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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04141998 - C144 FHS#5 _ ,a TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS « -y' J ' CONTRA COSTA FROM: FAMILY& HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE COUNTY DATE: April 14, 1998 SUBJECT: Homeless Shelters and Services SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDAMON(S): ACCEPT the attached report from the Director of Public Health on the status of homeless shelters and services. BA KGRC1UNDtREMON(;) FOR R ' �ME,NW U On March 23, 1998, the Family and Human Services Committee met with Wendel Brunner, Director of Public Health, to receive a status report on homeless shelters and services. Dr. Brunner gave an overview of the existing capacity of shelter services, noting that Concord now has a 95 bed capacity, up from 60 beds. In addition, the shelter now offers immediate winter relief, shelter beds for up to 30 days as well as a structured case management program of 90 days. Dr. Brunner also reported that the Brookside Shelter is at capacity and the physical facility is not adequate. He also reported that family shelters are currently the highest priority for the County and that there are no year round facilities except for the West County Rescue Mission. In response to a question by Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier, Brenda Blasingame, Homeless Program Manager, stated that the use of armories as shelters is not possible, since state regulations permit their use only if no other winter shelters are available. Dr. Brunner noted that his department was CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ,,,,,,`YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR_RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE —OTHER SIGNATURE(S): Donna *her Mark De5aulnier ACTION OF BOARD ON 7 T-_777if APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 4` i HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS(ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN- ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD Of SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact:Sara Hofhnan,336«1080 ATTESTED PHIL BXTCHELOR,CLERK OF THE 13GARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR cc: CAC! €)r.Wendel Brunner,Public Health r Brenda Slasingame(via Public Health) BY %"L'�k'4 it JC ").DEPUTY FHS#5 BM1 CKGRC31lNWREASON(S) EQ8 RECOMM N MSI(S).: ' -n setting up meetings with the County's legislative delegation to address this issue. Dr. Brunner also noted that there was a need to inform our legislative delegation on the difficulties of the HUD formula used for McKinney Homeless Assistance grants. Funding is based on both the quality of the application and pro rata need, which must be compiled as a countywide statistic. This works against the county's interests since the high pockets of homeless are of a regional nature. The committee requested Dr. Brunner and his staff to return to the committee to: • brief the committee on the continuum of care currently under development; • review the findings of the inventory on homeless shelters and services by community, funding agencies and provider contracts, both current and historic; • review the performance of the Center Point contract for the Brookside Shelter. Both Supervisors Donna Gerber and Mark DeSaulnier stated the need to clearly identify gaps in the homeless shelter and services program and to identify what needs to be done, legislative or otherwise. The committee requested Dr. Branner to return with a follow-up report on July 13, 1998 and to schedule the review of the Center Point contract earlier, if possible. The committee requested Sara Hoffman to arrange for the FHS to meet at the Brookside Shelter. 2 Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION ? Wendel Brunner, M.D. ilnta Director of Public Health 8`•. ,. Administrative Offices 597 Center Avenue,suite 200 `v7.q`Coi3t Martinez,California 94553 Phone: (925)313-6712 Fax:(925)313-6721 E-Mail:wbrunner@hsd.co.contra-costa.ca.us TO: Family& Human Services Committee Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier, District 4 Supervisor Donna Gerber,District 2 FROM: Wendel Brunner, M.D. Director of Public Health DATE: March 19, 1998 SUBJECT: STATUS REPORT ON HOMELESS SHELTERS AND SERVICES This report contains information requested by the Family&Human Services Committee on current shelter services available this winter in the county,major service gaps,and fixture needs and plans for homeless services. Additionally,we have included information about the HUD Homeless Assistance Funding FV 1997 and preparation for the FY 98 Homeless Assistance Funding. Statue,of Shelter Ser y ces 3EWter`97 This winter has been an especially wet, cold, and difficult one. As always during this time of year, winter weather conditions focus attention on the homeless problem in Contra Costa and the Bay Area. Winter is a particularly important time to highlight the needs of the homeless and to plan to ensure that services are available throughout the year. During this winter we have had more services available than in past years,but they are still not adequate to meet the needs. For example, the Health Care for the Homeless Team is seeing more people this winter at the clinics and are turning away some individuals or referring them to the Health Centers because of appointment and time constraints. F, gency SUlters at Con-cold mdBrookside We expanded the Concord Shelter capacity for the first time this winter to 95 beds. Previously we have never had more than 75 persons in the Concord Shelter, and that only for a short period. This expansion began in December and was implemented on a staged basis adding five to ten beds at a time. This approach allowed for a controlled and safe expansion to the additional 35 beds. At the present time we have three different program phases operating in the Shelter to meet the differing needs of homeless individuals this winter: Winter Relief, Phase I Emergency Shelter, and the Phase 11 Structured Case Management Program. Individuals in Winter Relief beds have the opportunity to apply for Phase I Emergency Shelter beds for up to 30 days,which affords them the opportunity to apply for the Phase 11 Structured Case Management Program of 90 days. Status Report on Homeless Shelters and Services March 19, 1998 Page 2 The Brookside Shelter in West County has 56 beds (8 women, 