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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06271995 - SD11 Sip . l F&HS-1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 5• L.. Contra FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE Costa FROM: c ;< June 19, 1995 ���'""' ,�T`� County r•` DATE: REPORT ON MEETING WITH THE HOMELESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUBJECT: SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. ADD to the summary of the last meeting with the Homeless Advisory Committee as reflected in the report from the Family and Human Services Committee which the Board of Supervisors adopted April 25, 1995, inclusion of the desire of the Homeless Advisory Committee that there be uniform standards for the delivery of services to the homeless. 2. REQUEST that the Homeless Advisory Committee review the homeless services plans for other Bay Area counties and cities [specifically including the plan from the City of Oakland] and be prepared to provide a summary and recommendations to the Family and Human Services Committee when the Family and Human Services Committee next meets with the Homeless Advisory Committee. 3. REQUEST that the Health Services Director add additional city representatives to the Ad Hoc Task Force on the Homeless or at least invite the cities of Martinez and Pittsburg to attend meetings of the Task Force and participate fully in the work of the Task Force. 4. REQUEST the Executive Director of CCTV to obtain information from Tom Fulton of the Northern California Family Center about their program to recruit and certify families interested in providing short-term emergency foster care services to run away young people who have no other place to live and publicize the program on the CCTV Bulletin Board. 5. REQUEST the Homeless Advisory Committee to prepare a Work Plan for the 1995-96 fiscal year and present it to the Family and Human Services Committee for review and forwarding to the Board of Supervisors for approval within 90 days. This Work Plan should include a redefinition of the role and responsibility of the Homeless Advisory Committee. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD E APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE (S): M K DeSAULNIER M H ACTION OF BOARD ON June 27 1995 A P OVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE — UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ------- - ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: _NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED June 27, 1995 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: See Page 3 S VI RS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRA R i BY TY _ I F&HS-1 6. REQUEST the Homeless Advisory Committee to report to the Family and Human Services Committee by November 1, 1995 on what steps should be taken to address the problems of the homeless during the 1995-96 winter season and which agency should take what steps. 7. REQUEST the Homeless Advisory Committee to make a presentation to the Contra Costa Mayors' Conference by November, 1995 on what steps should be taken to address the problems of the homeless during the 1995-96 winter season and which agency should take what steps. BACKGROUND: On April 25, 1995, the Board of Supervisors approved a report from our Committee on this subject and asked the County Administrator to schedule another meeting with the Homeless Advisory Committee prior to June 30, 1995. On June 20, 1995, our Committee met with members of the Homeless Advisory Committee and staff from the Health Services Department. Dr. Ashok Patwardhan, Chair of the Homeless Advisory Committee, summarized the last meeting that was held between the Homeless Advisory Committee and the Family and Human Services Committee as reported to the Board on April 25, 1995. Dr. Patwardhan asked that this summary be amended to include the request of the Homeless Advisory Committee that uniform standards be developed for the delivery of services to the homeless. He also noted that the Homeless Advisory Committee would like the Board of Supervisors to adopt measurable goals that show the progress which has been made in addressing the problems of the homeless in the County. Dr. Wendel Brunner noted that the Health Services Department was on the verge of hiring a Planner who would work with the community to prepare the Comprehensive Plan for Services to the Homeless. Brenda Blasingame noted that all organizations which were designated to nominate members for the Ad Hoc Task Force on the Homeless have been contacted and invited to provide their nominations. Most agencies have responded. It was noted that Health Services has copies of most of the Homeless Services Plans for other counties and cities in the Bay Area. Our Committee is asking that the Homeless Advisory Committee review these plans and provide their conclusions and recommendations to our Committee. Everyone present seemed to agree that the problem of homelessness cannot be solved without the involvement of the cities. It is essential that the County and the cities consult with each other and jointly plan for the most appropriate ways to address the problem of the homeless. As a result, we are specifically asking that the cities of Martinez and Pittsburg be invited to join the Ad Hoc Task Force on the Homeless or at least that they be invited to all meetings of the Task Force. In addition, we are asking that the Homeless Advisory Committee plan a presentation to the Mayors' Conference for this fall. This will be similar to the presentation we are asking the Committee to make to the Board of Supervisors. We have pointed out to the Homeless Advisory Committee that regardless of how much we may all agree on the need for additional resources to be dedicated to the problem of homelessness, the County faces major budget problems which may well preclude dedicating any additional resources to this problem at this time. As a result, we have asked that the Comprehensive Plan which is developed be sufficiently flexible that it can respond to the amount of funding which can be provided for the implementation of the Plan. This will require that some careful prioritization be undertaken as the budget gets tighter. Tom Fulton from the Northern California Family Center suggested that his agency may be able to be of some assistance with the problem of resources for runaway young people. His agency has a limited amount of funding available to provide for emergency foster care services for runaways. He is interested in recruiting more families willing to provide short-term emergency foster care to runaway youth until other plans can be made. We are asking that the County's cable television channel advertise for interested families and that we do whatever else we can to interest the media in publicizing the need for homes for runaway youths. It was suggested that one possible answer to the emergency shelter needs for adults would be an encampment where homeless individuals could be provided shelter, a dry place to sleep, bathroom facilities and meals. Ginger Marsh indicated that she understood this was being done successfully in Oregon. The problems of locating such encampment areas was noted. Dr. Brunner suggested that such encampments were not the answer to homelessness for a variety of reasons, not the least of which 2 F&HS-1 is that it may convince people that the problem has been solved without actually having solved anything. In addition, such an encampment may blunt the urgency of locating affordable housing in the County. There was considerable discussion about the need for more affordable housing in the Bay Area. Supervisor Smith noted that the County and a few cities have General Plans which meet the State's requirements for affordable housing. Many cities do not meet this requirement. Phil Bertenthal from Legal Services suggested that the only realistic solution to affordable housing is the private sector. Developers must be convinced of the need to provide more affordable housing. Since most development occurs in cities, the cooperation of the cities is essential to solving the problem of the need for affordable housing. Our Committee noted that it is essential that each community accept the responsibility for addressing the homeless needs of that community. This is not something which can be addressed effectively and permanently from outside the community. We are concerned about the next 6 - 12 months and what resources are going to be in place to meet the needs of the homeless next winter. Dr. Patwardhan suggested that the County needs a three-pronged approach which addresses: The short-term needs of the homeless, defined as outreach, referral to available resources, and emergency shelter. The mid-term needs of the homeless, defined as needs in the range of 6 - 12 months, including transitional housing. The longer-term needs of the homeless, defined as 1 to 3 years, and including prevention and affordable housing. He suggested that it is essential that all three areas be addressed at the same time. Dr. Patwardhan also suggested that the Homeless Advisory Committee has been under performing in that it has a role to provide advice to the Board of Supervisors but has not provided much advice and has not been asked for such advice. The Committee does perform an information exchange function and puts pressure on County Departments. He suggested that the Board of Supervisors needs to give some assignments to the Homeless Advisory Committee. In addition, he suggested that the Committee needs to undertake an oversight and monitoring function where it would provide the Board of Supervisors with a report card on how the community is doing in meeting the needs of the homeless. As a result, we have asked the Homeless Advisory Committee to prepare a Work Plan for the coming fiscal year and have asked that the Committee provide other reports to our Committee over the next few months. cc: County Administrator Health Services Director Public Health Director Acting Social Service Director Executive Director, Housing Authority Homeless Advisory Committee (Via CAO) 3 I S� I DATE: ) REgUEST TO SPEAK FORM (THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) I Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before addressin a Board. 6-e v �-�.� NAME: j PHONE: ADDRESS: 'y �a� � CITY: I am speaking.formyself OR organization: C LS (NAME OF ORGANIZXI.10%) Check one: ) I wish to speak on Agenda Item # Q' l My comments will be: general _'�4 for against I wish to speak on the subject of I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider.