Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Approving And Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute An Agreement With Taskforce Fore Ending Homelessness To Provide Homeless Outreach Services Utilizing Third Round Community Development Block Grant Covid-19 Funds In An Amount Not To Exceed $138,737.00 Pursuant To Section 38.41(C)(9) Of The Procurement Code (Best Interest).
Strategic Plan Focus
Quality of Life & Strong Neighborhoods
Homeless Services Plan Action Step #4
Body
Staff Recommends: Adoption of an Agreement for the City of Hollywood to enter into a contract with “The TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness” to Increase Homeless Outreach Activity throughout the City of Hollywood.
Explanation:
The City of Hollywood presented a Homeless Services Plan to the Hollywood City Commission on July 7, 2021 for adoption and implementation by City staff to better address the homeless issue in the City. The City Commission supported the plan and adopted it unanimously. Staff began working on implementing recommended action steps detailed in the Plan. One of the action steps is increasing the hourly and daily coverage of existing field representatives for The TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness who serve the City of Hollywood to locate, identify and assist homeless individuals and families.
The TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness is the largest provider of homeless outreach services for the Broward County Continuum of Care (CoC). The TaskForce is also the primary point of contact for the homeless population to access emergency shelter in Broward County. TaskForce outreach workers make contact with homeless individuals and families directly on the street in person and register them to receive rehabilitative services through the CoC. Currently, the TaskForce assigns two outreach workers to visit the City of Hollywood every Tuesday and Friday for several hours each day to make contact with the homeless. These outreach workers are funded through the CoC and are responsible for serving all of Broward County each week. City staff has concluded that additional direct outreach in Hollywood by outreach workers is needed to increase contact with the homeless population in the City and connect them with the rehabilitative services that are available to them.
City staff and the TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness have agreed to initiate a one-year pilot program (with four renewable one-year options) to have two additional outreach workers assigned exclusively to Hollywood to seek out homeless individuals and families throughout the City five days a week, eight hours a day. The TaskForce shall report performance data and information each month to the Community Development Division, which will manage the Agreement and oversee the pilot program for the City. This information includes demographic data detailing gender, family size, age, race, ethnicity and referral destination of all clients served. The TaskForce shall also submit an annual performance report, including program achievements and barriers, and client success stories. This data will be analyzed by City staff to gauge the effectiveness of the pilot program and determine whether to continue the program.
Given that the TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness is the largest provider of homeless outreach services for the Broward County Continuum of Care (CoC) and the TaskForce is also the primary point of contact for the homeless population in Broward County, City staff recommends adoption of this agreement.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for the one-year pilot program is available in the FY 2022 Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 (CV-3) budget of the Special Revenue Fund in account number 111.160101.55400.584711.001409.000.000.
Future year funding will need to be identified should the City decide to renew this agreement beyond the one-year period.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Anthony Grisby, Community Development Manager
Jaime Hernandez, Emergency Management Coordinator
Shiv Newaldass, Director, Development Services
Gus Zambrano, Assistant City Manager for Sustainable Development
George R. Keller, Jr., CPPT, Deputy City Manager