HomeMy WebLinkAbout21 - Approval of Two-year Amendment to Grant Agreement with Trellis InternationalQ �EwPpRT
CITY OF
s NEWPORT BEACH
`q44:09 City Council Staff Report
August 23, 2022
Agenda Item No. 21
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311,
dawebb@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Theresa Schweitzer, Public Works Finance / Administrative
Manager, tchweitzer@newportbeachca.gov
PHONE: 949-644-3335
TITLE: Approval of Two-year Amendment to Grant Agreement with Trellis
International
Trellis International (Trellis), a non-profit organization, is approaching the one-year
anniversary of its grant agreement with the City of Newport Beach (City). Trellis'
Community Impact Team (CIT) program provides voluntary labor wherein current and
former homeless individuals, working to re-enter stable employment and housing,
participate in needed work projects throughout the City. Through these projects, the
participants develop/refine regular scheduled attendance, direction and instruction;
increase levels of work abilities; and develop other job skills and traits needed to re-enter
the job market. With the successful implementation of this program over the last year,
staff requests City Council approval of a two-year amendment to the current grant
agreement in the amount of $50,000 per year for providing approximately 156 City -
defined work projects each year. As with the initial grant phase, Trellis would be
responsible for all supervision, transportation and oversight of the volunteers.
RECOMMENDATION:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because
this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Approve Amendment No. One to the Grant Agreement with Trellis International (C-
8769-1) to increase the total grant amount by $100,000 for a total grant award of up
to $130,000 and extend the term by two years to September 14, 2024; and
c) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreement
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Approval of Two-year Amendment to Grant Agreement with Trellis International
August 23, 2022
Page 2
Trellis is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Costa Mesa that works to close the
loop with homeless and housing insecure individuals by assisting them in re-entering the
workforce and eventually returning to a self-sustaining level of employment and thereby
shelter. As part of the City's effort to identify, evaluate and work to render assistance and
aid to homeless individuals within the City in the form of connecting them with needed
medical/mental or social services, and then into housing, the next step for these
individuals is regaining or transitioning back into a stable employment position.
Understanding this, Trellis approached the City a year ago to discuss its Community
Impact Team (CIT) program. The CIT arm of Trellis is an innovative program that creates
voluntary service projects in partnership with local businesses, municipalities, other non-
profits, the faith community, and community or resident groups. CIT participants volunteer
to undertake projects within the community, gaining valuable work experience and skills,
while at the same time receiving necessary basic support and assistance for their service.
On September 14, 2021, the City Council awarded Trellis a $30,000 grant agreement to
provide a minimum of eight City -defined work projects each month over a one-year term,
or 96 projects annually.
Trellis provides its volunteers supervision, water, snacks, transportation to and from the
work project site, and access to restroom facilities. All volunteers at the work project site
are clearly identifiable in a Trellis -provided team t-shirt, CIT safety vest, and hat.
Volunteers have continuous supervision during the project and Trellis requires all
volunteers to be well presented and professional by adhering to the CIT zero -tolerance
policy for objectional behavior, such as foul language, smoking, and drug/alcohol use.
Work projects are conducted by teams of three to four volunteers, including one
supervising team leader.
Throughout the last year, Trellis has proven to be a very reliable partner. Its
representatives consistently show up for meetings and scheduled work projects and go
above and beyond in the execution of the project. At the end of the original one-year term,
the CIT will have completed 99 projects throughout the City, provided around 2,000 hours
of volunteer service, and removed over 500 bags of trash and debris from City streets,
parks and beaches. At the end of June and throughout the remainder of this summer, the
CIT concentrated its efforts at City beaches, around Newport Pier and Balboa Pier,
picking up trash and changing out trash cans to further assist with the clean-up of the
heavily impacted public beach areas. As the City closes out this first grant year with the
Trellis CIT program, there are now multiple success stories of CIT participants finding
housing and jobs after going through this program, some of these can be found in
Attachment B. Recently, two individuals experiencing homelessness have seen the CIT
working on the beaches and were motivated to come to CIT meetings and get involved
with the Trellis program.
