period/extension (if applicable). • Additional Assistance to Households: Housing navigation services to assist with locating suitable replacement housing.
• Service Provider: Home Again Los Angeles (HALA)
• Administration: up to $100,000
If directed by Council to pursue an Interim Program, staff would enter into a professional services agreement with HALA to administer the proposed Interim Program until funds are expended. If approved during the budget public hearing on June 13, 2023, staff would execute the PSA with HALA thereafter, and prepare for a tentative Interim Program roll out date of July 10, 2023.
Council could also defer any action and instead bring up the discussion of such a program during its Study Session on AB 1482.
1 MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 13, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director BY: Marcos Gonzalez, Housing Development Manager
SUBJECT: Budget Discussion Paper : Expansion of Homeless Outreach Services – Possible Implementation Goals and Metrics
INTRODUCTION
At the May 16, 2023, Council meeting, Vice Mayor Schultz requested additional follow-up to the budget discussion paper on the expansion of homeless outreach services (Attachment 1). In this first memo, staff provided two flexible program options to increase homeless outreach for Council consideration. At the direction of Council on May 16th, this report expands on the initial discussion paper to include data, metrics, and what could be achieved if services provided by Streetplus Company L.L.C (Streetplus) were expanded.
BACKGROUND
In March 2019, Streetplus began providing hospitality services for Downtown Burbank and was funded by the Downtown Business Improvement District. Subsequently, the City added Streetplus services to the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station funded through Proposition A and a citywide outreach program funded through the General Fund and the Los Angeles County Measure H tax initiative . All three programs have consistently operated and assisted the City by providing proactive outreach to homeless; supporting the City’s encampment ordinance ; and working together with businesses , service agencies, and City Departments to create a cohesive response to assisting Burbank’s homeless. Outreach efforts have resulted in the housing and/or re -unifying of 151 homeless people.
DISCUSSION
As Council considers the expansion of Streetplus services, it is important to note that the Streetplus ambassadors in the Downtown District have several functions including
2 hospitability, keeping the area clean, and homeless outreach services to the benefit of the more than 600 downtown shops and restaurants.
Diagram 1 below shows the current Streetplus weekly schedule with the various times and days covering the Downtown D istrict, Metrolink Station, and citywi de outreach .
Citywide outreach currently consists of two field-based Homeless Service Liaisons.
Maintaining a robust outreach program continues to require additional hours to respond to calls for homeless services, seek resolutions to daily homeless encounters, and increase engagements. A total of 80 out of 365 hours per week are provided to citywide homeless outreach. Below is a description of the outreach activities.
Defining Outreach and Engagements/Activities
Outreach teams aim to locate, identify, and build relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness to engage and provide them with immediate support, linkages to services, and connections with housing navigation resources aimed at ending homelessness. Outreach is delivered in multiple phases beginning with pre-engagement (building rapport and a trusting relationship), engagement (begin providing services and support to the individual/family), and problem -solving (identify im mediate alternative housing arrangements).
The purpose of the proactive engagements is to enroll people into interim housing, housing navigation, and/or other longer -term case management services aimed at providing permanent housing as quickly as possible . Streetplus subscribes to the methodology and performs the following daily key activities:
• Identify, engage, and coordinate services for the person in need. • Provide crisis counseling (as needed).
• Address urgent physical needs (meals, blankets, clothes, or toiletries). • Connect and provide information and referrals to mainstream social services. • Provide light case management to help a person’s transition to services and housing, including assisting individuals in obtaining vital documents. • Making referrals to an emergency shelter, transitional housing, community-based services, permanent supportive housing, and rapid re-housing programs. • Implementing the City’s encampment ordinance.
3 Proposed Implementation Goals for Expanded Outreach
During the outreach phase, a person may not be willing to accept assistance , which is often the case. Additionally, Burbank’s daily encounter with people facing homelessness fluctuates. Our success rates can be greatly improved with enhanced coordinat ion and individualized outreach which requires a larger team of people and more time. With additional resources, the City could increase the outreach hours of operation and hire an outreach coordinator that would be tasked with both outreach and leading the outreach teams to ensure that we are organized and consistent in our efforts. Diagram 2 below outlines the potential expansion additional resources could bring to the community.
