Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Sofia Navarro
City Administrator Interim Human Services
Dept. Director
SUBJECT: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts DATE: September 12, 2025
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Awarding And/Or Amending Grant Agreements And Professional Services Agreements To The Homeless Service Providers And For The Terms And Amounts Identified In Table 2 and Table 3, Using Previously Appropriated State And Local Funding;
2. Waiving The Local/Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) Requirement For The Providers Identified In Table 4 For The Provision Of Hygiene Services At Encampments And Homeless Systems Support;
3. Authorizing The City Administrator To Increase The Agreements Identified And Move Funding Identified In Table 2 and Table 3 Using Funding That City Council Has Appropriated For The Programs During The Term Of Such Agreements;
4. Appropriating Funds From The Housing Fast Support Network (HFSN) Lease Revenues Received in Fiscal Year 2025/26 And Amending Resolution 90420 C.M.S., Which Awarded A Grant Agreement To Bay Area Community Services For The HFSN Program, To Change The Funding From County Of Alameda Social Services Agency To State Permanent Local Housing Allocation;
5. And Making California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Adoption of this proposed Resolution will enable the City Administrator to enter into agreements to support established shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive services in permanent Jestin Johnson (Sep 23, 2025 17:11:31 PDT)
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
supportive housing, street outreach, hygiene services, and rapid rehousing programs, as well as consulting contracts, that serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness and are critical to the homelessness response system in the City of Oakland (City). Currently the Community Homeless Services Division of the Human Services Department funds 37 programs and three consultants in an effort to decrease and ultimately end homelessness in Oakland.
Programs are monitored regularly to ensure that performance measures are being met and positive outcomes achieved. The proposed Resolution pertains to 18 of these programs and two consultants with grant agreements or professional service agreements that expired or are set to expire in 2025 and would use previously appropriated state and local funding available now to continue to provide services and interim housing solutions.
Due to a reduction in local funding for these activities, seven of the programs with contract end dates in 2025 are proposed for six months of funding, rather than a full year. Decisions on which programs to initially fund for a 6-month duration and potentially wind down or terminate if necessary were based on program performance. However, the proposed Resolution would authorize the City Administrator to increase funding amounts to cover a full year, or a full two- years should additional funding become available. Funding could thus be added to contracts only if the City Council appropriates funds for these programs, whether in a separate resolution or in the Biennial or Mid-Cycle Budget. Any additional available funding will prioritize programs that demonstrate strong performance and positive outcomes.
Should this Resolution not pass, approximately 641 beds would likely be removed from the City’s homelessness response system and individuals currently served in interim programs would be discharged.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Homelessness has been, and continues to be, a crisis throughout California, with Oakland being the most impacted city in Alameda County. As of the most recent 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count, the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the City increased nine percent (9%) from 2022 to 5,485. Of those counted, 3,659 (67%) are living without shelter. The homelessness problem affects the City’s population disproportionately; nearly a majority (48%) of the unsheltered identify as Black or African American, while Black and African American residents make up only 21.8% of the City’s overall population.
Funding the Homeless Response System
The persistent and evolving nature of homelessness in Oakland necessitates both continuing and enhancing high quality supportive services, housing, and shelter programs. It is essential for the City to strategically deploy the funding that is available to support the most effective of these programs in an effort to reduce and end homelessness. Toward this end, the City has applied for State Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funds and Federal Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care (CoC) funds, as well as appropriated local funds (Measure Q, City Measure W Vacant Property Tax Act and General Purpose Funds) to ensure a robust homeless response system. Most recently, on July 11, 2024, the City Council passed Resolution No. 90358 C.M.S. to award Federal, State, and local funds to service providers and consultants.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
State HHAP funds have represented a substantial source of funding, and over the course of funding program’s five rounds, the City has received a total of $107,567,120. Previous annual awards are listed below:
HHAP Round 1 #1006261 = $19,697,548.19
HHAP Round 2 #1006126 = $9,311,568.00
HHAP Round 3 #1006126 = $24,066,822.52
HHAP Round 4 #1006961 = $26,044,615.38
HHAP Round 5 #1007402 = $28,446,565.83
The City submitted an application in coordination with Alameda County for HHAP 6 funds on August 28, 2025, with an anticipated City award amount of $23,029,456. Notification of awards is expected by end of December 2025.
While the eligible uses of HHAP funding have generally been flexible, enabling recipients to use the funds in ways that best suit the needs of a jurisdiction, HHAP 6 guidelines have added some new restrictions. Specifically, HHAP 6 encourages the funding of permanent housing solutions, and discourages its use for non-housing solutions such as street outreach and engagement, street-based health care, and hygiene services in encampments.
