DATE: June 6, 2023
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Donation of Surplus Travel Trailers to non-profit organizations that serve the unhoused population of the County
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution declaring that the 23 County-owned travel trailers are surplus personal property, and are not needed for use by the County, and may be donated to community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations that are organized to provide health and human services, including serving the health and welfare needs of the unhoused population of the County, in accordance with Government Code § 25372;
2. Approve donation of the 23 travel trailers as follows:
a. Approve donation of four travel trailers to Elevate Community Services, Inc.;
b. Approve donation of four travel trailers to Poverello House; and
c. Approve donation of fifteen travel trailers to Fresno Mission Foundation.
3. Direct and authorize the County Administrative Officer, or his designee, to execute donation agreements with each of the recommended recipients, as well as any other documents necessary to transfer title and effect the transfer of the travel-trailers to Elevate Community Services, Poverello House, and Fresno Mission Foundation, subject to approval as to legal form by the County Counsel.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will provide much-needed resources to community-based organizations that specifically provide supportive services to the population of Fresno County experiencing homelessness, including Elevate Community Services, Inc., Poverello House, and Fresno Rescue Mission Foundation. These travel trailers (Trailers) have significant operating costs. While these organizations are strongly encouraged to utilize the Trailers to provide housing, following the recommended donation of the Trailers, the recommended recipients may sell one or more of the Trailers to provide funding for the operating costs for the remaining Trailers. This item is Countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Board of Supervisors initially approved a project that would have utilized the Trailers to provide temporary housing services to the unhoused population of the County (Emergency Housing Project) which would have been funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. The purpose of the Emergency Housing Project was to enhance services to the unhoused population of the County. The Emergency Housing Project has since been determined not to be viable. Donating the Trailers to the recommended community-based organizations that specifically provide services to the unhoused population of the County would preserve the original purpose and intent of the Emergency Housing Project. Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the County would maintain ownership of the Trailers, but would not maintain the intent of the Emergency Housing Project. Your Board could also designate alternate recipients for the donation of the Trailers, or alternate uses for the Trailers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The Trailers were given to the County of Fresno by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to provide immediate isolation placements for homeless individuals who were symptomatic or had tested positive for COVID-19.
DISCUSSION:
In April of 2020, Cal OES gave the Trailers to the City of Fresno through Executive Order N-32-20. The City of Fresno then gave the Trailers to the County of Fresno. The purpose of the Trailers was to provide immediate isolation placements for homeless individuals who were symptomatic or had tested positive for COVID-19. The County distributed the Trailers to various community-based organizations, including Poverello House, Fresno Rescue Mission Foundation, and Elevate Community Services, to use at local homeless shelters to continue to isolate shelter residents who were symptomatic or had tested positive for COVID-19.
On May 17, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved the proposed homelessness initiatives, which earmarked ARPA funding for the Emergency Housing Project. In the fall of 2022, the County began moving the Trailers from homeless shelter locations to the proposed Emergency Housing Project location. On February 6, 2023, the County was informed by the City of Fresno that the proposed Emergency Housing Project location was not approved. Due to the infrastructure needed to make the Emergency Housing Project viable, no other locations were deemed feasible, and staff determined that the Emergency Housing Project was no longer viable.
During the months of February and March of 2023, the County received proposals from several of the community-based organizations that had originally partnered with the County in the use of the Trailers at homeless shelters, including Poverello House, Fresno Rescue Mission Foundation, and Elevate Community Services, Inc.; these organizations proposed to utilize the Trailers to enhance services for the unhoused population of the County.
On May 9, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the County of Fresno’s American Rescue Plan Act - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Homelessness Initiatives. The amendment reallocated the ARPA funding previously allocated to the Emergency Housing Project to a new proposed project presented by Poverello House, a commercial kitchen upgrade to assist in serving meals to the unhoused population of the County.
Government Code section 25372 provides that, except as restricted by any conditions by which the County acquired the property, the Board of Supervisors may donate personal property that the Board declares to be surplus to any public agency or organization exempt from taxation, including an organization exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that is organized to provide health or human services. All of the recommended recipients are organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) that provide health and human services to the unhoused population of the County.
Elevate Community Services, Inc.’s mission is to provide culturally competent, trauma-informed and solution-focused solutions to end homelessness. The Fresno Rescue Mission helps people find community resources and referrals, reconnection with family, housing, financial aid, available community programs, health and human services, and public mental health services, emergency and transitional housing, offers a safe warm environment for the unhoused when temperatures reach near freezing, and provides meals to anyone in need. Poverello House provides meals year-round to anyone in need, temporary housing, emergency shelter and pathways to permanent living situations, and referrals for mental health, housing, and substance abuse treatment.
The City of Fresno did not impose any restriction or conditions on its donation of the Trailers to the County in 2020. Staff has also contacted CalOES, and has received confirmation that CalOES does not want the Trailers back, and that the County has the authority to determine what to do with the Trailers.
The donation of the surplus Trailers would provide needed resources to three community-based organizations that specifically serve the unhoused population of the County, and would also preserve the original intent of the Emergency Housing Project. These Trailers have significant operating costs, and to pay for these costs and use the Trailers to assist the unhoused population of the County, following the recommended donation of the Trailers, the recommended recipients may sell one or more of the Trailers to provide funding for the operating costs for the remaining Trailers.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 35, May 9, 2023
BAI # 32, May 17, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
On file with Clerk - Donation Agreement and Release of Liability for Donated Trailers
CAO ANALYST:
Amina Flores-Becker