To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:title
Authorize Payments Due to the Days Inn and Authorize the Purchasing Agent to Pay For Emergency Sheltering Costs in Excess of $250,000
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Authorize payments for current invoices due to the Days Inn; and
2. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to pay for emergency sheltering costs in excess of $250,000, as funds are available, through the duration of the local emergency related to COVID-19.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Public Health (1175)
DISCUSSION:
On March 11, 2020, the Humboldt County Health Officer declared a Local Health Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 17, 2020, your Board passed Resolution No. 20-21 which declared that the Local Health Emergency Declaration shall remain in effect until your Board terminates the local health emergency. On March 30, 2020 Sheriff Honsal proclaimed a local emergency existed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on April 6, 2020 your Board ratified that proclamation.
The county’s Purchasing Policy and Humboldt County Code section 245-2.5 outlines the Purchasing Agent’s authority to engage independent contractors to provide services related to the local emergency for the county up to $250,000 in the event that an emergency is proclaimed.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Purchasing Agent was assigned to the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to assist in setting up purchases and payments related to the response. Several purchase orders were set up to allow for goods and services for the operation.
In March of 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allowed response activities to include sheltering homeless individuals who are at high risk of COVID-19. Pursuant to the California Project Roomkey initiative, to house homeless individuals, the EOC and Public Health partnered with non-profit agencies, including Arcata House Partnership (AHP) and SoHum Housing Opportunities (SHO), to serve the populations in key geographic areas of Humboldt County. Agreements were executed (Attachments 1 and 2) with these non-profits to place individuals at risk in housing around the county, and to provide client services. The expense of the hotel remained with the EOC for reporting and claiming purposes.
The Purchasing Agent set up a purchase order with Days Inn in Arcata to assist in the tracking and processing of the occupancy rates. The use of a purchase order was the preferred method as it gave the county flexibility on the number of rooms rented by paying only for rooms occupied rather than paying for the whole hotel or room blocks where you pay for a room regardless of if it is occupied. The purchase order process set up the nightly rate of $75 per room and was later increased to $90 per room to keep up with increased cleaning services. The nightly rates were found to be reasonable and fair. The length of this emergency was not anticipated and the current payments to this vendor have exceeded the emergency purchasing cap. Cal OES, who acts as the grantee for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, has confirmed with the county that it is acceptable to submit daily folios from hotels in lieu of obtaining a formal contract.
Currently, the county has paid the Days Inn $317,730 for shelter services and there are 257 pending invoices dating back to February 2021 for a total amount of $150,225. There are other hotels around the county that similarly invoice the county for bed nights in the same way Days Inn does, and those totals will likely exceed the purchasing cap. Therefore, the request before your Board today is to grant approval of past payments exceeding $250,000 and to pay for the pending invoices and authorize the Purchasing Agent to continue to process payments for emergency sheltering and lodging in excess of $250,000, as funds are available, through the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic until your Board terminates the local health emergency and local emergency.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The payments for homeless sheltering have been supported through Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency Emergency COVID-19 Homelessness Funding, California Department of Social Services Project Roomkey Funding, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and multiple emergency grants in Fund 1175, Budget Unit 455 Public Health Emergency Preparedness. The non-congregate sheltering of homeless individuals with high risk of negative outcomes from contraction of COVID-19 is anticipated to continue through June of 2021. The total estimated costs associated with Days Inn in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 is anticipated to be a total of roughly $760,000, however that amount could be exceeded as the county does not have control over the number of rooms needed by people who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. There is no impact to the county General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by creating opportunities for improved safety and health and protecting vulnerable populations.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Arcata House Partnership, SoHum Housing Opportunities, FEMA, California Office of Emergency Services, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, California Department of Social Services
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could choose not to grant the Purchasing Agent authority to continue to pay for lodging for at risk homeless individuals. However, this is not recommended as there are current pending payments for nights of lodging that have already occurred.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement with Arcata House Partnership for COVID-19 Operations
a. First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Arcata House Partnership for COVID-19 Operations
2. Professional Services Agreement with SoHum Housing Opportunities for COVID-19 Operations
a. First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with SoHum Housing Opportunities for COVID-19 Operations
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: D-1, C-1
Meeting of: 03/26/20, 4/6/20
File No.: 20-419; 20-434