1. The home on Douglas Avenue was owned by its operator, StarVista, as part of its program for youth housing, which, like many other programs offered by StarVista, was discontinued as part of the closure of StarVista’s operations. While StarVista’s dissolution is unfortunate, it created an opportunity to identify a new and improved site – one that will be owned by the County and allow for more programmatic and operational flexibility, as well as control over the property, including maintenance.

1. The County regularly reviews properties for sale and this site was identified because it meets our programmatic needs. The property is a 2,400 sq. ft. single-family home with 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, and a 2-car garage. The property offers great programmatic flexibility, including communal spaces for workshops, trainings and one-on-one supports. The site would allow us to maintain our existing relationships with partners such as the Sequoia Union High School District and its Menlo-Atherton High School, and access to public transportation via the two bus stops on Spring St., which is important since most of our program participants do not own cars.
   
   The County currently owns a property in South San Francisco where we successfully run a similar program and have established great relations with the neighbors. Our goal is to provide services throughout the County and this property will ensure we can serve the South County community. The plan is for the County, not the operator, to own and maintain the property. County facilities staff will be on site regularly to monitor the condition of the home and to complete maintenance and repair work as needed. There will also be a landscaper to ensure that the yards are well maintained and fit into the neighborhood.

1. It is not the County’s experience that residents of such youth housing sites have conflicts with neighbors and the surrounding community. Indeed, County staff recently reviewed records from the most recent two years of operations of the former StarVista site on Douglas Avenue and confirmed that the County did not receive any reports of destruction or disorderly conduct in the neighborhood and there were no 911 calls regarding any neighborhood-related disruption. The operator of this site can complete criminal background checks for residents, and they will be onsite and closely involved with the residents and their daily activities. Residents will have a curfew and be required to participate in productive activities during the day.

1. The program serves young adults who need support from the County and its partners to develop the skills and supports necessary to live independent lives. These are youth who for any number of reasons lack the family or personal supports that so many young people depend on as they mature into independent adults. Residents may be former foster youth, they may have exited unhealthy or unsafe living situations, or they may be on good terms with their families, but for whatever reason their families are unable to support them.

   The program is designed to help young people navigate services to address barriers to permanent housing. This program will include wrap-around services from Social Workers that are intended to support young people in their path to self-sufficiency.

1. While the staffing plan will be finalized with the selected service provider, as a general matter, there will always be adult staff onsite, 24 hours, 7 days a week, including a program manager, program coordinator and residential counselors. We anticipate that there will be at least two staff members on site during the day, and one at night. The overnight staff will not be residents; they will be working during the night shift.

   Case management services will include assessing residents for specialized services and connecting them to services such as job training, counseling, financial literacy training and other life skills training. The goal is to provide support while the young adults continue their path towards self-sufficiency. This program is not designed to be a long-term housing solution. Some residents may be ready to live independently relatively quickly, and for others, it may take longer.

1. Because of the limited availability of properties suitable for youth interim housing and the very competitive residential housing market in San Mateo County, it is more effective for the County to acquire a suitable property and then perform a solicitation to identify an appropriate provider for the program. The provider will be selected through a competitive process as required by the County’s rules and regulations in which all applicants are carefully screened for qualifications, experience, track record, and proposed service plan.

   The selected provider will be made public when a recommendation is submitted to the Board of Supervisors, which is projected to take place in December, pending Board approval to acquire the site. The Human Services Agency will require the selected provider to schedule a community event with the neighbors prior to program operations starting.

1. The property is a relatively large residential home which allows for programmatic and operational flexibility in terms of occupancy. At the meeting, we heard community concerns regarding the number of occupants and how occupancy levels may impact the neighborhood and the long-term stability and success of residents. After receiving this feedback, the County is planning to begin with no more than six residents at a time during the initial six months of operation. This phased approach will allow time for a smooth startup period and an opportunity for assessment to help ensure a successful launch of the new program.

What sorts of policies would be in place regarding things such as parking, curfew, visitors, and drug use

1. While the specific policies will be developed by the provider and may be revised and updated over time, as a general matter, the policies will be similar to those at our other sites. For example, they will establish a visitor policy that includes requirements such as specific hours during which visitors are allowed, a process for checking in and out for visits, and limiting visitors to common areas.

   We anticipate a curfew of 10 p.m., as is the norm at our similar sites, although for individual residents, the service provider may approve exceptions to accommodate work schedules. Illegal substances and drug use onsite will not be permitted or tolerated. Where appropriate and needed, residents will be connected with substance abuse and/or addiction services and treatment.

   We understand concerns about parking impacts in the neighborhood. Based on our experience, the youth served by the program typically do not own cars. To further address these concerns, we will collaborate with the program operator to create a plan that ensures all regular staff parking needs are accommodated on-site.