DATE:
June 11, 2024
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
City Manager’s Office
TITLE: Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and
One-Time Homeless Services Agreements
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Finding that Adoption of t his Resolution a nd the Actions Taken Herein A re Exempt From the California Environmental Quality Act and Authorizing the City Manager or their Designee to :
(1) Amend the Lease Agreement with the County of Santa Clara (“County”) for Safe Parking at Shoreline Amphitheatre Lot B to Extend the Term Through June 30, 2025; (2) Amend the Lease Agreement w ith Terra Bella II, LLC, f or Safe Parking at 1020 Terra Bella Avenue to Extend the Term Through December 31, 2024; (3) Amend the Sub-Lease with the County for Safe Parking at 1020 Terra Bella Avenue to Extend the Term Through December 31, 2024 and Update the Required Transition Plan; and (4) Amend the Lease Agreement w ith the County for Safe Parking at 87 East Evelyn Avenue to Extend the Term Through June 30, 2026 and Add a Required Transition Plan, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 1 to the Council report).
2. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute Fiscal Year 2024 -25 Funding Agreements w ith the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills f or Housing- Related Services in an Amount Not to Exceed One Hundred Seventy-Seven Thousand Dollars ($177,000); and the County of Santa Clara for Homeless Prevention Services and Programs in an Amount Not to Exceed Eight Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($825,000), to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 2 to the Council report).
3. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Recognizing the Community Services Agency o f Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills (“CSA”) as a Resource Hub For the Unhoused and Unstably Housed and Awarding a Grant in the Amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) to CSA For Rehabilitation of Its Site Located at 204 Stierlin Road, Mountain View, California, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 3 to the Council report).
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
4. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Amending Resolution No. 18301 to Extend the Declaration of a Shelter Crisis in the City of Mountain View Through June 30, 2026, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 4 to the Council report).
BACKGROUND
This Council report focuses on actions related to the City’s safe parking program and support services for unstably housed residents. Additional information is available in t he 2023 Homelessness Initiatives Report , which was provided to Council in December 2023 and is included in this report as Attachment 5.
Homelessness Trends in Mountain View and Living-in-Vehicles Count
The City participates in the County of Santa Clara’s biannual “point-in-time” (PIT) homeless count, which serves as a baseline for understanding homelessness in the region. Data on the most recent PIT count from 2023 is available in Attachment 5 , which counted 562 individuals as homeless, including those staying in emergency shelters, in transitional housing, sleeping on the streets, or sleeping in vehicles or other places not meant for human habitation. To augment the information from the County count, the City also conducts an annual street- by-street count of vehicles that appear to be in use for living purposes. The most recent count was conducted in August 2023. A map of the locations with residents living in vehicles is included in Attachment 6.
Shelter Crisis Resolution
The City Council adopted a resolution declaring a shelter crisis in March 2019, which was extended on June 9, 2020, and further extended on June 30, 2022, with an expiration of June 30, 2024. This declaration has provided the City more opportunity and flexibility to work with the County and community-based organizations to assist individuals experiencing homelessness, particularly in creating safe parking lots for individuals living in vehicles.
Staff
noted at the time that an extension of the declaration would be considered in response to the ongoing nature of the homelessness crisis.
Since the original declaration in March 2019 and extension adopted in June 2020, there have been many enhancements to expand the housing options continuum, as discussed in the 2023 Homeless Initiatives Update (Attachment 5). Nevertheless, the need for temporary sheltering remains great in Mountain View as well as across the region and state.
City-Secured Lots
The City has been instrumental in securing three lots for the provision of safe parking at Shoreline Amphitheatre Lot B, which is owned by the City but leased to Live Nation during the concert Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
season; Evelyn Avenue; and Terra Bella Avenue, which is leased from Terra Bella I I, LLC (an Alta Housing company). The City has taken the lead in identifying and negotiating the use of these lots, funding lot preparation, providing funding for safe parking services, and identifying opportunities for increasing vehicle capacity on the sites. The current capacity of the lots (including the faith-based lots) is summarized in Table 1 below. Two of the sites, Evelyn lot and Terra Bella lot, will be developed with affordable housing , and the agreement terms will reflect this timing.
Table 1: Existing Safe Parking Lot Capacity
Lot Planning
Zone Vehicle Type
Capacity
(living spaces are
noted in bold)
Time Frame
Available
Terra Bella
(Alta Housing)
General
Industrial (MM)
Oversized Vehicles
(OV) with some
passenger vehicles
9 OVs Use of the lot has
been extended
through December
31, 2024.
