Approve an agreement between the City of Houston and the Houston BARC Foundation authorizing the Foundation to assist the City in raising private funds necessary to support the expansion of the new BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions Facility by facilitating, marketing, and selling naming rights opportunities for the new facility, and receiving all funds for these naming rights opportunities
The Administration & Regulatory Affairs Department recommends that City Council approve an agreement between the City of Houston and the Houston BARC Foundation (“Foundation”) authorizing the Foundation to assist the City in raising private funds necessary to support the expansion of the new BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions Facility (“new facility” or “new adoption center”) by facilitating, marketing, and selling naming rights opportunities for the new facility, and receiving all funds for these naming rights opportunities. The Houston BARC Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created specifically to assist in raising capital funding for the expansion of the new adoption facility as well as other BARC projects as necessary.
The construction of BARC’s new adoption facility, located at 3300 Carr Street (directly next to the existing facility), is a key component of BARC’s on-going efforts to improve live release rates and find homes for the City’s stray animal population. By separating animal control operations from adoptions, the new facility will literally change the face of BARC and create a more customer-friendly adoption experience.
The City contributed $6.1 million for the initial construction the new adoption center, which includes the administration building, courtyard, two dog adoption kennels and a parking lot. Further funding, projected to cost an additional estimated $20M, is needed to complete construction and build-out of the center, including additional dog kennels, dog and puppy adoption buildings, a cat adoption facility, a meeting and education center and an adoption clinic. Funding for continued construction and build-out of the facility will rely entirely on private donations.
Initial construction is almost complete and the facility’s grand opening is set for May 2015. The Houston BARC Foundation would like to immediately begin raising funds for the remaining projects. Approval of the proposed agreement will constitute City Council’s final authorization for the Houston BARC Foundation to facilitate the marketing, sale and receipt of funds for all naming rights opportunities for the new adoption center on the City’s behalf and raise the private donations necessary to complete construction and build-out of the facility.