Agenda Item #12.3
For Council Meeting of: March 28, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MEGAN BASINGER, DIRECTOR,
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER GRANT AGREEMENT WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF SANTA ROSA FOR WARMING CENTER OPERATIONS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Housing and Community Services Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) approve the First Amendment to Grant Agreement for Public Service Providers Program Funds Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, increasing the contract by $16,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $252,000 for operations at the Homeless Services Center in response to extreme weather conditions; 2) authorize the Director of Housing and Community Services to execute the First Amendment; and 3) appropriate $16,000 from the Homeless Fund reserves necessary to fund the amendment.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff seeks approval of a First Amendment to Grant Agreement for Public Service Providers Program Funds Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa (First Amendment), increasing the contract by $16,000, for operations at the Homeless Services Center in response to extreme weather conditions. Additional expenses associated with operating the Warming Center are projected to exceed the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Homeless Services Center contract amount of $236,000, necessitating an amendment to the existing agreement. Since November 2022, the Warming Center has been activated five (5) times for a total of fifteen (15) nights at an estimated cost of $2,220 per night ($33,000). The First Amendment provides an additional $16,000, a combined total of $252,000, as a contingency in the event of additional Warming Center activations during the current Fiscal Year 2022/2023.
BACKGROUND
In December 2021 and February 2022, the City Manager directed the establishment of a Warming Center during extreme weather conditions based on confirmation by the Fire Department. In response, City staff developed, and the City manager approved a staff-level operational policy (Extreme Weather Warming Center) to ensure operational efficiency and consistency related to the opening of a Warming Center going forward in response to Extreme Weather Events. The City’s approach to the staff-level policy for a Warming Center is based on the City’s existing “Cooling Center” and “Extreme Cold Public Safety Power (PSPS) Shutoff Community Support Center” policies, which have proven effective in coordinating staffs’ rapid responses to heat and PSPS events.
Per the policy, an Extreme Weather Event for activation of a Warming Center is defined as follows:
Anytime the National Weather Service (“NWS”) forecasts:
Three (3) consecutive days with overnight lows below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Three (3) consecutive nights of rainfall with extreme risk levels as determined by the NWS.
A combination of the Extreme Weather Events defined above.
The policy also sets forth key procedural information to guide Warming Center openings, including persons authorized to open the Warming Center, coordination and key contacts amongst City departments and partner agencies and basic rules associated with Warming Center operations.
Consistent with the City’s policy, there have been five activations of a Warming Center at the Homeless Services Center. The Warming Center has indoor and outdoor space warmed by radiant heaters to host up to 90 individuals and operated from 7 p.m. to 7a.m.
Information on Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Warming Center operations is provided below. The per night cost is approximately $2,200.
Dates
Number of Nights
Total Served
Cost
November 29, 2022 to December 3, 2022
4 298
$9,238
December 12, 2022 to December 18, 2022
6 398
$13,263
January 4, 2023 to January 5, 2023
1 73
$2,058
January 30, 2023 to January 31, 2023
1 58
$1,755
February 22, 2023 to February 25, 2023
3 175
Projected
$6,600
Total:
15 1002
$32,914
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On June 6, 2022, Council authorized submission of the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and approved grant agreements for Public Services which included a grant agreement with Catholic Charities for the Homeless Services Center in the amount of $236,000.
ANALYSIS
Approval of the First Amendment will provide an additional $16,000, for a combined total of $50,000 to cover Warming Center operations for Fiscal Year 2022/2023. The $50,000 covers five recent activations between November and February 2023 (15 nights) plus a contingency in the event of additional activations during the current fiscal year. Any future activations of a Warming Center would be consistent with City policy.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds are available in Homeless Fund 1209 reserves due to unexpended appropriations from prior fiscal years. There is no impact to the City General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and no further environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A – First Amendment to Grant Agreement for Public Service Providers Program Funds Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa CFDA #14.218
PRESENTER
Sasha Cohen
Program Specialist
[email protected]
AMENDMENT TO HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER GRANT AGREEMENT – WARMING CENTER PAGE 3 OF 3