TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement, any subsequent amendments, in the amount of $2,000,000 for a period of three years, with the County of Los Angeles, to provide modernization of the City of Long Beach Multi-Service Center for the Homeless; and increase appropriations in the Capital Projects fund (CP) in the Department of Public Works (PW) by $2,000,000. (District 1)
DISCUSSION
The Multi-Service Center for the Homeless (MSC) opened in 1999 as part of the 1994 Naval Reuse process. The MSC opened this new facility in what was formerly warehouse space. Since then, the site has grown into the two buildings that now comprise the MSC complex.
Over the course of the last decade, the MSC partnerships offered at the site have grown to meet the needs of homeless persons in Long Beach to include such things as:
expanded day care, medical services, Los Angeles County services, educational counseling, employment training, life skills, computer lab and mentoring services.
The MSC had over 25,000 client visits in 2006. The high volume of clients and services offered has created a noticeable strain on the facility. Through a collaborative effort with Supervisor Don Knabe's office, the Supervisor has been successful in gaining an earmarked grant of $2 million to the City of Long Beach to assist with MSC modernization.
These funds will be used to make capital improvements to the site and to create greater efficiency of existing building space to ensure adequate space for program operations such as: community meetings, homeless coalition meetings, homeless mentoring meetings, as well as to allow for additional educational components to be offered to meet the demand for life skills, budgeting workshops and employment training and development.
The MSC is currently at full service capacity, and is in need of additional space to allow for critical educational and meeting space to meet the needs of the working poor who are homeless and those homeless that need assistance in re-entering housing and the labor market.
It is envisioned that these funds will assist the City in making needed repairs to this critical resource to the community while simultaneously allowing for modernization of facility assets to better utilize the space to meet the growing demand for current services.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Lori A. Conway on November 28, 2007 and by Victoria Bell, Budget Division Officer on December 3,2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on December 18, 2007 to allow the City to accept the funding from Los Angeles County and begin the contracting process.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is for a period of three years in the amount of $2,000,000. Funding will be made available through the County of Los Angeles and will be expended through the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Department of Public Works (PW). Current appropriations do not exist to expend these grant funds; therefore, an appropriations increase of $2,000,000 is included in the recommendation. There will be no impact to the General Fund.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
MICHAEL P. CONWAY
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
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APPROVED: |
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |