DEPARTMENT: EastPoint & Real Estate Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Etienne
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 5
SUBJECT:
Short-term lease with the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) non-profit organization for 7,337 square feet of office area in a City-owned building located at 515 Castroville Road.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the ratification of a short-term lease with Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) and the City of San Antonio as landlord for use by RAICES of 7,337 square feet of property located at 515 Castroville Road in Council District 5 ending October 2, 2014 on a gratis basis in exchange for RAICES providing education and legal services to the immigrant community.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The space will be used by RAICES in support of their efforts to provide legal services to the immigrant community in response to the sudden influx of children into the United States from Central America. Under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Homeland Security a significant number of these unaccompanied minors are being sheltered in San Antonio at Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, putting particular strain on the local immigration infrastructure including judges, the Court system and attorneys that represent this constituency.
Utilizing grant funding that will expire October 2, 2014, RAICES will hire attorneys and support staff to address the immediate need for processing these children through the immigration system. The building at 515 Castroville Road, formerly known as the Benavidez Learning Center, is presently surplus to the City's needs and its location and layout are suitable for providing office space for the attorneys to be hired by RAICES in response to the grant received.
In cooperation with the government of the United States of America, the city has entered into a temporary lease in response to an urgent humanitarian need. City Council approval of this lease is now being requested.
ISSUE:
The City has been approached by a non-profit group working on the immigration issues facing South Texas and locally being addressed at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland. A public purpose is thereby created for necessary humanitarian assistance purposes in cooperation with the government of the United States of America to support the abatement of crowded conditions, health, welfare and safety of immigrant influx as well as overall security in areas encompassed by the City of San Antonio.
In recognition of that humanitarian need, City and RAICES agree that it is in the best interest of the City of San Antonio to provide Tenant temporary space to perform its functions and facilitate its mission.
Staff has entered into an agreement for use by RAICES of 7,337 square feet of property located at 515 Castroville Road for short-term ending October 2, 2014 in exchange for RAICES providing education and legal services for this purpose.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City could choose not to provide the building for RAICES short term office needs, but given the quickly evolving nature of the issue at hand and the need to resolve issues relative to the process of immigration law, it is in the best interest of the community to provide the use of this building to expedite the processing of immigrants currently housed at JBSA Lackland.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Under the terms of the lease, the monthly rent is gratis in exchange for RAICES providing education and legal services. A provision has also been inserted into the document providing that in the event RAICES receives funding to offset their cost of operation, they will reimburse the City the fair market value of the office space being provided in the amount of $10,000.00 per month.
Funding to operate the building has already been accounted for in the adopted FY 14 budget and RAICES use and occupancy of the building should have no adverse effect on existing budgets.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends ratification of a short-term lease with the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services for use of a 7,337 square foot portion of the City-owned building located at 515 Castroville Road.