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Committee backs $10M CARES/ESG redeployment to support Moscone congregate shelter
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee voted May 5 to send a resolution to the full Board approving a retroactive amendment to redeploy $10 million in CARES/ESG Round 2 funds to operations and services at the Moscone congregate shelter, while staff outlined plans to demobilize the site by June and move eligible residents into SIP hotels.
The Budget & Finance Committee on May 5 voted to forward a resolution to the full Board recommending retroactive amendment of CARES Act Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Round 2 funds so $10 million will support Moscone congregate shelter operations through June 30, 2023. Chair Matt Haney moved the item after Human Services Agency staff described why the shelter was opened early in the COVID-19 response and how federal reimbursement rules affected placements.
Budget Director Emily Gibbs and HSA Director Trent Rohrer told the committee that early Centers for Disease Control guidance required social distancing that reduced congregate shelter capacity by roughly half, and FEMA’s initial reimbursement rules limited reimbursements to SIP (shelter-in-place) hotels for those meeting a vulnerable definition. Rohrer said Moscone provided an alternative for people who did not meet FEMA’s initial criteria, served hospital and jail discharges who lacked stable exits, and offered a supervised environment for a small number of people with behavioral-health or safety needs.
Rohrer gave operational and fiscal details: the city transferred 22 Moscone residents to SIP hotels with seven additional placements pending since April 14, and reported a Moscone census near 120 people with a plan to deactivate the site by June. He provided a population breakdown, saying about 11% of current occupants are age 60 or older, roughly one-third are 50–59, about 40% are 40–49, and the remainder are younger. On cost, Rohrer said Moscone’s fully loaded run rate was roughly $360,000 per month (about $4.3 million annually) for a 200-bed operation, and the redeployment of ESG funds would reduce general-fund burden.
On operations, Darius Kayhan, deployed to the COVID command center, described on-site workflow: coordinated-entry staff will assess guests for SIP eligibility, rehousing teams are conducting referrals, and many transfers are expected to move to the next-door shelter when SIP is not an option. Kayhan said the coordinated-entry team would be on-site the following Monday to evaluate all guests and map housing pathways.
There was no public comment on the item. The committee recorded roll-call votes of Asha Safaie, Gordon Mar and Chair Haney in support, and the item will go to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
The resolution authorizes redeploying ESG Round 2 funds to support Moscone operations and clarifies that the Moscone site is scheduled for deactivation and continued transfer of eligible residents to SIP hotels or alternative shelter placements.
