HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12182001 - C.67 C47
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: William Walker, MD Health Services Director _ Costa
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DATE: December 4 2001 '
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County
SUBJECT: Application for FEMA Phase 20 funding for the
Emergency Shelter Program for Adults and the Emergency Shelter Program for Families. 20-1011
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve and Authorize the Health Services Director, or his designee, to develop and transmit
an application for funding in the amount of$100,000 along with the necessary certification and
assurances to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the operation of the
Emergency Shelter Program for Adults and the Emergency Shelter Program for Families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funds requested of the FEMA Phase 20 is essential to providing adequate emergency
housing and supportive services to individuals and families year-round. If funded at the full
request, FEMA will help to support 2122 of the 54,750 bed nights at the year-round adult
shelter and approximately 1599 bed nights for parents and their children at the family shelter
sites. No additional County funds are required.
BACKGROUND:
It is estimated that 14,757 people experience an episode of homelessness each year in Contra
Costa County. The Crisis Center's Homeless Hotline, the central access point for the shelters,
reports 23,861 calls last year from homeless individuals and families seeking shelter and
services.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------
---'RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
----------------------------------- --------------------- - --- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION OF BOARD APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES: SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: \
ATTESTED J1k QkIM b24 IR 9 ,10 1
CONTACT: Lavonna Martin 5-6140 JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
CC: Health Services Administration
Health Services—Contracts and Grants
Health Services—Homeless Program
BY ,DEPUTY
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Emergency Shelter for Adults
There is continuing concern about the lack of emergency shelter services for homeless men and
women. The Contra Costa Crisis Center, the agency that operates the County's Homeless
Hotlines and maintains the'waiting list for the shelters, reported that during the FY 00-01 they
received an average of 1800 inquiries per month by single adults throughout the Bay Area
looking for shelter— 97% are Contra Costa residents. Even with the recent augmentation of
the shelter program for adults, there is a weekly waiting list of approximately sixty men and
women wanting to access the shelters.
Emergency Shelter for Families
It is reprehensible to think that even one child has to sleep in a car or on the streets, yet it is believed that
9740 parents and their children experience this horror each year in Contra Costa County. Currently, our
homeless hotlines are being flooded with from parents looking for shelter space for themselves and their
children. As of September 30, 2001, there were 271 families (337 adults, 518 children) on the waiting list
to enter the County's Emergency Shelter for Families program. Unfortunately, there are only limited
resources throughout the County and the demand for shelter far exceeds the County's current capacity to
assist families in need.