title
CC - CONSENT ITEM: Authorization of Payment to Culver City Hospitality, Inc. DBA Rodeway Inn for Costs Incurred Relating to Occupation by and Eviction of Former Internal Motel Voucher Program Clients, including Holding Client’s Belongings, Room Repairs, Room Downtime, and Legal Services in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $97,392.64.
body
Meeting Date: August 28, 2023
Contact Person/Dept: Tevis Barnes/ Housing and Human Services Department
Christina Stoffers/ Housing and Human Services Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5780
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/23/2023)
Department Approval: Tevis Barnes, Acting Housing and Human Services Director (8/1/2023)
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council authorize payment to Culver City Hospitality, Inc. DBA Rodeway Inn (Rodeway Inn) for costs incurred relating to occupation by and eviction of former Internal Motel Voucher Program clients, including holding client’s belongings, room repairs, room downtime, and legal services in an amount not-to-exceed $97,392.64.
BACKGROUND
After extensive outreach by the St. Joseph Center (SJC) Homeless Outreach Team and City staff, the City provided temporary housing placement to two Culver City unhoused clients (collectively, “Clients”) at the Rodeway Inn, paid for by the Housing and Human Services Internal Motel Voucher Program, starting November 19, 2019. Upon placing clients into temporary shelter at the Rodeway Inn in November 2019, several community partners including The People Concern (TPC) and St. Joseph’s Center worked with City staff to support Clients. These service providers performed dozens of in-person visits, provided application support for permanent housing options including Section 8 vouchers, assisted with living placement and Project Roomkey placement, and obtained vouchers for toiletries and other services. Despite these efforts, the Clients refused to communicate with outreach workers and service providers.
As motel vouchers are temporary in nature, the former Culver City Housing Division was forced to discontinue motel voucher payments on behalf of Clients at Rodeway Inn on October 4th, 2021, after multiple failed attempts to connect clients to permanent housing and supportive services. In February 2022, with payments discontinued, the owner of the Rodeway Inn retained legal representation through HDR Law Group (HDR) and initiated an eviction to remove Clients. Clients were evicted on September 8, 2022.
DISCUSSION
Culver City is dedicated to supporting its unhoused neighbors through a mix of housing, services, and outreach. Culver City values all its neighbors because staff knows individuals are all better off with a safe and stable place to call home. Though staff believe housing and homelessness issues are solvable, the problem cannot be fixed overnight, and every person the City serves has a unique experience that affects the relative success of the programs and services provided.
Consequently, it is distressful when unhoused neighbors are terminated from service coordination due to failure to participate in the housing and service options offered. After extensive attempts to work with Clients for over two and half years to obtain permanent housing and connect with supportive services, including mental health services, City staff and local supportive service providers reached an unavoidable endpoint for services that could be provided to Clients.
Culver City relies heavily on local motels like Rodeway Inn to provide safe and temporary housing for its unhoused population, specifically those who are a part of the Culver City Internal Motel Voucher Program. To maintain good standing with Rodeway Inn, staff is recommending the City Council authorize payment to Rodeway Inn for reimbursement of its costs incurred related to Clients’ occupation of and eviction from the Rodeway Inn.
Prior to transmittal of payment, Rodeway Inn will be required to sign a release of all claims related to Clients’ occupation of and eviction from the motel.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The cost of services related to Clients’ occupation of and eviction from the Rodeway Inn totals $97,392.64. The breakdown of charges is below:
• Invoice 1 - $3,818.30 (Held Belongings)
• Invoice 2 - $ 62,494.65 (Duration of Clients’ stay at Rodeway Inn past the date Culver City discontinued payment)
• Invoice 3 - $24,669.43 (Room Repairs + Room Downtime)
• Invoice 4 - $6,410.26 (HDR Legal Services for Rodeway Inn)
o Total = $97,392.64
(See Attachment 1 for more information regarding eviction invoices.)
There is sufficient funding in the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in Account No. 10135100.619830 (Housing Administration - Other Contractual Services Unhoused) to support this expenditure.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Rodeway Inn Invoices
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Authorize payment Culver City Hospitality, Inc. DBA Rodeway Inn for costs incurred relating to occupation by and eviction of former Internal Motel Voucher Program clients, including holding client’s belongings, room repairs, room downtime, and legal services in an amount not-to-exceed $97,392.64;
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.