____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: _______________________
Disposition: ___________________________
Agenda Item No: 2.g
Meeting Date: October 5, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Fire Department
Prepared by: Zoe Hyland, Wildfire Mitigation
Specialist
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH ADAPTIVE HOME HARDENING FOR
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE CONTRACT WITH ADAPTIVE HOME HARDENING LLC FOR THE VENT HOME HARDENING PROJECT (CONTRACT NO. 2026.0034), IN AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000 AND APPROPRIATING $150,000 FROM AVAILABLE MEASURE C:
WILDFIRE PREVENTION FUND (FUND 242) BALANCE
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 (Attachment 2) to the contract with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC for the Vent Home Project, in an additional amount not to exceed $150,000, for a total amount not to exceed $250,000, and authorizing a supplemental budget appropriation of $150,000 from available Measure C: Wildfire Prevention Fund (Fund 242) balance to support this contract amendment.
BACKGROUND:
On February 25, 2026, the City approved a contract (Attachment 3) with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC for $100,000 to implement the Vent Home Hardening Direct Assistance program. The program provides direct assistance to eligible residents to retrofit vents on their homes to reduce wildfire risk, particularly for properties located within high fire severity zones. During the procurement process, four contractors submitted bids. Staff reviewed the bids for qualifications, experience with similar work, and proposed rates, and selected Adaptive Home Hardening as the most qualified and cost-effective vendor to perform the work.
Since the program's launch, staff have received a higher-than-anticipated level of interest from residents located in high fire severity zones who wish to participate in the direct assistance program. Thus far, the program has allowed the retrofitting of vents on 90 homes in high fire severity zones. This program has proven the most cost-efficient way for the City to help residents improve ember safety on vents compared to a comparable grant program. The current contract amount of $100,000 is insufficient to accommodate additional demand.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
ANALYSIS:
Staff have reviewed the current program enrollment and waitlist and determined that additional funding is needed to allow eligible residents in high fire severity zones to complete the home hardening work.
Staff recommend amending the existing agreement with Adaptive Home Hardening rather than pursuing a new procurement, because:
• The vendor is already performing satisfactorily under the existing agreement and is familiar with program requirements, eligibility criteria, and site conditions (Off Ridge Vent – $32; Standard Eave Vent – $28; Foundation Vent – $28; Gable Vent – $44; Continuous Soffit Vents – $10 per foot), with all other terms of the Contract remaining unchanged • Amending the existing agreement avoids the delay and cost associated with a new solicitation process, allowing eligible residents to receive assistance sooner. • The proposed amendment keeps the total contract value ($250,000) consistent with the scope of work needed to serve the expanded pool of interested residents. • The direct assistance program compares favorably in cost-effectiveness to the City's wildfire mitigation grant program. Under the direct assistance model, the City contracts with the qualified vendor at a pre-approved, agreed upon rate, which allows more homes to be hardened against wildfire per dollar spent than under the grant program where individual residents separately solicit and pay contractors for labor and material costs.
Staff find that approving the amendment is consistent with the City's adopted Wildfire Action Plan and MWPA Workplan, as it directly supports home hardening improvements and risk reduction for residents in high fire severity zones. In addition, the project aligns with Priority Area C of the City's Three-Year Strategic Plan to identify hazards that threaten the community, determine their likely impacts, set mitigation goals, and prioritize strategies to lessen these impacts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If the resolution is approved, the contract with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC would increase by $150,000, from $100,000 to a new total not-to-exceed amount of $250,000. There is an adequate fund balance in Fund 242 – Wildfire Prevention for the additional supplemental appropriation of $150,000.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1. Approve the resolution as proposed by staff
2. Approve the resolution with amendments
3. Direct Staff to return with more information
4. Take no action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 (Attachment 2) to the contract with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC for the Vent Home Project, in an additional amount not to exceed $150,000, for a total amount not to exceed $250,000, and authorizing a supplemental budget appropriation of $150,000 from available Measure C: Wildfire Prevention Fund (Fund 242) fund balance to support this contract amendment.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Contract Amendment
3. Original contract with Adaptive Home Hardening
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE
CONTRACT WITH ADAPTIVE HOME HARDENING LLC FOR THE VENT HOME HARDENING PROJECT (CONTRACT NO. 2026.0034), IN AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000 AND APPROPRIATING $150,000 FROM AVAILABLE MEASURE C: WILDFIRE PREVENTION FUND (FUND 242) BALANCE WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael Fire Department administers the Vent Home Hardening Project, a wildfire risk-reduction program that retrofits non-compliant roof, attic, and foundation vents on homes in designated high-risk areas with ember-resistant vent screening in compliance with the California Building Code; and
WHEREAS, on February 25, 2026, the City authorized a contract with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC (Contract No. 2026.0034) for pre-installation coordination, on-site assessment, and installation of ember-resistant vent screening at eligible program addresses, for a not-to-exceed Contract Price of $100,000; and
WHEREAS, the Contractor has continued to receive eligibility letters from residents in designated high-risk areas, has scheduled and performed on-site assessments and installations, and has demonstrated the capacity and performance necessary to continue and expand this work; and WHEREAS, based on the Contractor’s proposal submitted on November 19th 2025, City staff and the Contractor have negotiated Amendment No. 1 to the Contract to continue Task 1 (Pre-Installation Coordination and On-Site Assessment), Task 2 (Removal, Installation, and Documentation), and Task 3 (Resident Communication and Reporting/Invoicing), at the fixed per-vent rates set forth in the original Scope of Work; and
WHEREAS, Amendment No. 1 increases the not-to-exceed Contract Price by $150,000, from $100,000 to a new not-to-exceed Contract Price of $250,000, to allow the Contractor to continue installations at additional eligible properties with the additional $150,000 to be appropriated from account 24200000-34134, Reserve: Wildfire Prevention-D.00, which has a current available balance to fund the amendment; and
WHEREAS, the vent home hardening project has proved successful with a total of 90 homes being retrofitted with ember-resistant mesh screening this calendar year; and WHEREAS, sufficient funds are available for this purpose within the City’s designated Measure C Defensible Space funds.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Rafael finds the foregoing recitals are true and correct, and hereby authorizes the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the contract with Adaptive Home Hardening LLC for the Vent Home Hardening Project (Contract No. 2026.0034), in an additional amount not to exceed $150,000, for a total amount not to exceed $250,000, and authorizing a supplemental budget appropriation of $150,000 from available Measure C (Fund 242) fund balance to support this contract amendment.
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 October 5, 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
_______________________
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk