HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05231989 - 1.66 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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FROM: Harvey E. Bragdon CJIJJIa
Director of Community Development
DATE: May 15, 1989 County
SUBJECT: Performance Report on Comprehensive Homeless Assistance Plan (CHAP)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Authorize the Director of Community Development to transmit the
1989 CHAP Performance Report to the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) as mandated for seeking funds to aid the
homeless under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
On July 22, 1987 the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act
(P.L. 100-77) was signed into law to` provide urgently needed
assistance for the homeless population, particularly the elderly,
handicapped and families with children. The Act is a complex piece
of legislation which imposed many time constraints upon its
implementation, but offered a variety of new program resources as
well as new responsibilities for . local governments dealing with the
homeless. These programs include the Emergency Shelter Grant
Program, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing for the
Handicapped, Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the
Homeless, and Section 8 Single Room Occupancy Moderate
Rehabilitation Program. Congress specified that all states,
cities, and urban counties eligible for a direct grant under the
Emergency Shelter Grant Program must have a CHAP approved by the
Secretary of HUD in order to be eligible for HUD administered
assistance.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
C'S
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATIr"w,,OF BO COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S) :
ACTION OF BOARD ON MAY Z 3 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: Community Development ATTESTED MAY 23 1q8q
County Administrators Office PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY , DEPUTY
CW/mb
cw/chap.bos
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendment Act of 1988,
signed into law on November 11, 1988, required annual submissions
of the CHAP' s, as well as annual Performance Reports on the CHAP' S.
The County' s 1989 CHAP was approved by HUD on February 16, 1989.
The County is now required to submit by May 31 its first annual
Performance Report to HUD to cover the one and a half year period
from the approval of the County' s first CHAP in October of 1987
through April 30, 1989 . Specifically, the Performance Report must
provide a summary of the County' s performance concerning
assessments and strategies outlined in the CHAP, including:
1. The efforts used to match the needs of the homeless with
avaialble facilities and services.
2. The efforts made to meet the special needs of certain
homeless groups such as families with children, the
elderly, the mentally ill and veterans.
3 . Evaluation of federal assistance through the following
programs which complemented and enhanced the available
facilities and services:
- Emergency Shelter Grants Program;
- Transitional Housing;
- Permanent Housing for the Handicapped;
- Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the
Homeless; and
- Section 8 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Moderate
Rehabilitation Program.
The McKinney Act 1988 Amendments require that the County respond to
any HUD recommendationson the Performance Report which are received
by July 31, 1989.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Receipt of the CHAP Performance Report by HUD entitles the County
to financial assistance under Title IV of the Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act under new homeless shelter programs, such
as the Emergency Shelter Grant Program, not otherwise available to
a jurisdiction lacking the requisite reports. It will make
available other sources of Federal funds including those identified
in the preceding paragraphs. No immediate commitment of general
fund monies is required for submitting the CHAP performance report
although any future grant awards may necessitate provision of
matching funds by the County.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
1989 COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PLAN (CHAP) PERFORMANCE REPORT
Introduction
Since the original Contra Costa County Comprehensive Homeless Assistance Plan
(CHAP) was approved by HUD in October of 1987, the various agencies,
non-profits, religious organizations, and homeless advocates have made
substantial progress in identifying homeless needs, linking public and private
homeless services and shelter providers, and establishing new programs and
facilities. This report will summarize the progress made in the County in
addressing the needs of homeless populations over the last year and a half, in
terms of accomplishments and proposed programs or projects. This includes:
o coordination of facilities and services to the homeless;
o efforts to address special needs with the disparate homeless populations;
o effectiveness of federal assistance through the McKinney Act programs; and
o the effectiveness of a Job Training Demonstration project under the
Department of Labor.
Coordination of Facilities and Services for Homeless
The Task Force on Homelessness established by the County Board of Supervisors in
1985 has evolved into the Community Homeless Action and Resource Team (CHART)
made up of representatives of homeless service providers, community non-profit
agencies, key county and city departments, religious organizations, homeless
advocates, and private individuals.
