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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-02-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER (2)Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT NEW BUSINESS City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: Emergency Winter Force DATE: February 27, 2007 SUBJECT: EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER TASK FORCE PRESENTATION DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office RECOMMENDED ACTION ►3 Task City Council receive report and provide feedback to the Temporary Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force. BACKGROUND During the February 13, 2007 City Council Meeting, Councilmember Tim Ben Boydston requested that a presentation by the County led Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force be agendized for the February 27, 2007 City Council Meeting. In response to this request, the Task Force has prepared a presentation for the City Council on their efforts to find sites within the Santa Clarita Valley that would be suitable to locate a temporary emergency winter shelter. A detailed report of the Task Force's efforts is attached to this Agenda Report. Below is a list of the properties being recommended by the Task Force and a summary of each property's zone designation. Of the four properties below, three are within the City's jurisdiction and one is in the unincorporated area. 1. Drayton Property: The Drayton Property is owned by the City and is located at 23027 Drayton Street. This property is within the City's jurisdiction and is zoned as "Industrial Zone." Set up of a temporary emergency winter shelter on this property would require a hearing before the Planning Commission for approval of a Minor Use Permit (MUP). (:em4v,e- 4e1 to;veh f — s;4- 'tr",+1e_ 1'herk a.a zap oto r+e{cci/ewieYvl-s �' �f�t� iota to°1eQ ct.Se.� Ci Ku" e✓�au +17 'z e�Q 4o ro�ia*t- -54 u.i f-4Irl y� er '� �Cri-Me0A 'FD ��•'�4e. Sq-Gccn� tro(S 2. Rivendale Property: The Rivendale Property is owned by the City and is located at 24255 The Old Road. This property is within the City's jurisdiction and is zoned as "Open Space." Per the City's General Plan, operation of a temporary emergency winter shelter on this zone designation is prohibited. The City Council would need to initiate a zone change or General Plan Amendment to locate the winter shelter on this property. 3. Golden Valley Fire Station Property: The Golden Valley Fire Station property is owned by the City and is located at 26201 Golden Valley Road. This property is within the City's jurisdiction and is zoned as "Business Park." A temporary homeless shelter within the "Business Park" zone would require review and approval of an MUP through an administrative process. Staff would be required to notice the adjacent property owners of the proposed homeless shelter. If staff receives opposition to the recommended use, the MUP application would trigger Planning Commission consideration. 4. Pitchess Honor Rancho: Pitchess Honor Rancho is located in Castaic. This property is located within the County of Los Angeles' jurisdiction and would require approval of the County Board of Supervisors and the Castaic Town Council. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Any action as determined by the City Council. ATTACHMENTS Santa Clarita Valley Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force Final Report - February 20, 2007 SANTA CLARITA VALLEY EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER TASK FORCE FINAL REPORT FEBRUARY 20, 2007 SCVEWS Task Force Final Report Page 2 of 6 Formation of the Santa Clarita Vallev Emercencv Winter Shelter Task Force In March of 2006, Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich appointed several constituents to the Santa Clarita Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force ("Task Force"). The Task Force includes representatives from the unincorporated area town councils, the business community, social service providers, local residents, the City of Santa Clarita and the County of Los Angeles. The members of the Task Force are attached as Exhibit "A". Supervisor Antonovich asked the Task Force to identify potential locations for emergency winter shelters within the Santa Clarita Valley. Backeround In 1997 the City of Santa Clarita sponsored an Emergency Winter Shelter ("EWS") at the former Merle Norman cosmetics factory in what is now the City of Santa Clarita Activities Center. The City of Santa Clarita provided the building, telephone, utilities and two people obligated to perform community service to staff the shelter. The Santa Clarita Community Development Corp (SCCDC) organized volunteers from the local faith -based communities to staff the shelter and, with several local restaurants and civic organizations, provided three meals a day. Since 1999, an EWS has operated every winter under the auspices of a county wide program administered by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The financing for this shelter has been provided primarily by LAHSA with supplemental funding provided by Supervisor Antonovich. Additionally, supplemental support services such as case management and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding have been provided by the City of Santa Clarita. Every October LAHSA issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) to service providers to operate an Emergency Winter Shelter ("EWS") in the Santa Clarita Valley. The RFP identifies a shelter that will provide overnight accommodations during the winter months. Typically LAHSA's shelter is funded for 105 days, roughly from December 1 st of one calendar year to March 15th of the following calendar year. In the past and based upon forecasts of continued inclement weather, the term has been extended for an additional two to four weeks. In previous years the shelter has operated at the following locations: ➢ Winters of 1997-98: 1998-99: 1999-2000: 2000-01: The parking lot adjacent to the City of Santa Clarita Activities Center (since redeveloped into a portion of the Aquatics Park) at 20850 Centre Pointe Parkway. ➢ Winters of 2001-02 and 2002-03: The parking lot at the Via Princessa MetroLink Station at 19201 Via Princessa. ➢ Winters of 2004-05: 2005-06 and 2006-07: The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works yard at 21190 Centre Pointe Parkway. 2 SCVEWS Task Force Final Report Page 3 of 6 The first two properties are owned by the City of Santa Clarita, and the last property is owned by the County of Los Angeles. On July 11, 2006, the County of Los Angeles notified the Task Force that the Public Works yard property would not be available for an EWS in the future. The emergency winter shelters in Santa Clarita have been operated by SCCDC, which is the only social service provider to respond to LAHSA's annual RFPs. The work of SCCDC has been supported by case management services which is funded by the City of Santa Clarita and provided by Lutheran Social Services. The shelter is staffed by a substantial number of volunteers provided by SCCDC, other social service providers and the general public. Over the years, the services provided have been expanded to include motel vouchers for homeless families, showers, medical visits, mental health visits, pick-up and drop-off van service. The number of homeless clients finding jobs, better jobs, and/or housing has increased as the services have grown. Annually about 2,000 individuals from more than 20 faith communities, civic organizations, and local businesses assist the shelter with their time, goods, or funds. Work of the Task Force The Task Force met monthly from March to December 2006. Representatives of SCCDC and LAHSA provided pertinent data and information about homeless individuals utilizing the EWS over the past several years. A representative from the Los Angeles County Sheriff s Department made a presentation stating that there had been no security concerns at the EWS during the last two winters. There was unanimity on the Task Force that the EWS provides a valuable service to the entire Santa Clarita Valley. For a variety of reasons some local residents become homeless. Although the homeless population is relatively small in Santa Clarita, the impacts upon the lives of these individuals are enormous. The impacts are particularly harsh during the winter, when over -night temperatures reach below freezing. It is only through a unique combination—including government agencies (LAHSA, the County of Los Angeles, and the City of Santa Clarita), local non -profits (SCCDC and Lutheran Social Services), and volunteers (corporate donations, local churches, and individuals that the EWS in Santa Clarita has operated to provide services to the homeless. The shelter provides homeless individuals with a clean, comfortable, and safe place to eat during the colder winter months. The EWS operates under a strict set of policies designed to protect the patrons, staff, and volunteers. Individuals not willing to abide by these policies are not allowed to utilize the services of the shelter. In this regard it was felt that an EWS can operate in a manner which provides a valuable service and that does not adversely impact a surrounding community. SCVEWS Task Force Final Report Page 4 of 6 The Task Force recognizes the inherent value of an Emergency Winter Shelter in the Santa Clarita Valley and supports its continued operation for the foreseeable future. The Task Force then sought to identify all properties that might be suitable as a location for an EWS. Based upon input from various sources, a list of 35 properties was identified (the complete list of these properties is included as Attachment "B"). At a later meeting a set of 10 criteria was developed to ascertain the utility and acceptability of each potential location (the complete list of criteria is included as Attachment "C"). Using the list of potential sites and established criteria, the Task Force evaluated each potential site and "scored" the site pursuant to the established criteria. This involved a constructive and healthy discussion of each site, relying on aerial photos provided by