Meeting_Body
REVISED
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 21, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: CONTRACT MODIFICATION - LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES C3 HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS HOME AT LAST (HAL) SHELTER BED PILOT EXTENSION
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer to execute Amendment No. 4 to the Letter of Agreement for Multidisciplinary Street-Based Engagement Services (Contract No. MO136727000-32385), to include extending the homeless shelter bed program (Home At Last (HAL)) through June 30 January 31, 2022, for outreach team enhancements and capabilities consistent with Board Motion 26.2 (File #:2021-0190), in an amount not-to-exceed $3,708,000 $1,250,000, increasing the total cost from $26,200,000, to $29,908,000 $27,450,000, inclusive of administrative fees and other pilot initiatives.
Issue
ISSUE
In response to the broader LA County homeless crisis, the C3 homeless outreach teams provide coordinated and responsive outreach services to Metro riders who need refuge and shelter and then ultimately link them to interim and permanent housing. In order to provide the C3 homeless outreach teams with additional shelter bed resources, Amendment No. 4 is required. Staff intends to aggressively provide greater homeless outreach services with this initiative, which will provide wrap-around shelter resources system-wide in efforts to enhance the customer experience for Metro patrons. Shelter space is limited and competitive as outreach teams throughout the city and county utilize DHS-approved shelters. Board Motion 26.2 supports funding in the amount of $2 million for short-term shelter, and The Metro Customer Experience Plan supports $1.75 1.25 million for the same this effort. Consequentially, Metro engaged in a four (4) month homeless shelter bed pilot program effective March 1, 2021 - June 30, 2021, which showed preliminary positive results. Subsequently, Amendment No. 3 extended the shelter bed pilot program only through August 31, 2021, due to limited funding with the intent to gather more data on the effectiveness of this initiative while providing essential housing. As data continues to become available to assess the pilot program's effectiveness, Amendment No. 4 seeks to extend the shelter bed pilot program through April 30 January 31, 2022, until a longer-term determination can be made. Preliminary data indicates that the extension of this HAL-centered shelter bed pilot program contributes to enhancing the customer experience. and prevents the eviction of current residents placed who may return to Metro for shelter.
If Metro's pilot with HAL is concluded by April 30, 2022, based on the results of the program's evaluation, remaining (60) sixty days will be utilized to transition the residents into other housing options in coordination with the DHS. In the event that Metro determines to continue the HAL program, the sixty days will be used to prepare for FY23 funding support without evicting the residents. As such, the pilot ends April 30, 2022, but the Amendment is effective until June 30, 2022.
If Metro determines to end the HAL Bed Program, Metro staff will coordinate with HAL to provide a 30-day notification to shelter residents and aide in seeking relocation opportunities if available by January 31, 2022, to prevent a recurrence of homelessness conditions of the residents.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro has pivoted to respond to impacts from COVID-19 and the growing homelessness crisis. According to the January 2020 Greater Los Angeles Point-in-Time Count, the County of Los Angeles saw a rise to 66,436 people experiencing homelessness, a 12.7% increase from 2019. The City of Los Angeles saw a rise to 41,290, a 16.1% increase from 2019. At the onset of COVID-19, in April 2020, Metro implemented Operation "Shelter the Unsheltered" at five stations to address increased numbers of homeless persons using trains for shelter. The Operation is a collaborative outreach engagement effort among Metro partners: Metro Transit Security, Metro contracted Law Enforcement partners, the LA County Department of Health Services, The Dream Center, and LA DOOR outreach teams. The Operation has proven to be successful, and as a result, the total number of individuals housed from April 1, 2020, through August 9, 2021, was 885. Prior to COVID-19, there was a lack of available shelter space and 24-hour operating shelters county-wide. The lack of available shelter space persists and is exacerbated due to required COVID-19 testing, quarantines, and social distancing protocols implemented within shelters.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Daily, the PATH (C3) teams survey the people coming off trains at off-boarding sites and track the number of people experiencing homelessness who are willing to accept a shelter bed if one is available. Please note that PATH's person-centered approach results in some sites being rejected because of where the shelter is located. For example, some people experiencing homelessness may have had traumatic experiences in certain neighborhoods and will not take a bed in those neighborhoods. As a result, this amounts to a caring and logistical reality that determines housing options only if a bed were available in an area the person is willing/able to accept and conveniently travel to gain access. Strategically, PATH will leverage HAL as a resource to address this challenge and continue working with the HAL team and DHS to ensure that HAL guests are receiving appropriate case management support levels. Further, this coordination will result in freeing the PATH teams to concentrate on targeted areas at Metro sites, maximizing outreach to those still on the system, which has a direct benefit to the customer experience. Notably, PATH has significantly increased the number of persons being sheltered at a rate that far exceeds their ability prior to the HAL pilot. For example, PATH & HAL teams filled the 80 beds in less than two weeks, and the expectation is that this level of support will continue into the fall and winter months. Overall, preliminary research indicates that the availability of HAL beds serves as a force multiplier resource aid to the PATH teams in fulfilling their mission to help provide needed services throughout LA Metro's transit system.
The Home at Last table below is data reported for the pilot shelter bed program which began March 1, 2021. The forty persons (20%) that transitioned to other resources were also linked to income/benefit resources such as General Relief, SSI, Cal Fresh, SSDI, Medi-Cal, Medicare, and LA Care. The current occupancy as of the date of this report is sixty-seven residents, and the average length of stay is thirty-one days. See Attachment “A”- Home At Last Table.
Metro staff will share the report of the evaluation of the HAL bed program with either a recommendation to continue the program for the remainder of the fiscal year or cease its implementation in the January 2022 Board cycle. Metro staff is further taking action to consult with PSAC members advising of this pilot initiation for their consideration
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The authorization of the amendments to the Letter of Agreement for Home At Last shelter beds will provide funding to extend the shelter bed program. This will also significantly improve the responsiveness of PATH teams to continue services while HAL provides the wrap-around services that would otherwise demand PATH outreach time away from the Metro system, reducing their total effectiveness.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The increase of $3,408,000 $1,250,000 is included in the FY2022 budget for these services and programs. Funding for the contract increase will come from federal, state, and local sources, including sales taxes and fares that are eligible for bus and rail capital and operating projects.
The FY22 Adopted Budget includes $1,250,000 funds from the Customer Experience Department/Office of the CEO Cost Center 2010, Account 50316, Project 306001, and will be transferred to the SSLE's Homeless Outreach & Strategic Planning cost center 2614, Account 50316, Project 306001.
The FY22 Adopted Budget includes support for Board motion 26.2 Section 2(b), which identified $5,000,000 for increased shelter services, of which $2,458,000 will be apportioned in support of this agreement and will be transferred to the SSLE's Homeless Outreach & Strategic Planning cost center 2614, Account 50316, Project 306001.
EQUITY PLATFORM
The purpose of this Action is to advance Metro's interests in homeless outreach and engagement to impact the lives of marginalized persons experiencing homelessness on the Metro system. The two-month extension of the shelter bed pilot program will provide the PATH outreach teams with an additional shelter option to house single men, women, and transgender people experiencing homelessness, and provide additional data to determine the impact of the pilot shelter bed program. The outcome of this initiative will support opportunities consistent with Metro's Equity Goals related to housing and employment benefiting marginalized groups. There is no assessed harm or burden by this decision to any marginalized group.
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The program described supports goals 2.3 and 3.4 of Metro's Vision 2028 Strategic Plan. and Board Motions 26.2 and 37 (File #:2020-0429; (B) (6). Goal 2.3 improves customer satisfaction at all customer touchpoints, and goal 3.4 of playing a strong leadership role in efforts to address homelessness in LA County.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may decline to approve the amendments. This alternative is not recommended as it will reduce shelter beds available to our C3 teams aiding clients off the Metro System in need of transitional housing.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff anticipates executing the Amendment to the Letter of Agreement for Home At Last shelter beds with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and continues providing homeless outreach services system-wide in tandem with C3 homeless outreach teams.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Home At Last Table
Attachment B - Rapid Equity Assessment
Attachment C - Board Motion 26.2
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Joyce Burrell Garcia, Project Manager Homeless Outreach & Strategic Planning, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-5551
Reviewed_by
Reviewed by: Judy Gerhardt, Chief System Security and Law Enforcement Officer, (213) 922-4811
