Department: Commissioner, Precinct 2
Department Head: Commissioner Adrian Garcia
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Change Investment Memo
Project Name: East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub
Project ID (if applicable): CDBGDR_HAR_NON1
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): Frost Construction Company, Inc
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Managing Entity: Community Services Division
Incremental Authorization Requested: $420,000
Total Estimated Project Cost: $6,611,490
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Change Investment Memo for the East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub projects in the additional amount of $420,000 for a total authorization of $6,611,490 and request commercial paper funding for an additional $420,000 for a total allocation of $2,455,000.
end
Project Description:
The funds are for the East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub, a 10,650-square-foot building that will provide wrap-around healthcare and social services for the East Harris community. This new facility will be located at 15430 East Fwy, Channelview, TX 77530.
Precinct 2, in partnership with Harris County Public Health (HCPC), the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Community Services Department (CSD) will bring healthcare, social services, housing navigators, workforce resources, personal development, HCSO homeless outreach and community policing to the North Channel Area (Channelview / Cloverleaf / Highlands / North Shore / Sheldon).
Project Scope:
The East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub project includes the acquisition of a 3-acre property and the construction of a ten thousand six hundred and fifty square foot (10,650 sq. ft) healthcare and service facility.
The project will include demolition, construction of parking spaces, a pad for mobile clinic access, installation of an emergency generator, satellite office space for Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), outdoor recreational space, and associated site work. The building will include office space for Precinct 2, HCSO, Harris County Public Health (HCPH), Community Services Department (CSD), and shared workspace for community organizations. There will be huddle/multi-use rooms for planning and meetings, a computer lab, a child activity room, a behavioral health space, exam rooms, showers, an industrial walking fridge, and storage.
This facility will provide access to basic health care needs through HCPH. HCPH will provide the following: 1. wellness screenings; 2. chronic disease management; 3. dental care; 4. reproductive health and family planning; 5. women wellness; 6. HIV; and 7. immunizations. The Hub will provide increased safety for the community by increasing law enforcement presence with an HCSO satellite office. Having HCSO officed at the Hub will grow the community policing strategy by emphasizing proactive problem-solving in the area. It will allow deputies to respond to crime proactively and develop solutions to the immediate underlying conditions contributing to public safety problems in the area. The HCSO Homeless Outreach Team and the Coalition for the Homeless will be an access point for the homeless population to help address their need and connect them with service providers through referrals. The Hub will serve the housing insecure through housing navigators to connect them to affordable housing options; provide rental and utility assistance (through CSD’s Social Services Division); connect low-income families to workforce development opportunities; and provide SNAP and Houston Foodbank resources through case management. The Hub will also address other immediate basic needs of the community, like access to food, clothing, and showers.
Justification:
The project is part of an integrated approach to recovery, bringing basic healthcare, social services, housing navigators, personal development, and workforce resources to the North Channel Area. Families living in this distressed and historically underserved community will greatly benefit from this facility, which will be a catalyst in expanding limited services currently available in the North Channel area and bringing resiliency to the community. This resource hub will provide access to community resources, as well as strengthen citizens’ financial stability & their understanding of qualifying benefits, civic engagement, & housing security.
Homeless encampments and families that are housing insecure are prevalent in the North Channel Area. In addition, these populations lack access to health care and social services, which in turn hinders their ability to sustain success. Studies show that health care and case management provided to the homeless and at-risk populations is the first step in breaking the cycle. The Hub will provide access to intervention services, help stabilize the client through case management, and provide the support necessary to transition into the next stage to become self-sufficient. Furthermore, connecting low-to-moderate families with wrap-around social services and workforce opportunities will increase their personal and financial stability and provide the support to help them thrive.
Hurricane Harvey was a historic storm that devastated the North Channel Area and forced the closure of the only hospital there which further exacerbated residents’ poor health outcomes from the already limited healthcare infrastructure. In addition, the lack of organizations in the neighborhood providing access to social services and case management resources to the North Channel community further worsens the situation.
The East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub will be the initial access point in the community to connect service providers to manage the long-term progress of the clients, helping low-income families and the homeless population reach self-sufficiency by assessing their needs and connecting them to the right agency for services including health care needs, social services, personal development, workforce resources, housing navigation guidance, rental, utility assistance, and immediate basic needs.
The project's initial construction funding estimate was $2,935,909. However, due to rising construction costs, it was anticipated that the total cost would exceed this amount. In October 2022, we requested Non-Voted CP funds amounting to $2,035,000, which increased the available construction funds to $4,970,909.
Construction bids were evaluated in September 2023, and the lowest bid came in at $4,557,000. After considering the existing construction funding, $413,909 remained allocated for project change orders. Recently, two change orders were necessitated by unforeseen site conditions, totaling $432,302.52. This has resulted in a shortfall of approximately $18,000 to cover these additional costs. Therefore, Precinct 2 has decided to request additional Non-CP Funds totaling $420,000. These funds will not only address the current shortfall but also provide coverage for potential future change orders on the project. With the requested additional funds, the total project funds for construction will increase to $5,390,909, and the overall project cost will reach $6,611,490.