For these reasons, and as staff sees that this Trellis -led, grass -roots program is a true
win -win for the community and the participants, staff requests City Council approval to
amend the grant agreement to extend the term two additional years and to increase the
annual grant amount, proportionally paid out monthly, from $30,000 to $50,000 to provide
for an increased number of work projects. Under the amended grant agreement, Trellis
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Approval of Two-year Amendment to Grant Agreement with Trellis International
August 23, 2022
Page 3
would provide four -person volunteer teams to undertake two City -defined work projects
each week during the months of October through April, four City -defined work projects
each week during the summer months of May through September, and eight as -needed
City -defined work projects throughout the year, resulting in approximately 156 work
projects each year. This will allow continuity over the year with work projects throughout
the City, additional efforts at the beaches during the busy summer months, and flexibility
to address special projects without reducing efforts elsewhere.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adopted budget includes sufficient funding for this agreement. It will be expensed to
the Contract Services account in the Public Works Department Streets section, 0108061-
811017. These grant funds are distributed to Trellis on a monthly basis and the grant
agreement does include standard termination language should the City or Trellis wish to
discontinue the program in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment)
and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no
potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of
the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A — Amendment No. One
Attachment B — Trellis Community Impact Team (CIT) Celebration Stories
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ATTACHMENT A
AMENDMENT NO. ONE TO
GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH AND
TRELLIS INTERNATIONAL
THIS AMENDMENT NO. ONE TO GRANT AGREEMENT ("Amendment No. One")
is made and entered into as of this 23rd day of August, 2022 ("Effective Date}, by and
between the CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH, a California municipal corporation and charter
city ("City"), and TRELLIS INTERNATIONAL, a Cafrfomia nonprofit corporation
("Grantee's, whose address is 711 W 17th St, Suite E5 Costa Mesa, CA 92627, and is
made with reference to the following:
RECITALS
A. On September 15, 2021, City and Grantee entered into a Grant Agreement
("Agreement") for Grantee's Voluntary Service Project Labor ("Grant Proposal") in
accordance with City Council's approval of a grant in the amount of Thirty
Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($30,000.00) ("Grant Funds") to Grantee pursuant
to certain conditions regarding expenditure, reporting, and accounting
requirements.
B. The parties desire to enter into this Amendment No. One to increase the award of
Grant Funds to Grantee, modify the Scope of Services, and extend the term of the
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed by and between the undersigned parties
as follows:
1. GRANT
The amount of the Grant Funds under the Agreement is increased by $100,000.00
for a revised, total Grant Funds amount of $130,000.00. Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of the
Agreement are amended as follows:
"1.1 City awards to Grantee grant funding in the amount of One Hundred Thirty
Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($130,000.00) ("Grant Funds"), of which $30,000.00 is
pursuant to Grantee's initial Grant Proposal attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated
herein by reference, and $100,000.00 is pursuant to the Grant Proposal attached hereto
as Exhibit A-1 and incorporated herein by reference.
1.2 Grant Funds shall be disbursed by City to Grantee by the 15th of each
month, in equal installments of Two Thousand Six Hundred Dollars and 00/100
($2,600.00) for the first twelve (12) months of the Agreement, in equal installments of
Four Thousand Two Hundred Dollars and 00/100 ($4,200.00) for the subsequent twenty
three (23) months of the Agreement, and one (1) final payment of Three Thousand Four
Hundred Dollars and 00/100 ($3,400.00) for the final month of the Agreement."
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2. TERM
Section 2 of the Agreement is amended in its entirety and replaced with the
following: "The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall
continue in full force and effect until September 14, 2024, unless terminated earlier as
provided herein."
3. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Exhibit A to the Agreement shall be supplemented by the attached Exhibit A-1.
4. USE OF GRANT FUNDS
Section 5.1 of the Agreement shall be amended in its entirety and replaced with
the following:
"5.1 The Grant Funds shall be used solely by Grantee for the Approved Uses and
for no other use. In the event that the Grant Funds are not used for the Approved Uses
or are not expended by or before September 14, 2024, Grantee shall notify the City in
writing, and shall be obligated to return the Grant Funds to City within thirty (30) days."
5. INTEGRATED CONTRACT
Except as expressly modified herein, all other provisions, terms, and covenants
set forth in the Agreement shall remain unchanged and shall be in full force and effect.
[SIGNATURES ON NEXT PAGE]
Trellis International Page 2
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment No. One to be
executed on the dates written below.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORN�Y'§ OFFICE
Date:
By: 4-
V"Att
Harp ti
orney
ATTEST:
Date:
Leilani I. Brown
City Clerk
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH,
a California municipal corporation
Date:
BV:
Kevin Muldoon
Mayor
GRANTEE: Trellis International, a
California nonprofit corporation
Date:
By:
Ian Stevenson
Chief Executive Officer
Date:
By:
Rachel Maxfield
Chief Financial Officer
[END OF SIGNATURES]
Attachments: Exhibit A-1 — Grant Proposal
Trellis International Page 3
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EXHIBIT A-1
GRANT PROPOSAL
Trellis International Page A-1 21-7
Exhibit A-1
Trellis International Requirements for Participants and Work Project Tiers
In general, Trellis International requires all volunteers, regardless of Tier, to be sober, with moderate -
to -excellent level of cleanliness, wear a Trellis Team T-shirt, Community Impact Team (CIT) safety
vest, hat and closed -toe shoes, and adhere to the CIT zero -tolerance policy for foul language or other
objectional behavior, such as smoking on -site, and/or drug/alcohol use.
Trellis International shall, as a recipient of the grant, complete a minimum of 2 or more work projects in
Newport Beach each week during the months of October through April and 4 or more work projects
each week during the months of May through September. In performing volunteer work, Trellis
International, recognizes that the City does not have public restrooms at all locations where volunteer
projects are being performed and will provide restroom facilities or transport volunteers to restroom
facilities, as needed.
Work project examples shown below.
