LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, the day the county’s COVID-19 shelter for homeless individuals had been set to close, the Board of Supervisors approved an updated agreement that will keep the facility open for another month.
The board unanimously approved the second amendment to the agreement between Lake County Behavioral Health, acting as the lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care, and Kelseyville United Methodist Church, acting as the fiscal agent for the Hope Harbor Warming Center Project.
The agreement extends the center’s operations from July 1 to 31, at a cost of $79,000. The staff report from Behavioral Health Services Director Todd Metcalf said that funding for the one-month extension will come from the existing Continuum of Care Homeless Housing and Prevention grant as allowed by the state for such COVID-19-related activities.
The board voted 4-1 to add the agreement as an extra item to the agenda for the special Tuesday afternoon meeting. Supervisor Rob Brown objected because he did not believe it met the criteria for a special item.
Metcalf asked for the matter to be taken up by the board as a special item because he said time was of the essence.
The warming shelter opened over the winter at New Hope Fellowship Church in Lakeport and then moved a short distance away to the former Record-Bee building at 2150 S. Main St. It converted into a COVID-19 shelter in March thanks to special funding from the state, as Lake County News has reported.
Kelseyville United Methodist Church has been Hope Harbor’s ongoing fiscal sponsor, but Metcalf said the church had pulled out of further shelter operations.
However, in a Thursday meeting the church agreed to continue for one more month, but Metcalf said the church indicated it would need funding before July 4 in order to keep going.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson checked with the county’s auditor-controller to find out how early funds could be released if the agreement was approved on Tuesday, which Metcalf said was July 9. Based on the discussion, the church is still willing to move forward despite funds coming available several days later.
“If this is approved we are working on an exit strategy. We are going to make sure that the folks that are in the shelter will receive resources and information, a warm handoff so to speak,” until Hope Center – a transitional housing project in Clearlake – opens around Sept. 1, Metcalf said.
At the same time, work is underway on a plan for transitional housing for the homeless at the county’s former juvenile hall facility, he said.
“There will legitimately be a hiccup in this,” said Metcalf, explaining that after July 31 there will still be a lag time period until another housing option is available.
He said with Project Roomkey, which is housing the homeless in motel and hotel rooms in Clearlake, they’ve had 10 or 11 participants, of which about three or four have secured permanent housing.
Taking the same approach with Hope Harbor, Metcalf said if the partners work hard enough, they may be able to come up with a more permanent housing solution for shelter clients.
City of Lakeport seeks county’s assistance
Brown said he was concerned that the city of Lakeport hadn’t been notified about the extra item being added to the agenda. “They’re impacted by this.”
Metcalf said the city was represented at the Thursday meeting that involved local officials and the church. “They should be fully aware of what’s going on right now.”
City Manager Margaret Silveira, who called in to the meeting, said the city has been working with Behavioral Health and the shelter.
She confirmed that the church had not intended to go forward with continuing the shelter. One reason was that they were not getting from Behavioral Health and Social Services the same type of around-the-clock program assistance for their 45 clients that has been offered through Project Roomkey.
In speaking to the church, Silveira asked if they would be interested in helping with the shelter’s transition if they got help, and they said yes.
She said there are people who have been at the shelter who are getting jobs and housing, and doing well. To just put them on the street immediately without having a transition would be a disservice to them as they work hard to stay clean and pursue new opportunities in their lives.
Silveira said the church’s members, who have big hearts, agreed to help for another 30 days. With the shelter building expected to be rented out as of Aug. 1, there will be a definite end to the use of that facility at that time.
The Lakeport Police Department has spent 80 percent of its time in recent months working with people at the shelter and dealing with those who were kicked out because of breaking the rules, Silveira said.
“That has been a huge burden for our police department,” with the city also bearing the financial cost, Silveira said.
Metcalf said he and his staff have put together a schedule that will have them at the COVID-19 shelter five days a week, eight hours a day, to help with the transition over the next month.
He said he hadn’t been made aware that the system they previously set up to work with the Lakeport shelter was broken, but his staff will be on scene to help with whatever is needed for the duration of the COVID-19 shelter project.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said that it will be important to look at outcomes and keep track of the data when it comes to the shelter’s clients. He said the county needs to not just feel good about it but make sure it’s getting the results it’s looking for, such as people finding jobs and housing, and decreases in drug addiction.
Sabatier said he appreciates people stepping up. “We are taking on something that we haven’t taken on in such a way.”
By the end of July, Sabatier said he wants a strong, concrete plan on what to do rather than shutting down and figuring out where to put people.
Metcalf pointed out that the county is currently seeking requests for proposals to run the former juvenile hall as a shelter. That RFP closes July 17. “That’s also happening behind the scenes.”
Supervisor Tina Scott agreed that a lot of work is being done and now there is a 30-day period to try to get assistance. She hopes someone will respond to the RFP and that the Hope Center will be up and running in a few months.
Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace offered his total support and said the effort is worthwhile.
“Hopefully it doesn't have to come to a screeching halt” at the end of July, Pace said of the sheltering effort, noting it would be a big support for the county’s whole COVID response.
Scott moved to approve the agreement, which Sabatier seconded and the board approved 5-0.
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Supervisors approve amended contract to continue COVID-19 shelter for a month
- Elizabeth Larson
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