DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Veronica Carrillo, COVID-19 Executive Officer
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
An ordinance accepting certain COVID-19 related grants, authorizing an agreement with Bexar County in the amount of $5,500,000 for administration and direct Emergency Rental Assistance, authorizing a lease and operating agreements in connection with a low barrier homeless hotel, and amending and authorizing several Health Department and Human Services Agreements.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the following actions:
A) Acceptance of certain grants in the amount of $35.5 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) and appropriating funds
B) Execution of two agreements for the lease and operation of a low-barrier emergency shelter hotel in the amount of $2.9 million
i. Execution of a lease agreement with Om shree shiv Shakti LLC d/b/a Days Inn Downtown Riverwalk located at 902 East Houston Street, San Antonio, TX 78205 in the amount of $1.17 million.
ii. Execution of a contract with SaMMinistries to operate a low-barrier emergency shelter hotel for individuals experiencing homelessness up to an amount of $1.73 million.
C) Execution/Amendment of Agreements related to the Health Implementation Plan:
i. Authorizing an extension to the current agreement with Angel Staffing, Inc. to provide temporary emergency staffing of clinical support and epidemiologists. The contract extension is in the amount of $1 million.
ii. Execution of an agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Pathology to provide SARS-CoV-2 variant sequencing and data analysis in the amount of $200,000.
D) Execution of an agreement with Bexar County in the amount of $5.5 million for administration and direct Emergency Rental Assistance.
E) Acceptance of certain grants in the amount of $302.1 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and appropriating funds.
F) Execution/Extension of Agreements related to addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities
i. Authorizing an extension to the current agreement with University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to perform case investigation and contact tracing in the amount of $820,704.
ii. Authorizing an extension to a professional services agreement with University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Medicine for services from the Division of Infections Disease for Dr. Barbara Taylor to provide services for the Community Response and Equity Coalition (CREC) in the amount of $200,000.
iii. Execution of a professional services agreement with the Health Collaborative for referral services to a community health worker hub in the amount of $1 million.
iv. Execution of a professional services agreement with the Jewish Family Center to provide school-based mental health services in the amount of $500,000.
v. Execution of a professional services agreement with Communities in Schools for Domestic Violence Counseling Services for youth and their families in the amount of $800,000.
vi. Execution of an agreement with Texas Department of State Health Services for Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data in the amount of $575,000.
This ordinance would also authorize the expenditure, reimbursement, and allocation of funds, and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute any necessary agreements in accordance with federal grant criteria for the purpose of implementing the programs and priorities identified in this memorandum.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
COVID-19 Health Implementation Plan, Recovery & Resiliency Plan and Other CARES Programs
The City of San Antonio began responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic in early February 2020. San Antonio, like many other cities across the country, were impacted by the pandemic including an increased unemployment rate, reduction in city revenues, and impacts on certain economic sectors including the hospitality and travel industries.
In April 2020, the City Council approved an Emergency Housing Assistance program to assist San Antonio residents negatively impacted by COVID-19 with rental and mortgage assistance. Later in June 2020, the City Council approved a Recovery and Resiliency Plan aimed to help San Antonio, workers, and businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The work is comprised of four pillars: Workforce Development, Housing Security, Small Business Support, and Digital Inclusion. Each pillar is comprised of multiple initiatives with identified budgets for each initiative.
In addition, City Council approved a plan to fund the City’s ongoing emergency response to the pandemic and a Health Implementation Plan.
Since June 2020, the City Council has been provided with several updates on the financial and program performance of the COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Plan, Emergency Response, Health Implementation Plan and Other CARES Programs. The total program has increased since April 2020 with funding from federal grants and operating funds to $649.1 million.
A) As part of the Health Implementation Plan, City’s Recovery and Resiliency Plan, and Other CARES Programs this ordinance authorizes the acceptance of $35,472,225 in grant funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) for the following purposes and consistent with the briefing provided to the City Council on June 2, 2021:
|
Program |
Grant |
Amount |
|
Health Implementation Plan |
COVID-19 Vaccination Plan |
$15,116,688 |
|
Health Implementation Plan |
Reach Supplemental Funds |
629,640 |
|
Housing Security |
Texas Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program |
500,000 |
|
Other Programs - Airport |
International Airport Operations |
10,084,776 |
|
Other Programs - Airport |
International Airport Concessions |
1,075,791 |
|
Other Programs - Airport |
Stinson Airport |
57,162 |
|
Other Programs - Human Services |
Head Start |
1,012,460 |
|
Other Programs - Human Services |
Child Care Services Program |
6,995,708 |
|
Total |
$35,472,225 |
B) As part of the City’s Recovery and Resiliency Plan Housing Security Pillar, this ordinance authorizes the execution of two agreements for the lease and operation of a low-barrier emergency shelter hotel. This shelter will complement existing emergency shelters in Bexar County and will serve single individuals with significant and multiple barriers to housing, and for those who often struggle in communal environments. The Human Services Department outreach team and outreach partners will make available these hotel rooms to individuals living in encampments and other places not meant for habitation.
i. Execution of a lease agreement with Om shree shiv Shakti LLC d/b/a Days Inn Downtown Riverwalk located at 902 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205 in the amount of $1.17 million.
ii. Execution of a contract with SaMMinistries to operate a low-barrier emergency shelter hotel for individuals experiencing homelessness in the amount up to $1.7 million.
C) As part of the City’s Health Implementation Plan, this ordinance authorizes the following agreements:
i. Authorizing an amendment to the current agreement with Angel Staffing, Inc. to provide temporary emergency staffing for activities emergency clinical support and epidemiologist in the amount of $1 million.
ii. Execution of an agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Pathology to provide SARS-CoV-2 variant sequencing and data analysis in the amount of $200,000.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA)
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law by the President. ARPA presents a once in a generation opportunity to address disparities and invest in key governmental supports in communities across the country.
Based on preliminary information, the City is expected to receive $465.5 million in ARPA funds from the U.S. Treasury for State and Local Recovery, Housing Security, Health Disparities and Head Start program. Of this amount, the City has received notice that it has been awarded $302,111,188.
D) Acceptance of certain grants in the amount of $302.1 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and appropriating funds as shown in the next table and consistent with the presentation to City Council on June 2, 2021.
|
Grant/Program |
Amount |
|
Fiscal Recovery - State and Local Funds |
$163,459,704* |
|
San Antonio International Airport Operations |
38,290,000 |
|
Emergency Rental Assistance |
49,698,202 |
|
COVID-19 Health Disparities |
26,596,171 |
|
HOME Investment Partnerships Program |
20,042,085 |
|
Head Start |
4,025,026 |
|
Total |
$302,111,188 |
* First tranche of funding. Next tranche is anticipated in May 2022.
E) As part of the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant, this ordinance authorizes the following agreements:
i. Authorizing an extension to the current agreement with University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to perform case investigation and contact tracing in the amount of $820,704.
ii. Authorizing an extension to a professional services agreement with University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Medicine for services from the Division of Infections Disease for Dr. Barbara Taylor to provide services for the Community Response and Equity Coalition (CREC) in the amount of $200,000.
iii. Authorizing an extension to a professional services agreement with the Health Collaborative for referral services to a community health worker hub in the amount of $1 million.
iv. Execution of a professional services agreement with the Jewish Family Center to provide school-based mental health services in the amount of $500,000.
v. Execution of a professional services agreement with Communities in Schools for Domestic Violence Counseling Services for youth and their families in the amount of $800,000.
vi. Execution of an agreement with Texas Department of State Health Services for Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data in the amount of $575,000.
ISSUE:
An ordinance accepting certain COVID-19 related grants, authorizing an agreement with Bexar County in the amount of $5,500,000 for administration and direct Emergency Rental Assistance, authorizing a lease and operating agreements in connection with a low barrier homeless hotel, and amending and authorizing several Health Department and Human Services Agreements.
ALTERNATIVES:
If not passed, the City will be unable to use the additional federal funds to respond to and recover from COVID-19 pandemic.
FISCAL IMPACT:
A) The acceptance of $35,472,225 in grant funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) will increase the COVID-19 Health Implementation, the Recovery and Resiliency Plan and Other CARES Programs as follows:
|
Program ($ in Millions) |
Budget |
This ordinance |
Revised Budget |
|
Emergency Response |
$175.5 |
$0.0 |
$175.5 |
|
Health Implementation |
75.5 |
15.8 |
91.3 |
|
Recovery& Resiliency |
314.3 |
.5 |
314.8 |
|
Other CARES Programs |
83.8 |
19.2 |
103 |
|
Total |
$649.1 |
$35.5 |
$684.6 |
B) Funds for the execution of two agreements for the lease and operation of a low-barrier emergency shelter hotel in the amount of $2.9 million are available from the Recovery and Resiliency Plan, Housing Security Pillar previously appropriated funds.
C) Funds for the agreements related to the Health Implementation plan in the amount of $1.2 million are available from the Health Implementation plan previously appropriated Funds.
D) The City will receive $5.5 million from Bexar County funded by Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA-1) funds received from the US Department of Treasury for the administration and direct Emergency Rental Assistance.
E) Acceptance of grants in the amount of $302.1 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will be deposited in a new ARPA Fund to account for the use of these funds.
F) Funds for the agreements related to addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities in the amount of $3.9 are available form the ARPA COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends acceptance approval of this ordinance.