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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10181988 - 2.1 a. � THE BOAM OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on _ October 18 , 1988 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, McPeak, Torlakson, Schroder NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: Homelessness Programs The Board considered the recommendations of the County Administrator on homelessness programs as set forth in the attached report. Supervisor Tom Powers advised that he was very pleased with the report and the accomplishments to date. He spoke on the need for a temporary shelter in West County which he hoped to have in place by December 1, 1988. Supervisor Sunne McPeak referred to Recommendation #4 in which the Board was requested to authorize and support the Community Development Department' s request to negotiate a short- term loan in the amount not to exceed $100,000 from the Housing Board Trust Fund for the purpose of establishing two winter shelters, one in West County and one in Central or East County. It was noted that if fund raising events were unsuccessful, this would then become a forgivable loan. James Rydingsword, Director of Social Services, spoke on' the need to put in place some permanent solutions to the homeless problem. He referred to last year' s program and advised that it would be preferable to have funds up front to fund the shelters through a $100,000 loan from the Housing Board Trust Fund, with fund raising efforts to repay it. Perfecto Villarreal, Director of the Housing Authority, advised that many program areas are being reviewed in order to identify and secure resources to assist homeless individuals and families. He noted especially the need to provide some temporary shelters before the onset of the winter season. He spoke about utilization of the Armory and the many restrictions placed on utilizing it as a temporary shelter for the homeless. Mr. Villarreal spoke about the fund raising efforts sponsored last year. by the Board of Supervisors, and commented on the need for County involvement and support of the Community Homeless Action and Resources Team (CHART) . He noted that this year the County has many more resources available to address the problem of homelessness. Supervisor Nancy Fanden advised that there are many causes for homelessness which require different solutions. She spoke of the need for affordable housing and how development fees imposed by public bodies increase the cost of a home. She advised that she could support the recommendation for the $100,000 loan .from the Housing Board Trust Fund. She complimented staff and the Board for the strides made in the area of homeless programs. She moved that the recommendations of the County Administrator, including the loan for $100, 000, be approved. Supervisor Powers seconded the motion. Carol Severin, Director of Shelter, Inc. , advised of the need for the Board to assist in the fund raising efforts. She 1 noted that last year Shelter, Inc. had received an emergency Federal grant, and pointed out that it is not only County money assisting in the funding of Shelter, Inc. Supervisor Powers advised of the need for all agencies, both public and private, to participate in finding a solution to the homelessness problem. He recommended the inclusion of December 1, 1988 as a target date to provide something in the form of a temporary shelter in West Contra Costa County. Supervisor Fanden advised that she would agree to the inclusion of that target date in her motion. Supervisor McPeak advised that she would like to explore with the Board the fund raising approach used last year which she believed was more effective than advancing a loan, since the need for cash flow is readily apparent. She recommended that the $100,000 loan be structured in terms of $50,000 for match and $50,000 for an additional advance and that the County would again match dollar for dollar what is raised by the community above $50, 000 that is a grant. She requested the inclusion of this condition in the motion. Supervisors Fanden and Powers readily agreed. There being no further discussion, IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the following actions are APPROVED: 1. ACCEPTED report from the County Administrator on the County' s efforts to alleviate homelessness; 2. DIRECTED that temporary shelters be established by December 1, 1988 ; and 3 . AUTHORIZED $100,000 allocation for the purpose of establishing two winter shelters, $50,000 to be an advance and $50, 000 County match for fund raising efforts. On .recommendation of Supervisor Fanden, IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the County Administrator is REQUESTED to prepare a letter for the Chair ' s signature .inviting actress Lucille Ball to visit Contra Costa County for a premier performance of her movie "Bag Lady" . On recommendation of Supervisor McPeak, IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the County Administrator is REQUESTED to prepare a letter of appreciation to Virginia Thompson for her assistance with a computer system to provide Countywide coordination of homeless services. B horeby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action. taken and e€ate:ed on tho mirwtes of the cc: County Administrator hoard of Supervisors on the date shown. Social Services Director ATTESTED: � -p'-�-t /," Housing Authority Director PHIL BATCHELOR, Clerk- of the Board Community Development Director of Supervisors and County Administrator Community Services Director Health Services Director By � a--�dca-' Deputy Veterans Services 2 TO- BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �' I FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator C=tra Costa DATE: October 12, 1988 Cay * SUBJECT: HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMS �" SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Acknowledge existing, on-going programs administered by County departments for the homeless as well as other persons who are in need. 2. Endorse the following activities and programs implemented at the direction of the Board of Supervisors in its on-going challenge to provide emergency services to the homeless and its goal of providing healthful and safe shelter and essential services to all who need them. I. SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT ♦ Provides lead direction for the efforts of the County in meeting the needs of the homeless on a short-term as well as long term basis. ♦ Provides clerical assistance to the Community Homeless Action and Resources Team (CHART) . ♦ The Emergency Hotline, established in January, 1988 to be operated by private non-profit agencies, was taken over by Social Services on October 1. Volunteers and staff provide housing assistance to the homeless at night and on weekends by telephone toll-free from any area of the County. ♦ Twenty-seven motels throughout the County participate in the Hotline operations to provide short-term emergency housing. The Departments' Volunteer Services Unit is stocking motels with emergency food, infant formula and disposable diapers. ♦ A first of its kind proposal has been submitted to the State Department of Social Services for homeless assistance. To help fund a proposed Central County Transitional Family Shelter, a waiver is requested to allow AFDC Temporary Housing funds to be used at that facility. Also, State funds for five Social Worker positions is requested to provide services to the homeless such as money management, day care search, job search and so forth. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE; //�L'4..4 111,0el-"l-ol RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(Sl: TION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AMID CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF ERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County ^Zan agement Team ATTESTED CHART PHIL BATCH CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AN LINTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-83 BY TY ♦ Half the cost of a computer system was financed to provide County wide coordination of homeless services by community and government agencies, including HANDSNET, a statewide homeless information and referral system. Volunteer Services Unit members staff this program. ♦ The Director chairs the County Management Team consisting of departments providing services to the homeless: Community Development, Community Services, Health Services, Housing Authority, Social Services, Veteran' s Resource Center and County Administrator. The Team represents County government on CHART. B. COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ♦ Implemented a program for young mothers, who might otherwise be homeless, which arranges for them to share housing thus reducing costs. ♦ Planned activities include rental deposit assistance for homeless General Assistance recipients, financial support to non-profit shelter providers such as SHELTER, Inc. and Volunteers of America, and continuation of the shared housing program for young mothers. C. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ♦ Provided a consultant to assist non-profit agencies. Four successful grant/loan applications provided more than $650,000 to SHELTER, Inc. and VOA from Citicorp Savings, State Emergency Shelter Program, CDBG funds and federal Transitional Grant funds. The funds will be used by those agencies to establish shelters and homeless services County wide. The consultant also provided the feasibility study for the proposed central county facility. ♦ Is the County Management Team' s lead agency to develop funding for the proposed Family Transitional Housing Center to be operated by SHELTER Inc. in central county .and opening in the Spring of 1989. ♦ Has identified a source of funds that could be administered by United Way for emergency winter shelter. CHART has recommended two shelters be established, one in West County and one Central/East. Before full funding can be raised through a community fund raising effort funds would be advanced to get the program underway. D. COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ♦ Succeeded in changing the selection criteria for public housing and Section 8 programs to give homeless families priority for housing assistance. ♦ Provided $50,000 to place 210 families in housing through Shelter, Inc. ♦ Provided technical assistance to nonprofit agencies in acquiring shelter facilities. ♦ Provides meeting space for CHART. E. HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT ♦ With the Martin Luther King Health Center in Richmond, jointly operates a special Homeless Health Care Project. A mobile health team visits soup kitchens and shelters in both day and evening hours to provide health screening, first aid, and substance abuse referral services to the homeless. ♦ Contracts with Phoenix Programs, Inc. , for Multi-Service Centers for mentally disabled homeless adults. Centers are located in the West, Central, and East areas of the County. ♦ The Antioch Multi-Service Center, under County contract, provides a 20-bed shelter for single homeless adults from all areas of the County. ♦ Is developing a Special User Housing Plan to expand shelters for recovering substance abusers and acquire a board-and-care home for homeless mentally disabled persons. F. VETERAN' S RESOURCE CENTER ♦ The Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation Program in Palo Alto for skills training, job placement, and housing placement is available and recommended to Contra Costa Veterans. ♦ Is exploring new programs for homeless through Veterans Administration funding sources. ♦ Is exploring alternatives for suitable emergency shelter facilities. 3. Recognize and encourage facilities for the homeless and disabled provided through cooperative efforts of community and governmental agencies pulling together to aid our needy. A. EXISTING SHELTERS AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES Emergency Shelters ( 2) West Transitional Family (7) West and East Shelters Alcohol Detox Centers ( 2) West and Central Alcohol Live-In Centers (5) West and Central Drug Treatment ( 2) Central Residences Programs for Mentally ( 9) West, Central and Disabled East B. PLANNED SHELTERS AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES • 50-bed single men' s shelter West • 80-120-bed single men' s shelter Central • 20 unit transitional family shelter Central • 6-bed board and care home for mentally disabled Central East • 20-bed developmentally disabled facility East 4. Authorize and support the Community Development Department' s request to negotiate a short-term loan in an amount not to exceed $100,000 from the Housing Board Trust Fund for the purpose of establishing two winter shelters, one in West County and one in the Central or East region of the County. In order to follow the Board' s direction and to be proactive we are looking at $100,000 to fund existing and/or proposed shelters for emergency writer relief and to have staff work with and support county wide fund-raising efforts this Winter. 5. Endorse the Social Services Department' s Homeless Case Management Demonstration Project proposal to the State Department of Social Services to permit broader housing voucher use and to fund needed positions for assistance to homeless persons. BACKGROUND: In November, 1987, in response to the growing numbers of persons finding themselves without shelter, the Board of Supervisors proposed that the County initiate the coordination of homelessness services and programs by creating a Homeless Management Team (HMT) . This included representatives of each agency serving the homeless, including the County Departments and religious organizations. When the HMT' s charge expired in May, 1988, the Board established the Community Homeless and Resources Team of Contra Costa (CHART) to advise the Board on recommendations to alleviate homelessness in the County. CHART membership includes those who served as the HMT; County departments, city representatives, community non-profit agencies, religious organizations and interested citizens. The community continues to establish long range programs and services to resolve the issue of homelessness. In the meantime, extraordinary measures will continue to be necessary to provide emergency shelters during the winter months. CHART has submitted a Winter Relief Plan to the Board for your endorsement and support. This report is from your County departments to advise you not only of the on-going programs provided to the homeless throughout the year but of the extra efforts being provided at your direction to relieve the suffering of the homeless through the winter months. A complete report is attached.