HHAP funds have funded the following activities over the past five years:
Navigation Centers and Emergency Shelter: Establishing and operating community cabins, safe parking programs, and congregate emergency shelters to provide immediate shelter options.
Interim Shelter: Prioritizing an increase in capacity to shelter medically fragile and older unsheltered Oaklanders in non-congregate shelter settings. Transitional Housing: Offering short-term housing and supportive services, with a focus on housing navigation services, to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, including Transitional Age Youth (TAY) 18-24.
Permanent Housing Initiatives: Facilitating rapid rehousing programs and permanent supportive housing projects to transition individuals into stable living conditions. Supportive Services: Enhancing outreach, case management, and behavioral health services to address the complex needs of the homeless population.
Since 2020, HHAP funding has served 5,071 individuals, of which 58% are Black, and 49% were chronically homeless.1
Measure Q funds have been another critical source of funding for homeless programs. In March 2020, Oakland voters passed the Parks and Homeless Services Measure (Measure Q), approving a parcel tax to support parks and recreation, water quality, and homelessness services. $9.3 million in Measure Q funding was allocated to homeless services programs in the City of Oakland Fiscal Year 2025-2027 Biennial Budget. In the past Measure Q has funded emergency and interim shelters, transitional housing, and rapid rehousing. Measure Q funding has been decreased by half for FY25-26.
1 The HUD definition of chronic homelessness is that the individual has a disabling condition and has been homeless at least 12 months continuously or on at least four separate occasions in the past three years with the combined total equaling at least 12 months.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
Other sources being used for the homelessness response system include State Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA), City General Purpose Funds, City Measure W funds (which are unrelated to County Measure W funds), and Oakland Housing Authority funding.
Looking ahead, in addition to the potential award of HHAP 6 funding, County Measure W funds may become available late 2025/early 2026. Staff will continue the positive and productive conversations that have been underway with the County about funding existing programs using County Measure W. The amount available for Countywide homelessness response from Measure W is expected to be more than $1.4B over the next six to eight years. If and when additional funding becomes available, staff will return to City Council with a resolution requesting appropriation of these funds. Deployment of these funds will be informed by the performance of providers in meeting the measures that are described below and further discussed in the Analysis and Policy Alternatives section. Based on data in hand, the programs that deliver the strongest impact and positive outcomes include rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing coupled with robust housing navigation services, and other interim models that include a strong supportive services component.
Overview of Community Homelessness Services Programs
For FY 25-26, Community Homelessness Services proposes to fund and oversee the following programs:
Table A FY25-26 City-funded Homelessness Programs2
Program Name Number of
Programs
Number of
People
Served
Program Description
Community Cabins3 5 186 beds Community Cabins are intended as a short- term solution with a short-term navigation
center. They are generally roommate style
living that allows two pets per person,
showers are available two to three times a
week, shared restrooms, outdoor seating,
community space with access to
microwave, and housing navigation
services.
Emergency Shelter
(congregate)
3 201 beds Indoor congregate shelter is separated by
gender. There are male and female
rooms, shared showers and restrooms, a
community area, and meals are served two
times a day. Couples are welcome but are
not paired together. Pets are not allowed.
Interim Shelter (non-
congregate)
4 478 beds One program is for families with children
and two programs are for older adults and
medically fragile individuals.
2 Table A. does not include two programs for hygiene basic for sanitation support (Porto-potties, mobile showers and laundry for unsheltered residents and two programs for support services. 3 Wood Street cabins (two sites/96 beds) were closed in July 2025.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
Emergency rental
assistance (Rapid
Rehousing)
11 250
people/year
Housing assessments, case management,
and rental subsidies for six months to two
years.
RV Safe Parking4 2 133 spaces Enclosed lots for RV dwellers; includes showers that are available two times a
week, shared restrooms, no meals
provided, housing navigation services.
Transitional Housing 10 403 beds Programs are intended for stays of up to three years with programming and
supports, typically targeted for special high-
risk populations including families, TAY
youth, women in recovery, and others.
Total 35 1,651
Eighteen (18) programs in Table A have contracts that are set to expire in 2025 or have longer contract durations but were provided council-approved funding for a portion of their contract term.
These contracts are included in this agenda report for consideration by Council.
Special Program: Oakland PATH Rehousing Initiative (OPRI)
OPRI is a highly successful ongoing partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA).
OHA provides rental subsidies including security deposit assistance to single individuals, families, re-entry population and TAY youth aged 18-24 who are exiting homelessness as a bridge to a permanent OHA voucher. Supportive services are provided to participants which assists with housing placement, housing navigation, and signing up for healthcare/mainstream benefits. Upon availability, participants transition from the OPRI rental subsidy to a voucher from OHA.
