City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/26/2017
TITLE:
Title
Budget Amendment to Support Regional Homelessness Services
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve an amendment to the FY17-18 budget to add $51,500 in general fund support for regional services to address homelessness.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In recent years, the City budget has included a contribution of $51,500 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support the operation of Roy's Desert Resource Center. That level of funding continues to be available in the recently adopted FY17-18 budget. Roy's was a regional shelter offering services to the homeless in the Coachella Valley. Many CVAG cities also provided support to Roy's as did Riverside County. Roy's ceased operation on June 30, 2017. In the months leading up to the closure of Roy's, representatives from CVAG and the cities in the region explored how best to provide services on a regional basis to address homelessness in the Coachella Valley, particularly in the West Valley.
DISCUSSION:
CVAG issued a Request for Proposals for a new operator and a new approach to providing services to the homeless in the West Valley. The proposer selected is Path of Life Ministries, a non-profit that operates a similar program in Riverside. Representatives of CVAG and Path of Life ministries appeared at a Council study session on June 14, 2017 to discuss the proposal and seek Council support. A CVAG presentation on the proposal is attached.
At the study session Council indicated their support for the program and their commitment to fund the program at $103,000. This is the level of funding being provided as well by the Cities of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Coachella.
The proposal was ultimately approved by the CVAG Homelessness Committee on which Councilmember Carnevale is the Cathedral City representative on June 21, 2017. It was then approved by the CVAG Executive Committee on which Mayor Henry serves on June 26, 2017. Subsequently the Desert Health Care District board approved a proposal to provide matching funds for the program for each City providing the full $103,000.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommended action to approve a budget amendment will have the effect of reducing the general fund reserves by $51,500.
ATTACHMENTS:
CVAG presentation