CHART has functioned as a goal-setting body charged with the responsibility for:
a. Defining, evaluating and quantifying the County's homeless population;
b. Studying the causes of homelessness;
C. Recommending actions to alleviate the homeless condition;
d. Identifying resources to reduce and potentially eliminate the causes of
homelessness;
e. Establishing a work plan to meet these goals; and
d. Working to implement the findings, recommendations, and work plan.
CHART has greatly improved communication and cooperation among agencies serving
the homeless, along with facilitating the development of long range strategies
to solve the homeless problem. On April 18, 1989, CHART presented a report to
the County Board of Supervisors as an update to a July 14, 1987 report on the
homeless situation in the County. The report recognizes that the single
greatest factor contributing to the homeless problem is the lack of decent and
safe housing affordable to lower income families and individuals in the County
and that efforts -to address the need for permanent affordable housing are a
critical piece of the homeless assistance package. The attached report includes
recommendations to the County and Contra Costa cities, which include:
o affordable housing polices and plans within Housing Elements, Housing
Assistance Plans, Comprehensive Housing Assistance plans, and local
ordinances to preserve, rehabilitate, and develop affordable housing;
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o lobbying for increased federal and estate funding for new housing
production and rental assistance programs;
o actions to address the potential loss of existing low income rental units;
o development of local affordable Housing Trust Funds;
o coordination and expansion of rental assistance programs for homeless, or
potentially homeless, in need of move-in costs, rental ° =�'S or mortgage
default prevention assistance;
o development of housing with support serv.ices for homeless families and
special need populations;
o expansion of shared housing program;
o preservation and development of Single Room Occupancy Hotels; and
o legislative advocacy for affordable housing policy and funding.
Shelter Inc. , a non-profit corporation, acts as the fiscal agent for CHART. The
Office on Homelessness is a central office for homeless concerns and operates
Hands Net, a computer homeless information network. Additional Office of
Homelessness activities involve both indirect and direct supportive services
ranging from the coordination of volunteer labor, shelter information and
referral , food and medical care providers, management and administration of the
revolving loan fund, and fiscal planning for future homeless service programs.
Although these providers perform distinct but interrelated services, their
primary objectives are similar - to achieve an integrated approach for remedying
the problems confronting the County's homeless population. CHART is attempting
to expand the use of HandsNet locally to improve legislative advocacy and
information exchange and provide direct access among nonprofit and public agency
networks. But despite the existence of both general and specific services and
facilities for the homeless, there are still many system deficiencies which
could be addressed given additional levels of funding.
The County's Department of Social Services has opened an after hours hot line to
connect homeless with available emergency shelter which has greatly improved the
availability of shelter for homeless. They have also developed a network of 27
motels which accept homeless, primarily families with motel vouchers.
Special Needs
The following describes the efforts which had been successful in providing new
programs or shelter for the various homeless populations, as well as efforts in
the planning or development stages.
o Families with Children
Emergency assistance for food and shelter has been available through
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which is disbursed to a number
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of local non-profit service agencies. Community Development Block Grant,
local foundations such as San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing and
Northern California Grant makers, the State Emergency Shelter Program, the
State Rental Deposit Guarantee Program and private donations also provide
additional funding. However, the demand for these funds far exceeds the
supply. In addition, the programs have a confusing array of eligibility
and disbursement constraints imposed by different funding sources.
Additional funds are available for AFDC families through the new
state-funded Emergency Housing Assistance Program operated by the County
Department of Social Services.
The Richmond Family Support Center, operated by Volunteers of America,
opened its doors in June, 1988. It provides eight units of transitional
housing to homeless families with children, along with supportive services.
The Young Mothers Project had also opened two homes, one of which has since
closed, as part of a supportive residential program for young single
mothers (18-30 years of age) with a child. This project currently provides
shelter for 3 families. The County Social Services Department has also
instituted a motel voucher program which provides shelter for families in
local motels for a limited amount of time.
A number of additional transitional facilities for families are also being
developed. The Battered Women's Alternatives has acquired a site which
will provide 16 units of housing for battered women and their children.
The Pittsburg Family Center, to be operated by Shelter Inc. , will provide 8
units of transitional housing for homeless families, along with support
services. It is currently being rehabilitated, with an expected completion
date in mid 1989. Another Shelter Inc. project will provide approximately
20 units of transitional housing in Concord for homeless families, along
with support services. Site negotiations for this project are underway.
Christian Believers also is acquiring a facility in West County which will
provide 5 units of transitional housing for families and singles.
o Single Men and Women
The emergency assistance for food and shelter mentioned above is also
available for singles with the exception of the assistance for AFDC
families. Again, insufficient funds are available to meet the demand.
The VOA Family Support Center in Richmond is making 12 spaces available to
single women. At the same time, unfortunately, a privately run facility in
Richmond which provided 12 beds for singles has closed down due to lack of
funds.
A private individual has opened a facility for HIV-positive homeless
individuals, which provides 6 bed spaces. Until AIDS victims are
acknowledged as a disabled population) however, this type of critically
needed facility would not be eligible for federal funds for the disabled.
The County has provided emergency shelter for the past two winters through
the National Guard Armories. Last winter, the Richmond Armory, operated by
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Volunteers of America, provided overnight shelter for an average of 150
single men and women for 6 months. The Concord Armory, operated by Shelter
Inc. , provided overnight shelter for 100 individuals for a 5 month period.
While these programs were severely limited by constraints imposed by the
National Guard the armory programs were able to link up homeless with
various service providers on site.
The County Department of Social Services also instituted new ongoing
programs for homeless. These include the motel voucher program, which
provided overnight shelter and an after hours County Hotline to refer
homeless to shelter facilities or motels. However, due to budget
constraints, the County has just discontinued its use of motel vouchers for
singles) other than disabled individuals or those just released from a
hospital .
The County Department of Social Services is attempting to develop ongoing
emergency shelter with services to replace the temporary Armory shelters.
After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain land use approvals within the
West County, Volunteers of America (VOA) is pursuing two
other site options, one to house 36 people in self contained mobile units
(funded, in part, through FEMA) and another facility for 50 people. In
Central County, VOA is attempting to obtain land use approvals for a 54 bed
facility for single men and women, which they have acquired. In addition,
Christian Bel.ievers will have a singles component in their new facility for
6 individuals.
o Run-Away or Throw-Away Youth
The County's Department of Health services is planning a residential
facility for youth with drug and alcohol problems and will be applying for
federal alcohol and drug treatment funds.
o Elderly
The Department . of Social Services is conducting a survey of SRO's as
potential housing for various homeless populations including the elderly.
Local efforts are currently underway to acquire and rehabilitate a 75 unit
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel in Central County. Recent site
availability prohibited application for the 1989 SRO Mod. Rehab. Program
funds. Another proposed SRO rehabilitation project has been abandoned due
to inability to obtain site control .
Two local housing services agencies have instituted shared housing
programs, in coordination with the Social Services Dept. to link up seniors
and disabled in under-utilized housing with others in need of living space.
This program can provide very low cost housing while providing assistance
to the homeowner in the form of rent or chores. This can make the
difference between independence and institutionalization for many seniors.
o Victims of Domestic Violence
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The Battered Women' s Alternatives Shelter, which provides 24 shelter beds
for battered women and their children, has greatly increased their on-site
supportive services to include job counseling and placement, legal
services, mediation counseling and individual counseling. In addition, the
proposed transitional facility mentioned above will allow their clients the
time to locate jobs, housing, etc. so that they are not forced to return to
battering situations.
o Mentally Disabled
Phoenix Programs has opened a 20 bed shelter in Antioch for mentally
disabled adults, along with multi-service drop-in centers in each of the
three areas of the County. Housing for Independent People (HIP) is
acquiring a 7 unit site in Pittsburg for mentally disabled adults, with a
mix of permanent and transitional units. HIP is also acquiring a home for
a 6 bed residential care facility for the mentally handicapped.
The County's Alcohol/Drug Abuse/Mental Health Division of Health Services
is developing a Special User Housing Plan to develop permanent housing with
supportive services for its client populations. SRO housing may be an
ideal form of low cost housing for this population with appropriate
services.
o Recovering Alcohol and Substance Abusers
Over the last year and a half, several agencies have opened a total of 6
"sober living" houses for graduates of alcohol detox programs. These
include two homes operated by BiBett in Concord, one by Richmond
Neighborhood House in Richmond, one by East County Detox and Recovery in
Pittsburg, one by Sunrise Inc. in Concord, and one by Tri-Counties Women
Recovery Services in San Pablo.
The County Department of Health Services is also planning a 10 bed facility
for adults with alcohol and drug problems to be funded out of War on Drug
funds. A limitation placed on this funding, however, requires that 50% of
the funds serve intraveneous drug users. With changing drug use, these
funding restrictions no longer reflect the primary need for drug services
which is to address "crack" dependencies, not"i .v." drug use.
Plans for a new Discovery House facility for homeless female substance
abusers have been abandoned by the County Alcohol/Drug Abuse/Mental Health
Division of Health Services due to inability -to obtain site control .
o Veterans
In addition to providing assistance at two Veteran's Resource Centers, the
County Veterans Services Department provided onsite screening for Veteran' s
Administration benefits and referrals for drug/alcohol recovery programs at
the two Winder Relief Shelters. Surveys of the Armory populations indicate
that 20 to 27% were veterans.
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Federal Assistance Under the McKinney Act
o Emergency Shelter Grant Program
In 1988, the County provided its $8,000 of federal Emergency Shelter Grant
Program funds to Volunteers of America for operating costs for the Richmond
Family Support Center which provides 8 transitional housing units. This
"filled a funding gap for operating costs.
In 1989, the County disbursed its Emergency Shelter Grant funds to five
local non-profits providing;
o staff costs for a part-time substance abuse coordinator to complement
a Jobs Training Program through Rubicon;
0 operating expenses for an emergency shelter and drop-in center for
mentally disabled adults operated by Phoenix Programs;
o equipment for a drop-in homeless center operated by Volunteers of
America;
o equipment for the Battered Women's Alternatives Emergency Shelter; and
o rent for a residential facility for young single mothers and their
children.
Because of the 20% cap on use of ESG funds for social services, these funds
are used primarily to provide supplemental operating expenses. Yet because
of a similar 15% cap on social services expenditures of Community
Development Block Grant funds, social service agencies which serve the
homeless and disabled have unmet needsfor administrative costs. Removal of
the 20% cap on social services would allow these funds to better serve
local needs. As it is, ESGP funds have provided critical funds for
operating expenses, equipment, and rehabilitation of existing emergency
shelter facilities.
o Transitional Housing Program
Federal Transitional Housing funds have provided the necessary up-front
capital for acquisition and rehabilitation costs, along with the essential
on-going costs of providing support services which enables the homeless to
transition into self sufficiency. With the exception of new funding which
may be available to Contra Costa County through Ford' s Emergency Housing
Apartment Program Demonstration Project, local and state funds have not
been adequate to develop transitional housing without additional federal
assistance.
The. Richmond Family Support Center, operated by Volunteers of American, was
made possible by a combination of funding sources, including Transitional
Housing funds, City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, corporate donations,
Emergency Shelter Program, FEMA.
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The Pittsburg Family Center, with 8 transitional also received Transitional
Housing funds.
The $100,750 for hard costs allowed for the acquisition and rehabilitation
of the site, along with providing essential operating funds for continued
success of the program. The total funding package includes County CDBG,
County Housing Bond Trust Fund, private sector funds, and client revenue.
Rubicon expects to open its 10 unit San Joaquin Apts. transitional housing
facility for the mentally disabled in May of 1989. This project was made
possible with Transitional Housing funds for hard costs and continued
operating expenses.
The Battered Women's Alternatives Transitional proposed project may be
funded with a combination of federal Transitional Housing Program funds
along with private donations and County, Walnut Creek, and Concord CDBG
funds.
o Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless
Housing for Independent People's 7 unit project for mentally disabled,
which is a mix of transitional and permanent units, has been funded by
Section 8 certificates, County CDBG funds, the state Special User Housing
Rehabilitation Program, a private lender, City of Pittsburg, and federal
Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless funds.
o Section 8 Single Room Occupancy Moderate Rehabilitation Program
While several agencies have explored the possibility of acquiring and
developing SRO properties, none have yet attained site control allowing
them to pursue Section 8 SRO Mod. Rehab. funds. A survey which has been
contracted by the County to identify SRO sites will assist in the
development of policies and projects to preserve these units for use by low
income and homeless individuals. SRO development has been identified as a
priority by CHART as a long term solution to the problem of homelessness.
Job Training Demonstration Project
A local non-profit corporation, Rubicon, and the Richmond Private Industry
Council , received a one year demonstration grant to provide job training to the
homeless in West County. The project has been very successful in providing
on-site services at emergency shelters in coordination with Department of Social
Services and the State Employment Development Department. Out of over 250
homeless screened, 80 people enrolled in training and 15 clients have been
employed. An alcohol/drug recovery specialist funded through the Emergency
Shelter Grant Program provided a complementary component to be Job Training
project. Rubicon will be applying for subsequent Department of Labor funds in
order to continue the project.
JA:vpl .
LM2/89chap.frm
7
Contra Costa County Homeless Shelter Facilities
(as of May, 1989)
with Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Nyumba Chuki (Richmond) 9
Casa Cecilio Chi (San Pablo) 6
Nierika House (Concord) 9
Community Living (Concord) 11
Rubicon Phoenix Shelter (Antioch) 20
Rubicon Transitional Apts
(Richmond) 12
Rubicon Homes (Richmond 10
Rubicon Apts (Richmond) 14
Subtotals 37 20 20
Alcohol/Substance Abuse
Holloman House Detox (Richmond) 20
Holloman - Transitional (Richmond) 17
Sunrise Transitional (Concord) 36
Shennum Center Detox (Concord) 20
Rectory Transition (San Pablo) 15
Ozanan Transition (Concord) 17
Diablo Valley , (Clayton) 58
Discovery I (Martinez) 21
Discovery II (Martinez) 21
Gregory Center (Concord) 12
Subtotals 52 185 0
AIDS Victims
Metta Vhara (Richmond) 6
Battered Women
Battered Women Shelter
(undisclosed location - 24 beds)
Families
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) 238
VOA Transitional (Richmond)
5 Apartment Units 12
Young Mothers Facility I 6
15th Street I (Richmond) 24
Shiloh Transitional (Richmond) 15
Radiant Life (Pittsburg) 6
Subtotals 307 0 6
Homeless Population West Central East
Singles - Men
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) (238)
Christian Believers (Richmond) 9
Christian Believers Hotel 29
Singles - Women
VOA (Richmond) 12
Richmond Rescue Mission (Richmond) (238)
Christian Believers (Richmond) 9
Christian Believers Hotel (29)
*
Subtotals 297 0 0
Regional Totals 469 213 34
Countywide Total = 716 beds
( ) 's = beds listed more than once; duplicates are not included in the total .
Includes 238 bedspaces also included in subtotal for family shelter.
** The 24 Battered Women Shelter beds were evenly allocated to the 3 regions in
the regional totals since the location is undisclosed.
cd13/nofbeds.tab
Proposed Contra Costa County Homeless Shelter Facilities
(as of May, 1989)
with Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Housing for Independent People
(Pittsburg) 14
(Concord) 6
Rubicon-San Joaquin Apts
(Richmond) 10
Alcohol/Substance Abuse
Discovery House 10
(Martinez)
Battered Women & Children
Transitional facility 16 units 32-48
Families
Shelter, Inc. (Undetermined) 40-60
Shelter, Inc. (Pittsburg) 24
Christian Believers (Richmond) 15
Singles - Men & Women
Salvation Army 80-120
VOA Shelter Program
- E1 Sobrante 50
- Martinez 54
- San Pablo 36
Christian Believers
- Richmond 6
Regional Totals 117 222-298 38
Countywide Total = 377-453
cdl3/nofbeds.tab
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New Contra Costa County Homeless Shelter Facilities
During Year 10/87 - 4/89
with Number of Bedspaces
Homeless Population West Central East
Mentally Disabled
Phoenix Shelter (Antioch) 20
Alcohol/Substance Abuse
Sober Living Houses
BiBett (Concord) 12
Richmond Neighborhood House (Richmond) 6
East Co. Detox & Recovery (Pittsburg) 6
Sunrise, Inc. (Concord) 6
TriCounties Women Recovery (San Pablo) 6
AIDS Victims
Metta Vhara (Richmond) 6
.Battered Women
Families
VOA Transitional 24
Young Mothers 6
Singles
Regional Totals 48 18 26
Countywide Total = 92
cd13/nofbeds.tab
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