EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: July 19, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration of Measure C Funding to Support Two Community-Based Organization Initiatives: Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse and One East Palo Alto/El Concilio’s Sponsored Employment Program Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Interim City Manager to enter into agreements, in a form approved by the City Attorney, with Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA) and the Sponsored Employment Program (SEP) offered by One East Palo Alto and El Concilio to provide services related to implementation of Measure C.
Background
On June 7, 2022, the City Council:
1. Appropriated $15,000 of Measure C funding to support the Senior Center reopening efforts; and
2. Directed staff to invite CORA and One East Palo Alto/El Concilio’s SEP to be considered for Measure C funding in the amount of $199,000.
In late June 2022, representatives from CORA and SEP submitted their proposals for consideration.
Staff reviewed the two proposals and prepared recommendations for City Council consideration.
Analysis
CORA
In response to the strong demand from the City of East Palo Alto (EPA), Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA) launched the East Palo Alto Domestic Violence Community Advocacy Pilot Project (Project) in January 2017. Since the Project launch, CORA has continuously offered EPA residents access to culturally-informed education, outreach, and advocacy focused on domestic violence.
With a CORA Community Coordinator physically located in EPA for 5 years, CORA has been able to build trust with local community leaders, local stakeholders, and most importantly, residents. Intensive outreach work by staff has included: door to door outreach in the community; participating in planning and production of community events with community partners; posting fliers/posters in laundromats, stores, and public buildings; and meetings with community-based organizations and faith-based organizations.
Since the Project’s inception, more than 271 households have been served. Approximately 54% of these households were monolingual Spanish speaking, 3% disclosed a head of household with a disability, and 32% had children. Among these households, 19 received emergency shelter or emergency hotel stays and 12 received housing assistance, including one family that received Emergency Housing Vouchers. Conservative estimates of the value of these contributions to clients in need through December 2021 is $191,985, of which $102,446 was provided in 2021 alone. The value of the Emergency Housing Voucher is approximately $30,000 per year (plus rent increases) in perpetuity and is not included in this calculation.
These needed resources were provided for residents of EPA at no cost to the City.
CORA Proposal – 18-Month Agreement $113,637
CORA proposes comprehensive services that focus on the following:
• Outreach
• Prevention and Education
• Crisis Intervention
• Advocacy
Please see Attachment 2 for more details describing the CORA Proposal.
Measure C funding would support the following positions and expenses to implement the CORA Proposal1:
• EPA Community Coordinator
• Outreach Specialist
• Crisis Counselor
• Housing and Advocacy Manager
• Data Systems Coordinator
• Volunteer Manager
• Marketing Materials
• Technology
• Additional Supplies
About One East Palo Alto/El Concilio’s SEP Program
One East Palo Alto (OEPA) is a youth-focused organization with a twenty-year history and mission to develop resident leaders, broker resources and services, build the capacity of individuals and organizations, and advocate for change leading to the improved social, physical, spiritual, educational, and economic well-being of East Palo Alto residents and families.
SEP is a partnership-based, crime prevention initiative that provides summer jobs, mentoring, and community connectedness opportunities to at risk individuals aged 14-24. Participants receive intensive soft skills training and career focused professional development, are placed for six weeks at work sites hosted by SEP Employer Sponsors and are supported by one-onone relationships with SEP Peer Mentor college students and other community members.
SEP Proposal – Summer 2023 $86,363
OEPA requests $86,363 to support 25 SEP participants during summer 2023. Measure C funding would support the following activities:
• Stipends for 25 Participants
• Two Peer Mentors and Additional OEPA Staff
• Live in Peace Staff
• Marketing Materials
• Training
• Events
Please see Attachment 3 for more information regarding the OEPA Proposal.
Fiscal Impact
The funding requested in this staff report ($199,000) would represent the final expenditures of the Measure C program.
Public Notice
Standard.
Environmental
Standard.
Attachments
1. Resolution
2. CORA Proposal
3. OEPA Proposal