Council to Consider Applying for Additional Funds to Combat Homelessness

The Pasadena City Council is set to consider and will likely approve a request for an additional $787,500 in state funding to combat homelessness, according to the Consent Calendar section on the Council’s Monday agenda.

The funds are intended to expand the homelessness prevention program run by Door of Hope, a local non-profit organization.

The proposed application would follow the Council’s successful bid for the State of California’s Family Homelessness Challenge Round 1 on April 25, 2022. The state awarded $17 million of these funds on June 30 of that year.

If the application is successful, Door of Hope will be able to serve up to an additional 190 Pasadena families. The organization has already assisted 91 families with case management and financial assistance to pay off rental arrears since the initial round of funding.

Applications for the next round of funding are due on Tuesday, February 27, with award announcements expected by April 29. All grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2026.

The City Council will consider authorizing the City Manager to submit the application and amend a contract subject to the award of state funds.

Here are the other items on Monday’s consent calendar:

• A Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Police Supervisors Association, for the term of February 26, 2024, through June 30, 2028. The Pasadena Police Supervisors Association represents fourteen full-time employees in the civilian classifications of Police Supervisor and Forensic Supervisor. The Pasadena Police Supervisors Association is a newly formed employee association whose terms and conditions of employment were formerly provided for in the Non-represented Management salary resolution. Therefore, the provisions of the Non-represented Management salary resolution served as the starting point for the negotiation of the Pasadena Police Supervisors Association’s first Memorandum of Understanding. Negotiations for the Pasadena Police Supervisors Association Memorandum of Understanding began on September 18, 2023, and the parties reached a tentative agreement on a new multi-year contract on January 12, 2024. The proposed 4-year agreement will have a term of February 26, 2024, through June 30, 2028.

• A resolution to authorize the pre-tax treatment of cost-sharing contributions paid by members of the Pasadena Police Supervisors Association to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. Internal Revenue Code Section 414(h)(2) allows public agencies to designate required employee contributions as being “picked-up” by the employer and treated as employer contributions for tax purposes. The effect of a pick-up is to defer tax on employee contribution amounts until the member retires and receives retirement benefits or separates from employment and takes a refund of contributions.

• A contract with Gallup, Inc for Employee Engagement services and survey for a total amount not-to-exceed $167,750 over a three-year term with the option to extend the contract by two optional one-year extension periods. The value of each optional one-year extension period is not-to-exceed $44,250. The Human Resources Department and Enterprise Risk Management Division of the City Manager’s Office are preparing to launch a comprehensive Employee Engagement Program. This program will facilitate honest communication between staff and management, which promotes a collaborative and supportive atmosphere while building a culture of inclusion and belonging. This supports the department’s mission to attract, retain, and develop a diverse and highly qualified workforce for the City of Pasadena.

• A contract with LinkedIn for an online employee training platform/learning library for a total amount not-to-exceed $141,615 over a three-year term. The Human Resources Department administers the citywide training program to ensure that employees have the opportunity to improve, maintain and develop needed competencies to provide efficient and effective services to the public. In order to support multiple styles of adult learning and reach as many employees as possible, training typically is delivered through traditional “live” classes as well as an on-demand online library. An online training platform solution offers a robust collection of business, technology, and leadership courses that employees can access anytime, at their own pace. This supports the department’s mission to attract, retain, and develop a diverse and highly qualified workforce for the City of Pasadena.

• A $249,810 contract for consultant services to develop Safe Streets for All Action Plan by conducting an outreach campaign and updating the existing Local Roadway Safety Plan. In September 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a notice of funding opportunity for the Safe Streets for All grant program with up to $1 billion available in fiscal year 2022 for local, regional, and tribal agencies to enhance roadway safety. The Safe Streets for All grant program is divided into two grant opportunities, action plan grants and implementation grants. The action plan grant is intended for agencies to develop a holistic, well-defined strategy to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The implementation grant is intended to fund projects and strategies identified in an action plan. The City applied for and was awarded funds to develop an Action Plan. The City was awarded $200,000 with a $50,000 local match to be expended in the next one to three years.

• A $2.7 million contract with Williams Pipeline Contractors Inc. The Water and Power Department regularly installs water mains to replace aging pipelines and to improve system reliability and water quality. The Water and Power Department uses both in-house staff and contractors to perform the installation of mainlines, to modify the water distribution system for new developments, and to provide regular maintenance and repairs to ruptured pipelines. In addition to replacing older mains, maintenance on the distribution system is critical for prolonging the life of the existing mains.

• A five-year, $185,000 contract, as a result of a competitive select with Morgan Stanley Institutional Investment Advisors LLC doing business as Hyas Group for financial advisor services related to the City’s Deferred Compensation Program in an amount not-to-exceed $185,000 for five years. The City of Pasadena’s 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan is overseen by the Deferred Compensation Committee. The Committee consists of five members: three members elected by City employees and two members appointed by the City Council. The financial advisor provides assistance to the Committee, by reviewing the investment portfolio on a quarterly basis to ensure performance within the parameters of the plan’s investment policy.

• An application and an amended five-year plan for the expenditure of the City’s grant award of permanent local housing allocation funding, as set forth in this report and its attachments, to provide and preserve affordable housing to Very Low, Low, Moderate, and Workforce Income households in Pasadena. On February 26, 2020, the State of California issued a Notice of Funding Availability announcing the availability of approximately $195 million in grant funds under the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program Formula Component from funds deposited into the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund during calendar year 2019. The funds are available to local jurisdictions statewide. Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds are provided pursuant to Senate Bill 2, which authorizes the State to allocate a portion of the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund monies to local governments for eligible housing and homelessness activities.

• A budget amendment appropriating a total of $1.9 million consisting of $1.2 million from the Inclusionary Housing Trust Fund unappropriated fund balance, $500,000 from the HOME Fund unappropriated fund balance, and $203,121 from the Housing Successor Fund unappropriated fund balance to the Housing Department’s Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget to fund the proposed City loan for the Door of Hope Transitional Housing Project. Door of Hope proposes to convert the Property to transitional housing use by renovating the main residence, demolishing the rear structure, and constructing an additional 10,000 sq. ft. of habitable building space extending from the main residence to the rear of the parcel. The completed project, to be named the David and Katherine Lee Home, would provide living accommodations for up to 20 client households (single mothers, single fathers, and two-parent families with children).

• Amendments to Fiscal Year 2024 adopted operating budget. Throughout the fiscal year, budgetary adjustments are necessary to account for unanticipated changes to the adopted budget. These revenue and appropriation amendments are presented to the City Council for consideration.

• Authorization to increase a contract with American Reclamation Inc. by $1.6 million and add two additional one-year options to provide material recovery processing. The Public Works Resource Recovery and Recycling Division actively manages integrated waste management services to over 27,000 households, including providing a variety of recycling opportunities. The Division operates a curbside recycling program that collects approximately 7,800 tons of recyclable material per year. To achieve the success of this program, Public Works contracts with material recovery processing vendors to properly divert recyclable materials from landfills.

• Recognize and appropriate $29,142 from the California State Library to the Department of Libraries and Information Services’ Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget to support the lunch at the library grant projects. For the fourth consecutive year, the Pasadena Public Library has successfully secured the Lunch at the Library grant funded by the California State Library and the State of California. Pasadena Public Library’s award of $29,142 will support the operation of a United States Department of Agriculture summer meal sites and extend pop-up libraries to other United States Department of Agriculture community meal sites in Pasadena. The awarded funds will be utilized to furnish children and teens up to the age of 18 with books, fostering the creation of home libraries, and offering enriching opportunities alongside summer meals.

• Authorize the City Manager to execute all agreements for the receipts of low carbon transit operations program funds in the amount of $4,434 from the City of Montebello. The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program is part of the California Climate Investments program designed to assist transit agencies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The California Department of Transportation, in coordination with the California Air Resources Board, administers the program. On January 18, 2023, the City of Montebello approached the Department of Transportation agreeing to contribute $4,434 of their Fiscal Year 22 Low Carbon Transit Operations Program allocation to an already approved Pasadena Low Carbon Transit Operations Program project, the Pasadena Purchase of one 23-Foot Battery Electric Bus. This one zero-emission bus will replace one unleaded cutaway bus that has reached its useful life. Funds from this grant program will be provided to the City upfront, in advance of the purchase of the bus. Staff will return to the City Council in 2024 to consider authorization of the vehicle procurement.

• Adopt the Final Draft Pasadena Pedestrian Transportation Action Plan as a final document providing an implementation plan for city-wide corridor-long safety improvements. This will allow the City to advance concept plans and pursue the necessary grant funding to build elements in the Plan. The Draft Pedestrian Transportation Action Plan was initiated by City staff in January 2021. The planning process included robust community outreach efforts guided by Day One, a community-based partner, and an advisory committee of community members and stakeholders. The technical evaluation process included an assessment of existing pedestrian conditions and an analysis of datasets that considered equity, safety, connectivity, and access. Through this technical evaluation, the team identified 25 priority corridors within the City, narrowing them down to 10 high-priority corridors that demonstrated vast potential for securing competitive grant funding, providing equitable outcomes, and an actionable set of improvements. Per Municipal Services Committee action on February 13, 2024, California Boulevard was added as a top high priority, bringing the total to 11 top high-priority corridors. This list does not preclude pedestrian-focused improvements on other City streets. Department of Transportation staff actively seeks opportunities to make Pasadena streets safe for all users.