Title
Staff Report for Resolution Authorizing Appropriation of $400,000 to the Community Assistance Budget to Support Social Services from the 2014-15 General Fund Economic Uncertainty Reserve
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a resolution appropriating $400,000 to the 2014-15 Community Assistance Budget to support several social service programs and to fund a Social Service Needs Assessment from the 2014-15 General Fund Economic Uncertainty Reserve.
BACKGROUND
On October 20, 2014 City Council redirected $150,000 for the creation of a Homeless Task Force to establish a Warming Center and support basic needs and outreach in the San Leandro community.
On January 20, 2015 the Homeless Task Force presented to City Council an update on the accomplishments of their inaugural season including enhanced services, improved coordination and preliminary findings on the San Leandro homeless population.
On January 31, 2015 at the City Council Planning Session, agency and community representatives spoke to Council regarding the need for expanded support to social services.
Analysis
Since the 2014-15 budget was adopted in June 2014, the City Council has heard from various community groups and stakeholders regarding the growing demand for social services and identified gaps in current service delivery. Assessments by our social service providers demonstrate a disparity between the growing demand for human services and declining funding. Agencies that provide the basic safety net services to our most vulnerable residents have articulated the need for better collaboration and City support.
The creation of the Homeless Task Force in October 2014 demonstrated the need for our social service agencies to collaborate and coordinate to best provide responsive services. Davis Street Family Resource Center, Building Futures with Women and Children and April Showers, the Interfaith Homeless Network, along with numerous community and faith based groups have joined forces and committed to continuing the Warming Shelter for the next two years. Other key components of the Homeless Task Force include enhanced basic needs, outreach, and basic shelter support for the San Leandro Shelter. The collaboration and momentum created by this Task Force over the past six months is to be commended, and supporting the continuation of the Homeless Task Force is recommended. A contingency budget is also recommended to allow multiple city departments to remain responsive and continue the increased interdepartmental support for these community efforts.
Increased attention on social services has brought to light the need to strategize and rebuild policy around social services and the role of the City in providing leadership and support to this vision. A formalized Social Service Needs Assessment would be conducted by a consultant working work with the community, social service providers and the Human Services Commission to create a framework that identifies and prioritizes the needs of our diverse community. A needs assessment will identify current and future human service needs, service delivery gaps, and provide recommendations to the City and community-based agencies on how to best move forward in addressing the needs of its residents. A formalized assessment will build consensus on the most urgent community needs and identify ways to build capacity and collaborations for best resource deployment.
The success of the task force model surrounding homelessness has created interest in using a similar model to address another important issue - domestic violence. The City has multiple agencies providing domestic violence prevention in the community and the proposed Domestic Violence Prevention Coalition will bring agencies and providers together to coordinate and collaborate on education, outreach and intervention to best prevent domestic violence.
The San Leandro Unified School District's new Wellness Center has faced difficulties in funding the necessary permits to open its doors. As an essential new health service for the City's youth population, it is recommended that the City fund this one-time cost to assist launching the Wellness Center into operational mode.
Fiscal Impacts
These General Fund programs will cost $400,000, as follows:
$100,000 Homeless Task Force - Warming Center Continuation
$ 75,000 Social Service Needs Assessment
$ 60,000 Homeless Task Force - Basic Needs
$ 50,000 Homeless Task Force - Shelter Support
$ 50,000 Contingency - Overtime, Clean-up
$ 40,000 SLUSD Wellness Center Permit
$ 25,000 Domestic Violence Prevention Coalition
$400,000 Total
Budget Authority
Budget authority will be granted if the City Council approves appropriation of $400,000 to the Community Assistance account 010-61-014 from the General fund Economic Uncertainty Reserve for fiscal year 2014-15.
ATTACHMENT
None.
PREPARED BY: Breyana Riggsbee, Recreation and Human Services Acting Director, Recreation and Human Services Department