Council Approves Union Station Contracts as Part of Monday’s Consent Calendar

As part of Monday’s consent calendar, the City Council approved two contracts with Union Station Homeless Services to extend the term and add funding for homeless services programs. 

On December 14, 2020, City Council approved Contract No. 31950 with Union Station Homeless Services to provide necessary services to facilitate the movement of people experiencing homelessness who are living on the properties of religious institutions into permanent housing.

The contract term was approved through September 30 to align with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HDD) expenditure deadline for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) funding made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). 

On April 12, 2021, City Council approved Contract No. 32010 with Union Station Homeless Services in the amount of $980,514  to implement the services enriched Mainstream Voucher Program. 

These supportive services include housing location, case management, move-in costs, landlord incentives and additional financial assistance for up to 75 households experiencing homelessness. Council also authorized term extensions and a funding increase of up to $200,000 for a total-not-to-exceed value of $1,180,514, which the Department is currently executing. 

Since the execution of Contract No. 31950, HUD extended the expenditure deadline for ESG-CV funding through September 30. Contract No. 31950, administered in partnership with All Saints Church, will enable the continued provision of a safe space to sleep for up to 12 unsheltered residents while providing them with services necessary to move forward on their path to permanent housing during a time of increased need for shelter services. Since the program’s inception at the beginning of 2021, 66 participants have been served. Therefore, it is recommended that the contract term be extended by an additional 12 months to align with HUD’s expenditure deadline. To support the costs associated with operating the program for an extended time frame, it is recommended the contract be increased by an additional $35,000 for a total not-to exceed contract value of $168,728. 

Contract No. 32010 will continue to increase successful voucher utilization and maximize the impact of the services offered through a tailored package of financial assistance and targeted supportive services to ensure tenant success. To date, 61 participants have moved into permanent housing. 

“Union Station has identified a need for additional funding to sustain program operations through the extended deadline of September 30, 2023. As such, staff recommends increasing the contract by $70,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,250,514. Staff also recommends authorizing the City Manager to approve no-cost extensions to both contracts which extend the term Amendments to Contract No. 31950 and 32010 March 13 with no change to the total not-to-exceed contract value to allow for the spend down of ESG-CV funds should HDD further extend the expenditure deadline.”

Here are the remaining items approved on Monday’s consent calendar:

• Individual contracts with Psomas; Pacifica Services Inc.; KPFF, Inc. dba KPFF Consulting Engineers; KOA Corporation; and Interwest Consulting Group for On-Call Project Management Services for a total amount not-to-exceed $1,000,000 for each consultant over a four-year term. The Department of Public Works is seeking qualified on-call project management services consultants to provide professional services on an as-needed basis for the City of Pasadena’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) over the next four years. The scope of work may include but is not limited to preliminary studies; peer review of plans and specifications; preparing project documents; and project administration services. Project management services will be mostly utilized for projects within the Transportation, Streets and Streetscapes, Municipal Buildings and Facilities, and the Parks and Landscaping sections of the CIP. The selected consultants will provide services when City staff is not readily available, or when services exceed the expertise and/or qualifications of City staff. In anticipation of upcoming federal and state grant opportunities, these on-call services will also support staff during intermittent peak workloads to meet critical grant deadlines in timely delivery of projects.

• Contract award to Caliagua Inc. to furnish and deliver labor, equipment and materials for the Garfield replacement well above grade improvements for the water and power department. Approximately 30-35% of Pasadena’s drinking water is produced from local groundwater, and the balance is imported from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Sustainable groundwater production provides local supply reliability, which is integral to Pasadena’s water supply portfolio. Due to age and long-term usage, older wells are more prone to mechanical failures, which reduce both pumping capacity and reliability. New wells provide the necessary infrastructure to maintain groundwater production capacity and utilize Pasadena’s local groundwater during planned and unplanned water disruptions of imported supply, providing the necessary reliability of water supply at reasonable costs. The Garfield Well, located in Villa Parke, was drilled in 1921. The well reached the end of its useful service life and was removed from service in 2015. In December 2020 all of the above-ground pumping equipment was removed and the well was abandoned in compliance with regulatory requirements. The Garfield Replacement Well is located approximately 100 feet northwest of the existing well building. The first phase of the project was the below-grade improvements that were completed in April 2022. The below-grade improvements included the drilling, construction, well development, test pumping of the replacement well, and water quality sampling. The data and analysis of the drilling provided the needed information to proceed with the design for the second and final phase of the project, which is the equipping of the well. The subject contract is to furnish and deliver the above-grade improvements of the Garfield Replacement Well, including installation of a submersible pump and motor, mechanical infrastructure, and electrical equipment. The existing well building will remain to house the electrical equipment. This project also includes the replacement of the Villa Parke basketball court and court lights, replacement of turf, and repair of the irrigation system that were impacted during the drilling of the well. The above-grade improvements phase is expected to be completed by Summer of 2024.

