Fremont City Council Meeting: 10/08/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Human Services Department Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5260) DOC ID: 5260
Updated: 10/3/2024 2:41 PM by Dina Lewis Page 1
AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH BAY AREA COMMUNITY SERVICES - Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Bay Area Community Services for the Wellness Center Contact Persons:
Name: Robert Lopez Christina Briggs
Title: CDBG Administrator Assistant City Manager
Div/Dept: Human Services Department Human Services Department Phone: 510-574-2043 510-284-4022
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Since November 2018, Bay Area Community Services (BACS) has operated a Wellness Center for housing and dignity services at its facility located at 40963 Grimmer Boulevard, Fremont. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a three-year agreement with BACS in an amount not to exceed $1,431,939 for BACS to continue operating the Wellness Center.
BACKGROUND: Bay Area Community Services (BACS) is the largest homeless services provider in Alameda County. BACS operates the Fremont Housing Navigation Center and 3 other Navigation Centers in Alameda County. BACS currently works with over 1,000 landlords throughout Alameda County to assist clients in finding permanent housing.
In 2000, the City awarded a total of $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to help BACS acquire a building located at 40963 Grimmer Boulevard in Fremont. The City also awarded BACS $420,000 in CDBG funds in 2014 to reconfigure the space to address programming needs, which included installation of a shower.
In 2018, the City Council authorized the City to contract with BACS to operate a drop-in Wellness Center serving adults and families who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. That agreement ended on June 30, 2024.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The Wellness Center is the only daily drop-in center for unhoused residents in South County providing a “front door” to the system of care for those experiencing homelessness. The objective of the Wellness Center continues to be to increase the number and percentage of individuals successfully transitioning from homelessness into stable housing. This objective aligns with the “housing first” philosophy of Alameda County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES), as well as the Fremont Homeless Response Plan adopted by the City Council on May 21, 2024.
Scope of Services: The drop-in Welcome Center services are part of an engagement strategy to create trust and build relationships that will help support people as they navigate the process of securing stable housing. BACS Housing Specialists help individuals with housing services, including creating an individualized housing plan, general housing search support, document readiness, and housing navigation. Housing specialists implement BACS’ flexible rapid housing model that uses readily available (same day if necessary) financial assistance to help clients quickly take advantage of housing opportunities as they Council Staff Report (ID # 5260) Meeting of October 8, 2024 Updated: 10/3/2024 2:41 PM by Dina Lewis Page 2
present themselves. Financial Assistance may be used for move-in costs, titrated rental assistance, and support finding creative housing opportunities, such as renting a bedroom, shared housing opportunities, or family homes.
BACS Peer Counselors provide individual health interventions and group courses that teach independent living skills, such as accessing resources online or via phone. Other topics include “document readiness,” landlord /tenant mediation skills, financial/benefits, and employment readiness.
As an engagement tool, the Wellness Center provides various dignity services. It provides one meal daily and essentials, including laundry pods and hygiene products. The Wellness Center facility includes the following amenities:
• a full commercial kitchen and a kitchenette,
• restrooms with showers,
• a wardrobe and pantry for donated items
• multiple break out rooms, classroom and group space,
• a secure outdoor area with garden that can accommodate pets, • a ‘Zzzz’s Space’ for individuals who need a rest, and • storage for individuals to secure personal belongings.
Outcomes: From July 2023 through June 2024, the BACS Wellness Center program has:
• stably housed 30 individuals, through the use of flex funds, • assisted 263 clients with housing-related support services, • supported an average daily attendance of 40 – 50 clients, and • provided an employment counselor or peer specialist to 95% of clients.
Partnerships: The BACS drop-in Wellness Center also serves as a physical front door for multiple government and non-profit partners working within the framework of the South County CES. Specifically, BACS works closely with the Housing Resource Centers operated by Abode Services serving the Tri-City area, as well as Fremont’s Human Services Department and the Mobile Evaluation Team (MET), to ensure that all services are aligned with a Housing First philosophy. The Wellness Center operates at full capacity and serves clients 7-days a week.
FISCAL IMPACT: As part of the FY 2024/25 adopted budget, the City Council appropriated sufficient funds in the City-Funded Affordable Housing and Homeless Services Fund (Fund 112) to pay for the current year contract costs, which includes $100,000 for flexible housing financial assistance as described above. The costs for subsequent years will be included in the proposed operating budgets for those years. The agreement will include an annual amount not to exceed $477,313 per year, for a total of $1,431,939 over the three- year contract term.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Approval of the agreement with BACS is not a project subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15378, as it is an administrative governmental activity that will not result in direct or indirect change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5260) Meeting of October 8, 2024 Updated: 10/3/2024 2:41 PM by Dina Lewis Page 3
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to enter into an agreement with Bay Area Community Services from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, for a total amount not to exceed $1,431,939, to allow BACS to continue operating the Wellness Center, which serves people experiencing homelessness as described in this report.