DATE:
October 22, 2024
23
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
A REQUEST FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO AUTHORIZE AN AUDIT OF ARBOR E&T, LLC DBA EQUUS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS (CONTRACT #564750) (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Title
Body
OVERVIEW
On January 22, 2024, San Diego County experienced the heaviest rainfall in a single day in over one hundred years. This resulted in widespread flooding, catastrophic property damage and devastation throughout San Diego County. The floods inflicted disproportionate damage to San Diego County's most vulnerable and impoverished communities across southeastern San Diego and the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Thousands of San Diegans were displaced as their homes and cars were flooded and deemed inhabitable.
On January 30, 2024 (1), the Board of Supervisors (Board) voted to authorize an amendment of the County of San Diego's contract with Arbor E&T, LLC dba Equus Workforce Solutions ("Equus") (Contract #564750) to provide temporary non-congregate shelter and case management services to those impacted by the floods. Due to the urgent need to respond as quickly as possible to those who had been displaced by the floods, and the lengthy process required to contract with new service providers, the Board authorized an amendment of the County of San Diego's pre-existing contract with Equus. Equus has been providing emergency non-congregate housing services in the County of San Diego since 2021.
Unfortunately, many community members have voiced significant criticisms about Equus. Flood survivors are frustrated with how disorganized Equus was and have provided anecdotes of being sent to hotels that had been shut down. Flood survivors were also repeatedly asked for the same personal information they had already provided to Equus. This made them worried that their personal information was not being kept secure.
The Board should help address the community's concerns and lack of trust with Equus by authorizing a...
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