At its September 29, 2016 meeting, the City Commission approved an enhancement to extend the City’s homeless employment program with H.O.P.E. in Miami-Dade, Inc. (HOPE). HOPE is a non-profit organization that provides outreach and engagement with the homeless and utilizes members of the clergy to accompany the City’s outreach team staff to conduct street engagement of homeless persons. It should be noted that the City approached Jewish Community Services of Dade County to partner in this endeavor but the agency was unable to participate.

The City collaborated with HOPE for a pilot program April through September 2016 in which HOPE employed homeless adults placed in shelter by the City as outreach workers. The City benefited from the street experience and knowledge of the workers and the workers benefited from the skills and experience learned on the job. During the pilot period, 10 of the program’s 22 participants secured alternate employment before completing the 32-hour employment program. This outstanding success enabled these clients to expeditiously move through their Care Plan in order to end their homelessness and begin a sustainable, independent life.

In addition to 32-hours of employment which is paid at the end of each work day, program graduates receive a work uniform and interview attire to keep as well as a letter of reference to facilitate their subsequent job search. Furthermore, HOPE staff visit the workers in shelter to provide social and emotional support as they transition to independent living.

HOPE in Miami-Dade has done an outstanding job of employing the newly-sheltered homeless being served by the City while leveraging its shelter outreach services to ensure the reinforcement of program goals.

Based upon the foregoing, the City Manager recommends that the Mayor and City Commission waive the formal competitive bidding requirement, by a 5/7^ths vote, as permitted under Section 2-367(e) of the City Code, as being in the best interest of the City.