HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 181-06
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TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
ATTN: FINANCE COMMITTEE
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
DATE: APRIL 4, 2006 CMR: 181:06
SUBJECT: PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2005-07 HUMAN SERVICES RESOURCE
ALLOCATION PROCESS FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATION
Staff and the Human Relations Commission (HRC) recommend that the Finance Committee
recommend to Council that:
1. The funding allocations, as recommended by the City Council for 2005-07 (Attachment A),
be included in the fiscal year 2006-07 Cubberley & Human Services Division’s contract
budget.
2. The City Manager or his designee be authorized to execute year two of a two-year contract,
that was approved in June, 2005.
BACKGROUND
Since 1983, the Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) process has identified
community service needs that determine City funding for human services (CMR:147:83). The
City’s Human Relations Commission (HRC) participates in identifying human service needs through
the information provided by the community at the HRC monthly meetings and by hosting
community forums. The needs assessment activities assist in establishing bi-annual priorities of
human service needs for the Palo Alto community. The Allocations Committee, comprised of
Human Services staff, Planning Department staff and an HRC Commissioner, reviews and analyzes
the merits of funding requests and provides funding recommendations based on established funding
criteria and the bi-annual priority of needs. The HSRAP Allocations Committee recommendations
are reviewed by the City administration and are then forwarded to Council for consideration and
approval.
The funding process included the following five components:
1. Human Services Division staff and the HRC conducted three needs assessment activities and a
citywide forum on landlord/tenant education issues. County and local needs assessment
documents were utilized to assess human service needs in the community.
2. The HRC established an annual Priority of Needs for the community that provided guidance for
funding recommendations. (Attachment B).
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3. The HSRAP and the CDBG processes were coordinated to maximize resources and streamline
the City’s human services funding approach. Coordination involved specifying what funding
requests each fund would entertain, adopting the same request for proposal schedule and
conducting a joint bidder’s workshop for interested non-profit providers.
4. Project Sentinel, Avenidas, Palo Alto Community Child Care and Second Harvest Food Bank,
which provide mediation, senior services, child care subsidies and food respectively are sole
source contract agencies because they meet the criteria as set forth in CMR:118:99, “Proposed
Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) Implementation Plan”; i.e. consideration
for on-going services may be considered when the service meets the City of Palo Alto target
population needs as described in the City’s Comprehensive Plan or Consolidated Plan. Services
to seniors, children, youth, conflict/resolution and food were established as priority needs. The
programs will be reviewed and contracts will be renewed contingent upon meeting performance
objectives and standards.
5. HSRAP funding requests were reviewed to determine if they addressed the community Priority
of Needs established by the HRC for fiscal year 2005-07. Proposals that did not address the
priority of needs were removed from further funding consideration. Funding requests are for a
two-year period only.
DISCUSSION
Council policy, enacted in 1993 (CMR143:93), establishes available funds to $1,219,402, which
represents a 5 percent decrease and does not include a CPI for fiscal year 2005-07 for the HSRAP
base budget. Sole source agencies are recommended for $918,949. The funding recommendations
were as follows:
Avenidas, which provides a comprehensive system of services to senior citizens, was
recommended for $420,216.
Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC), which administers the City subsidy for child care to
low-income families, was recommended for $425,720.
Second Harvest Food Bank, which is the sole provider for food in Santa Clara County and the
City of Palo Alto, was recommended for $7,372.
Palo Alto Mediation Program, which provides mediation services to Palo Alto and implements
the Mandatory Response Program that is part of the City’s Mandatory Discussion of Disputes
between Landlords and Tenants Ordinance, was recommended for $65,641.
Remaining funding for HSRAP requests is $300,453. Eleven non-profit agencies are recommended
for HSRAP funding. They are as follows:
1. Adolescent Counseling Services is recommended for $90,000 to provide comprehensive
services to students and families in the Palo Alto Unified School District’s secondary
schools.
2. Alliance for Community Care is recommended for $24,000 for the outreach program to the
unhoused population in Palo Alto. The Outreach Program will provide emergency on-call
services to City departments, libraries, community centers and local service providers for the
unhoused.
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3. Bay Area Community Resources-Youth Community Service is recommended for $12,000 to
provide community service opportunities for youth in the community and also with local
non-profit agencies.
4. Community Association for Rehabilitation is recommended for $40,353 to provide a wide
range of support services to people with disabilities. These services include day center
support services, child care for the developmentally delayed child, employment services for
the disabled, a creative recreation program and a therapeutic aquatic program for autistic and
developmentally disabled children and their families.
5. Community Health Awareness Council’s Outlet Program provides crisis counseling and
sensitivity training services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning teens. The
program targets Palo Alto teens in 12 Palo Alto Unified School District schools and is
recommended for $9,000.
6. Community Technology Alliance (CTA) is recommended for $12,300 to provide access to
subsidized housing units in Palo Alto and Santa Clara County through its searchable website,
Housing SCC. In addition, CTA will continue to provide voicemail to Palo Alto’s non-profit
agencies serving the unhoused population.
7. InnVision/Urban Ministry is recommended for $36,000 to provide hot meals to unhoused
and low-income people in Palo Alto. The meals are provided in local churches and
synagogues six times per week.
8. La Comida de California is recommended for $33,000 to provide hot meals for Palo Alto’s
senior citizens. The agency provides a hot lunch at the Avenidas Senior Center and
Stevenson House five days a week. La Comida also provides a hot lunch every Wednesday
at the Senior Friendship Day Program at Cubberley Community Center.
9. May View Community Health Center is recommended for $17,000 to provide medical and
health care services to Palo Alto’s unhoused and very low-income residents.
10. Senior Adult Legal Assistance is allocated $8,800 to provide Palo Alto seniors with legal
advice counseling sessions at Avenidas Senior Center and at Stevenson House, an
affordable senior housing complex in South Palo Alto.
11. Support Network for Battered Women is recommended for $18,000 to provide crisis
intervention, legal advocacy and shelter to victims of domestic violence.
RESOURCE IMPACT
The HSRAP funding recommendations will provide $1,219,402 in funding to support 15 programs,
eleven HSRAP agencies and four sole source agencies. The HSRAP funding from the General
Fund is reflected in the Community Services Department’s proposed budget for 2006-07.
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TIMELINE
Upon approval by the City Council, the contract term will be extended to June 30, 2007.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This program is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
is not subject to CEQA requirements.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: HSRAP 2005-07 City Council Funding Recommendations
Attachment B: Human Relations Commission HSRAP Priority of Needs FY 2005-07
PREPARED BY: ____________________________________________________
KATHY ESPINOZA-HOWARD
Division Manager, Cubberley and Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: _______________________________________________
RICHARD JAMES
Director of Community Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: __________________________________________
EMILY HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
Cc: Palo Alto Human Relations Commission
All HSRAP Applicants