City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-00877 7/25/2023 Consent Item 7.
Housing Authority - Continued Operations at the X Street Navigation Center File ID: 2023-00877
Location: 2970 X Street, District 5, Represented by Councilmember Maple; District 5 Recommendation: 1) Adopt a Housing Authority Resolution: a) authorizing the Executive Director or the Executive Director’s designee to negotiate, enter into, amend, and execute contracts, including sole source contracts through September 30, 2023, to continue operations at X Street; b) authorizing the Executive Director or the Executive Director’s designee to amend the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento’s (Housing Authority) budget to continue to fund the operation and administration of the X Street Navigation Center through September 30, 2023; c) and make related findings.
Contact: Sarah O’Daniel, Deputy Executive Director, (916) 440-1319, [email protected], Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
Presenter: N/A
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Housing Authority Resolution
3-X Street Navigation Center Site Map
Additional Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: On October 22, 2019, Housing Authority staff presented a Five Point Homeless Plan to address the growing homeless crisis in Sacramento. This Plan included the following options: 1) Scattered sites; 2) Safe parking Program; 3) Sleeping Tents/Cabins; 4) Motel Conversion; and 5) Permanent Supportive Housing. This item was subsequently discussed and unanimously supported at City Council on December 3, 2019.
On December 5, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom launched a 100-day challenge for California Cities to jumpstart action to fight homelessness. A Declaration of a Shelter Crisis was adopted by City Council on January 14, 2020, suspending state/ local regulatory statutes or regulations prescribing standards of housing, health, or safety, for public facilities that could delay mitigation measures in place to alleviate the shelter crisis.
File ID: 2023-00877 7/25/2023 Consent Item 7.
X Street Navigation Center
In August 2019, the City Council provided guidance to City staff to move forward with the X Street Navigation Center to house up to 100 homeless adults on property owned by CalTrans. The Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento (Housing Authority) was approved to oversee shelter operations at the site, which is located under Business 80 at the intersection of Broadway and Alhambra. The City entered into a lease with CalTrans in late 2020, after which construction started in January 2021.
The Housing Authority received approval on March 16, 2021, to oversee shelter operations. The Housing Authority entered into an Administrative Services Agreement (ASA) with the City of Sacramento, after which a Request for Proposals (RFP) was released to hire a service operator. On August 1, 2021, the Housing Authority entered into a contract with Volunteers of America (VOA).
Subsequently, VOA hired and trained staff, put an operations plan in place, met with surrounding neighbors and the business community, and the site opened to guests on September 21, 2021.
The site is located on CalTrans property at 2970 X Street. It has two Sprung Structures (for dining and sleeping quarters) with accompanying restrooms, laundry and showers, and administrative space for case management services. Daily meals are provided, and limited kennels are onsite for their pets. Priority is given to the unsheltered homeless in the immediate vicinity of Oak Park and Curtis Park, and the Alhambra/Broadway corridor and allows access through a referral process only.
VOA operates the shelter from a housing first, low barrier approach where sobriety and addiction treatment are not conditions to receive services.
Guests receive services onsite and/or are linked to services offsite that meet their individual needs. It includes but is not limited to mental health services, anger management, recovery assistance, conducting activities of daily living, ready to rent training, financial management, employment connections, access to critical documents, arts and crafts, addressing credit/eviction issues, significant re-housing efforts and much more.
VOA has worked hard to provide quality services to the guests during the past two years. To complement their services, Downtown Streets Team (DST) was hired to work with guests at X Street to do outreach to the unhoused encampments in the surrounding area and clean up the nearby vicinity of trash, needles, and debris. The unhoused volunteers receive stipends and learn effective work habits and take on leadership roles with their volunteer groups. On a weekly basis, the team picks up around 1,500 gallons of trash and 50-60 needles from the nearby vicinity.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, many achievements were accomplished at the Center.
From September 21, 2021 - May 31, 2023:
789 Guests admitted (681 are unduplicated guests) *
118 Guests came in with/connected to employment while at X Street 46,533 Bed nights provided
263,099 Guest meals provided
*Some guests require multiple entries into the shelter before being open to receive services.
As of May 31, 2023, 234 guests are housed. On average, it takes 3.8 months (115 days) for guests to find suitable housing with the assistance of VOA staff.
Type Number of Guests Housed
Permanent Housing 124
Temporary Housing 48
Transitional Housing 42
Institutionalized 20
Total 234
File ID: 2023-00877 7/25/2023 Consent Item 7.
Type Number of Guests Housed
Permanent Housing 124
Temporary Housing 48
Transitional Housing 42
Institutionalized 20
Total 234
VOA has worked tirelessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to operate the shelter, stabilize guests and to transition them to stable, long-term housing. They have good operational practices in place and provide case management services to all guests at the shelter who are open to receiving them.
Some guests may cycle through the shelter a few times before they are open to receiving staff assistance.
Currently, the Housing Authority contract with VOA to operate the shelter expires on July 31, 2023. In order to provide seamless services to the guests, staff recommends entering into a sole source agreement with VOA from August 1, 2023, through September 30, 2023, and to utilize previously approved unspent funds as authorized in Housing Authority Resolution 2021-0002 on March 16, 2021. It is anticipated that up to $600,000 will be needed for the two-month period.
The DST contract with the Housing Authority expires on August 31, 2023. In order to provide seamless services to the guests and continued cleanup of needles and debris and outreach to the unhoused in the surrounding vicinity, staff recommends entering into a sole source contract with DST from September 1- September 30, 2023, utilizing previously approved unspent funds as also authorized in Housing Authority Resolution 2021-0002 on March 16, 2021. It is anticipated that approximately $25,000 will be needed for the one-month period.
A detailed staff report will be presented in September 2023 with additional outcomes and recommendations to extend shelter operations for 12 months utilizing pending Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Phase 4 funds (HHAP-4) funds, extend the ASA between the Housing Authority and the City and the ability to enter into new contracts with the shelter operator and vendors supporting the operations at X Street.
Policy Considerations: Recommendations are also consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order N-23-20 to reduce street homelessness, break down barriers to homeless individuals accessing health care and other critical services, and to increase housing options for those experiencing homelessness.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): These low barrier navigation projects are not discretionary actions subject to the CEQA pursuant to Government Code §§ 65660 & 65662 and are exempt as projects necessary to mitigate an emergency pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15269(c). Operations of an existing facility are exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15301.
File ID: 2023-00877 7/25/2023 Consent Item 7.
National Environmental Policy Act: The proposed actions are categorically excluded pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations title 24, Section 58.35(b)(2) and (3).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: The City of Sacramento declared a shelter crisis emergency indicating that there are not enough beds to serve individuals experiencing homelessness and shelter beds need to be made available as soon as possible. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness recommends that “shelters must be low barrier, focus on assessment and triage, and intentionally link to permanent housing resources so that people move through to housing quickly”.
The Housing Authority currently oversees the operations of the X Street Center and recommends continued operations of this shelter through September 30, 2023. Staff will return in September 2023 to recommend continued operations for an additional 12 months utilizing HHAP-4 funds and extension of the existing ASA with the City.
Financial Considerations: No additional funds are being requested at this time. All expenses will be paid from unspent funds previously approved on March 16, 2021 (Housing Authority Resolution 2021-0002) for the additional operational and outreach costs through September 30, 2023.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise requirements will be applied to all activities to the extent required by federal funding to maintain that federal funding.
Section 3 requirements will be applied to the extent as may be applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-
Adopted by the Housing Authority of the City Sacramento
on date of
X STREET NAVIGATION CENTER: OPERATION OF
THE X STREET NAVIGATION CENTER
BACKGROUND
A. At any point in time, approxim ately 2,800 persons within the C ity are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, according to the 2019 Homelessness in Sacramento County Point in Time Report.
B. The City Council has heard extensive testimony on the impacts of homelessness on persons without shelter as well as on the community at large.
C. On September 24, 2019, the City Council requested a p lan regarding homeless strategy options for discussion.
D. On October 22, 2019, the City Council was presented with a Five -Point Plan that included the following options: 1) Scattered sites; 2 Safe parking Program; 3) Sleeping Tents/Cabins; 4) Motel Conversion; and 5) funding to increase permanent supportive housing, which the City Council requested further refinement and coordination with the City Manager.