Four providers manage referrals, matches, rental payments, and supportive services for OPRI recipients: Abode, Building Futures with Women and Children, First Place for Youth, and Roots Community Health. In FY24-25, the OPRI programs served approximately 260 people. The City contributes a small match to Housing Authority funds for this program from Measure Q, CDBG and ESG funds. OHA funds become available on a calendar year cycle and will be added to contracts upon receipt.
Performance and Outcome Measures
In an effort to ensure the ongoing efficacy of publicly funded homeless programs, in 2022, the City developed a comprehensive framework to monitor performance and outcome measures.
Toward this end, staff implemented recommendations from the 2022 Audit Report, developing clear, quantifiable performance measures for all contracted programs. Program performance and outcome measures were incorporated into the FY24-25 program contracts to establish provider responsibility and accountability to meet measurable program-specific goals and the City's strategic objectives for ending homelessness. This approach facilitates regular and timely reporting on progress, enabling CHS to more effectively assess program effectiveness, identify
4 Wood Street RV Safe Parking (one site/40 spaces) closed in July 2025.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 6
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
areas for improvement, and ensure efficient resource allocation. This program analysis informed the allocation of limited funding available for programs in FY 25-26, described further below.
Performance and outcome measures include data collection on race and ethnicity of clients as well as the following:
Exits to permanent housing solutions
Housing retention in permanent housing
Utilization of supportive services offered
Increases in clients’ health benefits and/or income
Client health and stability
Exits to homelessness
Average length of stay
Timely and complete entry of HMIS data
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
CHS recommends continuing 20 agreements for services addressing homelessness with end dates in 2025, informed by each program’s performance and achievement of positive outcomes.
A core principle of the City’s current homeless response strategy emphasizes the need to increase the rate of positive flow through City-funded programs so that each bed or unit can help more individuals to move from the streets into stable housing. Flow through interim housing requires adequate funding of onsite services. When funding cuts reduce supportive services or increase staff turnover, clients remain for longer periods without exit plans or document readiness to graduate and vacate beds for new clients. As such, CHS recommends funding levels that ensure sustainable operations, staffing, safe sites, and a level of onsite services that maximizes system flow. Funding decisions also aim to mitigate public health impacts from unsheltered homelessness with health and hygiene interventions.
However, due to limited funding, program cuts are necessary. The performance and outcome measures described in the above section were considered in crafting recommendations to maximize the impact of the funding currently available, described below.
Approach to Budget Reductions
CHS has a budget shortfall of approximately $22.6 million for FY 25-26 as compared to the funding available in FY 24-25. This shortfall is primarily due the lack of new HHAP funding in FY25/26 ($15.5 million was included in FY 24/25), reductions in General Fund ($2.2 million, or 45% reduction compared to FY 24-25) and Measure Q ($4.2 million, a 48% reduction compared to FY 24-25). In order to sustain all programs with contracts ending in 2025 for a subsequent full year would require the addition of at least $8 million to the CHS budget. Looking to the future, the total shortfall for FY 26-27 and FY 27-28 will likely only grow due to declines in HHAP funding from the State of California
To address the reduced funding, CHS is proposing to renew the contracts of seven of the programs for a six-month period, while the remaining 13 would be funded for a full year. CHS staff discussed and examined numerous ways of making the necessary funding reductions and Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 7
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
concluded that measurable performance outcomes would be the most rational, fair, and objective basis to guide budget decisions. These six months will serve as a planning period during which CHS will continue to monitor program performance, work closely with providers, and strategize with providers and the County to support continued operation of programs demonstrating strong outcomes. However, CHS expects that a portion of those funded for the six-month period will either wind-down to 50% capacity or to complete closure. It is worthy of note that program outcomes are not solely within the control of providers and are not always a reflection of provider commitment, effort, or quality. Factors such as location, program model, funding level, funding stability, and the increasing acuity levels of people experiencing homelessness will also impact client outcomes. Thus wind-down and closure are not intended to be disciplinary but are instead the most practical and data-driven means of right-sizing city investments to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Were it not for the shortfall, CHS would continue funding most contracts for the full year while working with providers to improve outcomes. The division will continue to work closely with providers over the next three to six months to both improve program outcomes and to identify alternative funding sources to continue operations. Both HHAP-6 funding and County Measure W funding are possibilities for program preservation. CHS is working with providers and partners at the County to explore funding and resources to either sustain existing programs, or to help transition the individuals currently served in programs that will close.