The staffing request would facilitate increased outreach by providing more staff to work additional and expanded hours in the morning and evening times. In addition, the total hours would increase from 36 5 to 405 hours per week for a n increased presence in all neighborhoods.
Metrics and Outcomes
By increasing the number of outreach workers, engagements will increase and thereby, our success . With the proposed additional resources, 240 people will be engaged by Streetplus annually. Each engagement will have different outcomes and will be tracked.
With the increased field staff, it is possible to see an increase of approximately 40 hours, which could also provide a faster response time to immediate issues.
FISCAL IMPACT
The staff request to expand the City’s homeless outreach and engagement efforts will be funded from the General Fund. The annual cost of the expanded outreach services from Streetplus will be an additional $100,000 in one-time funding that may be renewed for up to five years . These funds would allow the City to enter into a five -year contract with Streetplus, which is consistent with the term of the City’s current Homelessness Plan .
Currently, the three existing contracts that we have total $583,121, which includes outreach for the entire city, Metrolink public safety and concierge services in the Downtown.
CONCLUSION
Consistent outreach and homeless engagements will give the City a greater opportunity to meet the Homeless Plan goal of reducing the number of unsheltered homeless people in the 2022 Los Angeles County Homeless Count by 50% before the end of 2027.
4 Secondly, there are several other homeless strategies that may be achieved with th e expansion of outreach and engagement services.
Action 1, Goal 2: New staffing will increase and strengthen partner collaborations in the community which will aid City staff in forming a Homeless Advisory Committee.
Action 3, Goal 1: Maintain and expand outreach and engagement by assuming a primary role in identifying members for the Dynamic Community Group.1
Action 3, Goal 2: New staffing will connect more people to the mobile shower program and other servi ces offered at the SAFE Ho meless Storage and Navigation Center.
Action 5, Goal 2: During the additional outreach and engagement , new field staff will increase awareness and referrals to the tele-medicine program.
If expansion of the City’s Homeless Outreach and Engagement Program is approved, the metric of engaging 240 people per year through outreach efforts will be added to the Homelessness Plan under Action 3, Access, Outreach, and Engag ement. Further, the approval of the staffing request would also help the City get closer to achieving the Homeless Plan Goal of reducing our unsheltered homeless population as noted in the 2022 LA County Homeless Count by 50% by the end of 2027.
By approving the expansion in services , the City Council will further the goals of the Homeless Plan by being proacti ve in providing staff to increase outreach and engagement, expand the hours of service in the morning and evenings, facilitate access to social and medical services, and help place more people experiencing homelessness on a path to safe housing in a manner that fosters our efforts to build a safe, beautiful, and thriving community for all.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Discussion Paper dated May 16, 2023
1 A Dynamic Community is made up of advocates, people with lived experience, and community volunteers to work alongside the outreach teams in building rapport and supporting the City’s homeless efforts. 1 MEMORANDUM
DAT
E: May 16, 2023
T
O: Justin Hess, City Manager
F
ROM: Patrick Prescott, Community Development Director
VIA: Simone McFarland, Assistant Community Development Director BY: Marcos Gonzalez, Housing Development Manager
S
UBJECT: Budget Discussion Paper: Expansion of Homeless Outreach Services I
NTRODUCTION
At the City Council Meeting on May 9, 2023, Council Member Mullins requested a budget discussion paper on the feasibility of expanding the social outreach services provided by Streetplus Company L.L.C (Streetplus). Streetplus is a purveyor of services that ensure the City maintains clean, safe, and hospitable neighborhoods through business district ambassadors and social outreach support.