Alternatives and Engagement:
The alternative would be to de-scope the project, which will impact our ability to bring this wholistic wraparound services facility to the area. The North Channel area has suffered from longstanding disadvantaged socio-economic conditions and social inequalities. Hurricane Harvey and COVID have only exacerbated the disparities faced by residents in East Harris County. Bringing a broad array of health and social services to support the needs of low-to-moderate-income families and the homeless population in East Harris County is overdue. The East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub is designed specifically to address the needs of this community and to bridge the gaps in healthcare and social services. To effectively address their needs and be truly impactful, it is imperative that we maintain all aspects of the Hub, including healthcare, social services, housing navigators, workforce resources, personal development, HCSO homeless outreach, and community policing.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Scope of Work |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
Engineering/Architectural Services |
$499,091 |
January 2025 |
|
Land Acquisition |
$565,000 |
Complete |
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Construction (Currently Available) |
$4,970,909 |
January 2025 |
|
Construction (Request of Additional Funds - This request) |
$420,000 |
January 2025 |
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Construction (FF&E)) |
$156,490 |
March 2025 |
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Total |
$6,611,490 |
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Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
X Economic Opportunity
X Housing
X Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Previous Court Action:
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
10/31/2023 |
315 |
Request for approval of an award on the basis of low bid to Frost Construction Company, Inc. in the amount of $4,557,000 for construction of the East Harris County Health & Social Services Facility Hub in Precinct 2, and for the County Clerk to execute any applicable bonds to be received (230309), MWDBE Contracted Goal: 16%. |
|
10/10/2023 |
38 |
Request for approval of commercial paper funding for Community Services Department (CSD) for the East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub project in the initial amount of $2,035,000. |
|
10/25/2022 |
221 |
Request for approval of the Final Investment Memo for the East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub for an incremental amount of $2,033,490 for a total of $6,191,490. |
|
12/14/2021 |
203 |
Request for approval of an award on the basis of successful negotiations with the highest overall evaluation and that the County Judge execute an agreement to Huitt-Zollars, Inc. in the amount of $399,910 for professional architectural and/or engineering services for a healthcare and social services center for Harris County for the period of December 14, 2021 - December 13, 2022 (210145). |
|
07/20/2021 |
364 |
Request for approval on the basis of highest overall evaluation and authorize negotiations with Huitt-Zollars, Inc. for professional architectural and/or engineering services for a healthcare and social services center for Harris County (210145). |
|
05/25/2021 |
181 |
Request for approval of a project scheduled for advertisement for professional architectural and/or engineering services for a healthcare and social services Center for the Office of the County Engineer (210145). |
|
04/27/2021 |
126 |
Request for approval of an agreement between Harris County and Harris County Precinct 2 for the East Harris County Healthcare and Social Services Project. |
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02/09/2021 |
64 |
Recommendation by the County Engineer that Commissioners Court Grant Authorization to Publish a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), in Conjunction with the Purchasing Agent, for Architectural and Engineering Services and other supporting professional services as needed for the East Harris County Healthcare and Social Services Hub in Precinct 2. |
|
07/14/2020 |
I.1.c.4 |
Recommendation for authorization of certain projects, decreeing the projects to be a public necessity and convenience, directing the Real Property Division to acquire, and authorizing eminent domain if necessary for: A tract for the East Harris County Healthcare and Social Services hub project in Precinct 2 for the county (UPIN 21102MF1QB01) |
Address: 15430 East Fwy, Channelview, TX 77530
Precinct(s): Precinct 2
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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Total Current Budget |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Commercial Paper |
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$420,000 |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
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$420,000 |
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Total Funding Request |
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$420,000 |
$420,000 |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
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Anticipated Court Date: August 6, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date):
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, Assistant County Attorney, 7/10/2024
Department Approval by: Faustino Benavidez, PCT 2 Deputy Chief of Staff - Engineering, 7/18/2024
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 7/17/2024
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: Community Services Division
Project PeopleSoft ID: CDBGDR_HAR_NON1
CP Series Description: Commercial Paper Series J-1 (disaster recovery) can be used for (1) pay contractual obligations for (a) the construction of public works, (b) the purchase and capital lease of materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, buildings, lands and rights-of-way for the County’s authorized needs and purposes and (c) professional services; (2) the demolition of dangerous structures; and (3) the accomplishment of any other purpose the County considers necessary in relation to preserving or protecting public health and safety.
Commercial Paper is being requested for the East Harris County Healthcare & Social Services Hub project and is expected to be repaid within the next three fiscal years either through bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources.
OMB Financial Management contact: Amy Perez, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Management and Budget