Proposed Contract Renewals
Staff is seeking authorization to amend grant agreements and professional services agreements for FY 25-26 as listed in Table 1 and Table 2. Table 1 lists those programs proposed for a full year of funding, while Table 2 lists those programs being proposed for six months of funding.
To streamline the process for funding these critical programs, staff is recommending that contracts be structured as follows:
Contract term is approximately two years. Where possible, end-dates have been adjusted to September 30th or later (rather than June 30th, as was the previous practice) to avoid contracting delays due to the uncertainties that accompany the annual budgeting process at the end and start of the fiscal year. Contract amount is a not to exceed amount equal to two years of program operating costs.
Contract will stipulate an initial amount of funds available for the first year of the two-year term. This stipulated initial amount will be the maximum the provider can draw down until or unless additional funding becomes available.
Should funds become available for the second year, new funding may be added up to the “Not to Exceed” level, (including funds appropriated by the City Council for these purposes). This will prevent the delays that often result from a full contract amendment process.5
Additional funding will be dependent upon demonstrable progress on performance indicators.
The City of Oakland also reserves the right to terminate any agreement based on funding availability.
5 Contracts will be written for the full amount, with an explicit cap of the initial amount, and then the Division will issue written task orders if additional funding becomes available
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 8
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
Table definitions are as follows:
“Not to Exceed Amount” column reflects the total anticipated amount of City funding needed to operate the program for two years. The maximum (not to exceed) amount for each contract is subject to funding availability.
“ Proposed Contract Amount for Current Year” column reflects the amount of funding that is currently recommended to support the program operations.
Below each Table is a brief description of the performance outcomes achieved by the programs, as indicated by data and staff monitoring.
Table 1 Programs Proposed for a Full Year of Funding
Provider Program
Contract
“Not to
Exceed”
Amount
Proposed
Contract
Amount for
Current
Year
(based on
available
funding)
Contract
Term Funding Source
East Oakland
Community
Project
Crossroads
Emergency
Shelter
& County Winter
Relief
$899,474 $100,3756 7.1.25-
9.30.27 Measure Q
(1005349)
Alameda County
SSA (1007764)
Housing
Consortium of
the East Bay
Soul Sanctuary
(Interim Housing) $10,226,000 $5,113,000 1.1.26-
12.31.27 GPF
(1000017)
Measure Q
HHAP Round 2-6
Lifelong Medical
Care
Services in
Permanent
Supportive
Housing (PSH)7
$496,9138 $220,850 7.1.25-
9.30.27 HHAP Round 2-6
GPF
(1000017)
Operation
Dignity
Homeless
Mobile Outreach
Program (HMOP)
$1,900,000 $950,000 10.1.25-
9.30.27 Measure Q
(1005349)
St. Mary's
Center
Rapid Rehousing
(RRH) &
County Winter
Relief
$354,8599 $100,000 7.1.25-
9.30.27 Alameda County
SSA
(1007764)
6 An additional $299,391 per year in ESG and CDBG funds has already been allocated to this program. 7 Provides integrated housing services at the California Hotel and Harrison Hotel that ensure housing stability and improve health and quality of life. Services include case management, mental health, crisis intervention, and Medi-Cal referrals for substance use. 8 Total yearly budget to operate program is $550,984.00, with $330,134.00 fundraised by Lifelong 9 An additional $57,715 per year in ESG funds has already been allocated to this program.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 9
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
TBS Porta Potties $1,000,000 $500,000 10.1.25-
9.30.27 HHAP Round 2-5
(not eligible for HHAP
6)
WeHOPE Mobile Showers
and Laundry $1,264,000 $632,500 1.1.26-
12.31.27 HHAP Round 2-5
(not eligible for HHAP
6)
Abode Services
Oakland PATH
Rehousing
Initiative
(OPRI)
$2,025,973 $54,641 7.1.24-
6.30.26 HHAP Round 2-6
Building Futures
with Women and
Children
$1,380,735 $252,135 7.1.24-
6.30.26 HHAP Round 2-6
First Place for
Youth $453,763 $20,606 7.1.24-
6.30.26 HHAP Round 2-6
Roots
Community
Health
$1,378,600 $250,000 7.1.24-
6.30.26 HHAP Round 2-6
Social Impact
Wheel
Consulting (CoC
support10) $100,000 $50,000 3.1.24-
12.31.27 HHAP Round 2-6
Aspire
Consulting
Consulting
(FHC support11) $160,000 $80,00012 7.1.24-
12.31.27 HHAP Round 2-6
Total $21,640,317 $8,324,107
Performance Outcomes for Table 1 Programs
Collectively, the programs in Table 1. served 1,713 people in FY 24-25 with the following demographics:
Fifty-eight percent (58%): Black, African American
Fourteen percent (14%): White
Seven percent (7%): Hispanic/Latinx
Three percent (3%): Asian/Asian American
Twenty-four percent (24%) identified as having a mental health disorder
Program performance has been varied, with the most positive outcomes being achieved in the permanent supportive services coupled with long-term housing programs for individuals with disabilities and chronic homelessness and rapid rehousing programs including OPRI that provide permanent housing with rental assistance and supportive services. For example:
A rapid rehousing program for 50 senior clients (60 and over), resulted in only 7% of participants exiting to homelessness, 86% increasing or maintaining their income, and 96% obtaining or maintaining health insurance.
