For City Council Meeting [May 12, 2020]
TO: Honorable City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Manager
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve the Agreement for Professional Services with Social Work Action Group and to Approve a FY2019/2020 Purchase Order in the Amount of $294,160 for Homeless Services for the Period of Thirteen (13) Months.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
Since 2017, Social Work Action Group (SWAG) has provided street outreach services to the homeless, throughout several cities and unincorporated areas in Riverside County. SWAG has assisted the homeless population with street outreach services, housing navigation, ongoing case management, supportive services for those moved to transitional housing, housing subsidies, rental agreements with landlords, rental assistance for individuals placed into more permanent housing, along with community engagement and alternatives to living on the streets. The City of Chino and County of Riverside have entered into a similar contract with SWAG in 2019 to provide homeless outreach and work directly with the homeless community in their communities. To date, SWAG has assisted more than 500 homeless individuals with transitional housing.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
In 2019, the city of Rialto was awarded a $600,759.00 grant from California's new Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) through the County of San Bernardino’s Office of Homeless Services (OHS). This grant has previously been used to fund a comprehensive project to house homeless individuals through diversion/flex subsidies and rental assistance. The grant provides funding to be allocated to outreach, navigation, enforcement, case management, supportive services, staff, operations, administration and supplies. On March 9, 2020, the police department was reassigned management of HEAP.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS
According to San Bernardino County’s, “Homeless Count and Subpopulation Survey Final Report,” their 2019 Point in Time Count revealed 2,118 homeless persons. This is an increase of 489 a 23.1% increase from 2018. In 2019, the city of Rialto participated in the Point in Time Count and documented 133 homeless persons and it is believed our homeless population has also increased. Due to the 2020 Point in Time Count results not yet available from the County of San Bernardino, staff does not have the most current and up to date homeless population numbers available at this time.
Calls for service in the city of Rialto for calendar years 2018 and 2019, reveal a high amount of officer responses related to transient related matters. In 2019, the Rialto Police Department responded to approximately 1,103 calls for service associated with the transient matters. In January 2020 the Rialto Police Department established the Quality of Life Taskforce, which is a program to provide resources to homeless population and addressing illegal activity specific to crimes committed by the transient population. The Quality of Life Taskforce involves additional officers assigned on overtime and staff from Public Works and Code Compliance addressing the removal of illegal campsites, abandoned vehicles and trash associated with the homeless population, refer to table below.
IMPACT OF QUALITY OF LIFE TASKFORCE
|
Month |
Transients Contacted |
Camps Located |
Camps Cleaned |
Debris Removed (Tons) |
Arrests |
Citations |
Hours Worked |
|
Jan. |
43 |
15 |
5 |
2 |
17 |
46 |
80 |
|
Feb. |
11 |
65 |
34 |
15.25 |
20 |
146 |
285 |
|
Mar. |
166 |
52 |
16 |
7.75 |
31 |
141 |
255 |
|
Apr. |
82 |
35 |
8 |
5.5 |
4 |
74 |
157 |
|
Total |
302 |
167 |
63 |
30.5 |
72 |
407 |
777 |
The impacts negatively impact property, business owners and overall quality of life in the city of Rialto. Although the Quality of Life Taskforce has made an impact, it lacks the ability to assign personnel to directly assist homeless individuals accepting assistance with the comprehensive tasks that an organization like SWAG provides.
CONTRACTED SERVICES
The Rialto Police Department researched many options on how to provide effective resources and manage the growing homeless population. SWAG has established a stellar reputation in the Inland Empire and comes highly recommended by Riverside County Sheriff Department, Chino Police Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department’s - Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) Team.
SWAG will be tasked with providing complete homeless services. This includes street outreach, housing navigation, case management, supportive services for those moved to transitional housing, housing subsidies, assistance with rental agreements with landlords, rental assistance for individuals placed into permanent housing, as well as community engagement and education, refer to Exhibit A.
The proposed professional services agreement can begin immediately upon Council’s approval, at a monthly cost of $14,708 and will continue to June 30, 2020. The agreement would continue as a yearly contract to coincide with the city’s fiscal calendar from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, at the same rate. Expenses associated with contracting with SWAG will be paid through the HEAP grant funds. The proposed agreement remains flexible to ensure SWAG can increase or decrease services as needed.
This agreement will allow us to greatly expand the city’s homeless outreach services by offering continuous efforts throughout the city. This plan provides a full-service agreement that will allow the Police Department to provide adequate resources to the chronic homeless and streamline the transition from the streets to long-term alternative options.
On April 20, 2020 the City of Rialto has recognized Social Work Action Group as a sole source for their specialized street outreach and intensive case management for homeless services and to families at risk of remaining homeless.
Staff has determined that this professional services agreement / Contract is acceptable as specified under Rialto Municipal Code 2.48.060 - Sole Source Provision.
STATUS OF HEAP FUNDS
The County of San Bernardino has reported they have been unsuccessful in reconciling past expenditures by Community Services. As a result, Staff is unable to provide Council with the total amount of HEAP funds available at this time. However, the County of San Bernardino estimates the amount of HEAP funds currently available to the Rialto Police Department is between $300,000.00 and $400,000.00.
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 in direct physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objects relating to public safety. The professional service agreement is consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Budget is available in FY2019/2020 HEAP Account No. 247-500-8812-2011 in the amount of between $300,000 to $400,000 for SWAG’s services through June 30, 2021. Due to the inability to provide Council with a specific amount of HEAP funds available, Staff recommends any deficit incurred by services outlined in this Report as a result of funds available through the HEAP grant to be offset by Non-departmental Account No. 010-500-001-2011.
Per Rialto Municipal Code Section: 2.48.145 a vendor disclosure form has been received from the vendor and is attached to this report.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
Prior to execution of the Professional Service Agreement/Purchase Order/Construction Contract, the vendor shall submit a business license application and pay a Business License tax at the rate of 79.00, as well as Administration and State fees.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
• Approve the professional service agreement with Social Work Action Group to provide consistent, continued street outreach services to address homelessness in our community.
• Authorize the City Manager to be the designated signee for the Social Work Action Group Professional Service Agreement.
• Approve the purchase order for FY2019/2020 in the amount of $294,160 for homeless services to Social Work Action Group for thirteen (13) months, ending June 30, 2021.