Title
Supervisor Parlin and Supervisor Thomas recommending the Board:
1) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to send a letter to CalFire terminating Facility Use Agreement 5070 with CalFire for the use of the property at 299 Fair Lane, commonly known as the old juvenile hall, effective December 15, 2022.
2) Direct staff to implement a temporary Navigation Center at 299 Fair Lane as quickly as possible after December 15, 2022.
3) Authorize staff to work with the Superior Court to relocate the juvenile court located under the old juvenile hall located at 295 Fair Lane, to 2850 Fairlane Court, commonly known as Building C which is currently occupied by the Registrar of Voters.
4) Direct staff to prepare architectural and design drawings, as well as cost estimates to construct a permanent Navigation Center at 300 Fair Lane, where the Sheriff’s Headquarters were previously located, through a sole source process as permitted by the Homeless Crisis Declaration, and return to the Board for approval with the goal of having the facility constructed no later than December 2024.
5) Direct staff to complete the design and architectural drawings, as well as cost estimates for a new juvenile hall, and, upon completion, return to the Board for further direction.
6) Direct staff to return to the Board within 60 days with potential locations for the Registrar of Voters.
FUNDING: State, Federal and local funds as described in the body of the Legistar report below.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On August 23, 2022, (Legistar 22-1402) the Board of Supervisors was unable to obtain the required votes to approve a Navigation Center at either Perks Court or Pierroz Road which were previously considered for exploration by the Board. However, based on those discussions it was clear that the majority of the Board supports the implementation of a Navigation Center.
Upon further discussions with staff, and considering the homeless crisis facing El Dorado County, it is essential that a navigation center be implemented as soon as possible. Therefore, the Board is being asked to consider using the old juvenile hall building located at 299 Fair Lane for this purpose. In considering this proposal, the Board members should recognize the following impacts:
1) CalFire Space/Use Agreement:
On August 14, 2020, the County approved a space/use agreement with CalFire to use 299 Fair Lane, the old juvenile hall, for the purpose of housing firefighters during the fire season. The agreement is month-to-month and was never intended to be long-term. It was staff’s original recommendation to terminate the contract at the end of November, giving time for fire season to wind down while enabling a Navigation Center to be implemented as soon as possible. However, in discussion with CalFire, they asked that we give them to the end of December or January so they have more time to relocate. Given that we are operating under a declared Shelter Crisis and it is important to get a Navigation Center operational for winter, staff is recommendation a compromised date of December 15, 2022 for the termination of the space/use agreement with CalFire.
The Facility Use Agreement allows either party to terminate the agreement without cause upon thirty calendar days’ written notice.
Fiscal Impact: There is no material fiscal impact associated with this action.
2) 299 Fair Lane: Temporary Navigation Center:
If CalFire vacates the building no later than December 15, 2022, staff anticipates being able to open the facility as a Navigation Center no later than January 2023. The time frame will ultimately be determined after further discussions with the Volunteers of America and their ability to hire staff to operate the Navigation Center.
Fiscal Impact: It is anticipated that the one-time costs to implement a short-term navigation center at this location will not exceed $200,000. The costs will be paid with homeless grant funds already budgeted in the Health & Human Services Agency.
3) 295/299 Fair Lane: Psychiatric Health Facility/Crisis Residential Treatment Facility/Relocation of Juvenile Court:
Psychiatric Health Facility/Crisis Residential Treatment Facility
As presented to the Board on August 30, 2022, the existing Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) located at 935-B Spring Street is at end of life. Staff have been preparing plans to renovate the old juvenile hall to serve as the new location of the PHF. It is currently anticipated that the required improvements could be completed at the end of 2023 or early 2024.
Considering the importance of operating a PHF and a Crisis Residential Treatment facility to the behavioral health system of care, including our local hospitals, the Emergency Medical System (e.g, ambulance system), as well as the Court, it is essential that the temporary Navigation Center only operate at this facility for approximately one year, and that a long-term location for the Navigation Center be identified at this time. In addition, if the Board approves the relocation of the juvenile court as described below, this space could also potentially be used to implement a Crisis Residential Treatment facility which would fill a gap in our behavioral health system.
Fiscal Impact: Funding to cover the costs of converting the old juvenile hall to a Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Residential Treatment Facility will ideally be grant funds identified in the State’s Fiscal Year 2022/23 budget, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds already allocated to HHSA/Behavioral Health, as well as additional ARPA Funds if needed.
