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Agenda Report
December 11, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Finance Committee
FROM:Housing Department
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SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF BUDGET AMENDMENT TRANSFERRING $120,000 FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2024
OPERATING BUDGET TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S
FISCAL YEAR 2024 OPERATING BUDGET TO PROVIDE WEATHER-
ACTIVATED MOTEL VOUCHER SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City 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" exemption that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the environment; and 2) Amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget by transferring $120,000 from the Housing Department to the Public Health Department to provide weather-activated motel voucher services to people experiencing homelessness.
BACKGROUND:
During the COVID-19 pandemic between 2021 and 2023 when the City did not have a congregate winter shelter, the Housing Department was able to collaborate with the Public Health Department and allocate over $450,000 in federal Emergency Solutions Grant funding authorized by the CARES Act (ESG-CV) to support the provision of emergency shelter with motel stays ("motel vouchers") through existing Public Health programs, including the Pasadena Outreach Response Team (PORT), Geriatric Empowerment Model (GEM) Link, and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Link.
In order to further expand the number of weather-activated motel vouchers available to people who are unsheltered during the 2023-2024 winter season, the Department recommends transferring $120,000 of previously approved City General Funds to the Public Health Department to support the provision of emergency shelter through motel MEETING OF.12/11/2023AGENDA ITEM NO.20
Budget Transfer to Public Health for Emergency Shelter Services December 11, 2023
stays, including weather-activated motel stays, during the upcoming winter season to existing clients experiencing homelessness. This transfer will increase the City's capacity to ensure timely access to available resources to a larger subset of clients in addition to the people served through Friends In Deed. This funding is expected to serve up to 100 people across a maximum of 1 ,200 bed nights.
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" exemption 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 a transfer of funds from the Department of Housing to the Public Health Department for weather-activated motel vouchers 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 provide access to emergency shelter services to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Pasadena during the months of the year with the highest incidences of inclement weather. These actions are 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.
Budget Transfer to Public Health for Emergency Shelter Services December 11, 2023
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended action will transfer $120,000 from the Housing Department's FY 2024 Operating Budget within the General Fund (101) to the Public Health Department's FY 2024 Operating Budget (Fund 203) to provide emergency shelter services for people experiencing homelessness.
Prepared by:
Respectfully submitted,
^^^^•^
WILLIAM K. HUANG ^
Housing Director
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Jennifer O'ReilIy-Jones
Program Coordinator III
Approved by:
MIGUEI-MARQUEZ
City Manager