HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05082001 - HA.3 �IA -3
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA
TO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FROM: Robert McEwan, Executive Director
DATE: MAY 8, 2001
SUBJECT: APPROVE CONTRACT WITH PROJECT SECOND CHANCE, CONTRA COSTA
LIBRARY'S ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Executive Director of the Housing Authority to execute a contract,
on behalf of the Housing Authority with Project Second Chance (Contra Costa County Library's
Adult Literacy Program) to provide adult literacy training for 36 Public Housing residents living in
Housing Authority Developments for up to $34,740 for one year, with two one-year options for
renewal depending upon HUD funding.
II. FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funds for this contract are budgeted under the Authority's Resident Opportunity Supportive
Services (ROSS). No County General Funds are required. Project Second Chance has been
effective in moving non-readers to a position of limited functional literacy.
III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND
The Housing Authority supports the need for providing families that live in Public Housing with
better access to educational and employment opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency and
independence. These are allowable costs under the Federal Housing and Urban Development
Department guidelines. .
IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
An opportunity to provide life skills/job readiness, employment placement and case management
for public housing residents that lead to self-sufficiency would be lost. Further, the Housing
Authority would be out of compliance with its EDSS and ROSS program agreements with HUD.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE
RECOMMENDATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD
COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON_ May 8, 2001 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED XXX OTHER
VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
XX UNANIMOUS (ABSENT IV ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED May 8, 2001
JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF
T14E BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Y E UTY
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SHORT FORM SERVICE CONTRACT
1. Contract Identification:
Subject: Project Second Chance (PSC)
2. Parties:
The Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa, California(Authority) and the
following named Contractor mutually agree and promise as follows:
CONTRACTOR: Contra Costa County Library
CONTRACTOR'S TAXPAYER ID:
CONTRACTOR'S CAPACITY:
CONTRACTOR'S ADDRESS: 1750 Oak Park Boulevard
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
3. Term: The effective date of this Contract is from May 1, 2001 to
April 30, 2002 to and it terminates upon satisfactory completion of scope of work unless otherwise
terminated as provided herein.
4. Termination: Each party may terminate this Agreement at any time by
giving written notice to the other party of such termination, and specifying the effective date thereof at least
thirty(30) days before the effective date of such termination.
5. Payment Limit: Authority's total payments to Contractor under this Contract
shall not exceed $34,740.00 unless authorized by Authority in writing by a Supplemental Authorization.
6. Authority's Obligations:_ In consideration of Contractor's provision of services as
described below, and subject to the payment limit expressed herein, Authority shall pay Contractor, upon
Contractor's submission of a properly documented demand for payment which shall be submitted not later
than 30 days from the end of the month in which the contract services were rendered, and upon approval of
such demand by the Executive Director of the Authority or his designee, as follows:
(Check one alternative only)
❑ a. Flat Rate:
❑ b. Payment in full after approval by the Executive Director.
❑ ';`',c::. As set forth in the attached Payment Provisions.
7. Contractor's Obligations: Contractor shall be responsible for providing the services
required to accomplish the following objectives:
• The Contractor agrees to provide at least thirty-six (36) Public Housing Development residents (sites to
be specified) with an adult literacy program.
• Participate with other Providers :in outreach/recruitment (directly or indirectly) at specified
development.
• Make literacy skills assessment of each client within the first thirty (30) days of their recruitment.
• Within the same initial thirty (30) days to participate with the case manager and the participant in their
individual assessment evaluation, and design an individual service plan that is integrated into the
CALWORKS system.
• Conduct literacy classes three (3) times a week, at two (2) hours per session.
Housing Authority of the SHORT FORM SERVICE CONTRACT Number
County of Contra Costa
Page 2 of 5
• The training will be performed three (3) afternoons a week in coordination with the Rubicon Programs,
Inc., life skills/job readiness training for eight (8) week.
• The literacy classes will be conducted at the Bayo Vista development and two to three other sites, to be
stated later.
• The training will be based on the Reading Revolution TM method, and will use text created by the PSC
staff and collected from the Wilson Reading System.
• The Contractor is expected to participate with training and program evaluation.
• The Contractor will work with the CALWORKS social worker and the other providers to facilitate the
participants' program involvement.