BACKG
ROUND
Various challenges exist for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, including meeting physiological, shelter, safety, and psychological needs. As described in the Council approved five-year (2022- 2027) Homelessness Plan, acces s, outreach, and engagement is a multi-layered strategy to reduce the number of Burbank’s unsheltered homeless population identified in the 2022 Los Angeles County Homeless Count by 50% before the end of 2027. To reduce entries into chronic homelessness and increase the number of people in housing placements, the City continues to implement proactive, coordinated, and human- centered responses in our outreach that includes access to services. Currently, the City relies heavily on new and renewal funding to meet these expectations through Streetplus and other homeless service partners.
DI
SCUSSION
Streetplus Service Overview
Burbank’s homeless outreach strategy implemented by Streetplus encompasses consistent outreach to people experiencing homelessness. This strategy attempts to develop a rapport by offering services as many times as necessary. C urrently the City has three contracts with Streetplus. One of these is paid for by the Downtown Business
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
ATTACHMENT 1-1
2 Improvement District as part of their Ambassador Program. The hours of operation include Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. During the hours of operation, there are two Ambassadors that patrol the Downtown areas, helping visitors, ensuring cleanliness of tables and seating areas, and providing general assistance to the businesses. The second contract is through our Transportation D ivision, funded by Proposition A - Local Return, which funds one Public Safety Ambassador who patrols our Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and may act as a back up to Downtown if necessary. Lastly, Streetplus is also contracted to provide two Homeless Services Liaisons that provide outreach, intakes, and support to housing and services to people experiencing homelessness citywide Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Homeless Services Liaisons are funded by a grant and the General Fund. The total cost for all these services is $583,121 annually.
The City can consider two options in expanding outreach services to cover longer hours on weekdays/weekends, and/or concentrate efforts in hot spots known for encampments or frequent calls for service. The options include either hiring: 1) a third-party subrecipient like Streetplus or 2) a contractor (a sole proprietor). The services associated under each option would be enhanced to include the delivery of a case management to the unhoused that are service resistant, chronically homeless, and/or with underlying health and behavioral diagnosed or undiagnosed conditions. Regardless of the option, the goal is to have more boots on the ground, monitor our progress, and make any necessary adjustments when needed.
Option One: H
omeless Outreach Expansion – Streetplus
Streetplus has the ability to hire, train, and supervise a third full- time Homeless Service Liaison. The work hours and days could be negotiated to cover the gaps in services. The total cost of adding a Homeless Services Liaison is approximately $100,000, which includes salary, benefits, overhead, and training.
Option Two: H omeless Outreach Expansion – Contractor
The second option is the hir ing of a contractor (a sole proprietor) to supplement the existing outreach services and fill the coverage gaps. Under a contractor position, the City would have the ability to hire an experienced case manager for the expanded outreach services. The total cost is approximately $114,000. The responsibilities and duties would focus on outreach as supervised by City staff.
Under each option there are advantages and disadvantages to consider. Below is a comparison of services and the ramp-up that comes with each option. The purpose is to help assess a suitable option now or in the future.
ATTACHMENT 1-2
3 Homeless Outreach Expansion Comparisons
Services Streetplus Contractor
Flexible work schedule X X
Limited liability to the City X X
Ability to quickly hire and
train
X
Direct supervision of the
individual by City Staff
X
Access to the City’s system
network
X
Lower overhead for
equipment and training
X
Communication privileges
with City Departments
X
Staff would recommend hiring a contractor as they would be more closely embedded with the existing city staff and gain a more global understanding of City services, our standing relationships with outside agencies, and outreach methods.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funded out of the General Fund, the cost of the expanded outreach services ranges from $100,000 to $114,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024. Either funding option can be limited to 12 months in one- time money, but up to five years , to be in sync with the City’s Homelessness Plan. Furthermore, when the Homelessness Plan is updated in 2028, the expanded homeless outreach services can be re- evaluated as part of the new plan. To recruit a suitable and experienced case manager, projected funding for this service should range anywhere from three to five years.
CONCLUSION
The expansion of homeless outreach will further enhance the City’s ability to meet people where they are by deploying trained professionals quickly. Through consistent outreach and collaboration with our nonprofits and regional partners, we can all work together for a safe, beautiful, and thriving community for all residents of Burbank.
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