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CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT
Meeting Date: April 4, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Honorable City Councilmembers
From: Vice Mayor Rich (City Council’s Liaison to Service Providers for the Unhoused) Planning and City Administration
Subject: Request for Remaining Funds from Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Grant Funding to City of Sebastopol for Use for SAVS in the amount of $20,000 to use to continue the operation of the Horizon Shine RV parking program for a Housing Case Manager through June 2023
Recommendation: That the City Council Authorize the Mayor to sign the Letter of Support Funding: Currently Budgeted: ______ Yes _______ No __X__ N/A Net General Fund Cost:
Amount: $_________________
Account Code/Costs authorized in City Approved Budget (if applicable) _AK___ (verified by Administrative Services Department)
PURPOSE/INTRODUCTION:
This item requests that the City Council discuss the remaining $20,000 from the $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project with funds to be specifically used for a Case Manager.
BACKGROUND:
SAVS has partnered with the City to furnish professional services for Operation of Horizon Shine. Horizon Shine (the City’s RV Pilot Program) is open and operational, with full occupancy. It is providing a managed, humane, safe, sanitary environment to lived-in vehicles that were formerly on Morris and adjacent streets. The opening of Horizon Shine has accomplished the priority task assigned by the Council to the Committee for the Unhoused, which was to identify a viable alternate location for the RV dwellers on Morris Street.
At the October 4, 2022 City Council meeting, the City Council made a commitment to continuation of support for Horizon Shine. Currently, the RV Village is open and operational; and has a Temporary Use Permit to operate through December 2024. SAVS is providing quarterly reports to the City (both City Council and the Planning Commission). The first report to the Council is scheduled for April 18, 2023.
Initially the project received $368,000 in support from the Board of Supervisors as well as $60,000 from the City of Sebastopol to serve as an interim housing solution for the Morris Street encampment. The $60,000 contribution from the City had a net zero impact on the City Budget as the result of an $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project.
The item tonight is to discuss the remaining $20,000 from the $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project.
DISCUSSION:
As stated above, the City of Sebastopol previously granted $60,000 to SAVS for operations for Horizon Shine. The City agreed to reimburse SAVS for actual lease payments and SAVS is required to pay for use of the site. The Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
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reimbursement amount was to be payable monthly to SAVS, for months of actual operation of the temporary RV Village, and will be for the amount actually charged to SAVS by SVDP, with a monthly maximum of $5,000 per month (no more than $60,000 for the full year of operations). Those payments have been made and SAVS is requesting the additional $20,000 which is in line with the County’s letter of March 2022 stating:
“We would appreciate it if you could offer SAVS a reallocation of funding in order to cover these cash flow difficulties.
This is also to confirm that the County will be sending $80,000 to the City of Sebastopol to help with additional expenses at Horizon Shine Village.”
SAVS is requesting the remaining $20,000 for expenses for a Homeless Case Manager. Per SAVS, The goal of Horizon Shine Village is to help residents cross the bridge from being homeless to being housed. We need a Case Manager whose primary focus is housing. This will help our residents cross this bridge.
Navigating HUD, Coordinated Entry, Rapid Rehousing, IV-SPDAT (and corresponding prioritization), as well as vouchers, can be daunting. These systems are also in constant flux. Having a Housing Case Manager who tracks current trends and preferences can make the difference in whether clients are accepted or denied housing.
Currently Horizon Shine Village has 24 residents. We have a Program Manager with eight years' experience in Mental Health Services, ongoing relationships with partner agencies (e.g. West County Health Services), and a robust group of volunteers that support our residents. Adding a Housing Case Manager to this team would give our residents a much better chance at obtaining permanent housing and a shorter stay at Horizon Shine.
The cost for a Housing Case Manager through June 2023 is $24,395. We are asking the City of Sebastopol for $20,000 to help cover this cost. SAVS will cover the remaining expense with other funds.” SAVS has secured funding for the homeless outreach coordinator for FY 2023/24 (beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, so would not be requesting additional funding for FY 2023-24 from the City for this, or for other operations.
This item is requesting the Council consider granting the remaining $20,000 in funds to SAVS for a Case Manager which will allow a collaborative and planned approach to ensuring that a person who experiences homelessness gets the services and supports that they need to move forward with their lives. By granting this action which results in the budget adjustment to account number 100-10-01-4980 that was originally budgeted at $60,000 and now increase to an additional $20,000 for a total of $80,000. The goal of case management is to empower people, draw on their own strengths and capabilities, and promote an improved quality of life by facilitating timely access to the necessary supports and thus reduce the risk of homelessness and/or help them achieve housing stability.
