Agenda R.eport ·
June 20, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Housing Department
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH FRIENDS IN DEED IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 AND DOOR OF HOPE IN THE
AMOUNT OF $150,000 TO PROVIDE HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
SERVICES WITH HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE AND
PREVENTION GRANT FUNDS
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the CiW Council take the following actions:
1) Find that the recommended actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA'') pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines per Section 15061 (b) (3), the "common sense" provision that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the environment;
2) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract, without competitive bidding pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(F), contracts for professional or unique services, with The FID Group dba Friends In Deed for homelessness prevention services in an amount not to exceed $150,000 with contract term concluding on June 30, 2024;
3) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract, without competitive bidding pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(F), contracts for professional or unique services, with Door of Hope for homelessness prevention services in an amount not to exceed $150,000 with contract term concluding on June 30, 2024; and 4) Grant the proposed contracts an exemption from the Competitive Selection process pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(6) contracts for which the City's best interests are served.
MEETING OF AGENDA ITEM NO. __ ,_ __
Friends In Deed and Door of Hope Contract Authorization June 20, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On July 12, 2021, Council authorized the City to enter into three sub-recipient agreements to administer round one of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP-1) funding for emergency shelter and housing location programs as a result of a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process. When the RFP was released in April 2021, the City retained $300,000 for homelessness prevention activities to be contracted out at a later date pending the outcome of federal, state and local eviction moratoria which protected tenants from being evicted due to non-payment of rent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 1, 2022 the state's critical Housing Is Key rent relief program closed, meaning tenants can no longer submit applications for assistance with rental arrears or utility bills. Locally, the City's eviction moratorium that was adopted by the Council in March 2020 is scheduled to sunset after June 30, 2022, and residential renters will be required to repay any back rent that accrued during the period of the City's eviction moratorium by December 31, 2022. As a result, the projected demand for robust homelessness prevention financial assistance and services to ensure households are able to remain in their homes and avoid a destabilizing housing crisis may increase significantly over the course of the next six months.
Homelessness Prevention Contracts
The Department believes it is important to ensure additional financial assistance resources are in place to serve and support residents at risk of falling into homelessness after eviction moratoria are lifted. Thus, staff are prepared to respond quickly and infuse funding that has been retained for homelessness prevention assistance to Pasadena-based agencies with the existing infrastructure to support expanded program operations.
Friends In Deed currently administers two homelessness prevention contracts with federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program and local Measure H funding totaling over $500,000 and has been operating their Homeless Prevention Program for nearly 15 years. The program has grown significantly over the course of the past five years and is a well-known resource within the community that provides short- and medium-term rental assistance and case management services to eligible individuals and fap,ilies. Friends In Deed is a leading homelessness prevention provider in Pasadena that also works closely with Door of Hope to make referrals for families, when appropriate.
Door of Hope has specialized in family homeless services interventions since 1985 and currently serves over 220 families annually with transitional housing and homelessness prevention services. The agency has a strong foundation of providing homelessness prevention services on which to rapidly build and expand upon in response to a growing need, specifically among families.
Staff recommends a competitive selection exemption due to both Friends In Deed's and Door of Hope's demonstrated success in effectively administering homelessness Friends In Deed and Door of Hope Contract Authorization June 20, 2022
prevention programs for individuals and families in Pasadena. Each agency has comprehensive procedures to ensure operational effectiveness and would be able to seamlessly expand program operations with the proposed funding. These competencies serve the City's best interests as the local state of emergency winds down and resources are urgently needed to support households facing housing insecurity.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The actions proposed herein are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b )(3), the "common sense" provision of CEQA which applies to projects which may have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where .it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. The approval of contracts for the provision of homelessness prevention services will not have a significant effect on the environment and, hence, is not subject to CEQA.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
Approval of the recommended actions will support expanded access to limited-term financial assistance and supportive services for people who are at-risk of homelessness in Pasadena. This action is consistent with the City Council's goal to support and promote the quality of life and local economy. The proposed actions are in accordance with the Pasadena Continuum of Care system, General Plan Housing Element, Five Year Consolidated Plan, and Five-Year Public Housing Authority Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
City Council approval of contracts with Friends In Deed and Door of Hope will have no fiscal impact as the HHAP-1 grant funds are included in the Department's proposed FY 2023 Operating Budget.
Prepared by:
J ~b, 6~~ ~
JENNIFER O'REILLY-JONES
Program Coordinator Ill
Respectfully submitted,
for WILLIAM K. HUANG
Housing Director