Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ken Cole, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: MOU with the City of Half Moon Bay regarding a New Homeless Shelter Program at Coastside Inn in Half Moon Bay
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing and directing the County Manager, or designee, to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the County of San Mateo and the City of Half Moon Bay for a five-year term, from February 23, 2021 to February 23, 2026, regarding a new homeless shelter program at the Coastside Inn in Half Moon Bay.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the 2019 One Day Homeless Count, there were 230 unsheltered individuals living on the San Mateo County Coastside. However, there are currently no homeless shelters on the Coastside, an area which includes the incorporated cities of Half Moon Bay and Pacifica, as well as the unincorporated areas of the County’s coast south of Pacifica and north of Half Moon Bay and south of Half Moon Bay to the County line.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing community needs and inequities. Persons experiencing homelessness are at greater risk of infection and death due to COVID-19.
After many years of efforts from various stakeholders to create a homeless shelter program on the Coastside, a unique opportunity presented itself late last year. Specifically, the County was able to use available time-limited federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act funding to purchase a facility on the Coastside where such programming can be implemented for unsheltered homeless individuals, who are susceptible to contracting COVID-19. On December 29, 2020, the County used this CARES Act funding to acquire the Coastside Inn, in Half Moon Bay, to create a new homeless shelter program to assist people experiencing homelessness, with the long term goal of converting the site into affordable housing.
The Coastside Inn, located at 230 South Cabrillo Highway, in Half Moon Bay (“Site”), is a fifty-two-room hotel, with independent HVAC serving each room. The Site consists of .79 acres, with an approximately 17,000 square foot hotel, near downtown Half Moon Bay. The Site is within a half mile of numerous amenities, including grocery stores, pharmacies, and a farmer’s market. Also, within a mile is the local library, a community center and senior center, a Boys and Girls Club, and several nonprofit organizations providing services ranging from children and youth-based educational services to community-based adult health services. There are two SamTrans routes that service the area, with bus stops less than a half mile from the Site. One route provides direct service to the Hillsdale Caltrain station. San Mateo County Health also has a dental clinic and a Behavioral Health and Recovery Services clinic less than 1,000 feet from the Site.
Upon acquiring the Site, the County began implementing a small scale pilot shelter program at the Site. However, for the new ongoing shelter program, which is anticipated to launch in spring 2021 (“Coastside Shelter Program” or “Program”), the County will be conducting a planning process in collaboration with the City of Half Moon Bay (“City”) and a range of local stakeholders to plan details of the new Program.
DISCUSSION:
The County and the City acknowledge that the success of the Program is dependent, in part, on a strong partnership among stakeholders, including the County, the City, the non-profit service providers, the local businesses and the community. Accordingly, staff seeks this Board’s approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the City to set forth the parties’ expectations related to the planning and coordination of the Program.
The MOU sets forth the parties’ understanding of the Coastside Shelter Program Operation and Rules, including the process for selecting the Program service provider, the clients to be served by the Program and the requirements for the Program participants and for screening of Program applicants. For instance, the MOU establishes that the primary goal of the Program is to serve adults or adult pairs or couples (e.g., spouses, domestic partners, etc.), given that there are extensive existing services for families in the County. However, the County will explore the feasibility of also serving families in the Program.
The MOU also addresses the creation and operation of a Coastside Shelter Community Advisory Committee intended to improve and promote communications between residents, businesses and community agencies to increase community awareness, and facilitate support for operations of the Program in responding to homelessness on the Coastside.
The MOU also describes the process for filling Program vacancies, anticipated aesthetic improvements to the Site and naming of the building on the Site, the process for assessing the efficacy of the Program and the potential future use of the Site. For instance, the Program will serve San Mateo County community members experiencing homelessness, with a preference afforded to those with pre-existing ties to the Coastside. In addition, any aesthetic improvements to the Site undertaken by the County will be presented to the City’s Architectural Advisory Committee for review and feedback. The County and the City will also meet and confer periodically and in good faith regarding the Program’s effectiveness in serving homeless individuals on the Coastside after jointly developing performance measures to help make this assessment. While the County’s long term goal is for the Site to be converted to permanent affordable housing, the County and the City will meet and confer periodically and in good faith regarding this goal for the Site’s long term use.
Both County and City staff prepared and negotiated the MOU. County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution, and the MOU as to form.
On February 16, 2021, the City presented the MOU before its City Council, and was granted authorization to execute the MOU with the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no net County cost associated with the County executing this MOU with the City.