For City Council Meeting June 11, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
AUTHOR: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to: 1) Approve a one-year Agreement for Professional Services with Social Work Action Group; 2) Approve a Purchase Order for $711,900 for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 3) Authorize the Interim City Manager, or his Designee, to Execute All Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve a one-year Agreement for Professional Services with Social Work Action Group;
2. Approve a purchase order in the amount of $711,900 for Fiscal Year 2024/2025; and
3. Authorize Interim City Manager, or his designee, to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND
City Council approved contract services with Social Work Action Group (SWAG) on May 20, 2020, and the Rialto Police Department deployed SWAG into our community on June 1, 2020. SWAG has made a considerable amount of progress in providing quality services to our homeless population. Since SWAG’s deployment their personnel have served a total of 450 clients, connected 359 homeless individuals to substance abuse treatment, 302 to mental health services and 287 individuals have exited the streets. Of the 287, 193 homeless individuals received sheltered housing and 94 were placed into permanent housing plans.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
SWAG began their services by deploying 4 homeless outreach specialists Monday through Friday, during normal business hours, 8 am to 5 pm. In Fiscal Year 2022/2023 the need arose for homeless outreach specialists to be on duty seven days a week. Staff recommended and Council approved to increase staffing and fund 2 new positions, to make a total of 6 homeless outreach specialists in Rialto. These specialists currently provide outreach services seven days a week, with varying hours of operation. Over the past year SWAG personnel along with police personnel have incorporated night time services as well, understanding that the need for resources at night are necessary.
SWAG’s successful outreach approach has not only assisted homeless individuals find treatments and housing, but also helped reduce the amount of time police officers spend on calls related to homelessness. This successful approach resulted in officers having more time to respond to priority calls and conduct proactive enforcement.
Today, SWAG manages more than 70 homeless individuals. These individuals are in varying stages of their case plans, including substance abuse facilities, emergency shelters and mental health facilities. Without SWAG to assist with their transition into permanent housing, these individuals, and others, will most likely return to the streets of Rialto, causing a quality of life problem for residents and businesses that existed before Council’s decision to proactively address homelessness. In just the last four months SWAG has placed 5 individuals into permanent housing and another 12 into sheltered housing.
The table depicted below displays San Bernardino County’s 2024 Homeless Count and Survey Report. The results clearly show how effective SWAG has been in providing resources for the homeless population in our community.
|
Jurisdictions |
Total Homeless |
|
Colton |
348 |
|
Fontana |
301 |
|
Highland |
125 |
|
Ontario |
197 |
|
Rancho Cucamonga |
83 |
|
Redlands |
213 |
|
Rialto |
73 |
|
San Bernardino |
1,473 |
Staff’s request for this one-year contract with SWAG will ensure there will be 6 outreach specialists, each working 40 hour work weeks, 7-days a week, excluding some holidays. These specialists will be tasked with individual case management and have the ability to use multiple resources for housing and treatment services. This contract will also include transportation costs and administrative costs. The administrative costs include monthly reports from SWAG administration to the police department.
The City of Rialto continues to grow. With this growth comes more shopping centers and businesses that can be impacted by the homeless population. It has and will continue to be the Rialto Police Department’s mission to offer resources and aid to those experiencing homelessness, and at the same time offer a high quality service and protection to our businesses and residents that live in and traverse our city. The partnership between the City of Rialto and SWAG has proven to be one of the most effective methods for reducing homelessness in San Bernardino County.
The Department became aware that SWAG may have temporarily lost their non-profit status on May 15, 2023. Department staff researched their status and spoke with SWAG Manager, Aaron Petroff. The Department determined that there was a paperwork error on SWAG filing requirements. The error occurred due to an internal reporting process. SWAG temporarily lost their non-profit status through the Internal Revenue Service. However, on December 21, 2023 SWAG was notified their non-profit status was reinstated and back dated to May 15, 2023. It was determined that SWAG did not lose their non-profit status and at no time did this disrupt SWAG services in the City of Rialto.
The police department examined the need for developing a competitive bidding process, including solicitation of request for proposals from interested agencies, including other non-profits who offer similar services. However, staff determined that although other agencies offer similar services, only SWAG offers complete services for housing, treatment, and veteran affairs under one agency. Staff has worked with the city’s purchasing division and determined that this professional service agreement is acceptable as specified under Rialto Municipal Code 2.48.060 - Sole Source Provision.
In an effort to continue at the forefront of the County in providing homeless services, staff is recommending Council approve this one-year contract proposal for services through FY2024/2025. If services do not continue with SWAG, Rialto’s homeless service program would lose momentum and risk altering the rapport SWAG and the Police Department’s Community Services Bureau has built with the City’s homeless population, the community and homeless service agencies.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel- related actions, general policy and procedure making.
2) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The proposed action is consistent with the following goal of the city’s general plan:
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed and approved this staff report and agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $711,900 is available in the proposed FY2024/2025 Homeless Program Account No. 010-500-6296-2011 for the professional services agreement with Social Work Action Group for services supplied to the homeless population.
Per Rialto Municipal Code Section: 2.48.145 a vendor disclosure form is attached.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
Social Work Action Group has a current City of Rialto Business License. No additional taxes are due with the approval of this report.