Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Scott McCullough, Director

 

CC:

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

 

Date:

For August 4, 2009 City Commission Meeting

 

RE:

SUP-01-02-07 – Lawrence Community Shelter at 944 Kentucky St. – Update Memo

 

 

This memo provides additional information to the governing body based on questions staff received from Mayor Chestnut.

 

  1. How are guests that sleep outside on the property monitored at night?
    1. LCS response - The night staff are constantly up and around.  We have four staff and 2-3 volunteers between 8:00 and 10:00 pm and three all night staff after 10:00 pm, although one can be sleeping after 10:00 pm.  They are inside and outside, mostly outside, one each focusing on the two insides and the back outside.  There is not a set schedule to be inside or outside; they are constantly moving.  The four staff and 2-3 volunteers from 8:00 to 10:00 pm is an increase of 1.5 FTE staff and one volunteer over what we have had previous to the people coming from Salvation Army.  If we are approved for the full increase in capacity, I will add another all night staff person.

 

  1. What was the Salvation Army’s maximum occupancy at their shelter?
    1. LCS response – 42 was their maximum.  LCS has had varied numbers each night depending on the weather and the time of the month when people may be getting checks.

 

  1. LCS recently received $78,789 out of CDBG-R federal funds to complete improvements to 1242 Massachusetts Street in an effort to expand the LCS programs to this property for a time period of between 18 and 24 months.  That application was withdrawn.  Will the project at 944 Kentucky Street remain eligible to be reimbursed from this federal program recognizing that the desire of LCS and presumably the governing body is to relocate the shelter in a time period of less than 18 to 24 months?
    1. Staff response – The renovation project at 944 Kentucky would be eligible to receive the CDBG-R funds; however, depending on how long the shelter remains at 944 Kentucky and what activity might replace the sheltering activity, the funds may or may not need to be repaid.  Federal regulations require standards to be met with regard to CDBG funds when the expenditure exceeds $25,000.  Staff understands that the renovations to 944 Kentucky are estimated to cost just under $50,000, leaving approximately $29,000 of CDBG-R funds to re-allocate to another provider.
    2. LCS response – LCS is hoping to use the CDBG funds for the renovations.  LCS has enough money to do the work up front and get reimbursed but not to do the work and not get reimbursed.

 

  1. What are the estimated costs to bring the structure located at 944 Kentucky into code compliance to increase the occupancy?  Can costs be broken out by floor?

a.    LCS response - LCS does not have separate costs for the sprinkler system although they could ask for them to be broken down.   There are two costs related to the sprinkler extension and one of them may be required regardless of whether the sprinklers are added to one or two floors.  Cost estimates include:

    -- retrofit fire alarm and upgrade panel (this is the one that may be a fixed cost) -- $5,735.52

    -- expand sprinkler system -- $10,480.00

 

The egress and bathroom construction costs are separate in the sense that they both are located on the lower level (basement).  They are:

    -- construct egress and new fire wall -- $9,635.81

    -- construct and finish two new showers, walls, etc. -- $21,140.00

 

Total estimated renovation costs for both floors - $49,500 (includes $2,500 for destruction, clean up, painting, etc.)

 

  1. What percentage of Police calls are estimated to occur during the day versus at night during hours when guests are typically sleeping?
    1. Staff response (Police Dept.) – For the time period June 1, 2008 to June 1, 2009, seventy-four (74) % of the calls for the Lawrence Community Shelter occurred between the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.  Twenty-six (26) % of the calls occurred during the hours of 7:00 pm and 7:00 am. 
    2. LCS response – LCS’s police call records do not show an increase since the Salvation Army people moved over.  Our recorded calls, however, are only the ones a staff person places.  Sometimes there are other people who call or the police come by.  LCS is willing to talk about this separately sometime but recall that LCS mentioned this when the last annual report was given to the City Commission. Using the police department records is the best and most consistent record because LCS’s are always going to be different and probably smaller numbers.  At any rate, here is the record so far for this year:

 

    Jan    4 calls; 2 day and 2 night

    Feb   15 calls; 2 day and 13 night

    Mar          4 calls; 2 day and 2 night

    Apr           2 calls; 2 day and 0 night

    May  9 calls; 5 day and 4 night

    Jun    4 calls; 2 day and 2 night

    Jul    6 calls; 1 day and 5 night

 

The increase in night occupancy started in June after Salvation Army closed.  There were more night calls in July than any month this year except February but not so much that it means anything on its own. We will have to see what the next few months show.  These numbers do not include ambulance calls which also bring the police sometimes.

 

  1. Has the number of Police calls risen at the Lawrence Community Shelter since accepting the Salvation Army guests?
    1. Staff response (Police Dept.) – The Salvation Army stopped accepting overnight stays on June 1, 2009.   For purposes of this analysis, a comparison of call volumes at the Lawrence Community Shelter and the Salvation Army where conducted for the two-month period of June through July in 2008 and 2009.  From June 1, 2008 through July 31, 2008 (when the Salvation Army was accepting overnight stays) there were ninety-three (93) calls for service at the Lawrence Community Shelter.  During the same time period in 2009 (when the Salvation Army was not accepting overnight stays) there were 82 calls for service.  This represents a decrease of approximately twelve (12)%.
    2. LCS response – See question 5 response above.

 

  1. What was the historic call volume for the Salvation Army when they operated a shelter?

a.    Staff response (Police Dept.) - There were 208 calls for service at the Salvation Army from June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008.  Calls for service at the Salvation Army from June 1, 2008 to June 1, 2009 decreased to 109.  This represents a forty-eight (48)% decrease from the previous year.

 

For comparison, there were 553 calls for service at the Lawrence Community Center (214 west 10th Street and 944 Kentucky Street locations) from June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008.  Calls for service at the Lawrence Community Center (214 west 10th Street and 944 Kentucky Street locations) from June 1, 2008 to June 1, 2009 decreased to 446.  This represents a nineteen (19)% decrease from the previous year.