Two supportive service programs in permanent housing served 133 clients with 100% of residents gaining health insurance, 93% maintaining or increasing income, and only 8% exited to homelessness.
10 Complete activities for City of Oakland’s HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) grant funding, develop & release special RRH RQQ. 11 Consultation services & technical assistance for: Family Homelessness System & Family Homelessness Challenge (FHC) Grant. 12 Current contract terms 7.1.24-12.31.2026, request to add $80,000 from HHAP to cover original contract amount $120,000.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 10
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
Table 2 Programs Proposed for Six Months of Funding
Provider Program Not to Exceed
Amount13
Proposed
Contract
Amount
Contract
Term Funding Source
East
Oakland
Community
Project
Family
Matters
Shelter
$3,000,000 $750,000 10.1.25-
9.30.27 Measure Q
(1005349)
Housing
Consortium
of the East
Bay
3rd & Peralta
Community
Cabins 24/25
N/A $232,000 7.1.24-
9.30.25 HHAP Round 2-6
3rd & Peralta
Community
Cabins
25/27
$2,287,480 $571,870 10.1.25-
9.30.27 HHAP Round 2-6
71st Ave RV
Safe Parking
Amendment
$1,200,000 $300,000 7.1.24-
12.31.27 HHAP Round 2-6
Operation
Dignity
Community
Cabins -
Mandela
North &
South,
Northgate
N/A
$270,000
($60,000 out of the
$270,000 is for
electrical,
transformer,
fencing)
7.1.24-
9.30.25 HHAP Round 2-6
Community
Cabins –
Mandela
North &
South
$4,000,000 $1,000,000 10.1.25-
9.30.27 City Measure W
(1000017)
HHAP Round 2-6
Community
Cabins -
Northgate
$2,000,000 $500,000 10.1.25-
9.30.27 City Measure W
(1000017)
HHAP Round 2-6
St. Vincent
de Paul
Emergency
Shelter -
24/25
N/A $361,238 7.1.24-
9.30.25 HHAP Round 2-6
GPF
(1000017)
Emergency
Shelter –
25/27
$2,889,904 $722,476 10.1.25-
9.30.27 HHAP Round 2-6
Urban
Alchemy
66th Ave. RV
Safe Parking
23/25
N/A $400,000 1.1.23-
9.30.25 HHAP Round 2-6
66th Ave. RV
Safe Parking
$5,648,290 $1,212,073 10.1.25-
9.30.27 HHAP Round 2-6
13 Subject to funding availability
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 11
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
25/27
Total $21,025,674 $6,563,407
Performance Outcomes for Table 2 Programs
Data reveals that these programs generally do not produce the level of positive outcomes desired by the City. For example, in FY24-25:
Four community cabins combined served 277 clients. From the 145 who exited a community cabin program, approximately 45% returned to homelessness or unknown destination and about 62% of clients maintained or increased income. An emergency shelter for families served 116 clients. From the 79 who exited the family shelter, 33% of clients went to live or stay with family on a permanent basis and 34% of clients temporarily went to live or stay with family. A congregate emergency shelter for single adults that served 184 clients, only 8% of clients exited into a permanent housing situation. 81% of exited of clients had “No Exit Interview completed” or returned to homelessness14.
Two RV Safe Parking programs combined served 229 clients of the 55 who left the program, approximately 63% exited into homelessness or unknown situation. The average length of stay for all clients enrolled in an RV Safe Parking program was 632 days.
Should any of the Table 2 programs meet or exceed performance measures during the six-month term, staff aims to utilize either HHAP-6 or County Measure W funds that may become available late 2025/early 2026 to continue the programs. This would necessitate the City Council separately appropriating these funds by Resolution.
