PREPARED BY: Shawn Ray DATE OF MEETING: 04/21/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATION OF $100,000 FROM SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES GRANT REVENUES (SLESF) 210 FUND FOR CIVICA CODE ENFORCEMENT LEGAL SERVICES, AND (2) AUTHORIZING THE ENCUMBRANCE OF ALL FEES COLLECTED FROM CIVICA-ASSIGNED CASES TO FUND FUTURE CODE ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES THROUGH THE CIVICA LAW GROUP.
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Neighborhood Preservation and Enhancement is one of the top City Council priorities listed in the FY 2025-27 City of San Pablo City Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
BACKGROUND
Funding Source
The Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant (“SLESF”) is a mandated grant as defined by Government Code Section 30061(b)(3)(i) wherein the County is required to remit a minimum of $100,000 annually to the City to be spent on frontline law enforcement. These grant revenues have accumulated and are available for appropriation by the City Council. Following appropriation of funds by the City Council for eligible frontline law enforcement purposes, any expenditures must comply with the City’s purchasing policy.
Civica-Legal Services
Civica Law Group (“Civica”) is contracted with the City of San Pablo to provide legal services in the areas of Code compliance, review, regulation, and enforcement pertaining to the San Pablo Municipal Code. In addition to Code regulation and enforcement services, Civica will also coordinate the receivership process for abandoned properties, and facilitate fine/fee collections from property owners with habitual and unresolved code violations, or refusal of property maintenance within the parameters of the San Pablo Municipal Code.
The presence of nuisance, neglected, and/or abandoned properties adversely affects the quality of life for our San Pablo community. The Police Department requests the appropriation and encumbrance of $100,000 from available SLESF grant funds to be designated for Civica legal services, to support enhanced regulation and enforcement upon nuisance properties exhibiting habitual violations of the San Pablo Municipal Code, and to encourage compliance from property owners in the upkeep, appearance, and maintenance of properties in accordance with the San Pablo Municipal Code.
Staff further requests that violation fines and fees collected by Civica, or collected by the City subsequent to administrative activity by Civica upon the specified property, are designated for encumbrance within an established Civica purchase order, to fund future Code enforcement initiatives through the Civica Law Group.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant Fund has an available fund balance of $611,686 for appropriation. Upon Council approval, staff will establish a contract with the Civica Law Group, designated specifically for Code enforcement legal services initiated by Police Department Code Enforcement staff, and will initiate the encumbrance of $100,000 from the SLESF grant fund (210-2110-43600) within this PO.
For all Code enforcement cases assigned to Civica, any fines and fees collected will be designated for encumbrance within the established Civica purchase order, to fund future Code enforcement initiatives through the Civica Law Group.
PUBLIC SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE
On June 26, 2024, staff presented the use of Civica legal services for enforcement of San Pablo Municipal codes to the Public Safety Standing Committee (Pabon-Alvarado; Xavier). The funding source for this procurement was identified as the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant (SLESF). The committee recommended this procurement request be forwarded to the City Council for formal approval.
ATTACHMENTS
Att. A - Resolution
Att. B - Civica Contract