____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
Agenda Item No: 2.d
Meeting Date: May 18, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Manager
Prepared by: April Miller, Public Works Director
John Stefanski, Assistant City Manager
City Manager Approval: _________
TOPIC: 350 MERRYDALE ROAD INTERIM SHELTER DESIGN SERVICES SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT
TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LCA ARCHITECTS TO PROVIDE DESIGN SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $71,236 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $351,986, AND AUTHORIZING A SUPPLEMENTAL FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 BUDGET APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $71,236 PROVIDED THROUGH THE ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUND ROUND 3 GRANT (FUND 283)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment to a professional services agreement with LCA Architects to provide design services in the amount not to exceed $71,236 for a total contract amount of $351,986, and authorizing a supplemental fiscal year 2025-26 budget appropriation in the amount of $71,236 provided through the Encampment Resolution Fund Round 3 Grant (Fund 283).
BACKGROUND:
On November 17, 2025, the City Council took a series of actions to advance the City’s response to homelessness and enable the development of an interim shelter at 350 Merrydale Road. These actions included declaring a shelter crisis pursuant to Government Code section 8698 et seq.; adopting an urgency ordinance and introducing a related ordinance establishing local standards and procedures for homeless shelters; authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an $8 million grant agreement and affordable housing agreement with the County of Marin; and authorizing the acquisition of the property at 350 Merrydale Road for use as an interim shelter followed by permanent affordable housing.
With these approvals in place, the project has transitioned into its implementation phase. The interim shelter is intended to serve up to 70 individuals over time in 65 units on a temporary basis and requires coordinated site preparation, utility service upgrades, permitting, and construction activities to be completed within a defined timeframe. Advancing this work involves multiple City departments, external consultants, utility providers, and construction contractors, as well as sequencing tasks that must occur in parallel to maintain the project schedule.
ANALYSIS:
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
On February 17, 2026, the City Council authorized an amendment to the LCA Architects professional services agreement to design the interim shelter project. In addition, the City Council authorized an amendment to the service provider, FS Global, on April 20, 2026. After discussions between the design team and service provider, it was determined that the structures that FS Global is planning to lease to the city needed to be designed by a licensed architect and structural engineer. Since FS Global and its manufacturer Connex do not provide these services, city staff asked LCA Architects to provide a proposal to add this scope to their contract.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
A list of the city’s extension community engagement activities related to the 350 Merrydale Road Interim Shelter Project can be found on the city’s project website. Additional information on the website, based on feedback from engagement efforts, includes updates to the Good Neighbor Policy, Resident Code of Conduct, and project FAQs.
The proposed professional services agreement supports the implementation of the interim shelter project as refined through community engagement and is consistent with the site design, services, and operational framework shared with the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommendation in this staff report will authorize an amendment to the LCA contract in an amount not to exceed $71,236 for a total contract value of $351,986, which will be funded by a supplemental appropriation from the City’s Encampment Resolution Fund Round Three Grant (Fund 283) in the amount of $71,236.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
In adopting Resolution Nos. 15480 and 15479, the City Council previously found that the purchase of the real property located at 350 Merrydale for the purposes of an interim shelter and long-term permanent affordable housing was exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider in this matter:
1. Adopt the resolution as presented.
2. Adopt resolution with modifications.
3. Direct staff to return with more information.
If any option is selected besides option 1, there will likely be a delay to the opening date of the interim housing project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment to a professional services agreement with LCA Architects to provide design services in the amount not to exceed $71,236 for a total contract amount of $351,986, and authorizing a supplemental fiscal year 2025-26 budget appropriation in the amount of $71,236 provided through the Encampment Resolution Fund Round 3 Grant (Fund 283).
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. LCA Amendment to PSA
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LCA ARCHITECTS TO PROVIDE DESIGN SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $71,236 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $351,986, AND AUTHORIZING A SUPPLEMENTAL FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 BUDGET APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $71,236 PROVIDED THROUGH THE ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUND ROUND 3 GRANT (FUND 283)
WHEREAS, On November 17, 2025, the San Rafael City Council took a series of actions to advance the City’s response to homelessness, including declaring a Shelter Crisis pursuant to Government Code section 8698 et seq.; adopting local standards and procedures for homeless shelters; authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an $8 million grant agreement and affordable housing agreement with the County of Marin; and authorizing the acquisition of the property located at 350 Merrydale Road for use as an interim shelter followed by permanent affordable housing; and WHEREAS, with these approvals in place, the 350 Merrydale Road Interim Shelter Project has transitioned from planning and entitlement into implementation, requiring coordinated site preparation, utility upgrades, permitting, and construction activities to be completed within a defined timeframe; and WHEREAS, the City previously entered into a professional services agreement with LCA Architects to provide design services for the project, and staff have determined that a second amendment to that agreement is necessary to include the design of the interim shelter units provided by FS Global and constructed by Connex required for permitting and construction of the interim shelter project; and WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to the professional services agreement with LCA Architects would increase the total contract amount to $351,986, inclusive of the original contract amount; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to the professional services agreement with LCA Architects support implementation of the interim shelter project as refined through community engagement and are consistent with the site design, services, and operational framework shared with the community; and
WHEREAS, Funds for the professional services agreement and amendment are available from the Encampment Resolution Fund Round 3 Grant.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Rafael hereby:
1. Authorizes the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with LCA Architects to provide full design services for the 350 Merrydale Road Interim Shelter Project, increasing the total contract amount to $351,986, in substantially the form presented to the City Council.
2. Authorizes the City Manager to make non-substantive modifications to the agreements as necessary, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
3. Authorizes a supplemental Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget appropriation of $71,236 from available funds provided through the Encampment Resolution Fund Round 3 Grant (Fund 283).
I, LINDSAY LARA, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City on Monday, the 18th day of May 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk