City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-00663 9/5/2023 Consent Item 9.
Contract: Supplemental Agreement: Coordinated Access System with Sacramento Steps Forward [Published for 10-day Review on 08/23/2023]
File ID: 2023-00663
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to execute Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to City Agreement No. 2022-0818 with Sacramento Steps Forward in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for a total not to exceed amount of $2,000,000; and 2) authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to transfer $1,000,000 (Operating Grants, Fund 2702) from the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Homeless & Community Outreach Project (I23004000) to the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Community Response Program (I23000100).
Contact: Nick Golling, Homeless Services Manager, (916) 808-7816, [email protected]; Jason Beckstrom, Program Specialist, (916) 808-5709, [email protected], Department of Community Response Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Sacramento Steps Forward Coordinated Access Agreement Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The crisis of unsheltered homelessness is one that impacts our entire community, both those experiencing homelessness and the broader community of housed residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. Over the past several years, the City has made significant investments to increase availability of shelter, services, and permanent housing for people and families experiencing homelessness. Despite these efforts, homelessness and its impacts continue to rise. According to the 2022 Point in Time Homeless County released by the Sacramento County Continuum of Care (CoC), there were 9,278 individuals experiencing homelessness in the County of Sacramento, an increase of 67% since 2019.
In August 2021, City and Sacramento Steps Forward staff were able to confirm that 70% of the safe ground participants had no prior activity in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). In
File ID: 2023-00663 9/5/2023 Consent Item 9.
a separate 2021 encampment survey, researchers estimated that 60-80% of unsheltered households surveyed were also not in HMIS. With inconsistent data and points of entry into HMIS, there was inadequate data on current local needs and demographics of our unsheltered population.
A CoC Gaps Analysis completed by Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF) identified 61 access points for 112 local shelter and housing programs, with no single coordinated access point. The same analysis identified that shelter and outreach teams within the CoC system inconsistently enter information into HMIS, including reports on contact/rapport building and diversion efforts.
On February 15, 2022, the City Council supported proceeding with the Coordinated Access System contract and set-aside $1 million for the first of three years of Coordinated Access System improvements as part of the FY2021/22 Midyear budget review and actions (Resolution No. 2022- 0062). On March 1, 2022, DCR presented the Coordinated Access System to City Council. In July 2022, the City contracted with SSF to create the Coordinated Access System designed to match people experiencing homelessness with housing and service options.
The Coordinated Access System provides a centralized access point with 24/7 operations staffed by trained 2-1-1 staff. Program staff and clients alike can access these resources through this centralized system. This system includes a greater system-wide emphasis and coordination on diverting households away from homelessness through problem-solving and prevention options, whenever possible.
In December 2022 the Coordinated Access System was soft launched with seven City funded Shelters including Wind Common Ground, Emergency Bridge Housing at the Grove, North 5th Street Shelter, Meadowview Shelter, LGBT STEP Shelter, Waking the Village, and the X Street Navigation Center. In April 2023 the first two County shelters, North A Street and TSA Center for Hope, were added to the system.
In the latest quarterly report for the Coordinated Access System (covering April 2023 through June 2023), 8,184 calls were handled, 2,477 individuals were assessed for shelter placement, 1,367 individuals were referred to crisis resources, and 534 households were enrolled in shelters. During the same quarter, 470 households from programs participating in Coordinated Access were moved into housing.
On May 23, 2023, SSF provided an update of the Coordinated Access System to City Council. SSF presented that there are currently 600 shelter beds in the system. In July 2023, the Family Shelter Programs will be included in the system which will add 400 beds by the end of July 2023. SSF plans to publicly launch the Coordinated Access System by October 31, 2023. As part of this public launch, SSF will prominently display informational resources on its website and work with partners in the City, County, and 2-1-1 to have similar displays on their websites. SSF will prepare simple, easily understood messaging and information regarding CAS, which can be shared utilizing various
File ID: 2023-00663 9/5/2023 Consent Item 9.
channels to ensure widespread awareness of this information, including social media platforms (such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook), newsletters, and updates shared at various CoC, Homeless Response System (HRS), City Council, and other community meetings. Additionally, SSF will translate the primary CAS infographic and flyer materials into Arabic, Cantonese, Hmong, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. SSF expects to have all public shelter programs in the system, including a total of 1,600 shelter beds by the end of 2023.
City staff recommends extending the current agreement with Sacramento Steps Forward for one year (the second year of the initial three-year plan) for an amount not to exceed $1 million, for a total not to exceed amount of $2 million.
Policy Considerations: The recommendations in this report are in accordance with Sacramento City Code section 3.64.020, any agreement for professional services that is for $250,000 or more requires City Council approval.
City Code Section 4.04.020 and Council Rules of Procedure (Chapter 7, Section E.2.d) mandate that unless waived by a 2/3 vote of the City Council, all labor agreements and all agreements greater than $1,000,000 shall be made available to the public at least ten (10) days prior to council action. This item was published for 10-Day review on August 23, 2023, in compliance with City Code.