CITY COUNCIL AND/OR GENERAL PLAN GOALS:
City Council Goals
Goal 5: Provide Open and Responsive Municipal Government Leadership General Plan Goals
5.3.3. Encourage and increase public awareness of City Policies, decisions, programs and all public processes and meetings, by investigating effective methods of communication and obtaining feedback from the community.
Action CHW 5c: Practice an open-door policy in City programs, and actively engage and encourage participation from all individuals regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, class, disability, sexual orientation, and gender.
Policy D-6 – Work to prevent homelessness and support housing services to the homeless.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of this item.
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
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PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FY 22-23 City Adopted Budget allocates approved funding for $60,000 for the Horizon Shine Lease support.
The action tonight will increase an additional of $20,000 in account number 100-10-01-4890 and utilize the remaining funds of the $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project, with funds to be specifically used for a Case Manager.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider approval budget amendment resolution for the use of the remaining $20,000 from the $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project with funds to be specifically used for a Case Manager.
Attachment:
Budget resolution
Letter from SAVS
Letter from David Kiff
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
RESOLUTION NUMBER: 2023-XX
CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FROM $60,000 TO $80,000 FOR FUNDING TO SONOMA
APPLIED VILLAGES (SAVS) TO SUPPORT A HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR WHEREAS, Sonoma Applied Villages (SAVS) has partnered with the City to furnish professional services for Operation of Horizon Shine. Horizon Shine. The site is open and operational, with full occupancy; and WHEREAS, SAVS applied for a Temporary Use Permit (Planning File 2022-073 to operate the site from January 2023 through December 2024, which was approved by the Planning Commission on October 11, 2022 through adoption of Resolution 2022-07; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council heard an appeal of the approval (Planning File 2022-088) on November 15, 2022, and adopted Resolution 6491-2022, denying the appeal and upholding the Planning Commission’s approval; and
WHEREAS, SAVS continues to operate the site and is providing a managed, humane, safe, sanitary environment to lived-in vehicles that were formerly on Morris and adjacent streets; and WHEREAS, Horizon Shine is a viable alternate location for the RV dwellers on Morris Street; and WHEREAS, SAVS received a $60,000 contribution from the City which had a net zero impact on the City Budget as the result of an $80,000 allocation in County discretionary funds to the City of Sebastopol to support the RV Village project; and
WHEREAS, the request to reallocate funds will have the additional $20,000 increase to expenditure in account 100-10-01-4890. In essence the amount issuing to SAVS in advance of receiving $80,000 grant from the County will have a net zero impact.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL that the City approve the request to reallocate funds with an additional $20,000 increase to expenditure in account 100-10-01- 4890. In essence the amount issuing to SAVS of the $80,000 grant from the County has a net zero impact to the City’s General Fund.
The above and foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted at a meeting by the City Council on the 4
th day of April, 2023.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by City of Sebastopol City Council following a roll call vote:
VOTE:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
APPROVED: __________________________________________
Mayor Neysa Hinton
ATTEST: _______________________________________________________________ Mary Gourley, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, MMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM: _______________________________________________ Larry McLaughlin, City Attorney
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023
Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Sonoma County Housing Authority
1440 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403-4107
Telephone (707) 565-7500
FAX (707) 565-7583 ● TDD (707) 565-7555
Members of the
Commission
James Gore
Chair
Chris Coursey
Vice Chair
David Rabbitt
Lynda Hopkins
Susan Gorin
Dave Kiff
Interim Executive
Director
March 2, 2022
Mr. Larry McLaughlin, City Manager/City Attorney
7120 Bodega Avenue
Post Office Box 1776
Sebastopol, CA 95473
Dear Larry:
As you know, the County of Sonoma has rigid accounting oversight requirements for reimbursement requests. Combined with the number of contracts we administer, these requirements can mean that non-profits who contract with the County must wait 2-3 months to be reimbursed for approved expenses. This can be a cause of cash flow problems for smaller non-profits.
SAVS, (Sonoma Applied Village Services) is facing such a cash flow problem in the operation of the Horizon Shine Village in Sebastopol in the immediate future. SAVS is under contract with us for the major expenses of this Village. We have experienced no significant problems with their prior reimbursement requests and we expect to honor the terms of our contract to reimburse SAVS for the budget items they have indicated.
We would appreciate it if you could offer SAVS a reallocation of funding in order to cover these cash flow difficulties. This is also to confirm that the County will be sending $80,000 to the City of Sebastopol to help with additional expenses at Horizon Shine Village.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing support for our County’s homeless population.
Sincerely,
DAVE KIFF
Interim Executive Director
Sonoma County Community Development Commission
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of April 4, 2023