REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 7, 2024
FROM
CARRIE HARMON, DIRECTOR, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Agreement with SB Express One, LLC dba Super 8 Motel San Bernardino for the Provision of Non-Congregate Shelter
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 23-1370 with SB Express One, LLC dba Super 8 Motel San Bernardino for the provision of non-congregate shelter for homeless individuals residing in encampments in the Santa Ana Riverbed, to expand services, with no change to the total agreement amount of $807,507 or agreement period of December 19, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
(Presenter: Carrie Harmon, Director, 382-3983)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The $807,507 total agreement amount will be funded by the Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) Program grant and the San Bernardino City and County Continuum of Care allocation of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grant, Round 3 received from the State. The amended agreement will provide up to 50 rooms per night at $119.23 per room, provide non-congregate shelter supports, such as transportation, meals, laundry services for a total of $52 per day/per person, and security in the amount of $56,160 through the agreement period. The amendment will provide approximately 30 rooms per night. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Community Development and Housing Department's (CDH) 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Approval of the recommended amendment will allow SB Express One, LLC dba Super 8 Motel San Bernardino (Super 8) to provide non-congregate shelter supports, which will now include the expanded services of transportation, meal and laundry services and additional security for an estimated 150 homeless occupants who were previously residing in the Santa Ana Riverbed encampment area. The non-congregate shelter supports will improve the quality of life of those transitioning into permanent supportive housing.
The ERF Program was launched by Governor Newsom in October 2021 to assist local jurisdictions in ensuring the wellness and safety of individuals experiencing homelessness in encampments by providing services and supports that address immediate physical and mental wellness and result in meaningful paths to safe and stable housing. The program also assists with the restoration of vacated encampment sites to their original state and intended purposes.
On December 29, 2021, upon approval of the Deputy Executive Officer of Community Revitalization, the Office of Homeless Services, on behalf of San Bernardino County (County), submitted a non-binding application for the ERF Program grant. The application identified two prioritized encampment sites, the Santa Ana Riverbed, within the cities of Redlands and San Bernardino, and the Mojave Riverbed in Hesperia and Victorville. These encampment areas have been identified as having posed a safety, health, and environmental concern and are subject to flash flooding, extreme weather, fires, agricultural runoff, and human waste.
On February 24, 2022, Governor Newsom announced the award of ERF Program grants to 19 communities, inclusive of the County. On April 26, 2022 (Item No. 25), the Board of Supervisors (Board) accepted the ERF Program grant in the amount of $1,787,998. This funding is designated to enhance services for homeless individuals through outreach, supportive services, case management, and a focus on securing permanent housing solutions. On January 23, 2024 (Item No. 23), the Board approved a contract with the City of Victorville to collaborate and leverage $691,092 of ERF Program grant funding to tackle homeless encampments in the Mojave Riverbed by utilizing the resources of the City of Victorville’s Navigation Center.
On December 19, 2023 (Item No. 37), the Board approved Agreement No. 23-1370 with Super 8 for the provision of non-congregate shelter for homeless individuals residing in encampments in the Santa Ana Riverbed, in the amount of $807,507, for the term of December 19, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
The County implementation of the ERF Program began shortly after the Board's acceptance of the ERF Program grant funding and has required extensive collaboration and coordination with multiple departments. These efforts include the Sherriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement team to assist with the identification of targeted encampment sites, Department of Behavioral Health for the provision of mental health services to housed individuals, and the Department of Public Works for site clean-up and restoration.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 9, 2024; Purchasing (Christina Reddix, Buyer III, 387-2098) on April 10, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on April 22, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on April 23, 2024.