8. Authority's Obligations: None
9. Compliance with Law: Contractor shall be subject to and comply with all Federal,
State and local laws and regulations applicable with respect to its performance under this Contract,
including but not limited to, licensing, employment, and purchasing practices; and wages, hours and
conditions of employment, including nondiscrimination.
10. Nondiscriminatory Services: Contractor agrees that all goods and services under this
Contract shall be available to all qualified persons regardless of age, sex, race, religion, color, national
origin, or ethnic background, or handicap, and that none shall be used, in whole or in part, for religious
worship or instruction.
11. Independent Contractor Status: This Contract is by and between two independent contractors
and is not intended to and shall not be construed to create the relationship between the parties of agent,
servant, employee, partnership,joint venture, or association.
12. Disputes: Disagreements between the Authority and Contractor
concerning the meaning, requirements, or performance of this Contract shall be subject to .final
determination in writing by the Executive Director of the Authority, or his designee, or in accordance with
the applicable procedures (if any) required by the State or Federal Government.
13. Access to Books and Records of Contractor, Subcontractor:
Pursuant to Section 1861(v)(1) of the Social Security Act, and any regulations promulgated thereunder,
Contractor, shall, upon written request and until the expiration of four years after the furnishing of service
pursuant to this Contract, make available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Comptroller
General, the Authority, or any of their duly authorized representatives, this Contract and books, documents,
and records of Contractor that are necessary to certify the nature and extent of all costs and charges
hereunder. Further, if Contractor carries out any of the duties of this Contract through a subcontract, with a
value or cost of$10,000 or more over a twelve-month period, such subcontract shall contain a clause to the
effect that upon written request and until the expiration of four years after the furnishing of services
pursuant to such subcontract, the subcontractor shall make available, to the Secretary, the Comptroller
General, the Authority, or any of their duly authorized representatives, the subcontract and books,
documents, and records of the subcontractor that are necessary to verify the nature and extent of all costs
and charges hereunder. This special condition is in addition to any and all other terms regarding the
maintenance or retention of records under this Contract and is binding on the heirs, successors, assigns and
representatives of Contractor.
14. Reporting Requirements: Pursuant to Government Code Section 7550, Contractor shall
include in all documents or written reports completed and submitted to Authority in accordance with this
Contract, a separate section listing the numbers and dollar amounts of all contracts and subcontracts relating
to the preparation of each such document or written report. This section shall apply only if the payment
limit under this contract exceeds $5,000.00. The Contractor shall provide to the Authority all records that
are pertinent to the activities to be funded under this Agreement. Such records include, but are not limited
to; (a) records providing a full description of each activity undertaken; (b) records demonstrating that the
activity meets one of the performance objectives stated in Appendix A.
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Plousin�(y Authority of the SHORT FORM SERVICE CONTRACT Number
County of Contra Costa
Page 3 of 5
15. Indemnification: The Contractor shall defend, indemnify, save, and hold
harmless the Authority and its officers and employees from any and all claims, costs and liability for any
damages, sickness, death, or injury to persons(s) or property, including without limitation all consequential
damages, from any cause whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from or connected with the operations or
services of the Contractor or its agents, servants, employees or sub-contractors hereunder, save and except
claims or litigation arising through the sole negligence or sole willful misconduct of the Authority or its
officers or employees. Contractor will reimburse the Authority for any expenditures, including reasonable
attorney's fees,the Authority may make by reason of the matters that are the subject of this indemnification,
and if requested by the Authority will defend any claims or litigation to which this indemnification
provision applies at the sole cost and expense of the Contractor.
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Housing Authority of the SHORT FORM SERVICE CONTRACT Number
County of Contra Costa
Page 4 of 5
16. Signatures: These signatures attest the parties' agreement hereto:
Contractor Signature "A"
HOUSING AUTHORITY
OF THE PROJECT SECOND CHANCE
OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA CONTRA COSTA COUNTY LIBRARY
Robert McEwan Anne Cain
Executive Director County Librarian
Date Date
Contractor Signature "B"
Signature
Title
Date
(Form approved by County Counsel)
Note to Contractor: For corporations (profit or nonprofit), the contract must be signed by two officers.