E. On December 3, 2019, recommendations were presented to the City Council on how to implement the Five-Point Plan with various funding sources and the need for site control in order to initiate an array of shelter programs was discussed.
F. On December 5, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom challenged California c ities to take action to house 100 unsheltered individuals within 100 days.
G. On January 14, 2020, the City Council declared a Shelter Crisis Emergency under California Government Code Title 2, Division 1, Chap ter 7.8 including in particular sec tions 8698, 8698.1, and 8698. 2 which was extended in January 2021.
H. The City Manager was directed to prepare an interim ordinance if required to streamline zoning regulations for privately -owned or operated shelters, i ncluding zoning administrator approval of conditional use permits for shelters, allowing small temporary shelters, by right, on sites with an approved assembly use, and streamlining approval of city -sponsored shelters on private property that may otherwise require zoning approvals.
I. A Caltrans parcel of land was identified at 2970 X Street for the proposed X Street Navigation Cent er. The center will be a s prung structure that can temporarily house up to 100 guests nightly.
J. In addition to providing shel ter beds, the proposed low -barrier X Street Navigation Center will include meals, case management, wrap-around services, restrooms, and shower facilities.
K. On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency as a result of the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID -19) in the State of California.
L. On March 5, 2020, the County of Sacramento proclaimed a public health emergency as a result of the threat of COVID-19 (Pandemic) in the County.
M. On March 13, 2020, the City Council (Council) a dopted a resolution declaring a local emergency relating to the Pandemic.
N. On April 21, 2020, the City received $89.6 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds from passage of the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
O. The CARES Act allocated a second round of Emergency Solutions Grant Coronavirus funding (ESG-CV2) funding to the City of Sacramento based upon a new formula in the amount of $10,205,871.
P. The addition of 100 bed s implements City efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic among the homeless in Sacramento.
Q. On March 16, 2021, as approved by Housing Authority Resolution 2021 -0002, the Executive Director amended the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento’s (Housing Authority) budget in the amount of $ 6,945,281 to fund the operation and administration of the X Street Navigation Center . The Executive Director also accepted $762,743 in Emergency Solutions Grant Coronavirus (ESG -CV2) from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, and amended the Housing Authority’s budget in the amount of $762,743 to fund the operation and administration of the X Street Navigation Cent er. The Executive Director was also authorized to re -allocate $1,126,181 of remaining City Measure U Funds that were previously allocated and distributed for Capitol Park Hotel Operations.
R. On March 16, 2021, the Executive Director was authorized to n egotiate, enter into and execute an Amendment to the Master Administrative Service Agreement with the City to include the operation of X Street Navigation Center, and to enter into and execute any contracts and related documents, in a form approved by Agency Counsel, for the purposes of operating and administering the X Street Navigation Center.
S. On March 16, 2021, t he Exec utive Director or her designee was authorized to enter into and execute professional services contracts including with a shelter operator and with other providers as needed to operate /support the Center for a term of up to 24 months, and to execute any other contracts /documents that may be needed in a form approved by Agency Counsel, for the purpose of operating the X Street Navigation Center.
T. This low-barrier navigation project is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Government Code §§ 65660 & 65662, and is exempt as a project necessary to mitigate an emergency pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15269(c). Operations of an existing facility are exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15301. The operation of the shelter is categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations title 24, section 58.35(b)(2) and (3).
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. All of the evidence having been duly considered, the facts as presented and stated above, including the environ mental facts and findings, as stated above, are found to be true and correct.
Section 2. The Executive Director, or her designee, is authorized to negotiate, enter into, amend and execute professional services contracts including sole source contracts through September 30, 2023, to provide continuous services at the X Street Navigation Center.
Section 3. The Executive Director or designee is authorized to amend the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento’s (Housing Authority) budget to continue to fund the operation and administration of the X Street Navigation Center through September 30, 2023.
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x streetx street
freeway interchangefreeway interchange
hwy 99hwy 99
broadwaybroadway
Attachment 3
x street navigation center
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entrance
dorms
dining hall
administration building
guard shack
bathrooms/showers
laundry
kennels