Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial Districts 1 and 5
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $270,000, to the City of South San Francisco to support the Economic Advancement Center, providing an exception to the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds to allow repeat funding within the current budget cycle, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
body
BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and approved funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for one-time district-discretionary needs and projects. Districts 1 and 5 have submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 1 (Supervisor Pine) - City of South San Francisco to support the operations of the Economic Advancement Center |
$250,000 |
|
District 5 (Supervisor Canepa) - City of South San Francisco to support the operations of the Economic Advancement Center |
$20,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018, with the following exception: the proposed grant, if approved, would be the second grant of district-discretionary funding to the same organization sponsored, in part, by District 5, within the current FY 23-25 budget cycle. The exception from the criteria is necessary in this instance because the ongoing demand for these services has significantly increased, necessitating additional support to maintain and expand operations. Districts 1 and 5 indicate that this organization is either a public agency operating within the County or a nonprofit organization registered and in good standing with the California Attorney General. Districts 1 and 5 indicate that the sponsoring Board members, members’ families, and members” supervisorial staff do not serve as an officer, director, or play a policy role for the grantee organization.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to the City of South San Francisco, and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $270,000, to support the operations of the North San Mateo County Economic Advancement Center (“EAC”) located in South San Francisco. The EAC served 2,224 individuals between its opening in 2021 and March of 2024 through three primary service providers: JobTrain, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, and City of South San Francisco Promotores.
JobTrain, Inc (“JobTrain”) provides workforce development services. JobTrain’s client base of 897 individuals is overwhelmingly low-income-over 90 percent of JobTrain clients meet the federal definition of low and moderate income. JobTrain placed 317 individuals in full-time employment since the inception of the EAC, with an average wage of $22.48 per hour.
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center (“Renaissance”) provides small business and entrepreneurship training to individuals interested in establishing or expanding their business. Renaissance has provided services to 819 individuals through the EAC since 2021. Businesses assisted by Renaissance have created or retained 303 jobs since the EAC opened in 2021.
City of South San Francisco (“City”) Promotores provide intake and social services navigation services to clients. Promotores help make referrals to emergency housing providers, food banks, financial institutions, transit agencies and medical care providers. The Promotores have served 508 individuals since their program was established in 2022. The City Promotores program was funded by ARPA through June 30, 2024. After June 30, 2024, the program is funded by a combination of a City of South San Francisco general fund appropriation, a National League of Cities Economic Mobility Grant, and this Measure K appropriation through June 30, 2025.
Other organizations that use the EAC include the Leadership Council San Mateo County, the San Mateo County Human Services Agency, the YMCA, and El Concilio. These organizations hold office hours at the EAC and in the breezeway immediately outside of the EAC two or more times per month. The combination of services available at the EAC allows whole person care to be delivered at a single location.
Workforce development and small business support services are offered to North San Mateo County communities including the cities of South San Francisco, Daly City, Brisbane, San Bruno, Pacifica, Millbrae and the Town of Colma. Total operational costs, including service contracts, are estimated to be $1,225,000 for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District-discretionary Measure K funding for the City has previously been provided as listed below:
• On May 7, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved a $26,000 Measure K grant to assist with start-up costs, engagement and outreach for a free shuttle line extension to include a stop at the Colma Veterans Village. (Sponsored by Districts 4 and 5.)
• On April 11, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved a $100,000 Measure K grant for Every Kid Deserves a Bike Program. (Sponsored by District 1.)
• On November 9, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved a $100,000 Measure K grant for City of South San Francisco Guaranteed Income Pilot Program. (Sponsored by District 1.)
• On August 4, 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved a $70,000 Measure K grant for a feasibility study for last-mile transit systems connecting Oyster Point with transit systems in South San Francisco. (Sponsored by District 1.)
This district-discretionary grant will be used to fund the following project or services:
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center ($184,164): Funds will be used to pay for staff time for small business counseling to assist entrepreneurs with forming or expanding businesses, accessing capital, and identifying new markets. Funds will also be used to pay for instructors to train entrepreneurs in developing business plans, provide an overview of how businesses access capital, and provide training on computers and other IT equipment needed to run a modern business.
JobTrain ($75,835): Funds will be used to assist clients with career placement services such as updating resumes; conducting practice interviews; forming partnerships with employers and providing referrals to hiring employers.
City of South San Francisco Promotores Program ($10,000): Funds will be used to pay for staff time for the Promotores Program which provides system navigation services to South San Francsico residents. City Promotores refer individuals to the County Human Services Agency for enrollment in SNAP and MediCal; to nonprofit housing agencies and homeless shelters; to workforce development and small business training programs; and to legal aid nonprofits.
This district-discretionary grant will enable the organization to meet the following currently unmet need or service gap within the County:
The Economic Advancement Center provides services in a single location that is easily accessible by public transit.
By bringing services closer to clients, and by making it convenient to get to and from the service center, the City increased opportunities for its residents to access critical services. By placing services in one building, the City created synergy between service providers. The grant will support expansion of Renaissance and JobTrain services at the EAC, and continuation of the City Promotores services.
Districts 1 and 5 have informed the grantee organization that this grant is one-time only, and that the grantee organization will need to find other sources of funding going forward. The grantee organization will use the Measure K grant as follows:
|
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center |
$184,165 |
|
JobTrain, Inc |
$75,835 |
|
City of South San Francisco |
$10,000 |
The project or services funded by this district-discretionary grant will be implemented or provided between October 9, 2024 and December 31, 2025.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $270,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Ernesto Lucero, Economic Development Manager
City of South San Francisco
PO Box 711
South San Francisco, CA 94083-0711
(650) 829-6620
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Additional clients served by Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center |
52 |
|
New businesses created as a result of services provided by Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center |
8 |
|
Individuals Placed Into Full-Time Employment by JobTrain |
20 |
|
Individuals Served by the Promotores Program |
20 |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2024-25 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.