Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: June 24, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Carmen Nichols, Assistant City Manger
Subject: CC Agreement 2026-51 with County of Ventura Health Care Agency for Non-Emergent Community Outreach, Engagement, Case Management, and Resource Coordination Services in
Support of Project HOPE
BACKGROUND
Since January 2019, the City of Camarillo (City) and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) have partnered with Ventura County social service agencies through the Project HOPE initiative. Project HOPE pairs a VCSO deputy with County-employed case managers to conduct outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness throughout Camarillo, connecting them to housing resources, supportive services, and the tools needed to achieve long-term stability.
The partnership with the County began through Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), which assigned a part-time Community Services Coordinator (CSC) to ride alongside the Project HOPE deputy for 20 hours per week. The position was originally funded through a County grant at no cost to the City. When that grant expired in 2021, the City entered into an agreement with VCBH to take on the full cost of the position, which by then had increased to 40 hours per week.
In 2023, the City expanded the team further by adding a full-time CSC to provide dedicated case management services and support implementation of the Camarillo Hotel Voucher Program, funded by the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP- 4) grant. That investment yielded measurable results: since 2023, the Project HOPE team has successfully facilitated over 50 permanent housing placements for individuals experiencing homelessness in Camarillo. As the Hotel Voucher Program sunsets, the City is now building on that foundation, evolving and scaling the Project HOPE team through two additional grant sources while utilizing General Fund support for ongoing outreach and case management. Although the dedicated behavioral health ride-along component of the team has concluded, Project HOPE continues to work closely with
CC Agreement 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency June 24, 2026
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VCBH, making regular referrals and ensuring that behavioral health services are accessed by Camarillo clients.
This expansion is also directly consistent with the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan, adopted by the City Council in January 2026. Specifically, the proposed Agreement advances Goal 3: Expand Local Capacity, by growing the City’s team of dedicated homelessness service professionals and establishing a structured, multi-position model capable of serving clients across the full continuum, from initial outreach and housing placement through long-term housing retention and stabilization.
The proposed Agreement with the County of Ventura Health Care Agency (COUNTY) formalizes this evolution, establishing three specialized roles, each funded through a distinct source and aligned to a specific program function, enabling the City to serve clients across the full continuum of homelessness services: outreach, housing placement, and long-term housing retention.
DISCUSSION
Agreement Overview
The proposed Agreement, effective July 1, 2026, establishes a two-year term through June 30, 2028, with the option to extend for up to two additional one-year terms upon mutual agreement. Under the Agreement, the County of Ventura Health Care Agency’s Ambulatory Care Department will provide personnel to perform non-emergent community outreach, engagement, case management, and resource coordination services related to housing support for individuals identified by the City.
COUNTY personnel working under this Agreement remain employees of the County at all times. The County retains sole responsibility for supervision, direction, and control of its staff. The City’s role is to provide program coordination, client identification, and access to City facilities and information necessary to support effective case management.
The total not-to-exceed amount for the Agreement is $860,766 over the two-year term.
Compensation is structured by position and fiscal year as detailed in Exhibit B of the Agreement and in the funding table below.
Expanded Project HOPE Staffing: Three Specialized Roles The proposed Agreement scales Project HOPE’s services by introducing role-specific specialization. Rather than a single generalist position, the Agreement funds three distinct roles that collectively cover the City’s homelessness service continuum. Each position is funded through a separate, designated source, maximizing grant leverage while preserving General Fund dollars for targeted outreach work.
1. Full-Time Community Services Coordinator (1.0 FTE) – Encampment Resolution Fund Grant
The current HHAP-4 grant funded full-time CSC position will transition into the full-time CSC position funded entirely by the City’s Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) Grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This CC Agreement 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency June 24, 2026
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position serves as the backbone of Project HOPE’s intensive case management function, providing individualized, sustained support to clients connected to the ERF encampment area.
Key responsibilities include:
• Providing comprehensive case management and housing navigation services for individuals identified through ERF-funded outreach and encampment resolution efforts;
• Coordinating housing placements and conducting follow-up to ensure clients successfully transition from encampments or interim settings into stable housing; • Conducting non-clinical screenings, needs assessments, and service referrals; • Assisting clients in accessing housing resources, public benefits, behavioral health services, substance abuse support, employment assistance, and other community-based supports;
• Maintaining case records and documentation consistent with County and grant reporting requirements;
• Collaborating closely with the City’s designated staff and the Project HOPE deputy to ensure coordinated, client-centered service delivery.
2. Part-Time Community Services Coordinator (0.5 FTE) – General Fund The part-time CSC will maintain the City’s longstanding General Fund investment in the Project HOPE team, continuing a commitment to field-based outreach and case management that has been central to Project HOPE since its launch.
This position focuses on proactive outreach and case management for individuals on the City’s By Name List (BNL), a real-time list of known individuals experiencing homelessness in Camarillo. Key responsibilities include:
• Conducting regular outreach contacts with individuals throughout the City, building trust, and facilitating connection to services; • Providing case management support to move individuals from the BNL toward housing readiness and placement;
• Coordinating with service providers and other Project HOPE team members to develop and update individualized housing plans;
• Participating in BNL review meetings and contributing to data-driven case conferencing;
• Supporting warm handoffs and transitions as clients are referred to the full-time CSC for more intensive housing navigation services.
