TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Minh C. Tran, County Executive Officer
REPORT BY: Jennifer Palmer, Director of Housing & Homeless Services
SUBJECT: Professional Services Agreement with Gasser Foundation for unarmed, private security and patrol services in and around the neighborhood in the immediate proximity of the South Napa Shelter and Day Center.
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Housing & Homeless Services requests approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign Agreement No. 230097B with the Peter A. and Vernice H. Gasser Foundation, for an annual maximum amount of $79,000 for the term July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 to provide unarmed, private security and patrol services in and around the neighborhood in the immediate proximity of the South Napa Shelter and Day Center.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Since 2018, South Napa Shelter (Shelter) operations have expanded to accommodate Day Center Services and construction for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements and bathroom upgrades to allow the Shelter to better service its clients and expand the number of people it can serve. Throughout the course of construction, beginning in Fall 2021 through Spring 2022, the Shelter operator, Abode Services, engaged unarmed, private security to provide enhanced security services and ensure impacts to the immediately surrounding areas the Shelter were mitigated. The services were valuable for all, including regular Shelter and Day Center guests.
With the completion of construction, the Shelter operator is no longer the appropriate entity to contract for unarmed, private security and patrol because the services are desired in a larger area, including the surrounding business complex and neighborhoods. The Peter A. and Vernice H. Gasser Foundation (Gasser) already contracts for some unarmed, private security and patrol services in the area. This contract will allow Gasser to increase an existing contract to address the new/expanded needs in FY 2022-23.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Housing & Homeless Services |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
This contract ensures impacts of increased Shelter capacity on surrounding business and professional complexes are mitigated. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Contract is included in FY2022-23 budget |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Potential for increased calls for service by law enforcement for issues that can be de-escalated and/or resolved by non-sworn security patrols. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defied by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Shelter is an existing emergency shelter facility for persons 18 years and older who are experiencing homelessness. It is operated by Abode Services under contract from the County. The Shelter's primary goals for its residents are providing safe access to emergency shelter, food, and basic sanitation services, followed by assisting those individuals with increasing their ability to earn income and to secure sustainable housing. It was originally constructed in 2005. The Shelter has since been expanded to include the onsite operation of a Day Use Center (formerly known as “The Hope Center” and operated in a separate, downtown Napa location). The consolidation of Day Use and overnight shelter services has increased the daily use of the facility, particularly the use of the restrooms, shower facilities, common use areas and the internal office spaces for meeting with clients, as well as foot and vehicle traffic in the surrounding area. The Shelter building was originally designed to have an occupancy of 69 individuals on an overnight basis.
In July of 2021, the Board awarded a contract for construction services at the shelter to remodel the existing multi-use bathrooms to provide finishes that are more durable to accommodate higher volume use of the facility with the operation of the Day Use Center onsite, and compliance work related to the adopted Napa County ADA Transition Plan. Among the project goals is the increase in building occupancy to 64 men and 40 women. Throughout the course of construction, the shelter operator, Abode Services, engaged unarmed, private security to provide enhanced security services and ensure impacts to the immediately surrounding the Shelter were mitigated. The services were valuable for all, including regular Shelter and Day Use Center guests.
With the completion of construction, the Shelter operator is no longer the appropriate entity to contract for unarmed, private security and patrol because them services are desired in a larger area, including the surrounding business complex and neighborhoods. Gasser already contracts for some unarmed, private security and patrol services in the area.
Approval of this Agreement with an annual contract maximum of $79,000 allows for Gasser to increase an existing contract to address the new/expanded needs in FY 2021-22 (pro-rated for the months of May and June only) and FY 2022-23.