Economic Impacts: Investment into Coordinated Access will positively support the whole community and result in an easier system to navigate, increased diversion from homelessness, and measurable reductions in homelessness. These shifts will support businesses and the local economy overall.
Environmental Considerations: This report does not involve activities that constitute a “project” as defined by 15378(b)(4) and 15378(b)(5) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Sustainability: None.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: Continuing the implementation of the Coordinated Access System (CAS) is critical to the local homelessness response system. To respond to local needs more completely, the first necessary step identified by national experts is the importance of having accurate, real-time, local data. CAS will also make the existing system more user-friendly, equitable, and accessible to community members who are unsheltered or at-risk of homelessness, while also furthering identifying gaps and needs in the system.
Financial Considerations: Below is the budget breakdown for CAS and the contributing partners:
Annual Budget for Coordinated Access System
File ID: 2023-00663 9/5/2023 Consent Item 9.
- $1.3 million supports 2-1-1 staffing and program infrastructure - $1 million supports SSF HMIS expansion and staffing needs - $1.2 million in approximately 12-18 NEW Coordinated Access Specialists to help with diversion and system navigation
Anticipated Contributing Partners
- $1.5 million annually - Continuum of Care (two years committed) - $1 million annually - City of Sacramento (year two of the initial three-year plan of contributions)
- $1 million annually - County
- $200,000 annually - Smaller Cities, approximately $50,000 per city (not yet committed) With Council approval to transfer $1,000,000 (Operating Grants, Fund 2702) from the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Homeless & Community Outreach Project (I23004000) to the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Community Response Program (I23000100), there will be sufficient funding in Community Response Program (I23000100) to execute an agreement amendment with Sacramento Steps Forward extending the agreement period for one year in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.
Annual $1 million contributions by the City will be necessary to continue the system going forward in partnership with the CoC, the County of Sacramento, and the other partnering cities in the CoC (Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, and Rancho Cordova). Support for continuing the system with contributing partners in future fiscal years is subject to availability of funding in the adopted budgets for the applicable fiscal years.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Sacramento Steps Forward and 2-1-1 are local to the Sacramento region.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXXXX
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
September 5, 2023
Approving Supplemental Contract for Coordinated Access System
BACKGROUND
A. The crisis of unsheltered homelessness is one that impacts our entire community, both those experiencing homelessness and the broader community of housed residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. Over the past several years, the City has made significant investments to increase availability of shelter, services and permanent housing for people and families experiencing homelessness. Despite these efforts, homelessness and its impacts continue to rise.
B. According to the 2022 Point in Time Homeless Count released by the Sacramento County Continuum of Care, the County of Sacramento had a homeless population of 9,278 individuals, an increase of 67% since 2019.
C. In August 2021, City of Sacramento and Sacramento Steps Forward staff were able to confirm that 70% of the safe ground participants had no prior activity in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). In a separate 2021 encampment survey, researchers estimated that 60-80% of unsheltered households surveyed were also not in HMIS. With inconsistent data and points of entry into HMIS, there was inadequate data on current local needs and demographics of our unsheltered population.
D. A CoC Gaps Analysis completed by Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF) identified 61 access points for 112 local shelter and housing programs, with no single coordinated access point. The same analysis identified that shelter and outreach teams within the CoC system inconsistently enter information into HMIS, including reports on contact/rapport building and diversion efforts.
E. On February 15, 2022, the City Council supported proceeding with the Coordinated Access System contract and set-aside $1 million for the first of three years of Coordinated Access System improvements as part of the FY2021/22 Midyear budget review and actions (Resolution No. 2022-0062).
F. On March 1, 2022, DCR presented the Coordinated Access System to City Council as a receive and file and in July 2022, the City contracted with SSF to create the Coordinated Access System designed to match people experiencing homelessness with housing and service options.
G. The Coordinated Access System provides a centralized access point with 24/7
operations staffed by trained 2-1-1 staff. Program staff and clients alike can access these resources through this centralized system. This system includes a greater system- wide emphasis and coordination on diverting households away from homelessness through problem-solving and prevention options, whenever possible.
H. In December 2022 the Coordinated Access System was soft launched with seven City funded Shelters including Wind Common Ground, Emergency Bridge Housing at the Grove, North 5th Street Shelter, Meadowview Shelter, LGBT STEP Shelter, Waking the Village, and the X Street Navigation Center. In April 2023 the first two County shelters, North A Street and TSA Center for Hope, were added to the system.
I. On May 23, 2023, SSF provided an update of the Coordinated Access System to City Council. SSF presented that there are currently 600 shelter beds in the system. In July 2023, the Family Shelter Programs will be included in the system which will add 400 beds by the end of July 2023. SSF plans to publicly launch the Coordinated Access System by October 31, 2023. SSF expects to have all public shelter programs in the system, including a total of 1,600 shelter beds by the end of 2023.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to execute Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to City Agreement No. 2022-0818 with Sacramento Steps Forward in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for a total not to exceed amount of $2,000,000.
Section 2. The City Manager or the City Manager’s designee is authorized to transfer $1,000,000 (Operating Grants, Fund 2702) from the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Homeless & Community Outreach Project (I23004000) to the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Community Response Program (I23000100).