REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL April 16, 2020 FROM: LEE BRAND, Mayor Office of the Mayor & City Manager MIGUEL ARIAS, Council President, District 3 ESMERALDA SORIA, Councilmember, District 1 GARRY BREDEFELD, Councilmember, District 6 (Members, City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness) BY: H. SPEES, Director, Strategic Initiatives Office of the Mayor & City Manager SUBJECT ..Title Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between City of Fresno and County of Fresno implementing the joint COVID-19 homeless response plan under the COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Funding program which include allocations to the City of Fresno ($1,012,869.44); and County of Fresno ($382,080.59) (Attachment A). ..Body RECOMMENDATION Approval of the MOU provides the majority of funding for the implementation of the joint COVID-19 homeless response plan for the prevention and containment efforts for temporary shelters, including, but not limited to, medically indicated services and supplies, such as testing and handwashing stations, and enhancement of shelter beds. The proposed plan is regionally extending current services and augmenting shelter beds in the City of Fresno. This MOU and the appropriation is in response to City Council direction on March 25, 2020, to the Director of Emergency Services. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The COVID-19 Emergency Homeless Funding is being used to support regional coordination and expand and develop local capacity to address a more focused approach, including emergency protective measures to bring unsheltered individuals safely indoors, expand shelter capacity, maintain health and sanitation standards and institute medically indicated interventions, and add new isolation and/or quarantine capacity to shelters and housing inventory in Fresno and Madera Counties to slow the spread of COVID-19. As of Friday, April 3, 2020 when this staff report was written, this program has added 336 beds and 306 individuals who were experiencing homelessness are now safely housed and provided healthy meals. It is unknown what may happen to those individuals if this MOU is not approved. The goals of this program are: (1) to protect individuals experiencing homelessness, employees of homeless assistance providers and people who come into contact with individuals experiencing homelessness from COVID-19 infection; and (2) to reduce community transmission and introductions of COVID-19 into new communities. BACKGROUND On March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19. Due to the higher likelihood of pre-existing health conditions and the transient nature of the homeless population, Governor Newsom subsequently signed Senate Bill 89 on March 17, 2020, allocating immediate funding to help protect this vulnerable population, and the health and safety of people who interact with this population who may have an increased risk of COVID-19 infection and greater potential to increase COVID-19 transmission. This emergency legislation authorized $100 million in immediate available funding to help California fight COVID-19 for any purpose related to the March 4, 2020, proclamation including: to support local governments to protect the health and safety of homeless populations, reduce the spread of COVID-19 in homeless populations and provide safe beds for people experiencing homelessness. The emergency of COVID-19 necessitates a more focused approach, including emergency protective measures to bring unsheltered populations safely indoors, expand shelter capacity, maintain health and sanitation standards, and add isolation and quarantine capacity to local shelters and housing inventory to slow the spread. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS This item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented because this item does not involve an award of a construction or service agreement. FISCAL IMPACT There is no increase in Net City Cost associated with the recommended action. There is no matching contribution requirement for these funds. The entire funding must be expended by June 30, 2020. Attachments: Attachment A - California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council - COVID-19 Emergency Homelessness Funding Grant Allocations Attachment B - Memorandum of Understanding