TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement between the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, acting as lead agency, and the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Program (DOJ) to provide continued Weed and Seed Community Services in Police Beats 4 and 5; and execute all necessary documents, subgrants and any amendments changing the amount of the award or extending the grant term upon receipt of DOJ funding. The grant award amount will be between $750,000 and $950,000, pending federal budget approval, for the period of October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2012. (Districts 1,6,7)
DISCUSSION
In August 2007, the City of Long Beach was awarded a 5-year Weed and Seed Community Collaborative Strategy Grant. The grant award funding is renewable annually from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2012 with a graduated funding cycle as follows - Year 1: $175,000; Year 2: $150,000 (reduced by $25,000 due to federal budget cuts); Year 3: $275,000 (pending federal budget); Year 4: $200,000 (pending federal budget); Year 5: $106,000 (pending federal budget).
The Weed and Seed program furthers the Department of Justice mission to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity. The Weed and Seed initiative is a community based, comprehensive multi-agency approach for law enforcement, crime prevention, and neighborhood restoration. It is designed for neighborhoods with persistent high levels of serious violent crime and corresponding social problems. Weed and Seed Communities (WSC) must be developed in partnership with many local organizations, including the United States Attorney's Office to reduce crime and improve quality of life in a community primarily through the redeployment of existing public and private resources into the community. WSC also helps to address related social problems that, without proper intervention, often lead to violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity.
Since 2007, the primary partners in this local collaboration, which comprise the Weed and Seed Steering Committee, are the City of Long Beach Departments of Health and Human Services (lead agency), Community Development, Parks, Recreation and Marine, City Manager's Office, Library, Planning and Building, and Police, City Prosecutor's Office, the United States Attorney, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the State of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the County of Los Angeles Department of Probation, local social service agencies, faith-based and community-based organizations and residents. The Co-chairs of the Steering Committee are Dr. Lydia Hollie of the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Task Force and Mr. Ted Marquez, Acting Law Enforcement Manager, United States Attorney's Office.
The Program recently submitted the following data for the Semi-Annual Report to the U.S. Department of Justice. The Strategy has reached or exceeded many of its goals.
· Approximately 1,000 community members participated in the Weed and Seed Strategy Kick-off on March 22, 2008 and the Cinco de Mayo with Pride Event on May 5, 2008.
· 62 Youth and adults attended the Community and Police Dialogues on June 17 and 18, 2008.
· Over 800 community members attended the Washington Neighborhood Health and Safety Family Day on June 28, 2008 in the target neighborhood.
· Created a Law Enforcement Task Force to enhance coordination between the Long Beach Police Department, State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Los Angeles County Probation, Office of the City Prosecutor, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
· 293 residents in the target community were assessed for training/employment.
· 93 residents in the target community completed Adult Education/work skills programs.
· 104 parents/grand parents have participated in parenting classes hosted by Weed and Seed partnering agencies at the Safe Haven Sites and at the Health and Safety Fair.
Below is the list of Collaborating Community Partners that may receive a sub-recipient funding amount under this grant:
Long Beach Police Department
County of Los Angeles Department of Probation
Peace Partners, Inc,
California Conference on Equality and Justice
Tony Ostos, Consultant (Gang Resistance is Paramount Training)
Sullivan International, Inc.
This matter was reviewed bypeputy City Attorney Linda Trang, on September 12 ,2008 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on September 15, 2008.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on September 23, 2008 to contract with the U.S.
Department of Justice to ensure that year two for the program can begin by October 1, 2008.
FISCAL IMPACT
The grant award funding is renewable annually from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2012 with a graduated funding cycle as follows - Year 1: $175,000; Year 2: $150,000 (reduced by $25,000 due to federal budget cuts); Year 3: $275,000 (pending federal budget); Year 4: $200,000 (pending federal budget); Year 5: $100,000 (pending federal budget). Funding will be made available through the Department of Justice and will be expended through the Health Fund (SR 130) in the department of Health and Human Services (HE). Appropriations for years 3 through 5 of the program will be appropriated annually as part of that years budget process. There is no impact to the General Fund.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
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APPROVED: |
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |