To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Angela Struckman 707-565-5800, Kathleen Cortez 707-565-5903
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Caltrans Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 Grant Funding Agreement and Position Extension Request
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of the Human Services Department to execute a funding agreement with the California Department of Transportation for programs serving older adults and individuals with disabilities, for a total amount of $650,670, for the term beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2028; and authorizing execution of future amendments to adjust for revenue changes. (Majority)
B) Adopt a Resolution adjusting the Human Services Department Fiscal Year 2026-2027 adopted budget to increase appropriations by $160,642.
(4/5th Vote Required)
C) Adopt a Position Resolution amending the Human Services Department Allocation List to extend 1.0 full-time equivalent time-limited Social Work Assistant through September 30, 2028.
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department is requesting that the Board adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of the Human Services Department to execute the Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 Formula Grant for the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities standard agreement with the California Department of Transportation in the amount of $650,670 for a two-year term beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2028. Additionally, the Human Services Department requests Board adoption of a resolution to increase the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 budget by $160,642 to allocate this portion of funding to the current fiscal year.
The Human Services Department is also requesting the Board adopt a position resolution to extend a 1.0 full-time equivalent time-limited Social Work Assistant allocation through September 30, 2028. This position is within the Adult and Aging division and has the primary function of working with Sonoma County residents to navigate transportation options and provide resource connection.
The Human Services Department will leverage this funding to address transportation barriers for older adults and people with disabilities who need access to services and are geographically isolated.
Discussion:
The 2022 California Department of Aging report shows that 42% of Sonoma County’s older adults live in rural areas, with 10.7% considered geographically isolated. To put this into perspective, that’s a little over 58,000 Sonoma County older residents who live in rural areas and about 15,000 people who are isolated. These individuals face significant barriers to transportation, leading to increased social isolation, difficulty accessing essential services, and challenges maintaining health and quality of life (aging data <https://www.aging.ca.gov/Data_and_Reports/>). Sonoma County’s public transit primarily serves areas along the Highway 101 corridor, leaving many older adults in other areas without reliable transportation options.
The 2023 Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) needs assessment identified “accessible, reliable transportation” as a critical unmet need for older adults, adults with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Despite the presence of multiple transit agencies and the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit service, same-day and on-demand transportation options, especially for wheelchair users, remain limited.
The Human Services Department (HSD), Adult and Aging division secured $650,670 in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 funding for the term beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2028, to address these gaps through mobility management.
The Mobility Management Grant funds a 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE), time-limited Social Work Assistant (SWA) for the Aging and Disability Resource Unit to provide transportation assistance and collect data for future planning. It also enhances the Sonoma Access website, a central hub for transportation resources.
This initiative aligns with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Coordinated Plan, aiming to improve mobility for vulnerable populations and to expand access to essential services.
The Board is requested to adopt resolutions authorizing the Human Services Director to execute a funding agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), adjust the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2027 budget by $160,642, and extend a 1.0 FTE time-limited SWA allocation.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal: Goal 1: Expand integrated system of care to address gaps in services to the County’s most vulnerable.
Objective: Objective 2: Identify gaps in the Safety Net system of services and identify areas where departments can address those gaps directly and seek guidance from the Board when additional resources and/or policy direction is needed.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
March 25, 2025: Adopted a Resolution authorizing the director of HSD to execute funding agreements with Caltrans for activities serving older adults and individuals with disabilities, including transportation services and mobility management activities in the amount of $657,341, and added a 1.0 FTE time-limited SWA through December 31, 2026.
November 10, 2020: Adopted a Resolution authorizing the director of HSD to execute funding agreements with Caltrans for activities serving older adults and individuals with disabilities, including transportation services and mobility management activities in the amount of $538,261.
October 16, 2018: Authorized the director of HSD to execute four funding agreements with Caltrans serving older adults and individuals with disabilities, including transportation services and mobility management activities, for a total of $659,780.
April 4, 2017: Approved the Resolution of Authority allowing the director of HSD to sign grant proposal applications and attachments on behalf of the AAA to receive FTA funding for senior transportation programs.
July 12, 2016: Authorized the director of HSD to execute grant agreements with Caltrans for the term of July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, in the amount of $388,975.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
0 |
$325,285 |
$164,743 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$160,642 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$160,642 |
$325,285 |
$164,743 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
State/Federal |
$160,642 |
$325,285 |
$164,743 |
|
Fees/Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
General Fund Contingencies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total Sources |
$160,642 |
$325,285 |
$164,743 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
HSD requests approval to increase FY 2026-27 appropriations by $160,642.
The cost to extend a 1.0 FTE SWA in FY 2026-27 for the period 12/31/26 to 6/30/27 is $69,600 at the I-Step. $91,042 will be allocated to FY 2026-2027 towards direct client support.
The cost for a 1.0 FTE SWA is $143,200 in Fiscal Years 2027-28 and $73,700 in Fiscal Year 2028-29 (for the period of 7/1/28 to 9/30/28). $182,085 will be allocated towards direct client support for FY 2027-2028, and $91,043 from July 1, 2028, to September 30, 2028.
Appropriations for future years will be programmed in the corresponding fiscal year budgeting process. $325,285 ($143,200 + $182,085) in FY 2027-28 and $164,743 ($73,700 + $91,043) for FY 2028-2029.
The increased cost for Fiscal Years 2027-28 and 2028-29 includes a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment each year.
Staffing Impacts:
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Social Work Assistant |
$5,426.51 - $6,597.04 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
The 1.0 FTE time-limited SWA position is fully funded by the FTA grant. This is a second round of FTA funding that will continue the SWA position who was hired during the first round.
Attachments:
1. Grant Funding Confirmation from Caltrans
2. 5310 Funded Project List - Large Urban Area
3. 5310 Funded Project List - Small Urban and Rural Areas
4. 2026-Resolution-Funding Agreement
5. 2026- Resolution-SWA Position Extension
6. 2026-Resolution-Budget
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.