• Authorization to enter into contracts with three youth service providers and one program evaluator for the Pasadena Intervention and Prevention Project.  In June 2022, the City of Pasadena Public Health Department was awarded $2,510,394 through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant funded by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). On August 1, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement with BSCC to accept and administer CalVIP grant funds on behalf of the City of Pasadena. The grant will support the Pasadena Intervention and Prevention Project for three years through June 30, 2025. PIPP will serve high-risk youth ages 10-24 years in Pasadena using an evidence-based model to deliver family therapy, support ongoing violence interruption services, and offer youth supportive services to disrupt youth pathways to violence. The Department proposes subcontracting opportunities for youth supportive services and an external program evaluator.

• An item for a potential increase in a contract with LivHome, Inc. by $60,000 from $74,999 to a revised amount of $134,999 was removed from the agenda. 

• A contract with Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc. to provide software. technical support, and maintenance for the outage management system for the Water and Power Department (“PWP”) in an amount not to exceed $611,501 for five years. The QMS is a vital component of PWP operations. This proprietary system by Milsoft was implemented in 2013 to improve system communication and monitoring of customer outages in response to the November 2011 major windstorm that caused widespread outages. It provides timely, consistent, and accurate power outage information to staff, residents, and businesses. The QMS is also able to provide detailed information about duration, location, and scope of planned or unplanned electrical distribution system. When power outages occur, PWP relies heavily on the Business Logic Server (“BLS”), which is a web-based application hosted by Milsoft and included in the Interactive Voice Response (“IVR”) support suite. The BLS allows staff to monitor real-time IVR status for inbound and outbound calls. It is also able to generate call reports, monitor call loads, create new or manage existing IVR information messages, and perform customer notifications through outbound calling campaigns. The current three-year PO Contract with Milsoft expires in April 2023, and a new five-year PO Contract will ensure all software and support services for the QMS continue to be provided.

• Amendment with the City of Los Angeles to add $298,830 for a not-to-exceed total of $579,500 and extend the term through June 30, 2023 to support the continued provision of Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)-funded rental assistance. The Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) Program was established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1991 by the AIDS Housing Opportunities Act to provide support for housing assistance and sen/ices to low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. The HOPWA program strategy is to allow states and metropolitan areas that have a high incidence of AIDS cases to design long-term comprehensive strategies to meet the housing needs of persons with AIDS. HUD awards HOPWA funds to one government entity in each metropolitan area. The City of Los Angeles is the coordinating agency administering HOPWA grant funds for all of Los Angeles County. The HOPWA program provides twelve months of rental assistance via a housing voucher to very low-income persons, both individuals and in families, diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The Foothill AIDS Project refers applicants.

• An $850,805 Contract with FS Contractors, Inc. for North Hill Avenue Complete Streets Project. The North Hill Avenue Complete Streets project will provide for the installation of traffic calming elements, including traffic circles and curb extensions at the intersection of Hill Avenue and Topeka Street, and the intersection of Hill Avenue and Elizabeth Street. The project will also include asphalt concrete paving, street light installation and modification, and landscape and hardscape beautification to enhance the proposed areas surrounding the traffic-calming elements. The project limits are at the intersection of Topeka Street and Elizabeth Street along Hill Avenue. 

• Recognize and appropriate $42,981 from the Black Gold Cooperative Library System to the Department of Libraries and Information Services’ Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget to support the Black Gold: Stronger Together Early Learning Hub Grant project. On January 31, 2023, the City of Pasadena Office of the Young Child (“OYC”), through the Pasadena Public Library (“Library”), was awarded a grant in the amount of $42,981 by the Black Gold Cooperative Library System. The Black Gold Cooperative Library System administers the Black Gold: Stronger Together Early Learning Hub Grant program on behalf of the California State Library. This funding will be used to enhance the capacity of the OYC to coordinate the Growing Together PASadena network and launch a Welcome Baby campaign with Community Partners introducing families of newborns to early learning resources.

• Quarterly investment report – quarter ending Dec. 31. Government Code Section 53646 (2)(b)(1) states that in the case of a local agency, the Treasurer or Chief Fiscal Officer (CFO) may render a quarterly report to the legislative body of the local agency containing detailed information on: 1) all securities, investments, and moneys of the local agency; 2) a statement of compliance of the portfolio with the statement of investment policy; and 3) a statement of the local agency’s ability to meet its pool’s expenditure requirements for the next six months. By making these reports optional, this bill does not impose a state-mandated local program; however, encourages local agencies to continue to report. The bill also states that the Treasurer or CFO may report whatever the legislative body may require additional information or data of the local agency.

• Authorize the City Manager to amend Contract No. 31830 with Friends In Deed, to increase the total contract value by up to $100,000 for emergency shelter services. On January 18 and February 27 of this year, Council approved the collective addition of $200,000 of General Fund dollars to Contract No. 31830 with Friends In Deed to support the continued provision of weather-activated motel vouchers. According to the National Weather Service, Pasadena received more than double the amount of rain than is typical throughout January and February. This increased precipitation, in addition to colder temperatures, has more frequently activated the City’s system of providing motel stays, through non-profit partners such as Friends In Deed, to people experiencing homelessness during inclement weather. At the same time, federal emergency grant funding that supported weather-activated motel vouchers during the past two winter seasons is no longer available. In response, as a hypothermia prevention measure, Council has approved the use of General Funds to expand and sustain the provision of protective motel stays to those without homes. Since January 5, Friends In Deed has provided motel stays to 117 unduplicated individuals on 43 nights.