Signature "A" must be that of the President or Vice-President and signature "B" must be that of the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary (Civil Code Section 1190.1 and Corporation Code Section 31 3).
\\HOUSAUTH_t\USER\.marylintz\McEwan\Project 2nd Chance 4 26 0Ldoc
Housing Authority of the SHORT FORM SERVICE CONTRACT Number
County of Contra Costa
Page 5 of 5
Payment Provisions
I. Contractor shall invoice to Authority on a month by month basis.
2. Invoices shall be directed by Contractor to Authority, addressed as follows:
Robert WEwan, Executive Director
Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa
P.O. Box 2759
Martinez, CA 94553
3. Invoices shall itemize and describe services rendered and the number of hours used to perform these
services, and shall include the date the hours of service were performed.
MOUSAu'rli_I\USE..R\maryfmt7\McEwan\Project 2nd Chance 4 26 01.doc
APp��jX
A
HUD GRANT GUIDELINES
Project Second Chance agrees to:
Conduct 2 weeks of pre-testing of clients recruited and screened by Rubicon
Program, Inc. to ensure that they can be assisted by the methods we are
prepared to use (see attachment for specific criteria)
Hold 3, two hour sessions per week (after Rubicon's job readiness/lifeskill
curriculum), for 8 weeks, to a group of no more than 12, or less than 4 adults.
2 weeks of post testing will follow the 8-week teaching session
Classes will be lead by paid staff, assisted by volunteers whenever possible
An additional 8-week session will follow, with content and staff assignments
determined when the population's needs and progress have been evaluated.
HUD: Proposed Literacy Program
Many weak readers, and all non-readers, don't have the knowledge they need to decode a word
they haven't seen before. For them, reading means memorizing each word that they are going to
read, or somehow laboriously figuring out from context clues any new or forgotten words that
come up in the text they need to read. The readers who have no skills at all, or who are working
with the"memory+ guessing" benefit from a basic phonics-based reading instruction IF it is
presented in a way that allows them to master the necessary skills. Around 85%of English
words do follow the phonics rules, so we believe it is critical for weak readers to learn them.
Project Second Chance has pioneered in the use of one method(Reading Revolution TM) which is
highly effective with learners who do best when some sort of muscular memory is involved. It
uses hand signals for the sounds, and has helped many of our students who had previously tired,
but failed, to"get" phonics. We would expect to use a series of lessons --based on a
combination of the Reading Revolution method and Wilson Reading System materials -- that
have worked well in other group settings. Learners who have done these group lessons begin to
read and spell with more accuracy and confidence, and far less fear then they previously
experienced around reading. (We have a lot of fun with our lessons I)
It is our hope that 36 hours of group instruction with this kinesthetically-based teaching tool
could significantly help clients who really don't understand how letters go together to make
words. If this proves true, we would then go on to present antoher series of lessons to have the
students learn the basic kinds of syllables that come up in English words. It will take far more 16
weeks of instruction to move a non-reader to a position of functional literacy, but this kind of
instruction can open the doors to people who have previously tried to learn to read and have
given up.
We anticipate that this kind of instruction will be successful with students IF—
1. They have been clean and sober for at least 60 days, if addiction has been an issue.
2. They are open to trying again, with a brand new method, with the hope of succeeding.
3. They are willing to commit to regular attendance and to some practice at home during the
school-free days.
4. They are willing to begin at the beginning, and trust that a solid foundation is worth
the time it takes to develop. (It takes some time to undo the guessing habit!)
5. They are able to learn if material is presented in a systematic, controlled way. These
methods work well for students with Learning Disabilities. They are not good methods for
students with developmental delay, nor will they work magically for someone
whose drug use has destroyed memory or cognitive skills.
Draft adult literacy program budget for ROSS grant
September, 2000
Small group instructor— 20hrs/wk X 12 weeks X 25/hr= $6,000
Assistant instructor 20hrs/wk X 12 weeks X 18/hr= 4,320
Instructional Materials = 500
Office Supplies = 200
Travel expenses = 210
Printing = 350
Total for one session $11,580 �C = 314, �y0
ln4dnd contributions include:
Librarv's 10%administrative fee
%Of PSC Director's time
%Of PSC Office Manager's time