Agmt25 County of San Mateo MOU - Laserfiche WebLink

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[CCO-470523] Memorandum of Understanding Between the County of San Mateo and City of Redwood City Regarding City’s Encampment Ordinance This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) is made and entered into as of the Effective Date (defined herein) by and between the County of San Mateo (“County”), a political subdivision of the State of California, and the City of Redwood City (“City”), a charter city and municipal corporation of the State of California (County and City are together referred to herein as the “Parties” and individually as “Party”), regarding enforcement of the City’s adopted encampment ordinance (“MOU”). Recitals WHEREAS, on January 30, 2024, the County adopted the Hopeful Horizons: Empowering Lives Initiative, an ordinance adding Chapter 3.109 to Title 3 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code regulating encampments on public property in the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County (“County’s Hopeful Horizons Ordinance”); and WHEREAS, the County’s Hopeful Horizons Ordinance sets forth a process to remove encampments that operates in tandem with the County’s existing trauma-informed engagement efforts, with the goal of moving unhoused individuals off the streets and into shelter, not into jail; and WHEREAS, while the County’s Hopeful Horizons Ordinance prohibits encampments on public property in the unincorporated areas of the County and makes violations punishable as a misdemeanor, enforcement is expressly conditioned on the availability of shelter, and, absent exigent circumstances, must be preceded by at least two written warnings that provide the person receiving the warnings with information about at least one available shelter and include a written offer of placement in that shelter; and WHEREAS, when individuals living in encampments accept shelter, they are placed at one of the County’s congregate or non-congregate shelters, with women and families placed separately from single men; and WHEREAS, all individuals placed in shelter are assigned a shelter case manager, who will meet with each individual regularly and work with them on a housing-focused case plan, which includes obtaining documentation (such as ID, Social Security Card, birth certificate), applying to housing waitlists, earning income either through benefits (such as General Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, and Social Security Disability Insurance), or securing employment, and addressing healthcare and treatment needs; and WHEREAS, the County’s Hopeful Horizons Ordinance further provides that those charged with a misdemeanor violation shall be entitled to participate in appropriate diversion programs offered by the San Mateo County Superior Court; and Docusign Envelope ID: 5ED92C3C-6B86-455C-A143-F96E1752BA85