HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02051991 - 1.83 ro: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
James A. Rydingsword, Director of Social Services : Contra
FROM: Costa
January 28, 1991 �\A'�"y' County
DATE: r�� �i',i iia?ty i.
SUBJECT: EMERGENCY PLAN TO USE TRAILER SHELTERS TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS AT
847 BROOKSIDE DRIVE, RICHMOND
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)8 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDATIONS:
A. DECLARE AND FIND, pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21090 (a) (4),
that the temporary use of trailers for housing the homeless of the County at
847 Brookside Drive, Richmond, is necessary to prevent or mitigate an
emergency, as defined in Public Resource Code section 21060.3, thereby --.
exempting such action from the requirements of the California Environmental
Quality .Act (CEQA) as an emergency project.
B. DIRECT AND AUTHORIZE the Social Service Director, on behalf of the County, to
execute an'amendment of Contract #20-847-3 with Volunteers of America (VOA) to
add the costs of operating this 45-bed shelter from February 5, 1991, through
March 31, 1991. (See "Financial Impact" below. )
C. DIRECT AND AUTHORIZE the Social Services Director and the Sheriff to execute
an amendment tp their Interdepartment Agreement to add the Work Furlough
Center's provision of meals to persons residing at the trailer shelter at 847
Brookside Drive, Richmond.
II. FINANCIAL IMPACT
The anticipated cost of operating this trailer shelter from February 5, 1991,
through March 31, 1991, is $43,000 to be funded by General Funds.
III. BACKGROUND
A. Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency are exempt from
the requirements. of CEQA.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: I"LQ��{ r' GWa/6/,VIAL
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: County Administrator FEB 5 MI
County Counsel ATTESTED
Social Services PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Sheriff-Coroner SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382 (10/88) BY
,DEPUTY
B. The reasons for declaring and finding that the temporary use of trailers for
housing the homeless at 847 Brookside Drive, Richmond, is an emergency project
exempt from the requirements of CEQA are as follows:
1. There has been a recent sudden and unexpected increase,;- in the number of
homeless indigent residents seeking shelter in County facilities.
2. The Winter 1990-91 Shelter Program for Homeless Single Adults approved
by the Board of Supervisors on November 27, 1990, provided for 100
shelter beds at the Siemen's Building in Walnut Creek, in addition to
the 56 beds at the County Shelter at 845B Brookside Drive in Richmond,
and the 12 beds for single women at the VOA Shelter in Richmond. It was
anticipated that having a total of 168 bedspaces available within those
three facilities would meet the need throughout the winter months of
1990-91. The County based this belief on the fact that during the
winter of 1989-90 when the Pittsburg and Richmond Armories were opened
a:; average of 128 people per night were sheltered in those facilities.
3. For the first month and a half of the 1990-91 Winter Program, the
population of the Siemen's Building Shelter stayed below 100. However,
since January 15 the number of persons being sheltered there has
consistently exceeded 100. There were 130 persons there on the peak
night of January 21. The other two shelters are filled as well.
4. The County is required to continue to provide shelter for indigent
homeless residents pursuant to the court's preliminary injunction in the
"Scates, et al. v. Rydingsword, et al." Contra Costa County Superior
Court, No. C89-02060, and the emergency assistance program pursuant to
the Court's preliminary injunction in Randolph v. County, Contra Costa
County Superior Court No. C89-04503. These court orders require that
the County provide shelter to indigent homeless residents without regard
to the limitations of the County's General Assistance Program, and the
County has no means of providing such shelter without using the trailers
at 847 Brookside Drive, Richmond.
5. The sudden and unexpected increase in the number of homeless indigents
seeking shelter in County facilities necessitates using the trailers by
February 5, 1991. This shelter will provide an additional 45 beds to
accommodate the homeless during the balance of the 1990-91 winter
program.
C. Social Service staff held a community meeting on January 31, 1991, to discuss
plans for using this trailer shelter and to receive comments and suggestions
from the public.
D. Those staying at this trailer shelter will continue to receive intake, screen-
ing, and daytime case management services at the Phoenix Multi-Service Center
at 1515 Market Street, San Pablo. The Phoenix Center is within walking dis-
of the trailer shelter. The trailer shelter program will be operated in
accordance with the County's 1990-91 Winter Shelter Program rules. Houas` of
operation will be daily from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. Residents will receive three
meals per day in addition to receiving case-directed services at the nearby
Phoenix Multi-Service Center during the daytime hours.
E. Volunteers of America (VOA) operates the County Shelter at 845B Brookside
Drive and has agreed to acquire additional staff in order to assume operation
of the trailer shelter which is next door to the County Shelter.
F. The trailer units recommended to be used for housing the homeless at 847
Brookside Drive, Richmond, are currently in place at that same address since
the trailer units were used as a shelter last year.