Housing Fast Support Network (HFSN)
The proposed Resolution includes additional actions related to the Housing Fast Support Network (HFSN). The HFSN program is a Transitional Housing program with an intended stay of up to three years. It has apartment style living and roommates may be assigned. Supportive services, including intensive housing navigation supports are provided on site, and the program serves mainly single adults with a willingness to work or acquire steady income. HFSN is comprised of the Henry Robinson Multipurpose Center (formerly the Touraine Hotel) and the Holland and is operated by Bay Area Community Services (BACS). The City leases the properties to BACS and each lease stipulates that lessee will make lease payments to the City in the following approximate amounts:
The Henry Robinson: $107,508 per year
The Holland: $99,996 per year
In prior fiscal years, Council has appropriated such revenues for the purpose of building repairs and maintenance at each building and staff requests that Council do the same for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
14 Per the 24-25 City of Oakland Contract Program Performance Measures “Exits should never be marked as unknown or unreported. All clients should receive an exit interview. If clients are unwilling or unavailable and shelter location is unknown, the exit should be marked as place not meant for habitation. All exits should have referrals to appropriate housing/shelter options” Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 12
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
In addition, the City anticipated $400,000 from the Alameda County Social Services Agency for the HFSN for the 24/25 fiscal year, as it has in past years. However, the County has had concerns with the physical condition of the Henry Robinson building, and as such, paused that funding.
BACS made various repairs at the Henry Robinson last year, but the City was unable to reach agreement with the County. The City and BACS are working on a long-term solution to ensuring the health and safety of all residents at the Henry Robinson. However, to make up for this shortfall, staff are proposing to utilize available Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds (PLHA) to cover the costs incurred in anticipation of the County funding for HFSN. BACS applied for the PLHA funds through the Rapid Response Homeless Housing (R2H2) program and met all threshold requirements. Operating funding for the HFSN is not included in the below tables as funding has already been approved by Council ($2,200,000 in already-awarded Continuum of Care (COC) funding from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)) well as $2,000,000 in PLHA funds through the R2H2 funding program).
To provide the $400,000 in PLHA funding as described above, staff is requesting that the City Council amend Resolution No. 90420 C.M.S. which awarded a grant agreement to BACS for the HFSN program, to change the Alameda County Social Services Agency funding to State PLHA funding.
The HFSN is a well-run program that has demonstrated positive outcomes in moving people into permanent housing through a newly devised staffing model. It will likely serve as a model for other city-funded programs to ensure that people experiencing homelessness can transition as quickly as possible into permanent housing. Staff is exploring the possibility of presenting an informational item regarding HFSN, the Henry Robinson, and the Holland to City Council before the end of the calendar year.
Local/Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) Waivers
Staff is requesting to waive the City’s Local/Small Local Enterprise Business Requirement in order to contract with TBS services, Social Impact Wheel, Urban Alchemy, Aspire Consulting, and WeHOPE to provide hygiene, consultant, and RV Safe Parking services. These programs currently provide crucial services supporting the health and well-being of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the City of Oakland. These agencies are predominantly small, Black- led businesses supporting the community of Oakland. Hygiene support is a unique service which CHS has received minimal interest from local businesses, especially small local businesses.
These four vendors have worked with the City previously. Each is headquartered outside of Oakland, but all sufficiently provide services which benefit unsheltered Oaklanders.
Table 3 L/SLBE Waivers
Provider Program Funding Source
Aspire Consulting
Amendment Consulting HHAP Round 2-6
Social Impact Wheel Consulting HHAP Round 2-6
TBS Porta Potties HHAP Round 2-5
Urban Alchemy 66th Ave. RV Safe Parking HHAP Round 2-6
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 13
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
WeHOPE Mobile Showers and Laundry HHAP Round 2-5
Competitive Process of Awarding Contracts
The Human Services Department’s Community Homelessness Services Division (CHS) has a rolling RFQ seeking support with homeless services funded through the City of Oakland.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants achieving a score of 70 and above considered eligible for contracting and are placed in a vendor pool.
The current RFQ expires at the end of 2025 and staff are developing a new solicitation which reflects the current needs for homelessness interventions and services. CHS staff are collaborating with staff from the Housing and Community Development Department, as well as the City Attorney and City Administrator offices.
Policy Alternatives
The funding recommendations support the continuation of existing programs, based on their performance in reducing and ultimately ending homelessness. Strong performing programs and providers need continuity in their funding in order to ensure ongoing success. These programs need to begin the contracting process immediately in order to limit any disruption in programming and payment for services.
Programs that have not been performing as well according to measurable indicators will not receive funding for the full fiscal year but will receive six-month awards to carefully plan their next steps or close-out strategy. The process to close programs that provide crisis response beds/spaces (cabins, shelter, RV safe parking) would require between three to six months to ensure that all clients have a safe place to go. Closing multiple sites any faster would cause a strain on our homeless and housing system and increase the risk of individuals returning to unsheltered homelessness.
