Administrative
Report
N.7., File # 22-4034 Meeting Date: 4/19/2022
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MICHAEL W. WEBB, CITY ATTORNEY JOY ABAQUIN, QUALITY OF LIFE
PROSECUTOR
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE QUALITY OF LIFE DONATION ACCOUNT.
ADOPT BY 4/5 VOTE AND BY TITLE ONLY RESOLUTION NO. CC-2204-021, A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING A FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET MODIFICATION TO APPROPRIATE $23,454.17 ADMINISTRATOR COMMISSIONS FROM THE ESTATE OF GARY R. WILSON TO THE QUALITY
OF LIFE DONATION ACCOUNT FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS BY THE REDONDO BEACH HOMELESS HOUSING NAVIGATOR.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On January 3, 2022, Lila Omura started as the Redondo Beach Homeless Housing Navigator. In the course of her work, she has found the need for emergency funds to assist connecting people to needed services and housing. As discussed in a previous agenda item, the City recently received $23,454.17 in statutory and extraordinary commissions for the administrative services rendered by Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Abaquin from the estate of Gary R. Wilson. The City Attorney’s Office requests that the commissions from the Wilson estate be used as emergency funds by Lila Omura.
BACKGROUND
The Mayor and Council approved a new Homeless Housing Navigator position in the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget under the City Attorney’s Office. Lila Omura was offered the position. At her request, she started on January 3, 2022 because she wanted to get her previous clients permanently housed before leaving her prior employment. From January to March, Lila Omura has placed ten people in permanent supportive housing (PSH); matched another individual to a PSH housing unit who is waiting for county approval of his application; placed five people in crisis housing, including one veteran; matched two individuals with housing vouchers; placed four people in emergency shelter; placed three people in the pallet shelter; placed three people in the hospital for higher level of care; and linked one person to Exodus’ Homeless Full Service Partnership (FSP).
Despite Lila Omura’s success, she still faces many difficulties in assisting others and needs funds for clothes, gas, food, and other needs. For example, some clients need new clothing in order to be
N.7., File # 22-4034 Meeting Date: 4/19/2022
clothes, gas, food, and other needs. For example, some clients need new clothing in order to be admitted into recuperative care facilities because they risk being denied at intake due to their disheveled conditions. During housing or document appointments, Lila Omura transports clients out of the City for hours at a time, causing them to miss the meal services at the faith-based organizations. Lila Omura purchases their lunch three to four times a week.
Recently, there was a complaint about an RV in the Living Spaces parking lot. The driver of the RV was from the City of Wilmington and was stuck there because he was out of gas. Lila Omura jumped his battery and put in $70 worth of gas in his RV, so he was able to return to Wilmington.
In addition, emergency funds are needed to be able to place someone in a motel overnight when no shelter is available during business hours. In March, an employee from the 7-eleven at Torrance and Pacific Coast Highway brought a woman who was assaulted on Skid Row to Lila Omura. Although this woman already had a case manager in Santa Monica, no one in Santa Monica was picking up Lila Omura’s phone calls and no shelter beds were available at the time. The employee from 7- eleven, who had just gotten out of homelessness herself, got the woman a motel room, spending $125 for the night. The next day, Lila Omura found an open bed in Long Beach and was able to get the woman reconnected to her case manager in Santa Monica. Lila Omura told the case manager that they needed to send the woman to Long Beach in an Uber within one hour or she would lose the bed.
As discussed in a previous consent calendar item, the City just received $23,454.17 in statutory and extraordinary commissions for the administrative services rendered by Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Abaquin from the estate of Gary R. Wilson. Staff requests that these funds be appropriated to a Quality of Life Donation account that can be utilized for the needs described above.
Furthermore, Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Redondo Beach invited City Attorney Michael Webb, Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Abaquin, and Homeless Housing Navigator Lila Omura to the Veteran’s Park Easter Sunday Service because the faith-based organizations wanted to give a donation to the Quality of Life Donation account to contribute to the same needs described. Other residents and organizations could also potentially donate to this account.
Staff requests that the City Council appropriate the estate commissions to the Quality of Life Donation account and approve the use of the account for emergency funds by the Homeless Housing Navigator.
COORDINATION
The City Attorney’s Office coordinated with the City Manager’s Office and Finance Department to set up the Quality of Life Donation account.
FISCAL IMPACT
$23,454.17 in statutory and extraordinary commissions for the services rendered by Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Abaquin is available for appropriation. In addition, the City is receiving a donation from the faith-based organizations from the Veteran’s Park Easter Service.
ATTACHMENTS
N.7., File # 22-4034 Meeting Date: 4/19/2022
· Resolution for Budget Modification