Title
a. Receive a presentation in response to Board Referral No. 2024.13 (Alejo) on the history of Recurso de Fuerza, a low barrier navigation center currently in development in partnership with the County of Santa Cruz;
b. Consider the following options for renaming Recurso de Fuerza:
a) Retain the name Recurso de Fuerza;
b) Rename the program Casitas de Fuerza; or
c) Direct staff to rename the project through a public engagement process; and
c. Provide direction as necessary.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a presentation in response to Board Referral No. 2024.13 (Alejo) on the history of Recurso de Fuerza, a low barrier navigation center currently in development in partnership with the County of Santa Cruz;
b. Consider the following options for renaming Recurso de Fuerza:
a) Retain the name Recurso de Fuerza;
b) Rename the program Casitas de Fuerza; or
c) Direct staff to rename the project through a public engagement process; and
b. Provide direction as necessary.
SUMMARY:
Referral No. 2024.13 was submitted by Supervisor Alejo, requesting the renaming of Recurso de Fuerza Village ("RdF Village"), a 34-bed, non-congregate, low-barrier navigation center currently in the building phase in Watsonville, California.
The purpose of this presentation is to inform the Board of Supervisors about the contextual background of the existing project name, Recurso de Fuerza, which translates to "Resource of Strength", and receive further direction on either keeping the name or renaming the project.
RdF Village is a product of a collaborative partnership between the Counties of Monterey (“County”) and Santa Cruz (“COSC”). Under the terms of this partnership, Monterey County has secured funding for construction and start-up costs and is serving as the lead entity on site development and implementation. According to a Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on February 27, 2024, both counties intend to transfer ownership of the units to Santa Cruz County, with the process to be finalized no later than June 30, 2026. Given the temporary nature of Monterey County’s ownership of RdF Village, County staff are actively working among key stakeholders, including the County of Santa Cruz, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, and Westview Presbyterian Church to ensure all parties agree to decisions of the County.
DISCUSSION:
County staff have coordinated closely with COSC throughout the project’s development, including the visioning and design stages that shaped the grant proposal. To prepare for the grant application, the County Homeless Services Director engaged the former County-funded outreach team from CSUMB’s Center for Community Health Engagement to conduct outreach and assess the needs of individuals residing along the Pajaro River.
The project’s partners, including the property owner, Westview Presbyterian Church, agreed to allow encampment occupants the opportunity to name the low-barrier navigation center, with the goal of fostering a sense of ownership and hope for future residents. On February 27, 2023, the County submitted the Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) application, where the response to Question 24: “How were persons with lived experience meaningfully incorporated into the planning and proposed implementation of this proposal? Please identify whether any perspectives were incorporated from persons who are currently unsheltered and/or formerly or currently residing within the prioritized encampment,” was that the name Recurso de Fuerza was selected by the encampment occupants.
Recurso de Fuerza is listed as the official name of the navigation center in several key documents, including the Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) project proposal to the State, County-administered standard agreements and contracts administered by other funding partners.
Potential impacts of renaming the project include:
1. Disrupt the trust of future program participants: Overriding the name selected by the encampment occupants may undermine the efforts of community-based organizations striving to build and sustain rapport with the occupants.
2. Increased Administrative Workload: Additional time and resources will be required from staff to update internal and external documents.
3. State Engagement: Coordination with the State may be necessary to determine whether a name change would impact the project’s scoring on the approved application as it was listed as the response to community engagement.
4. Community Engagement Coordination: Development and implementation of a comprehensive community engagement process, in collaboration with the County of Santa Cruz, Westview Presbyterian Church, and Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County and reengage the encampment residents asking them to choose a different name.
5. Modification of Agreements: Amendments will be needed for existing County standard agreements.
6. Funder Coordination: Engagement with other funding partners to update agreements and documents, managed by other entities.
7. Additional Community Outreach: Additional communication may be required to mitigate potential confusion resulting from the name change within the local community.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
Recurso de Fuerza is a partnership between the County Administrative Office Homelessness Strategies and Initiatives Division, County of Santa Cruz Human Services Department, California Housing and Community Development, California Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Central California Alliance on Health, Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, Persons with Lived Experience, Community Health Engagement, and Westview Presbyterian Church.
FINANCING:
This report has no impacts on General Funds.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals [Include one or two sentences referencing the Ordinance, Code, Board Order/Resolution, etc. in relation to this selection]:
____ Well-Being and Quality of Life
____ Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
____ Safe and Resilient Communities
____ Diverse and Thriving Economy
____ Dynamic Organization and Employer of Choice
__X_Administrative: This presentation is in response to Board Referral #2024.13 regarding the renaming of a County-led program.
Link to the Strategic Plan:
<https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showdocument?id=139569>
Prepared by: Roxanne V. Wilson, County Homeless Services Director, ext. 5445
Approved by: Deborah Paolinelli, Assistant County Administrative Officer, ext. 5309
Attachments:
MOU with Santa Cruz County
Encampment Resolution Funding 2-R Notice of Funding Availability
Encampment Resolution Funding State Application
Presentation