the City and County and the valuable local knowledge of the members of the Task Force. Based upon the scoring of the various sites, the initial list of 35 properties was reduced to 9 potential locations. A sub -committee of the Task Force subsequently visited the remaining 9 properties to evaluate further the suitability of each location. Based upon the visual inspection of each of these properties, an additional 6 sites were eliminated for various reasons. Reasons why various sites were eliminated included an assessment of potential community opposition, insufficient land available, adjacent or nearby sensitive land uses, poor access, lack of utilities, and/or rejection by a property -owner. The Task Force identified four suitable locations: • The Drayton Property located at 23027 Drayton Street. The Drayton Site was selected because it is a centrally -located publicly -owned property. The site is flat, vacant, and utilities are available. It is accessible by public transit. The neighborhood is predominantly industrial with no residences. The Golden Valley Fire Station located at 26201 Golden Valley Road. The Golden Valley Fire Station Site was selected because it is a centrally -located publicly -owned property on a major thoroughfare. The site is flat, vacant and graded, and utilities are available. It is accessible by public transit. The site is adjacent to emergency fire and paramedic services, with no immediate residential neighbors. The Rivendale Property located at 24255 The Old Road. The Rivendale Site was selected because it is a centrally -located publicly -owned property. The site is a flat, relatively undeveloped property, and utilities are available. It is accessible by public transit. There are no immediate residential neighbors. The West Ranch Town Council (nearest residential community) does not object to this proposed location. 4 SCVEWS Task Force Final Report Page 5 of 6 The Pitchess Honor Rancho located on the Pitchess Honor Rancho Property in Castaic. The PHR Site was chosen because it is a centrally -located publicly - owned property. The site is flat, paved, and utilities are available. There are no immediate residential neighbors. The location is visible from the guard station (it is outside the main gate) at PHR, thereby providing an additional measure of security. The committee is aware that the three final sites are located within the City of Santa Clarita and not within the unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles, which is an incidental outcome of the review process that eliminated sites for various reasons. Additionally, because the city's boundaries occupy the center of the valley, city locations were generally more centrally -located and nearer to public transportation as well as support facilities for the homeless (case management, social service providers, and employment centers). One of the "City" sites (Rivendale) is surrounded entirely by County unincorporated territory and the 5 Freeway, and a shelter at this location is, therefore, unlikely to have an impact upon city neighborhoods or residents. It is important to note that there are many existing facilities in County unincorporated areas that have the potential to adversely impact surrounding communities. These facilities include the Valley's only landfill (Chiquita Canyon in Val Verde) and wastewater treatment facility (along the Old Road), and both of these facilities serve the entire region (City and County residents). Also found within unincorporated territory in the Valley is a firefighter's training facility in Val Verde, a probation camp in Saugus, and both a regional prison and designated trucking area in Castaic. A sub -committee of the task force met in January of 2007 and wrote a draft report. The draft report was submitted to the full Task force at a meeting in early February of 2007. Based upon the comments at this meeting, a final report was issued on February 15, 2007. Recommendation The Task Force recommends that an EWS be established on a rotational basis as follows: Winter 2007-08: Drayton Winter 2008-09: Drayton Winter 2009-10: Rivendale Winter 2010-11: Rivendale Winter 2011-12: Pitchess Honor Rancho Winter 2012-13: Pitchess Honor Rancho Winter 2013-14: Golden Valley Fire Station Winter 2014-15: Golden Valley Fire Station There are anticipated cost savings associated with utilizing each site two years in a row. Based upon concems in years past, the "rotation" of the sites is intended to minimize any potential impacts of the EWS upon any one community. The Drayton site was identified SCVEWS Task Force Final Report Page 6 of 6 as the first site in the rotation because it requires the least amount of preparation for use as an EW S. There was some discussion on the City's part that it may want to switch/alternate the Drayton and Rivendale locations during the first four years. It is the intent of the Task Force that this schedule will provide certainty for an 8 -year period concerning location of the EWS. It will also allow LAHSA/County to fund the purchase of the modular trailers, as opposed to