REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GEORGEANNE A. WHITE, City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
BY: JENNIFER RUIZ, Deputy City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Warming Centers:
1. ***RESOLUTION - Amending Resolution 2022-212, Establishing a Policy for City Cooling and Warming Centers. (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
2. Approve a Services Agreement with Poverello House, in an Amount Not to Exceed $356,500.00, to Operate City of Fresno Warming Centers.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council adopt the proposed Resolution to amend Resolution 2022-212, Establishing a Policy for City Cooling and Warming Centers. Staff recommends that the City Council approve the service agreement with Poverello House to operate City of Fresno warming centers.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Resolution 2022-212, A Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno California, Establishing a Policy for City Cooling and Warming Centers, was adopted on September 29, 2022. This action proposes to amend the language so that 72-hours’ notice to activate the warming centers will be provided when the National Weather Service projects the temperature to drop below 35 degrees. The amendment also changes the temperature required for the activation of cooling centers to 105 degrees and at the request of Councilmember Karbassi, removes Pinedale Community Center as one of the cooling and warming center sites. The purpose of this amendment is to allow a third-party operator of the warming center sufficient notice to mobilize and schedule staff to operate the warming centers.
In October 2023, the City published an amended request for proposals which allowed bidders to propose to operate cooling or warming centers without the requirement of providing a new location for the centers. The City had one responsive bidder to the RFP that proposed to operate warming centers, Poverello House. Poverello House is a 501(c)3 organization that has been serving the needs of those experiencing homelessness in the City of Fresno since 1973. Staff recommends approving the service agreement, in an amount not to exceed $356,500.00, with Poverello House to operate City warming centers at designated City facilities, currently, the community centers named in resolution 2022-212.
BACKGROUND
Resolution 2022-212, A Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno California, Establishing a Policy for City Cooling and Warming Centers, was adopted on September 29, 2022. As a result of this resolution, warming centers were activated each time the temperature was forecasted to drop below 35 degrees and additional days as directed by resolution 2022-307, Regarding Emergency Expansion of City of Fresno Warming Centers.
The PARCS Department operated the City warming centers at existing community centers and relied heavily on PARCS staff and temporary staff for the operation of the warming centers. This created operational challenges for the PARCS Department, as the required day-time activities of the City parks and community centers still required attention in addition to the overnight operations of the centers. The per-night cost of operating the warming centers is approximately $16,500.00.
Resolution 2022-212 requires that the City provide notice through all City communication platforms and notice be given to all Council offices 24-hours prior to activating warming centers. This action proposes to amend the language so that 72-hours’ notice to active the warming centers will be provided when the National Weather Service projects the temperature to drop below 35 degrees. The purpose of this amendment is to allow a third-party operator of the warming center sufficient notice to mobilize and schedule staff to operate the warming centers.
In July 2022, the City published a request for proposals (RFP) for cooling and warming centers in order to outsource the operation and location of citywide warming and cooling centers. Unfortunately, the City received no responses to this request. In October 2023, the City published an amended request for proposals which allowed bidders to propose to operate cooling or warming centers without the requirement of providing a new location for the centers. The City had one responsive bidder to the RFP that proposed to operate warming centers, Poverello House. Poverello House is a 501(c)3 organization that has been serving the needs of those experiencing homelessness in the City of Fresno since 1973.
Staff recommends approving the service agreement with Poverello House to operate City warming centers at designated City facilities, currently, the community centers named in resolution 2022-212. The agreement is not to exceed $356,500.00, which reflect a per-night cost of $14,260.05 for 25 nights. This action will allow the PARCS Department to focus on its mission to provide the public well maintained green space, organized recreation, and activities for the community, while still providing access to the important service that warming centers offer.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 the approval of these resolutions do not qualify as a “project” and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local Preference is not applicable as there was only one responsive proposer.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2024 adopted budget includes $400,000.00 budgeted under the General Fund in the Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department (PARCS) budget.
Attachments:
Amended Resolution
Service Agreement