3. Full-Time Community Health Worker (1.0 FTE) – HHAP-6 Grant The full-time Community Health Worker (CHW) position will represent a new and critical addition to Project HOPE’s service model, addressing a gap that has long challenged the City’s homelessness response: post-placement retention support. Funded by the City’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 6 (HHAP-6) grant award, this CC Agreement 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency June 24, 2026
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position focuses exclusively on housing stabilization and retention case management for individuals who have already been placed into permanent housing.
Research and local experience consistently demonstrate that the period immediately following a housing placement is among the highest-risk times for individuals transitioning out of homelessness. The CHW position is designed to provide sustained, relationship- based support that enables formerly homeless individuals to maintain their housing and build long-term stability. Key responsibilities include:
• Providing regular check-ins, home visits, and ongoing case management for formerly homeless individuals placed into permanent housing through City programs;
• Assisting clients with housing retention challenges, including lease compliance, neighbor relations, landlord coordination, and crisis stabilization; • Connecting clients to budgeting assistance, public benefits, transportation resources, employment support, and behavioral health services as needed; • Facilitating timely intervention when housing stability is at risk, coordinating with property managers and service providers to prevent eviction; •Documenting services and outcomes in accordance with HHAP-6 grant reporting requirements and County policies.
Position commencement: Although the CHW position is included in the Agreement effective July 1, 2026, this position will not commence until the City’s HHAP-6 grant contract with the Ventura County Continuum of Care (CoC) has been fully executed. The City was officially notified on March 17, 2026 of the HHAP-6 grant award in the amount of $339,790; however, the grant contract from the CoC remains pending and is expected to be executed by the CoC in July. HHAP-6 funds will be distributed on a reimbursement basis and are already approved in the State’s current budget. Staff will activate the CHW position upon confirmation of the executed grant contract. The City will not incur any costs associated with the CHW position until the position is active.
Scaling Project HOPE: Specialized Team Service Model
The expansion from a single 0.5 FTE position to a three-person, specialized team represents a strategic evolution of Project HOPE consistent with the City’s adopted Homelessness Strategic Plan. Each will have a defined lane within the continuum of care, reducing duplication, improving accountability, and allowing for more consistent client outcomes.
Collectively, the three positions create a coordinated care pathway: the part-time CSC identifies and builds relationships with individuals on the BNL; the full-time CSC provides intensive case management and navigates housing placements; and the full-time CHW ensures that individuals who have been housed remain housed through sustained retention support. This continuum, from outreach to placement to retention, represents the full arc of the City’s commitment to ending homelessness for Camarillo residents.
CC Agreement 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency June 24, 2026
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Position Funding Summary
Position FTE Funding Source Primary Function Two-Year Cost Community
Services
Coordinator
1.0 FTE
(Full-Time)
Encampment
Resolution Fund
(ERF) Grant –
HCD
Case management
and housing
navigation for ERF
program clients
$391,075.26
Community
Services
Coordinator
0.5 FTE
(Part-Time)
General Fund Outreach and case
management for
individuals on the
City’s By Name List
(BNL)
$185,138.45
Community
Health
Worker¹
1.0 FTE
(Full-Time)
HHAP-6 Grant –
Ventura County
CoC (Awarded
March 17, 2026;
$339,790)
Housing retention and
stabilization case
management for
clients already placed
in permanent housing
$284,550.38
Total Not-to-Exceed (Two-Year Agreement) $860,764.09
¹ The Community Health Worker position will not commence until the HHAP-6 grant contract between the City of Camarillo and the Ventura County Continuum of Care has been fully executed. HHAP-6 funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total not-to-exceed amount for this two-year Agreement is $860,766, allocated across three positions and two fiscal years as follows:
Position FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 Total
Community Services
Coordinator (1.0 FTE) – ERF
Grant
$188,016.95 $203,058.31 $391,075.26
Community Services
Coordinator (0.5 FTE) –
General Fund
$89,008.87 $96,129.58 $185,138.45
Community Health Worker (1.0
FTE) – HHAP-6 Grant
$136,803.55 $147,747.83 $284,550.38
Fiscal Year Total $413,829.37 $446,935.72 $860,765.09
Funding for the full-time CSC position is included in the recommended Encampment Resolution Fund grant budget for FY 26-27, Account No. 202-4340-446.32-01. Funding for the part-time CSC position is included in the recommended FY 26-27 Community and CC Agreement 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency June 24, 2026
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Human Services Division budget for Professional Services/Administration, Account No. 101-4340-446.32-01. Funding for the full-time Community Health Worker position is contingent upon execution of the HHAP-6 grant contract; HHAP-6 funds have been approved in the State’s budget and will be distributed to the City on a reimbursement basis through the Ventura County Continuum of Care.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
City staff has determined, in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, that these services are not subject to CEQA review because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that these services may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute Agreement CC 2026-51 between the County of Ventura Health Care Agency and the City of Camarillo for a total not-to-exceed amount of $860,766, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, with the option to extend for up to two additional one-year terms if funds are available.
ATTACHMENTS
1. CC 2026-51 - County of Ventura Health Care Agency
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None