TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Brian Ambrose, Community Services Director
PREPARED BY: Brian Ambrose, Community Services Director
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Wildomar for
Homeless Services
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RECOMMENDATION
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Approve a six-month Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Wildomar for homeless services for a maximum reimbursement to the City of Murrieta of $20,039.21 per month;
Establish a revenue budget for reimbursement of costs from the City of Wildomar in the Fiscal Years 2023/24 and 2024/25 Operating Budgets for the six-month pilot period; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding and to utilize existing grant funding to support the collaboration between the cities of Murrieta and Wildomar.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On October 18, 2016, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 16-3644, joining the Regional Homeless Alliance and authorizing the Mayor to sign a five-member city alliance to address homelessness in southwest Riverside County (5-0).
On November 1, 2022, the City Council approved agreements with City Net for street outreach and case management services and Project T.O.U.C.H. for emergency shelter services (5-0).
CITY COUNCIL GOAL
Coordinate and deliver responsive, effective community services.
BACKGROUND
Since 2016, the City of Murrieta has made extraordinary strides to address homelessness citywide and regionally. Murrieta was a co-founding partner of the Regional Homeless Alliance and currently serves as the lead agency for a five-city homeless strategic planning process. The Murrieta City Council has invested significant resources into its homeless services program, including dedicating funding for homeless services staff, forming a Community Policing Team that focuses on quality of life issues such as homelessness, forming a Community Behavioral Health Assessment Team that places a full-time licensed clinical social worker with a specially trained Murrieta Police Officer, investing in encampment cleanup protocols, and partnering with non-profit organizations to provide seamless street outreach, case management, and homeless emergency sheltering services. Last year, 298 individuals utilized the emergency shelter, with 190 street outreach contacts. Due to its efforts, Murrieta is one of a few cities in California that has reached and maintained functional zero homelessness, defined as having a bed available for any individual or family that seeks to move towards housing sustainability.
The City of Wildomar, a city of 34,405 residents north of Murrieta, also joined the Regional Homeless Alliance in 2016 and has been a committed agency to regional homeless solutions. Currently, Wildomar does not have a dedicated staff person, a contract for a street outreach team or dedicated shelter beds. Approximately three months ago, staff from the two cities began discussions on ways to replicate the homeless services program in Murrieta into Wildomar. Principles on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) were reached for a six-month pilot program that includes:
- The City of Murrieta would coordinate street outreach, case management, and emergency sheltering services on behalf of the City of Wildomar;
- Wildomar would “purchase” 1.5 days of street outreach and case management services from Murrieta’s contractor, City Net;
- Murrieta staff would provide oversight of the street outreach and case management;
- Wildomar would enter into a separate agreement with Project Touch for sheltering services utilizing Murrieta’s existing agreement and funding structure; and
- Wildomar would continue in a good faith effort to site an emergency, transitional, or other type of homeless shelter specific to the Wildomar community needs.
All provisions can be found on Exhibit A of the MOU.
For services provided, Wildomar agrees to reimburse Murrieta for full cost recovery. In return, Murrieta will utilize various existing and future grants for regional homeless services, including a Riverside County Housing and Homeless Incentive Program, federal ARPA funds, and grant funds from the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. These grant funds will help support this collaboration and subsidize a portion of services. Additionally, Murrieta is working with the Riverside County Continuum of Care to draft a grant proposal for the State Encampment Resolution Funding program. This grant funding could assist with additional street outreach, case management, mental health services, emergency sheltering, and permanent housing if awarded.
Essentially, this MOU will mark another step towards regional solutions for homeless services in southwest Riverside County. The collaboration allows for scaling costs, sharing expertise, and ensures that cities discontinue the practice of “squeezing the balloon” that largely pushes homeless individuals to other jurisdictions without truly solving the problem.
FISCAL IMPACT
For services rendered, the City of Wildomar agrees to reimburse the City of Murrieta for a maximum of $20,039.21 per month, less costs reimbursed through grant funding. Services include street outreach, case management, sheltering, and staffing. The City of Murrieta will receive a 10% administrative fee for finance billing, attorney costs, use of city vehicles, and risk management. Murrieta will utilize various existing and future grant funding to subsidize this monthly amount.
In order to accept payment from the City of Wildomar for reimbursement of costs, a revenue budget will be established. The City of Wildomar will pay for any costs that are not reimbursed through grant funding in the Fiscal Years 2023/24 and 2024/25 Operating Budgets for the six-month pilot period. This requires appropriating a revenue budget in General Ledger (GL) Account 1105100-42224 of $53,722.00 in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Operating Budget and $26,861.00 in GL Account 1105100-42224 for the Fiscal Year 2024/25 Operating Budget. An expenditure appropriation is not needed because the existing budgets will be utilized to provide these services.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Memorandum of Understanding between the cities of Murrieta and Wildomar