Administrative
Report
N.1., File # 23-7145 Meeting Date: 11/7/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MICHAEL W. WEBB, CITY ATTORNEY JOY ABAQUIN FORD, QUALITY OF LIFE
PROSECUTOR
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ENHANCED RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS
1. RECEIVE AND FILE 2023 CITY NET HOMELESS CENSUS COMPARISON REPORT.
2. APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH CITY NET FOR HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES FOR THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $226,800 FOR THE TERM MAY 1, 2023 TO JUNE 30, 2024.
3. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING REALLOCATION OF UP TO $768,000 TO EXPAND THE PALLET SHELTER IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2021 Los Angeles County homeless point-in-time count was cancelled due to the pandemic. On January 12, 2021, the Mayor and City Council approved an agreement with City Net to conduct a census count of people experiencing homelessness in Redondo Beach. City Net also conducted a census of Redondo Beach’s homeless population in 2022 and 2023. The census comparison report shows a decline of the homeless population in Redondo Beach.
On January 19, 2021, the Mayor and City Council approved a first amendment to that agreement to add housing navigation services from City Net. On July 13, 2021, the Mayor and Council approved a second amendment, which modified the scope of services, term, and compensation. On August 2, 2022, the City Council approved a new agreement with City Net for homeless outreach services for nine months. The City Attorney’s Office needed to ascertain there was sufficient funding for all homeless related programs before committing to another agreement with City Net. The City Attorney’s Office secured over $2.4 million in grants to fund the Homeless Court, Pallet Shelter, Bridge Housing, and various homeless service providers. With that, there is enough funding for the rest of the fiscal year with City Net to assist with Homeless Court and focus on outreaching and providing housing assistance to people experiencing homelessness in their vehicles.
In the adoption of the budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, the City Council voted to direct the City Attorney’s Office to pursue grant money for and fully explore Budget Response Report #12 (BRR 12), which discussed the process and cost to expand the Pallet Shelter Facility. BRR 12 estimated the total costs to be up to $1,568,000. The City Attorney’s Office has identified a funding source in the amount of $800,000. Staff is requesting that the City Council reallocate up to the remaining balance in the Capital Improvement Program to expand the Pallet Shelter.
N.1., File # 23-7145 Meeting Date: 11/7/2023
BACKGROUND
City Net Homeless Census Comparison Report
City Net is a non-profit organization that has assisted several cities in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Santa Barbara. City Net’s organization and mission are effective in helping individuals who have been chronically homeless for a number of years.
In January of 2021, the County point-in-time count of the homeless population was canceled due to the pandemic, so the City contracted with City Net to conduct a census of the City’s homeless population.
The City’s 2020 county point-in-time count was estimated to be 176 people experiencing homelessness in Redondo Beach. City Net’s census in 2021 showed 92 people experiencing homelessness. In 2022, the county point-in-time count estimated 99 total in Redondo’s homeless population, a 44% decrease from 2020. City Net’s 2022 census showed 85 unsheltered individuals in Redondo Beach. The County uses an extrapolation method based on a sampling approach for each type of dwelling such as cars, vans, campers, tents, makeshift shelters, etc.; whereas, City Net’s count is based on an interview with each person counted.
This year, the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA) did not release city-level data due to an imprecise extrapolation process at the city level. (South Bay Cities Council of Governments Press Release, June 29, 2023). City Net’s 2023 census shows a total of 71 unsheltered individuals in Redondo Beach, another 16.5% decrease from 2022.
City Net Agreement
The last agreement with City Net expired in April of this year. Before entering into another agreement with City Net, the City Attorney’s Office had to ensure that there was sufficient funding for all of the City’s homelessrelated programs. With the County CEO Homeless Initiative, we secured almost a million dollars for capital improvements and operational costs of Redondo’s Pallet Shelter. The Permanent Local Housing Allocation which we obtained previously pays for the City’s share of the Pallet Shelter operational costs.
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi granted the City $500,000 for the Outdoor Homeless Court and services.
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments granted the City over $300,000 for the City’s bridge housing.
In assessing the City’s needs for the remaining of this fiscal year, Homeless Housing Navigator Lila Omura and Quality of Life Prosecutor Joy Ford determined that there is still a high number of people living in their vehicles. There is also a need for additional case managers in Homeless Court as there are new participants in Homeless Court each month.
The recommended City Net budget includes two full time case managers for outreach and housing navigation, supervision and administration. This new agreement does not include a census because the City Attorney’s Office is working with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) to explore conducting a census in conjunction with other cities in the South Bay.
The attached agreement is a draft that City Net is still reviewing. The final agreement will be blue-foldered.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the agreement with City Net (unless there are substantial changes, in which case this item will be moved to another meeting).
Pallet Shelter
The Redondo Beach Pallet Shelter is located at 1521 ½ Kingsdale Avenue. There are currently twenty (20) cabins. BRR 12 describes expanding the Pallet Shelter with an additional twenty-five (25) cabins in the vacant City-owned parcel adjacent to the current Pallet Shelter as part of the City’s Enhanced Response to
N.1., File # 23-7145 Meeting Date: 11/7/2023
Homelessness.
BRR 12 describes the infrastructure costs to expand the Pallet Shelter, which would require civil engineering, electrical engineering, plan design and architecture, grading, paving, accessibility and retainment, electrical and plumbing, pallet shelter units and restrooms, and a 25% contingency. Staff is optimistic that the actual cost will be less than the estimated total of $1,568,000.
The City Attorney’s Office identified a funding source in the amount of $800,000, leaving a balance of $768,000. We are still looking into ways to cut costs. For example, our office has reached out to the USC School of Architecture for the development of architectural and planning designs. That would potentially reduce $75,000 allocated in BRR 12. The healthy 25% contingency is estimated to be $313,000. Although it would be prudent to allocate the entire remaining amount of $768,000, it is reasonable that significantly less will need to be actually spent.
It is important to note that the Pallet company will be expiring the 64 square feet cabins at the end of the calendar year, which are the current models at the Redondo Beach Pallet Shelter. The 64 square foot model currently costs $7,995 per cabin. If an order is not submitted before the end of the year, the new available models will be 70 square feet, and the price will increase to $15,250 per cabin. With the 64 square foot models, an additional 25 cabins are a tight fit, so the larger model would result in less cabins.
Costs will be incurred irrespective of whether the City expands the Pallet Shelter. For example, Southern California Edison is likely to require the City to proceed with a permanent electrical installation at the existing pallet site. BRR estimates Electrical Engineering to cost $50,000 and Electrical and Plumbing to cost $285,000.
Staff recommends the City Council reallocate up to $768,000 in the Capital Improvement Program (see Discussion Item N.2.) to expand the pallet shelter.
COORDINATION
The City Attorney's Office coordinated with the Public Works Department and the City Manager’s Office in connection with the preparation of this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
City Net
In the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget adoption, $170,000 was allocated on a one-time basis for homeless services. Beach Cities Health District also awarded the City $50,000 for homeless related services. These funding sources can cover the six-month budget with City Net.
Pallet Shelter
There is no fiscal impact to receive and file the report. Reallocating CIP funds would rearrange the priorities in the CIP for the current fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS
- City Net Homeless Census Comparison Report
- City Net Agreement
- BRR #12
N.1., File # 23-7145 Meeting Date: 11/7/2023