Title:
Title
Agreements for Extension of the Homeless Triage Shelter (Two-Thirds Vote Required)
End
FileID
File ID: 2018-01596
Location
Location: 2040 Railroad Drive, District 3
Recommendation:
Recommendation
1) Pass a Motion by two-thirds vote suspending Council Rule of Procedure Chapter 7, section E.2.d, which requires 10-day posting for agreements over $1 million; and 2) adopt a Resolution by two-thirds vote: a) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute a supplemental agreement with Volunteers of America of Northern California and Northern Nevada to extend services through December 31, 2018 and increase the not-to-exceed amount by $232,959, making the new total not-to-exceed amount $3,146,311; b) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute a supplemental agreement with Downtown Streets, Inc. to extend services through December 31, 2018 and increase the not-to-exceed amount by $24,625, making the new total not-to-exceed amount $295,500; c) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute a supplemental agreement with United Site Services for portable restrooms and shower trailer rental and weekly equipment servicing through December 31, 2018 and increase the not-to-exceed by $50,889 for a total not-to-exceed amount $246,438; and d) authorizing the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to execute the memorandum of understanding with the Regents of the University of California, acting for and on behalf of UC Davis Medical Center, for the purpose of receiving a one-time donation of $1.65 million dollars for the City to provide assistance to the homeless or homeless prevention services, accept the donation from UC Davis Medical Center, and increase the revenue and expenditure budgets in the Homeless Housing Initiative Program (I02000200) by $1.65 million in the Externally Funded Program Fund (Fund 2703) upon receipt of the donation.
Contact: Emily Halcon, Homeless Services Coordinator, (916) 808-7896; Andrew Geurkink, Program Analyst, (916) 808-7816, Office of the City Manager
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Exhibit A - Volunteers of America Fourth Contract Supplement
4-Exhibit B - Downtown Streets, Inc. Fourth Contract Supplement
5-Exhibit C - United Site Services Contract Supplement
6-Exhibit D - MOU with University of California, Davis Medical Center
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The crisis of unsheltered homelessness is one that impacts an entire community, both those experiencing homelessness and the broader community of housed residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. According to the most recent Sacramento County Homeless Deaths Report, death rates among the unsheltered homeless population are four times that of the general population. While these deaths are spread essentially evenly over the course of a year, people experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable during the cold, wet winter months and the hot summer months. In response, on December 8, 2017, the City opened a Winter Triage Shelter at 2040 Railroad Drive (“Shelter”), which added 200 shelter beds accessible by referral through the Police Impact Team and City outreach partners in the City’s Pathways to Health + Home (“Pathways”) program. City Council previously authorized three extensions of the Shelter: first, for two months, from March 27 through May 31; second, for an additional three months, from May 24 through August 31; and, most recently, for three months, from August 28 through November 30.
Over the eleven months of its operation, the Shelter has successfully served very vulnerable populations and connected people with services and housing. The Shelter has offered a unique opportunity to match the safety and security of a low-barrier shelter with the wrap-around services offered through the City’s Pathways program. While the Shelter does not exclusively serve Pathways clients, nearly 250 of the shelter guests have been enrolled in Pathways since its opening, allowing access to enhanced care coordination and housing supportive services. The following table provides data on the Shelter’s clients thus far:
|
|
|
Count |
Percent |
|
Total Enrolled |
619 |
- |
|
Self-Reported Disabilities |
Disabling Condition (any) |
534 |
86% |
|
|
Mental Health Illness |
369 |
60% |
|
|
Substance Abuse |
291 |
47% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Age |
50 years + |
304 |
49% |
|
|
60 years + |
106 |
17% |
|
|
Youngest guest |
18 |
- |
|
|
Oldest guest |
90 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Length of Homelessness |
1+ year |
376 |
61% |
|
|
4+ years |
135 |
22% |
|
|
Average length |
4 years |
- |
|
|
Longest reported history |
40 years |
- |
Data through November 8, 2018
As compared to other emergency shelters, the Shelter has generally served people with higher reported levels of disabilities, longer lengths of homelessness, and of more advanced age. Most notably, the Shelter has served a large proportion of people who have not accessed other emergency shelters in the Sacramento Continuum of Care (CoC); this is likely largely attributed to the low-barrier access and the ability to serve people with pets, partners and possessions.
Even with the very complex needs of the Shelter guests, 156 (or 36% of all exits) have exited to a non-homeless location, including permanent housing, transitional housing, returning to living with friends or family, or another shelter situation during eleven months of operation:
|
|
|
Count |
Percent |
|
Total Exits |
439 |
- |
|
Exited to Permanent Housing (including subsidized and unsubsidized housing) |
118 |
27% |
|
Exited to transitional housing, another shelter opportunity, or living with friends or family |
38 |
9% |
|
Total positive exits |
156 |
36% |
Data through November 8, 2018
While the City is working to identify locations and approaches for a longer-term triage shelter, there is interest in continuing to operate the low-barrier location on Railroad Drive. During the extended time of the Shelter’s operation, the City will continue to develop options for more permanent locations and operators for a low-barrier triage shelter.
Policy Considerations: The contracts for the Shelter require active coordination with the homeless CoC and participation in the community’s coordinated entry and assessment program as well as the City’s Pathways program. These programs align with the federal directive that funding for addressing homelessness follow a “Housing First” approach and be part of a larger strategy to lowering barriers to services. Housing First principles ensure that emergency shelter be provided with few to no barriers to access and focus on linking clients with permanent housing as quickly as possible. In Housing First programs, supportive services are offered (but not required as a condition of tenancy) in shelters and ongoing to help people keep their housing and avoid returning to homelessness. This evidence-based approach is consistent with the strategies and funding priorities of the other public agencies working to end homelessness in Sacramento.
Economic Impacts: None
Environmental Considerations: The proposed actions to continue operation of the Shelter are exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15301 for existing facilities.
Sustainability: None
Commission/Committee Action: None
Rationale for Recommendation: The City Council has been engaged in identifying options for providing emergency triage services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The Shelter was an opportunity to try a new model of sheltering in partnership with other community initiatives, notably the City’s Pathways program. Given the success of the Shelter program and the infusion of funding from Sutter Health, Dignity Health, UC Davis, Medical Center, and other community partners, City staff recommends continuing this Shelter program through December 31, 2018.
Financial Considerations: The supplemental agreements with Downtown Streets, Inc., Volunteers of America, and United Site Services, and additional City services will be funded from the Externally Funded Program Fund (Fund 2703) in the Homeless Housing Initiative (I02000200) for a total amount not-to-exceed $433,546, as described in further detail in the table below. Funding from UC Davis Medical Center will provide the City with $1.65 million which will be budgeted in I02000200 in Fund 2703 of which $433, 546 will be used to fund the one-month shelter extension. The remaining funds from the UC Davis Medical Center contribution will remain in project I02000200 to be used for future homeless related activities.
|
Partner |
Original Amount |
April-Nov Increase |
December Increase |
New Total Amount |
|
Volunteers of America |
$997,344 |
$1,916,008 |
$232,959 |
$3,146,311 |
|
City of Trees Ventures, Inc. |
$99,474 |
$380,279 |
$66,890 |
$546,643 |
|
Downtown Streets, Inc. |
$98,500 |
$172,375 |
$24,625 |
$295,500 |
|
United Site Services |
$47,097 |
$309,957 |
$50,889 |
$407,943 |
|
Additional City Services |
- |
$386,276 |
$58,183 |
$444,459 |
|
Totals |
$1,242,415 |
$3,234,060 |
$433,546 |
$4,840,856 |
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): None