Relocation of Juvenile Court to Building C
In 2008, the County and Superior Court entered into an agreement to provide the Court the continued use of the space under the old juvenile hall as a juvenile court. The terms of this agreement define the rights and responsibilities of the County and the Courts in regards to space at the old Juvenile Hall. The agreement defines the exclusive use of certain areas of the old Juvenile Hall for the courts. The agreement also contains a compatible use clause that requires each party use its Exclusive-Use Area in a manner that is compatible with the Party’s use of the Building on the Effective Date of the agreement and that does not deteriorate or diminish the other Party’s ability to use its Exclusive-Use Area effectively. Currently the Court occupies the bottom floor of the old Juvenile Hall, which has its own dedicated parking area and entrances.
The anticipated time frame needed to relocate the Juvenile Court will be dependent on the relocation of the Registrar of Voters as described below.
Fiscal Impact: It is recommended that the Board authorize staff to work with the Superior Court to relocate the juvenile court to Building C, in the space currently occupied by the Registrar of Voters. The advantages of relocating the juvenile court to this location is that it will consolidate some court operations and result in lower security costs for the Court that are paid by the County. Currently, security costs at the juvenile court total approximately $480,000/year.
Costs associated with this recommendation will likely be approximately $3-4 million to construct a new juvenile court.
Funding for this recommendation would come from the County’s designation for Capital Reserves.
4) Long Term Navigation Center at 300 Fair Lane.
Recognizing there are no ideal locations for a Navigation Center, as well as the importance to the community to implement a Navigation Center to address many of the challenges relative to homelessness, it is recommended the facility be constructed at this location.
The Board should be aware that by approving the use of a sole-source contracting process as permitted by the Homeless Crisis Declaration, at such time the contract is brought to the Board for approval to begin construction of the Navigation Center it will require four votes for approval. If the Board opts to conduct a solicitation for a contractor, it will require three votes for approval but the timeframe will be extended for approximately six months, resulting in delays to the construction and implementation of the Psychiatric Health Facility at 299 Fair Lane.
Fiscal Impact: Initial estimates identify the costs to construct a Navigation Center totaling approximately 5,000 square feet at this location will be approximately $3 million to $4 million. Funding for these costs can come from existing and future homeless grant funds and remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds of which there is currently a remaining balance totaling approximately $3 million.
One advantage of constructing a permanent building with these funding streams is that in the event the County ever determines to discontinue using the facility as a Navigation Center, the building can then be used for other County space needs at that time.
5) Direct staff to complete the design and architectural drawings, as well as cost estimates for a new juvenile hall.
If the Board approves constructing a permanent Navigation Center at 300 Fair Lane, it will result in the County having to change plans to construct a new juvenile hall at this location.
Considering the design and architectural documents, and the development of cost estimates, are already underway for a new juvenile hall, staff should complete this process so that the Board has an estimate of the total costs and can make a decision at that time as to whether to build a new juvenile hall at an alternate location. The Board should be aware that approval of this recommendation may also result in the State withdrawing the grant funds to construct a new juvenile detention facility, resulting in all juvenile detention services being provided at the existing facility in South Lake Tahoe for the foreseeable future.
Fiscal Impact: Funding for the design and architectural documents were previously approved by the Board with approximately $50,000 being spent to date with the majority of work taking place at this time and scheduled to be completed in October/November 2022.
6. Relocation of Registrar of Voters
In order to relocate the Juvenile Court to Building C, it is necessary to find alternative space for the Registrar of Voters. While staff have initial thoughts on potential locations, further discussion is necessary in regards to the actual space being considered. Staff anticipates being able to return to the Board within 60 days with options for consideration.
Fiscal Impact: At this time the fiscal impact is unknown. Staff’s preference is to purchase an existing building using funding available in the designation for Capital Reserves.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not approve these recommendations and provide different direction to staff in regards to the implementation of a Navigation Center.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
April 19, 2022 - Legistar 22-0630
May 24, 2022 - Legistar 22-0893
July 26, 2022 - Legistar 22-1279
July 28, 2022 - Legistar 22-1279
August 23, 2022 - Legistar 22-1402
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office and Health & Human Services
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact associated with each recommendation is identified in the body of the Legistar report.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
1) Healthy Communities: Implement solutions to address and reduce homelessness in El Dorado County.
2) Public Safety: Support for the mentally ill, homeless and those with substance abuse disorders or housing needs where public safety issues are present.
3) Infrastructure: Analyze need, coordinate and plan for County facilities, parks and trails including ongoing maintenance, operations and replacement.
CONTACT
Supervisor Lori Parlin
Supervisor Wendy Thomas