Should this Resolution not pass, approximately 641 beds would potentially be removed from the City’s homelessness response system. The beds and services outlined above will close effective immediately transitioning hundreds of Oakland residents back to unsheltered homelessness.
Adoption of this resolution aligns policy priorities adopted by the Council, identifying homelessness as a primary concern to address in the City of Oakland. This resolution is related to homeless interventions and ultimately moving people off the street and into housing, thus advancing the Citywide Priorities of Housing, Economic, and Cultural Security priority by funding services related to maintaining and expanding access to clean, safe, dignified shelter beds accessible to the homeless community in Oakland.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding allocations for the providers and programs detailed in Table 1 and Table 2 above are split across multiple sources of funding. Funding is partially available with funds that have been adopted and appropriated in FY 2025-26 during the FY 2025-27 Biennial Budget process.
Sources adopted and appropriated during the FY 2025-2027 Biennial Budget process are Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
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indicated in above tables in the “Funding Source” column. However, in some cases full funding of the proposed contract amount for FY 2025-26 will be contingent upon successful carryforward of projected available funding from FY 2024-25. The exact amount of funding available in each funding source will not be known until carryforward of FY 2024-25 funds, but per City of Oakland Finance Department, there should be sufficient funding to cover the above proposed contract amounts for FY 2025-26 homeless programs. A full breakdown of possible funding sources can be found in the table below:
Table 4: Funding Sources
Fund Organization Project Program
General Purpose Fund
(1010)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
Administrative Project
(1000017)
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
Multi Service
Center/Rent (1882)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
Touraine Hotel Henry
(1882)
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
HUD-
ESG/SHP/HOPWA
(2103)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
OPRI OHA (1007760),
COC NCHYRRH
(1007758), COC
NCFRRHC (1007754),
COC HFSN (1007752),
COC OHYHC (1007756),
HOPWA (1007750),
HESG (1007748) and
other prior year projects
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
HUD-CDBG (2108) Community Housing
Services (78411)
CDBG
(1007738/40/42/44) and
other prior year projects
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
State of California
Other (2159)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
HHAP
(1005248/6126/6326/696
1/7402) and other prior
year projects
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
County of Alameda:
Grants (2160)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
County Winter Shelter
(1007764), County SSA
to HFSN (1007762) and
other prior year projects
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
Measure Q (2244) Community Housing
Services (78411)
Administrative Project
(1000017) and Measure
Q Homeless (1005349)
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
Vacant Property Tax
Act Fund (2270)
Community Housing
Services (78411)
Administrative Project
(1000017)
Homeless Services &
Support (NB41)
There is no minimum commitment to any awarded contract, and funds will not be committed unless funding is identified. The City of Oakland also reserves the right to terminate any agreement based on funding availability.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
In Summer of 2025, the City began holding focus groups of homelessness services providers to discuss the City’s Homelessness Strategic Action Plan. Out of those groups many questions arose regarding CHS’s budget and contract renewal process. As a result, “Office Hours” Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
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Life Enrichment Committee
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sessions were scheduled to allow more time for providers to ask questions and the City to provide more detailed explanations and orientation to the budget and renewal process.
Individual meetings have also occurred with all providers proposed to receive less than one year of support.
COORDINATION
Preparation of this report included coordination with the Human Services Department, the Housing and Community Development Department, City Attorney’s Office, Budget Bureau, Procurement, Contracts & Purchasing Bureau, and the City Administrator’s Office.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Community Homelessness Services has a standard evaluation process. Each City of Oakland homeless program is assigned a City Analyst to oversee operation of the program. This Analyst role includes completing contracting, invoicing, and program evaluation amongst other duties. In the Spring of 2025, program monitoring was completed for new programs and several other programs funded through Federal, State, and local funding. This resulted in the City Analyst identifying deficiencies and addressing them directly with the program operators through a written monitoring report. In addition to end of the fiscal year monitoring, analyst and management meet regularly throughout the year with the program operator leadership and line staff to discuss programmatic success, challenges, and growth. Meetings include both program specific meetings and program type meetings such as the Community Cabin collaborative.
These meetings incorporate discussions of client outcomes, program expectations, and program design. Analysts work closely with program staff to troubleshoot challenges that arise.
Lastly, program operators are required to submit quarterly and year to date HMIS data directly to their Analyst.
Team meetings are held internally to discuss individual projects and their outcomes. Program operators are then engaged around successes and challenges. Interventions are held, as needed, to support providers to enhance outcomes and push the work forward of positively supporting Oakland’s unhoused population. Through program and outcome evaluations we continue to see challenges around positive exits from our emergency shelter interventions. In part, we understand this is due to the lack of affordable housing in the City.
