October 18, 2022
Community Development
DATE: October 18, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Lina Velasco, Director of Community Development
Jesus Morales, Housing Manager
SUBJECT:
Contract for CORE Team for Castro Encampment
Resolution Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund related to this contract. The contract will be funded using the City’s Encampment Resolution Funding from the California
Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH).
Account string: 15061219-400201-16G07
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
April 5, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Housing Division is requesting City Council
authorization to enter into a contract with Contra Costa County Health Services Department on behalf of its
Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division for a
term beginning July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, for a not to exceed amount of $380,958 to provide dedicated
Coordinated Outreach Referral, Engagement (C.O.R.E.)
program staff at the Castro Encampment to be funded by
the City’s Encampment Resolution Funding received
from the California Interagency Council on
Homelessness (Cal ICH). Account string: 15061219-
400201-16G07
AGENDA
REPORT
October 18, 2022
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a sole-source contract with Contra Costa
County Health Services Department, for a term beginning July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, for a not to exceed amount of $380,958, to provide dedicated Coordinated
Outreach Referral Engagement (C.O.R.E.) program staff
at the Castro Encampment to be funded by the City’s
Encampment Resolution Funding received from the
California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal
ICH) – Community Development Department (Lina
Velasco/Jesus Morales 510-620-6649).
DISCUSSION:
In December 2021, the City applied for Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) seeking resources from the State of California to fund a local demonstration project, which would provide services to address the immediate crisis of experiencing unsheltered homelessness in encampments; support people living in encampments onto paths to safe and stable housing; and result in sustainable restoration of public spaces to their intended uses while safeguarding the needs of unhoused people seeking shelter.
Applications were required to focus on one encampment site. City staff selected the Castro Encampment for this funding application.
On February 24, 2022, the City of Richmond was provided a notice of intent to award the ERF. The City Council accepted and appropriated the grant funds on April 5, 2022.
Summary of Castro Encampment Resolution Project
The Castro Encampment Resolution Project (CERP) will include resources to hire an ERF Project Manager who will lead management of the project and oversee the Castro Site Care Team (SCT), which will include a Site Manager, Housing Navigator, a project- specific CORE team (comprised of an outreach specialist and social worker), and other service providers working directly with encampment residents to triage and ensure services are timely, responsive, coordinated, trauma-informed, and achieving goals and objectives.
The CERP encompasses an 18-month plan to deliver an array of supportive services to 100+ individuals currently living at the Castro vehicle encampment near Castro and Hensley Streets. The project aims to move all encampment residents into stable housing by June 2023. CERP’s goals and objectives will be met in stages that include:
1) improving living conditions at the site, 2) assessing the behavioral and health needs of residents, 3) reducing barriers to stable housing and support, and 4) providing job- related training. Grounded in Housing First principles, CERP is anticipated to be an innovative model whose successes—and challenges—will be continuously evaluated, so that the approach can be refined and replicated throughout the State. A third-party evaluator will be brought in to support the assessment and evaluation of the CERP.
October 18, 2022
Summary of CORE Services Contract
The Housing Division is requesting City Council authorization to enter into a contract with Contra Costa County Health Services Department on behalf of its Health, Housing and Homeless Services Division for a term beginning July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, for a not to exceed amount of $380,958 to provide dedicated Coordinated Outreach Referral, Engagement (C.O.R.E.) program staff at the Castro Encampment, to be funded by the City’s Encampment Resolution Funding received from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH). The total full-time equivalent (FTE) staff for the contract is 2.69 and include 1 FTE Clinical Case Manager and 1 FTE Lead Outreach Specialist. The other FTEs funded are to cover the cost of supervising staff and providing for overtime, double-time, and relief staff when needed. In addition, the budget provides vehicle costs, and other related employee expenditures.
C.O.R.E. teams serve as an entry point into Contra Costa's coordinated entry system for unsheltered persons and work to locate, engage, stabilize and house chronically homeless individuals and families. The outreach teams identify individuals living on the streets, assess their housing and service needs, and facilitate connection to shelter and services. C.O.R.E. works to engage and stabilize homeless individuals living outside through consistent outreach to facilitate and/or deliver health and basic need services and secure permanent housing.
CONCLUSION:
This contract supports the City of Richmond’s implementation of the Castro Encampment Resolution Project and will help ensure residents at Castro are connected with the County’s coordinated entry system for unsheltered persons and work to locate, engage, stabilize, and house chronically homeless individuals and families. The work of C.O.R.E. will be supplemented by other services provider contracts to be approved by the City Council.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Contract
Attachment 2 – Sole Source Form