COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

 

DATE:

April 29, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

May 6, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Beverly Beasley Johnson, J.D., Director, Human Services Agency

SUBJECT:

First Amendment to the Agreement with Samaritan House – Safe Harbor Shelter, for Shelter Operations

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing an Amendment to the Agreement with Samaritan House – Safe Harbor Shelter, to provide Shelter Operations. The term of the Agreement remains the same, July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010, increasing the amount by $100,000 to $545,394; $100,000 is Net County Cost.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Offer a full range of housing choices.

 

Goal Number 9: Housing exists for people at all income levels and for all generations of families.

 

The Amendment contributes to this commitment and goal by providing emergency housing, transitional housing and social services to homeless individuals.

 

PERFORMANCE MEASURE(S):

Measure

FY 2006-07

FY 2007-10
Projected

Number of program participants who will receive emergency shelter and/or transitional housing (unduplicated per year)

364

412 per year

BACKGROUND:

On November 19, 2001, Safe Harbor was opened as a year-round shelter, and since August 1, 2002, has been providing 30 beds for emergency shelter and 60 beds for transitional housing for homeless men and women. Both the Emergency Shelter Program and the Transitional Housing Program include case management services designed to help households move on to transitional housing or directly back to permanent housing.

On June 5, 2007 The Board of Supervisors approved Resolution number 068765 authorizing an Agreement with Samaritan House for the operation of the Safe Harbor Shelter.

 

DISCUSSION:

This Amendment to the Agreement with Samaritan House will increase the funding for the operation of both the Emergency Shelter Program and the Transitional Housing Program by a one time $100,000 increase for the FY 2007-08. The additional $100,000 will allow Samaritan House to postpone service restructuring for FY 2007-08 and plan for income generation for the FY 2008-09 and beyond. The need for additional funding is due to the following reasons: increase in shelter’s operating expenses by 23% from 2004 to 2007, increase in number of the shelter’s full time staff by 25% since 2004, and personnel expense increases by 26% from 2004 to in 2007. Safe Harbor is in need of the additional funding in order to maintain adequate services and safety at the Shelter to meet the client’s increasing needs.

The sustainability plan for Samaritan House is to continue increased fundraising efforts, potential contracting of dedicated beds, new private and government grants, consideration of client fees after 30 days in transitional shelter and the leveraging of new funding for the Shelter. Samaritan House is in continued discussion with the Human Services Agency on the status of their sustainability plan.

The Contractor has assured compliance with the County’s Contractor Employee Jury Services Ordinance, as well as all other contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including but not limited to insurance, hold harmless, non-discrimination and equal benefits. This Amendment has been reviewed and approved as to form by the County Counsel’s office and Risk Management has approved the Contractor’s Insurance coverage.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of the Agreement remains the same July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010. This Amendment will increase the total obligation by $100,000, from $445,394 to $545,394. The increase of $100,000 is 100% Net County Cost. The appropriation for this obligation is included in the FY 2007-08 Adopted Budget.