renting them annually, which will save between $40,000 and $60,000 per year. Members of the Task Force have secured a commitment to store and secure the trailers when not in use (i.e., from March/April through the end of November each year). Any costs associated with storing and re- locating the trailers would be bome by LAHSA/County. The Task Force also discussed utilizing the trailers during the "down time," when they are not in use as an Emergency Winter Shelter. Working with the City, the County, non-profit and community groups, it is suggested that ideas of youth -associated use be explored further. There is consensus amongst the members of the Task Force that the issue of homelessness in Santa Clarita Valley is a long-term problem. In this regard, the recommendation in this report is a short-term solution. The Task Force encourages an on-going community collaboration amongst the stakeholders: government, the private sector, charitable organizations, and the residents of Santa Clarita Valley. ll MEMBERS OF THE SANTA CLARITA EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER TASK FORCE Exhibit "A" NAME AFFILIATION 1. Adamson, Larry Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commissioner 2. Ash, Paul West Ranch Town Council 3. Davis, Tim Santa Clarita Valley CDC 4. Fancett, Paul Castaic Area Town Council 5. Ferdman, Al Canyon Country Advisory Committee 6. Fish, Judy - Ph. D Superintendent Sau us Union School District 7. Fleming, Don Valencia Acura 8. Haddad, Tina City of Santa Clarita 9. Ingram, Pam Santa Clarita Valley Board of Realtors 10. Johnson, Larry Emergency Winter Shelter Volunteer 11. Malerba, Linda Lutheran Social Services 12. McLeary, Pastor George Church of Hope 13. Mechsner, Ronald West Ranch Town Council 14. Novak, Paul Office of Supervisor Antonovich 15. Rasmussen, Larry Spirit Properties 16. Ryan, Rick Tesoro Del Valle Home Owners 17. Worden, Leon Newhall Signal 18. Worden-Roberts, Connie Santa Clarita Telecommuting Center Exhibit "A" CO m C_ N d m � Q N Z•Z•Z•2�Z•Z•Z•DZ•Z• Z, 2�2:1 y C C C C C C C C G C C C MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU�UUUUU UUUUUUUUUU m y .m. yy T a T U m a C m N; O n. yoccSLm m IL >!� U c o m=li c E g 1 C p w y if C lV U ) p _ C .o ° m m a9i M m -il �a z cm- W2 n. n. m p m C m c c E c p m c `m _Q Z d o' m E m o m n .� a o `m 'm cmc 'n o 5 Uy i > 0 Jc wN ° 4moym�ciycm�l=;g m°c m Z m1 y Emmc cV oy U rpEdE(mi mo m���m�d c�a�ULL 'ccp0 �° oC o6OC2 wa 05 rL .=°. m m is d t CL �. o V7 y c '� Y o y m �' c c aJi a n 2 ami u'22 mJ o�0a= m o cm 'b m E cJ yW i, H-n'n3. H c E�°c'm o cY} c .y,`m p 'E m_p ycm�0 mAna Hl -Yo CL N T Q C C !!� r O C PJ m m m �' t �` C O N m y y> E C p C j m= (p. m o 'O m o .Q M w L L m p m p tq 'O 1 m m m m m Z d O O O OUM(ga W 2UaN(�I-F O CD UN�U 6.W F-R��U CL a. 2 co Q'(1) M UU -------- — c m a a X W LOCATION CRITERIA The following is a list of location criteria for the facility. It is not meant to be exclusive or exhaustive. 1. Size: A minimum of a half acre is necessary to accommodate set backs, construction, parking, etc. 2. Residential Areas. Schools and Parks: The facility should not be located in residential areas or near schools and parks due to concerns raised by residents. The location should avoid direct access to and minimize interaction with children, students and parkusers. 3. Industrial Zones: The placement of the facility in an industrial zone is generally preferred due to its distance from residential areas, schools and parks. 4. Commercial: The difficulty in obtaining landlord approval and cooperation as well as merchant consensus was recognized as a deterrent to locating a facility in such an area 5. publicly Owned Land: A facility placed on publicly owned land (city, county or state) may be desirable by eliminating landlord issues and, perhaps, providing a permanent site or two or three sites that could be utilized in rotation. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles may be another landowner to approach. 6. Transportation: The facility should be located in close proximity to an existing transit route, preferably bus route. Access to rail transit is not required. 7. Highway Access: The facility should be located near a major highway, but preferably should not be located directly on the roadway if the location is quite visible. 8. Utilities: The site should have telephone, water and electricity available. A nearby fire hydrant is required. Sewers (bathroom facilities), natural gas and cable are not required but would make the facility more efficient. 9. Employment: A facility near a major commercial, industrial or other employment center would allow shelter residents an avenue with which to transition into a more traditional living arrangement. 10. Permanent or Transitory Sites: A long term solution is preferred but a timely decision for the 2006-2007 Winter is required. A permanent site would obviate the need to reconstruct a facility year after year and provide alternate uses during the off season. Rotating a facility among two or three sites may alleviate concerns of residents. Exhibit "C"