Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael Callagy, Assistant County Manager
Subject: Funding for Legal Services Agencies Supporting Immigrants Residing in San Mateo County
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution waiving the request for proposal process and authorizing an agreement with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide legal services supporting immigrant residents of San Mateo County for the term of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 in an amount not to exceed $276,000.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the American Community Survey, a third of San Mateo County residents are foreign-born and many of these residents have children who are United States citizens. These immigrants are important to the vitality of our community and to the San Mateo County economy. Given current conditions, the County has identified a need for legal services to support our immigrant populations.
These needed services include legal workshops providing immigrants with information on topics such as their rights, the path to citizenship, and immigration benefits (e.g., relief for crime victims, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA), Special Immigrant Juveniles, Asylum, removal defense).
In addition, the services would involve brief individual consultations and assistance to screen immigrants for potential benefits and to make appropriate legal referrals.
Finally, such services would include assisting immigrants in applying for certain forms of immigration relief, such as special immigrant juvenile status (for abused and abandoned youth), U visas (for crime victims), and DACA benefits, and with responding to immediate and initial needs of immigrants and families affected by enforcement operations (e.g., assisting in locating detained family members, negotiations relating to bond and assistance with bond hearings and legal referrals).
The Legal Aid Society and certain of its partner agencies were selected through a request for proposal process to provide services to the County’s immigrant population for the period of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 consisting primarily of legal workshops. County staff has conferred with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and its partner agencies about the above-identified needs and have concluded that these agencies, owing to their familiarity with the legal needs of San Mateo County residents, their long experience working with these populations, and their ability to begin immediately providing these services, are the appropriate ones to deliver these expanded services. Staff therefore recommends that the Board find that it is in the best interest of the County to waive the request for proposal process for this contract.
DISCUSSION:
Rhetoric and actions out of Washington D.C. have created fear and uncertainty among the County’s immigrant population, from Pescadero to Pacifica and from East Palo Alto to Daly City. The County has received reports of undocumented parents who, out of fear, have retreated into the shadows and of Dreamers who have stopped attending school out of the fear of being deported. Moreover, County staff has learned that there are many presently undocumented immigrants who are not well informed of their rights and who may not be aware of immigration-related benefits to which they may be entitled.
Under these circumstances, staff recommends that the County contract with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide the range of services described above. (The Legal Aid Society would contract with the County and would, in turn, subcontract with partner agencies for some of the services set forth in the agreement.) Based on staff’s analysis and consultation with the Legal Aid Society and its partner agencies, we recommend that $276,000 in funds should be made available to fund such services supporting San Mateo County immigrants.
The agreement and Resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
The agreement contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Prosperous Community by providing legal support to immigrants, thereby facilitating their engagement in the community and ability to remain self-sufficient.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Measure |
FY 2017-18 Actual |
FY 2017-18 Projected |
|
Percent of attendees who are eligible to receive a referral to a free or low cost legal service for further assistance that receive a referral |
N/A* |
90% |
|
Percent of attendees who are surveyed and who had next steps indicated are aware of their next steps after attending the legal workshop |
N/A* |
90% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of this agreement is July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. The maximum amount payable under the agreement is $276,000. The fiscal obligation incurred under this agreement will be funded with Measure-K Sales and Use tax revenues. Budgetary appropriation for this agreement is included in the FY 2017-18 Tentatively Adopted Budget. There are no County General Funds associated with this agreement.