Tier One
Participant Profile
Examples of Potential Work Projects
New to program or reliability untested
Trash and debris pick-up in public areas
Requires oversight and direction
Vegetation trim and cut back
Suitable for low -stress projects
Vegetation cleanup and removal
Low level of interaction with public
Sweeping, raking public areas
Other suitable projects
Tier Two
Participant Profile Examples of Potential Work Projects
Moderate to high level of reliability Bay or Beach clean-up
Good team member/potential leader Tree/Bush planting
Commitment to the project, CIT and the Moderate traffic area clean-up such as Trails,
City Parking Lots, Piers and Docks, CdM, etc.
Clean Park BBQs, Picnic areas
Graffiti/Sticker removal,
Clean stains/gum/etc. from hardscape and other
amenities
Sweeping, raking, washing public areas
Low exposure arterial trash clean-up walk
Tier Three
Participant Profile
Examples of Potential Work Projects
Team Leader
High population area clean-up
High level of responsibility
School perimeter clean-up
Requires little oversight. Self-starter
Miscellaneous Waste disposal and clean-up
Exemplary appearance and behavior
Graffiti/Sticker removal,
Eager to advance
Clean stains/gum/etc. from hardscape and other
amenities
Sweeping, raking, washing public areas
High exposure arterial trash cleanup walk
Tier Four
Participant Profile
Examples of Potential Work Projects
Proven Team Leader
High -exposure area maintenance
Committed to personal advancement
Semi -challenging projects
High level of trust and reliability
Painting projects
Minor repair work to public amenities
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Attachment B
Trellis Community Impact Team (CIT) — Some Recent Celebration Stories
Armando: Armando was one of the first participants that came from The Lighthouse
Nazarene. Armando lost his job and work opportunities due to COVID-19 and fell into
his addiction. During this time, he got connected with CIT and was showing great
promise as a team member. During one of the projects the owner of a restaurant
expressed an interest in hiring the volunteers from the previous project. After Armando
expressed interest in the job, he went through training and passed. Then he was hired
on as a full-time staff member.
Brett: Brett was another first participant. Due to being off work during COVID-19, he
found himself in spiral with his addiction. He initially started with CIT projects during the
week litter picking and cleaning various Newport Beach locations. After two weeks of
hard work, he decided he was going to try and get back his job in the union that he was
previously with prior to experiencing homelessness. He is still currently working in this
position and has now since found housing.
Hilda: Hilda was one of the first female team members to join the CIT. She was one of
the hardest working members to date. She never missed a work assignment, or team
meeting without notifying a team member. She lost work due to a divorce that spiraled
out during COVID-19. She was offered 3 positions for work from CIT project providers
but decided to head back to Mexico during the peak of COVID-19.
Savannah: Savannah found herself experiencing homelessness when she lost her
apartment and possessions during COVID-19. Her son went to live with her mother.
Savannah was a committed CIT team member that always worked hard and showed up
on time to volunteer projects. Over a period of a few months, Savanah developed a
relationship with her mother and son again. During the holidays in 2021, she was
welcomed back home with her son and mother where she currently resides.
Manny: Manny was living out of his truck and looking for opportunities as his jobs fell
through during COVID-19. Due to his schedule, he wasn't able to attend every Saturday
meeting, but he would call each week to find out where he could help. He was utilized in
the event a team member would call off for a project. After weeks of work, Manny was
able to get connected with a business that he completed a project for on CIT. The
business ended up hiring Manny to join their team.
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Irene: Irene joined the program due to her situation of couch/room surfing during
COVID-19. She was always willing to work and was an active member of CIT. During
CIT she expressed wanting to go back to school and finish her degree to try and obtain
work in her specific field of study. After working numerous projects and saving up, she
applied to college and was accepted at Cal State Fullerton and enrolled in classes for
the spring 2022 semester.
Dana: Dana was in and out of housing, then lost everything during COVID-19. She
was connected to the shelter and they connected her with CIT. She was a committed
team member and the first individual to work a project solo. Since that time, she has
been responsible for cleaning a local company's office on Saturdays. After working
multiple projects for a business partner, she was hired full time for a business that
continues to provide CIT with opportunities for those experiencing homelessness. Dana
is still actively involved with CIT and now part of the woman's small group.
Melissa: Melissa was living at the Newport Pier following her divorce during COVID-19.
Due to being physically harmed, Melissa was hesitant to look for help, after joining CIT
she was able to get connected to the shelter and move off the streets. Through a total
transformation and her own hard work, she is now a team leader for CIT, an active
member at The Crossing Church, and currently in a woman's small group. She is in the
position to gain housing and actively looking to help and give back!
Sharon: Sharon was hit hard during COVID-19, her fiance lost his life and because of it
she lost her home. After being on the streets, she was connected to the local shelter
and joined CIT. During her time with CIT, she has developed into a committed team
member and now leads projects. She was connected to housing, but it fell through. She
is actively participating in every opportunity available. She is currently working on
housing and playing an active role in CIT team leadership.
Louie: Louie was living on the streets for more than 10 years; he was a street warrior
and took pride in it. After a few conversations during outreach, he was able to get
connected with CIT. Although when he started with CIT he was still living on the streets,
he has since received his license, Social Security card, and housing. All because he
checked himself into the shelter and worked with a coordinator while still working with
CIT. He is now off the streets, in housing and looking for full time work.
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