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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 02021999 - D4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS D. � r, Contra f Costa SUPERVISOR JOE CANCIAMILLA . Count DATE: January 29, 1999 s ... SUBJECT: PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESS FAMILIES CHILDREN IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR AECOMMENDATION(S)a BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. As we ermine the facts regarding the homeless in Centra Costa County, we find that: The Homeless Continuum of Care Advisory Board has identified finding shelter for homeless children and their families as one of the most pressing homeless issues in Contra Costa County. On dune 16, 1998, and again on December 8, 1998, the Board approved reports from its Family and Human Services Committee which noted that many community-based organizations that provide services to the homeless have likewise identified the needs of homeless children and their families as a most urgent issue which is a key component in addressing' homelessness in Contra Costa County. Meeting the needs of homeless children who, through no fault or action on their part, have no place to live, must be one of the highest'priorities of the Board of Supervisors in allocating its very limited resources. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRAT¢A RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE —APPROVEOTER / SIGNATURE S`; V%J_1704044 60t ACTION OF BOARD ON 409Q APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER � t r 1" r' s MOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT_ _ ks a�- – AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES:— NOES: AND ENTI€RED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE[SATE SHOWN. CC: ATTESTED "n P ,{ PHIL BATCHELOR,CL _.K OF THE BOARD OF See Fuge §UPER`dISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Afi38 d18&J BY �' 16 �= f f DEPUT, Many Contra Costa County families hold minimum wage jobs: the slightest disruption to their earnings ability can cause homelessness, including such factors as: • the high cost of child care, • the very high and increasing cost of housing in the County, • the low vacancy rate in the rental market, • domestic violence, • buildings which are condemned, resulting in the eviction of the tenants, • illness which is not covered by sick leave and results in the parent losing employment, • essential emergency repairs to the family's only vehicle which cannot be afforded and result in the parent being unable to get to work, • landlords who are reluctant to rent to low income families, In spite of the valiant efforts made by the faith community and others in our County, a great deal more needs to be done to keep children from having to sleep in an automobile or on the streets in Contra Costa County. 2. Conclude, in view of the above, that it is essential for the County to take a leadership role in providing an additional housing facility for homeless children and their families, particularly in East County. 3. Approve in concept the goal of providing twenty (20) two or three bedroom units to serve as a housing facility, at a cost estimated at $3 million. 4. Establish as a goal that the East County housing facility for homeless children and their families will be developed and ready for occupancy by the winter of 2000. 5. Require that the family obligations for occupancy of units in the housing facility should be generally equivalent to those maintained by the Housing Authority. 6. Request that Members of the Board of Supervisors work with staff to seek funding from: • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), • foundations • churches • private businesses • the 19 cities • grants from public, private and other sources • donations from the general public • any other appropriate sources 7. Direct the County Administrator to work with District V Supervisor's Office, the Health Services Department, Social Service Department, Housing Authority, Community Development Department, General Services Department, and Building Inspection Department to: • locate a site in East County which is suitable for acquisition where a housing facility for homeless children and their families could be located to serve as a regional facility, -2- work with the appropriate local jurisdictions to identify sites and seek their approval and support for the location of a housing facility for homeless children and their families, contact and seek the support of individuals and organizations in close proximity to the proposed site of the housing facility for homeless children and their families for the development of the facility, develop a plan of financing for the development of the facility, once an appropriate site has been located, undertake the preliminary steps needed to purchase the parcel of property, ® retain the services of an architectural firm to design a housing facility for approximately 20 homeless families with children, issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a developer or construction management firm to develop the project, undertake whatever actions are deemed necessary pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)for the proposed project and make subsequent recommendations to the Board for appropriate actions which are needed pursuant to CEQA, and • issue an RFP for an operator of the housing facility for homeless children and their families and report his recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for awarding of a contract for operation of the facility. 3. Direct the County Administrator to identify all sources of funding that could be used for this facility and that could be used as matching funds for donations and immediately begin the process of applying for grants to assist in funding this facility. g. Direct the County Administrator to identify some funds that can be appropriated for staff time and pre-development costs (architectural, soils, hazardous materials, noise, planning and related costs). BACKGROUND: The Board of Supervisors has devoted a good deal of time, energy and money to the problem of homelessness in our County in the past few years. We now have shelters in Concord and Richmond for single individuals. We have very limited facilities available in our County for homeless children and their families. We have received reports and recommendations from the Homeless Continuum of Care Advisory Board regarding the need to address the problems of homeless children and their families. I believe that we can and must do more to protect our innocent children from homelessness. I am prepared to recommend that we develop a housing facility for homeless children and their families in my District. This facility, while it would be located in East County, would be available to homeless children and their families from anywhere in the County. We have chosen the number of twenty (20) units not because we believe that will meet the needs in the County but because we think that is about what we can afford, -3- I believe that we can utilize a variety of funding sources to finance such a facility. We should approach HUD, private foundations, businesses, the cities, the general public and any other source of funds we can identify. The County needs to be able to provide some of the funding. In discussions with the County Administrator it appears that there are a variety of sources which can be used for this purpose. The program should be designed in such a way that the ongoing operational costs are kept to a minimum. Families should be expected to do their own cooking and cleaning and to do their own laundry. It might even be possible to charge families rent, based on their income. I urge the Board to join with me in approving these recommendations so we can move forward and have this facility sited, developed and ready for occupancy before the end of the Year 2000. cc: County Administrator Health Services Director Public Health Director Social Service Director Executive Director, Dousing Authority Director of wilding Inspection Community Development Director Deputy Redevelopment Director Director of General Services -4- 'AONSIDER WITH D-4 TO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SUPERVISOR'S ATTN HOMELESS ADUDCATE OE CAHCIV41'LLA _y' RECEIVE '. FROM., SUSAN PRATHHER (510) 466-5584 DATE: FEBRUARY 1. 1999 RE: S MILLION SHELTER PLANS & WHAT I REALLY SAID TO v��3.s�H�HI tDf RUPERVESORw THE S€ CHRONICLE - the entire quote �4 COSTA�'O, _. .. When the Chronicle called M response wast. "That kind of shelter is balky needed and I support ft, HOWeVer", the current "medical model.. that Contra Costa touts as running, one that looks at the pathology of homelessness and treats the entire problem, is riot working. If CanCirrilla is proposing a NEW shelter in this County, then he should have the balls to make certain that it is run well and run by people who know what they are doing_e..and I don't think be, or anyone an the Board of Supe°s does - near do they haue the desire to do it right." And then I mentioned the need for emaergeny shelters and pointed out that your "medical andel." folks (you know, the doctors in charge of homelessness) left people out in the cold, literally, during the worst storms of the century -- including children, Joe. I agree, a family shelter is badly needed in this County and it is long overdue What is really overdue is a shelter that is well run and truly (to use Joe's buzz words) "gets to the rant of the problem" in both management and homelessness. The other piece that is missing is demographics an the population, including illness and death, and reports on what HAS been donee what has worked and what has f=ailed In the Chronicle today Chapman mentioned "40 calls a day" - who are they from? An Agency? Individuals? Where were the people located? Time and date of call? is any of this documented? If you have seen the annual report from the St. Vincent de Paul, revaluing shelter, that",s what you should expect euery three to sax months from your staff on the shelters that are run by Health Serui.ces...and since the are run an tags € ollars, those reports should be PUBLIC. So where are they? You haue let Wendel and his crack team of bureaucrats run a closed shop for so long, is there any REAL Information available, or just that which they think you want to hear? Request tk Form ( THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) #nt CwWlete this fad arid place ft In the boar rwar Ow weaken" ren-;,m bef+are mWressing the 1 dreg : J 1 ami speawns for W IPST #Wre of O I vAA to speak an AgwWa Ran #.L.: ,„ �" z My CCW 1W will be: prieral. br_ jWd . . .- �, I Wish to speak an the Kind e1 I do not whh to Weak bit leave thesemrr9CF—ILS- for the Board to Request to Speak Form THREE (3) MINUTE UMIT) CwWlete this fon and place ft In the box near the ' . tm before addresAng the fid. 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I whh to speak an Arnia ftan #„,LRS .,,,, Y conm w ft will be: jwwW wish' to spec an the o6jed Of + wiiir�ir�niirrrrr.rirrrrri��ar - -_ _r wish to Wuk but eve timm Awlyalltsfor the Board to considw, Request to Speak Form , THREE ) MINUTE LIMIT) Complete this for and Hca It In the box near the -mm before addressing the Board. r E mum y i p J'$ �� 2 € ti`s „,✓ � �. /"l �flM�fiiilrillgillli�if�rri 4 I am WaMng for myWf. or �b � � d Owm Of f wish to spec on AXwW& tears2711L YCNIVI � will be seneral l wish to Ipe& 4M tlw - I do not wish to weak but femme Ifiese emu grow—W&D 1Cw dw saw 110 coin n�i i+lrirr - �w.�v.miiniri sr.rrww�ii+r�� Request to Speak Form D. f THREE MINUTE UMM Complete this form and ptace It In the box , before addressing Ove BoaniZVx ♦ rr�oru�u�rrr+ r. 1 im Weakft fix wq f C ONE: fwto spa& an Am& ftm t ` wa r f spuk 46