Shoreline Lot B
(on Crittenden Lane)
Public Facility
(PF)
OVs with some
passenger vehicles
46 OVs,
2 Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)
commuter vehicles,
1 loading zone space,
adjacent space for up
to 23 commuter
parking vehicles for
nonliving purposes
Could be ongoing for
as long as Council
directs, Live Nation
extends the
agreement, and
County
Environmental
Health approves the
plan.
Evelyn Lot
(former VTA parking
lot)
General
Industrial (MM)
OVs with some
passenger vehicles
30 OVs,
21 flex spaces (for
either living or
commuter parking
purposes, where a
buffer is only
required for spaces
used for living
purposes)
Use of the lot has
been extended
through June 30,
2026 in preparation
for construction for
affordable housing
beginning estimated
Q1 2027
St. Timothy’s Lot
(faith)
*On hiatus
Single-Family
Residential—R1
Passenger vehicles 4 No end date
designated at this
time.
Lord’s Grace (faith) North Bayshore
Precise Plan—
P(39)
Passenger vehicles 4 No end date
designated at this
time.
EXISTING TOTAL 114 safe parking spaces
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
County Agreements for 24/7 Safe Parking
In March 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency and public health orders to shelter- in-place, the need for safe parking became even more urgent. Through a series of actions on February 25, March 17, and March 27, 2020, the City Council approved various lease and funding agreements for the County to administer 24/7 safe parking services at all three lots. Further action by Council on September 8, 2020 authorized 24/7 safe parking operation on a temporary basis through an adopted resolution and made other modifications to increase passenger vehicle spaces for a mix of commuter parking and vehicles used for living on City -owned or -controlled lots. On June 8, 2021, Council authorized extensions of the 24/7 safe parking contracts with the County and a new lease agreement with Terra Bella II, LLC, for the Terra Bella lot along with a sublease to the County for safe parking operations.
ANALYSIS
Overview of Recommended Actions
This report recommends Council action to extend the shelter crisis declaration until June 30, 2026 and continue 24/7 safe parking use of the three City -secured lots (Shoreline Lot B, Evelyn, and Terra Bella), all of which are leased to the County of Santa Clara (County), which contracts with and oversees a safe parking service provider. For the Terra Bella lot, it is necessary to extend the lease agreement with the property owner, Terra Bella II, LLC. Staff also recommend s amendments to existing agreement s with the County to extend 24/7 safe parking use at these three sites and authorize the City Manager or designee to enter into an agreement with the County for safe parking operations through the contracted service provider and a case worker for permanent supportive housing through June 30, 202 5 for a total agreement amount not to exceed $825,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Additionally, this report includes recommendations for Council to authorize the City Manager or designee to execute an agreement with the Community Services Agency (CSA) for case management/housing information and referral services , focused outreach for individuals living in vehicles, and facilitating placement of a portable restroom for service delivery needs through June 30, 2025 for a total agreement amount not to exceed $177,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Finally, staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute another agreement with CSA for a capital funding contribution in a total amount not to exceed $1,000,000.
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
Amendment for Extension of Shelter Crisis Resolution
A shelter crisis declaration authorizes the provision of emergency housing on City -owned or -controlled property and suspends state and local housing, health, and safety standards to the extent that strict compliance would hinder mitigation of the shelter crisis. The City may, in place of such standards, enact municipal health and safety standards to apply during the shelter crisis so long as minimal public health and safety standards are met. In addition, state law provides immunity to the City from ordinary negligence in the provision of emergency housing.
Based on the large gap in available shelter relative to the number of unsheltered and unsta bly housed individuals in the community, extending the shelter crisis declaration until June 30, 2026, provides additional time to make progress in addressing the regional affordable housing challenge. The continuation of the declaration will enable the continuation of a streamlined process for the potential expansion of safe parking sites since, when a shelter crisis is declared, an administrative Police Department permit is required with an exemption from the Conditional Use Permit process.
Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to extend the declaration of a shelter crisis until June 30, 2026.
Extension to 24/7 Safe Parking Site Lease Terms
The need for safe parking has continued beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, and staff has observed several ongoing benefits of 24/7 operations at the City-secured lots. These full-time hours allow access to water, medical services, showers, and hygiene services, which continue to be essential, and also provide more effective on-site access to case managers. Furthermore, by not requiring safe parking vehicles to leave the sites during the day, these vehicles are not relocated to City streets, and participants can experience more consistency and stability to help them progress on their path to housing. Since these City-secured lots do not have daytime uses, there is no impact on the availability of parking for other needs.
The continuation of 24/7 safe parking at City -secured lots will require amendments to existing agreements for the Shoreline Lot B, Evelyn lot, and Terra Bella lot and to the agreement with Terra Bella II, LLC, for the City’s use of the Terra Bella lot.
