Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Iliana Rodriguez, Deputy County Manager
Subject: Measure K: Continued Funding for Legal Services Agencies Supporting Immigrants Residing in San Mateo County
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution waiving the Request for Proposals process and authorizing an agreement with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to provide continued legal services supporting immigrant residents of San Mateo County for the term of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 in an amount not to exceed $287,040.
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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 continuing need for legal services to support immigrants in the community.
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 needed services involve brief individual consultations and assistance to screen immigrants for potential benefits and to make appropriate legal referrals.
Finally, such needed services 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), 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, assistance with bond hearings and legal referrals).
The County of San Mateo contracted with the Legal Aid Society to provide the services described above for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019, owing to their familiarity with the legal needs of San Mateo County residents, their long experience working with these populations, and their ability to continue providing these services without interruption.
Since July 2017, the Legal Aid Society, working in coordination with partner subcontractor agencies, has hosted 27 workshops that have reached over 1,100 individuals and have provided legal representation to over 900 residents of San Mateo County.
Given the success of the program and due to the current political climate, there is a continuing need for the services described above and the Legal Aid Society and its partner agencies remain uniquely suited to provide these services to County residents. The Staff therefore recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve a contract with the Legal Aid Society to provide these immigration-related services for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 and that the Board finds that 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. and throughout the United States continue to cause fear and uncertainty among the County’s immigrant population. The County has received reports of undocumented parents who, out of fear, have retreated into and remained in the shadows and of Dreamers who have stopped attending school out of the fear of being deported. Moreover, County staff is informed that there continue to be 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 continue to 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, as under the contract for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, subcontract with partner agencies for some of the services set forth in the agreement. Due to the high cost of living in the Bay Area and consistent with the County’s arrangements with other community-based organizations, staff is recommended a 4% increase in the amount to be paid for services in the 2019-2020 fiscal year over the amount authorized in 2018-2019, for a not to exceed amount of $287,040 for 2019-2020.
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 MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2017-18 Actual |
FY 2018-19 Actual |
FY 2019-20 Projected |
|
Legal Representation- Minimum 150 cases |
281 |
245 |
150 |
|
Individual Consultation- Offered at 4 workshops |
7 |
10 |
4 |
|
Legal Workshops- Total of 12 provided |
15 |
12 |
12 |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of this agreement is July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The maximum amount payable under the agreement is $287,040. The fiscal obligation incurred under this agreement will be funded with Measure-K Sales and Use tax revenues. The increase in the amount authorized to be expended under this agreement will be included as a September Revision in the Office’s FY 2019-20 Recommended Budget.