The funding discussed in this report covers a range of homeless services programs. Program operators of homeless interventions funded through the City of Oakland enter data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). It is through this system we are able to gather valuable data such as exit data and demographic data.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
These programs will expand economic opportunities for City residents by helping unhoused residents connect with shelter and services and find permanent housing. The services provided will include assistance with job search, finding permanent affordable housing, and tailored health and well-being supportive services.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
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September 30, 2025
Economic: All funds proposed in this report are related to interim housing and services designed to address and ultimately end homelessness. The outcomes result in improved individual/family economic stability as well as economic participation in the community.
Environmental: The provision of housing and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness is a critical step toward reducing the environmental impacts associated with unsheltered living. By transitioning people into stable housing, the City can mitigate the degradation of public spaces and promote cleaner, safer streets.
Short-Term – Immediate Public Space Improvements: Housing placements and supportive interventions reduce encampments and related waste in public areas, leading to quicker, visible improvements in street cleanliness and community safety.
Long-Term – Advancement of Environmental Justice: This initiative supports environmental justice by addressing the disproportionate impacts of homelessness on both vulnerable populations and the urban environment, fostering healthier communities for all residents.
Race & Equity: In Oakland, the drivers of homelessness fall most squarely on the backs of the African American community, who, due to long-standing structurally racist practices such as redlining and employment discrimination, are most vulnerable to losing their homes. According to the 2024 Point In Time count for Oakland, 53 percent of the population experiencing homelessness in Oakland identifies as Black or African American; however, this demographic is only 22 percent of the general population. Ending homelessness in Oakland must be defined by what works for African Americans first and foremost: reducing racial disparities.
Sustaining and expanding the services offered to unhoused Oaklanders must remain a priority for the City. One of the goals of CHS is to eliminate racial disparities and the rates at which African Americans experience homelessness, as well as their exit to stable housing. The City utilizes data from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to track client demographics and outcomes. The programs and services recommended for funding in this report serve a majority of African American clients. Rates of exits to permanent housing among African American clients are proportionate to their representation in the programs’ population.
As identified in the 2021 Guide to Including Equity in the Design of Homeless Systems, the drivers of homelessness include:
Structural racism
Insufficient controls on the rental housing market that create vulnerability and housing instability for tenants
Insufficient housing units that are affordable to households with the lowest incomes, including particularly those whose incomes are below 20 percent of Area Median Income (AMI)
Systemic barriers that often prevent residents who are returning home from incarceration from living with family members and/or accessing both public and private rental housing and employment opportunities
Inadequate pay and benefits for many of the jobs that are available in the community, and insufficient access to quality employment opportunities that pay wages that meet the cost of housing
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: CHS FY 25-26 Contracts
Date: September 12, 2025 Page 17
Life Enrichment Committee
September 30, 2025
The City of Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity developed a Racial Equity Impact Analysis (REIA). The REIA framework is a data-driven, structured problem-solving approach that explores the systemic benefits and burdens on communities most impacted by racial disparities when designing and vetting potential solutions to ending and preventing homelessness. This requires:
Focusing intentionally on race, including raising awareness of historical factors that advantage some and disadvantage others based on race.
Using disparity data to center further investigation of root causes of disparities in the present time.
Engaging people who have been impacted by disparities to challenge assumptions about their experience.
Using quantitative and qualitative information to shape pro-equity programs and inventory recommendations to reduce racial disparities in outcomes. Implementing system-wide pro-equity programs and approaches to reduce racial disparities in outcomes.
Ongoing evaluation and accountability through the development of equity performance measures to track progress.
The REIA framework guides the City’s approach to addressing homelessness and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and equitably, and targeted strategies are employed to end and prevent homelessness.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That the City Council Adopt A Resolution:
6. Awarding And/Or Amending Grant Agreements And Professional Services Agreements To The Homeless Service Providers And For The Terms And Amounts Identified In Table 2 and Table 3, Using Previously Appropriated State And Local Funding;
7. Waiving The Local/Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) Requirement For The Providers Identified In Table 4 For The Provision Of Hygiene Services At Encampments And Homeless Systems Support;
8. Authorizing The City Administrator To Increase The Agreements Identified And Move Funding Identified In Table 2 and Table 3 Using Funding That City Council Has Appropriated For The Programs During The Term Of Such Agreements;
9. Appropriating Funds From The Housing Fast Support Network (HFSN) Lease Revenues Received in Fiscal Year 2025/26 And Amending Resolution 90420 C.M.S., Which Awarded A Grant Agreement To Bay Area Community Services For The HFSN Program, To Change The Funding From County Of Alameda Social Services Agency To State Permanent Local Housing Allocation;
10. And Making California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings