Title
Site Recommendations for One-Stop Assistance Center for the Homeless (B)
This item includes a detailed explanation of the site evaluation and selection process and presents the City Commission with recommendations for a site for the One-Stop Assistance Center for the Homeless.
Explanation
Pursuant to the award of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the One-Stop Assistance Center, staff has completed a search for appropriate sites. More than 125 sites, public and private, in all quadrants of the City were identified and reviewed (see Attachment A in back-up materials). In addition to considering public property owned by the City, City staff also contacted the County Manager and the Executive Director of Facilities for the Alachua County School Board to determine if these entities had surplus property which could be considered.
The site selection process evaluated sites based upon the criteria approved by the City Commission at the December 11, 2006 meeting. The process also evaluated the suitability of sites based on the services to be provided at the Center, which include, but are not limited to, case management, personal care including showers and laundry facilities, and meal distribution. These services are expected to be provided to more than 100 clients per day.
As a result of the above factors, most of the sites were eliminated for one or more of the following reasons:
1) Many existing facilities could not be renovated at a reasonable cost to accommodate the personal care services (showers, laundry) to be provided.
2) Many existing facilities and sites could not provide adequate space for the large number of clients expected for meal distribution and/or social interaction.
3) Even if the site and/or facility were adequate in size for the one-stop center services, appropriate buffers to protect existing neighborhoods could not be provided. This was especially true of leased spaces which are primarily located in existing neighborhoods.
4) Some sites and facilities which could accommodate the services were too expensive. For example, a building on ten acres for sale in northwest Gainesville was more than $10 million. Another 10,000 square foot building in southwest Gainesville was more than $2 million.
The back-up materials include a detailed explanation of the process utilized for site evaluation and recommendations, including:
1. Description of an alternate approach to site selection.
Due to the difficulty in finding existing lease space that meets the program needs and site criteria, this approach utilizes vacant land for placement of a modular building.
2. The rezoning process which will be required for all sites.
3. Site recommendations
Six sites were evaluated against the approved site selection criteria (Attachment B in the back-up materials).
Staff is recommending that the City Commission select one of two sites for the One-Stop Assistance Center for the Homeless:
a) 3335 N. Main Terrace, a leased facility OR
b) City-owned land north of 39th Avenue on Waldo Road.
Details on each site are provided in the back-up materials in Attachments C and D.
As requested, staff is also providing four alternative sites for consideration (Attachment E). However, these sites do not meet the programmatic needs or the approved site evaluation criteria as well as the recommended sites.
Photographs of sample modular buildings which could be placed on vacant land are shown in Attachment F of the back-up materials.
4. A recommended process for selection of the site by the City Commission.
This process would decrease neighborhood anxiety over sites that will not be considered by the City Commission. The process is detailed in the back-up materials and provides for the City Commission to identify two sites which will be considered for the Center, utilizing a rank voting process if needed. All other sites would be eliminated from consideration prior to the public discussion.
Fiscal Note
Based on the budget needs and current funding identified for the operation of the one-stop center, approximately $67,000 per year is available for all costs associated with the lease or purchase of the facility. In addition, the City Commission has been setting aside $50,000 per year for capital costs associated with the one-stop center;
approximately $100,000 is currently available for building renovation and/or site development costs. The costs vary by site and approach and estimates have not been provided at this time. The City Commission action would be contingent upon negotiations, funding commitments from the County and identification of any additional funds that might be needed based on these cost estimates.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) Select a site for the One-Stop Assistance Center for the Homeless, subject to City Attorney approval, authorize staff to negotiate a lease, lease with a purchase option or lease-purchase agreement for the selected site, contingent upon: a) Confirmation of adequate funding, divided equally between the City and Alachua County Board of County Commissioners; b) Rezoning of the property; and c) Conducting due diligence to confirm environmental and engineering suitability of site for intended use; and 2) Authorize staff to proceed with rezoning of the property, including development or execution of needed documents and conducting a neighborhood meeting pursuant to rezoning process.