As the safe parking operator, the Count y is required to have transition plan s for safe parking participants. The existing Terra Bella lot agreement has a required transition plan. The amendment to this agreement will require an update to this plan due to the revised timeline of the lot’s availability through December 31, 2024, at which point it is scheduled to be developed for affordable housing. The amendment to the existing agreement for the Evelyn lot will also include a required transition plan in anticipation of the closure of the lot due to a future affordable housing development.
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to modify the City’s lease agreement with Terra Bella, LLC, for the City’s use of the Terra Bella lot for safe parking through December 31, 2024 and the no -cost lease agreements with the Count y for their use of the following lots for the provision of 24/7 safe parking: Shoreline Lot B through June 30, 2025 , Evelyn lot through June 30, 2026, including the addition of a transition plan, and Terra Bella lot through December 31, 2024, including an update to the transition plan.
Funding Agreement with the County of Santa Clara for Continuation of Safe Parking
The Fiscal Year 202 4-25 Recommended Budget includes $700,000 to fund 24/7 safe parking services, which includes ongoing operational costs . This funding amount includes case management for all safe parking participants. The agreement with the County will provide for operations through a contracted provider (the current provider is MOVE Mountain View). The Recommended Budget also includes continued funding of $125,000 for a caseworker for permanent supportive housing for the homeless.
Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to enter into a funding agreement with the County in the amount of $825,000 for these services through June 30, 2025.
Funding Agreement with CSA for Case Management, Focused Outreach and Assessments, and Facilitating a Portable Restroom for Service Delivery Needs
Since 2017, the City has contributed $60,000 each year, which was matched by the County through a revenue -share agreement, for case management services provided by CSA. The combined $120,000 pr ovided funding for a percentage of three CSA case management staff salaries. Due to County procurement limitations, the $60,000 matching grant has not been available going forward from Fiscal Year 2022-23. To maintain service levels of housing problem- solving and referral and case management services for Fiscal Year 2022-23, at the June 14, 2022 Council meeting, Council authorized an agreement with CSA to include continued City funding of $60,000 with an additional $60,000 commitment from the City funded from the grant provided to the City by Destination: Home for a total of $120,000. Through the Fiscal Year 202 4-25 revenue-share agreement, the County continues to provide significant funding for safe parking and other continuum-of-care services.
At the June 27, 2023 Council meeting (Attachment 7), Council authorized an agreement with CSA to include continued City funding of $60,000 and a $60,000 commitment from the grant provided to the City by Destination: Home to maintain service levels of housing problem -solving and referral and case management services . I n addition, Council authorized an additional $42,000 from the Destination: Home grant for new focused outreach to individuals living in vehicles to help them enter the queue for supportive housing opportunities. This resulted in an agreement with CSA in the total amount of $162,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
Since December 2022, the City has funded a portable restroom with a handwash station at CSA’s service delivery site located at 204 Stierlin Road. In April 202 4, CSA began construction at the Stierlin site as part of its capital improvements plan discussed below and temporarily relocated case management services to 435 San Antonio Road (the former JOANN Fabric location) . City staff ha s removed the portable restroom from the Stierlin site and recently met with CSA to discuss CSA facilitating a portable restroom for continued service delivery needs once they return to Stierlin Road, which would cost $15,000, including one-time set-up costs.
Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute an a greement with CSA for housing problem -solving services, housing information, and referral case management services in the amount of $120,000, focused outreach and assessments for individuals living in vehicles in the amount of $42,000, and facilitation of a portable restroom for service delivery needs in the amount of $15,000 for a total agreement amount not to exceed $177,000 for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Capital Funding Agreement with CSA
As the Emergency Assistance Network safety net provider for the City of Mountain View, CSA has been providing vital social services for residents, such as emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities, homeless services, food and nutrition, senior case management, a daily senior lunch program, outreach to vulnerable populations, and more for more than 65 years. Assisting over 6,000 individuals annually, CSA provides services to all in need regardless of race, ethnicity, language, country of origin, immigration status, age, religious belief, gender, or sexual orientation. CSA notes the demand for the essential social services provided by CSA has significantly increased. Since the beginning of the COVID -19 pandemic, CSA has had a 34% increase in the number of clients served. Between 2022 to 2023, CSA had a 47% increase in the number of unhoused individuals served.
CSA provided a letter to Council dated February 28, 2023, which included a request for $2 million to support their capital funding campaign, noting their need to acquire and develop a new facility to meet increased service demands. The request was for the City to consider this as a part of the budgetary process for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
At the June 27, 2023 City Council meeting, Council approved staff’s recommendation to execute an agreement with CSA for a capital funding contribution in a total amount not to exceed $1,000,000 and recognize CSA as the official “resource hub” for information to the homeless in the City. This aligns with services already being provided and also supports the City’s current collaborations and funding commitments with CSA for homeless case management.
The Fiscal Year 2024 -25 Recommended Budget proposes an additional $1,000,000 to support CSA’s capital funding campaign.
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute an agreement with the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills for a capital funding contribution in a total amount not to exceed $1,000,000.
Future Safe Parking Program Opportunities
The City’s efforts to establish and expand safe parking locations demonstrate a longstanding commitment to addressing the needs of vulnerable residents. Safe parking is one strategy among many the City employs to meet the housing and supportive service needs of homeless and unstably housed Mountain View residents. The City has continued to operate the largest safe parking program in the County, serving on average approximately 200 individuals every month.
Staff will continue to engage with lot owners to maintain capacity and/or find additional sites for safe parking as part of the broader efforts to assist the unhoused and unstably housed. Staff has been meeting with affordable housing developers, and staff sees one potential option to further explore as existing lots transition, depending on timing.
Finally, staff is developing a Homeless Response Strategy and Expenditure Plan , which is anticipated to come before the Council in an early fall Study Session, with adoption estimated for early 2025. The purpose of this effort is to review and refine existing programs and services and determine additional solutions for homelessness and housing instability. While safe parking is an important form of temporary shelter, the strategy shows the City’s range of partnerships and policies to make a more sustainable impact on this critical regional issue. As part of this , the Homelessness Response Strategy and Expenditure Plan will seek to establish a sustainable target level for safe parking capacity in Mountain View.
FISCAL IMPACT
City funds in the amount of $825,000 for Safe Parking and Permanent Supportive Housing and funds in the amount of $177,000 for CSA are included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget. The funding for the $825,000 includes $700,000 in Human Services General Non - Operating Fund limited-period funds and $125,000 from the General Housing Fund. The funding for the $177,000 includes $102,000 from the General Housing Fund, which also includes a portion of a grant from Destination : Home, and $75,000 from Human Services General Non-Operating Fund limited-period funds. The $1,000,000 for CSA’s capital funding campaign from the General Non-Operating Fund is also included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget.
CONCLUSION
This report recommends Council approval to extend the shelter crisis declaration until June 30, 2026 and continue 24/7 safe parking use of the three City -secured lots (Shoreline Lot B, Evelyn, Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
and Terra Bella), all of which are leased to the County, which contracts with and oversees a safe parking service provider. The agreement with the County funds both the provision of safe parking services and case management services to facilitate access to permanent supportive housing for homeless Mountain View resid ents. Additionally, this report includes recommendations for Council to authorize the City Manager or designee to execute an agreement with CSA for case management/housing information and referral services, focused outreach for individuals living in vehicles, and facilitating placement of a portable restroom for service delivery needs. Finally, staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute another agreement with CSA for a capital funding contribution.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not approve the extension of the shelter crisis declaration.
2. Do not approve the lease and funding agreements with the County and direct staff to develop other options for administering the safe parking program, which would cease safe parking operations as of July 1, 2024, and discontinue the City’s contribution to County case management for permanent supportive housing , which would cease access for up to 20 existing households.
3. Do not approve the agreement with CSA for housing information and referral, case management, focused outreach and assessments for individuals living in vehicles and facilitation of a portable restroom for service delivery needs.
4. Do not approve or change the funding amount for support of CSA’s capital campaign.
5. Provide other direction to staff.
Shelter Crisis Extension and Annual and One-Time Homeless Services Agreements June 11, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICING
Agenda posting, web and social media advisories, and a copy of the report was sent to Santa Clara County representatives, CSA, MOVE Mountain View, Alta Housing, Destination: Home, and other community -based organizations and stakeholder group members, shared with the safe parking lots via the operator, and, as feasible, others who have corresponded with the City Manager’s Office on this topic.
Prepared by:
Parneet Dhindsa
Human Services Manager
Kimberly S. Thomas
Deputy City Manager
Approved by:
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
PD/MS/4/CAM
626-06-11-24CR
204000
Attachments: 1. Resolution for Amending the Safe Parking Lease and Sublease Agreements
2. Resolution for Executing a Fiscal Year 2024-25 Funding Agreement with the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills for Housing Related -Services and the County of Santa Clara for Homeless Prevention Services
3. Resolution for Awarding a Grant to the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills for a Rehabilitation of Its Site
4. Resolution for Amending the Shelter Crisis Resolution
5. Annual Homeless Initiatives Update—December 2023
6. Map of Living in Vehicle Count Trend—August 2023
7. Council Report Dated June 27, 2023