48 men), all currently full. Because of structural constraints in the shelter we are not able to increase the number of beds at Brookside,and so have been unable to expand the number of single individuals we are serving in West County during the winter. There are also f u-ther problems with the physical structure of the Brookside Shelter. We have received information from the Housing Authority,which maintains the building,that the physical condition of the structure is deteriorating(see Attachment 1). The building is a temporary facility,and was not constructed for the intense, ongoing use it has received for the past four years. We are spending an exorbitant amount of money on repairs, which only keep the building in marginal condition, While this building will get through this winter, and maybe through next, we need to site a new facility in West County that is adequate for both current usage and allows the ability to expand the number of beds for Winter Relief. Family Shelters In West County, the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) is operating a 30 bed rotating emergency winter shelter for families again for the fifth winter this year. This program began operation in November and will end in early April. For the first time in Central County, this winter St. Vincent de Paul's FERST Multi-Service Center is operating a rotating 30 bed emergency shelter serving families. Both of these programs are operating through the faith community in their efforts to address homeless issues. The shelters rotate sites,moving from one church to another weekly. This is a very successful model for provision of emergency shelter for families,but these programs are not adequate to meet the needs of homeless families in the county. GRIP turns away at least two to four families a day, while F:ERST is turning away seven to ten families daily. The larger demand for a FER 5T programm is probably due to the fact that Central County has no other services available, while in West County the Rescue Mission also serves families. Through a reallocation of unused administrative funds,Community Services directed$21,400 to the Homeless Program for motel vouchers for families. Community Services worked with the State to roll over the money through the calendar year so it was available for use from December through February, the months of highest need. Families accessed the motel vouchers from service providers or directly from the 1-840 Homeless Hotline. This supplement allowed the Crisis Center to double the number of vouchers available during those months from the usual 40 or 50, and to provide services to twice as many families. Priority Shelter N=da The highest priority need for our county is the provision of emergency shelter for families. Homelessness does not only occur to families during winter, and the county does not have family emergency shelters that operate year-around. The five year Homeless Continuum of Care Plan identified year round family shelters as one of the highest priority needs for the County's continuum of services. St. Vincent de Paul has recently applied for Federal Emergency Shelter Grant Funds (available only to entitlement cities)to operate their winter family shelter throughout the year. St. Vincent de Paul does not currently have a site for this family shelter operation if the application is funded; siting that shelter should be a high priority for the community. When winter ends, families have even fewer services available to address their immediate homeless issues. At a minimum we need to site and develop family emergency shelters in West and Central County,but East County also needs a facility. Status Report on Homeless Shelters and Services March 19, 1998 Page 3 Siting and developing a more permanent emergency shelter in West County, and year around family shelters throughout the county should be an important focus for the next year. Otherwise,we will find ourselves next reinter no better off than we are now. The current emergency shelter at Brookside does not appear to have long term viability,and must be replaced. In the long terns, the county needs to stabilize further the funding of Homeless and Housing Services in the county. External funding sources are decreasing yearly, and each year we are faced with a potential budget shortfall because we are dependent on uncertain and highly competitive outside funding. This year as every year, for example, we applied to the Federal Emergency Management Administration(FEMA)and received$25,000 dollars,$25,000 dollars less than last year. We cannot continue to rely on sources like FEMA to maintain the year around continuity of our core programs; these yearly competitive funds should be used to meet specific needs or emergencies. &Atus of HUD Homeless Assistance Funding FY 92 and YY 98 The County submitted a Consolidated Application in response to the HUD Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) for McKinney Homeless Assistance FY 97 funding in August of 1997. In December, we received notification that approximately$2 million were awarded to Contra Costa County agencies, funding five out often projects submitted for funding. The five projects that were funded are existing programs providing either transitional housing or permanent housing (see Attachment 2). These projects are renewals and this was the first time that renewal projects were funded through the NOFA process. In the past, renewal projects were funded directly from HUD, and the NOFA was for new start up projects. Though the 1997 funding amount is approximately$1 million less than the 1996 funding amount, we did receive more than our pro rata need based on the quality of our application. Pro rata need is determined by the following factors: data on poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing,and growth lag. In preparation for the HUD FY 98 NOFA,the County Homeless Program coordinated a meeting with the local HUD office in San Francisco and a group of homeless and housing service providers. The purpose of this meeting was to receive feedback on how we did in the last NOFA and suggestions for strengthening the upcoming application. The feedback we received was that we did well and had a good application that can be made stronger in the areas of community process and a detailed strategy. We are taking HUD staff's feedback and putting it into action in order to maximize resources corning in to the County through the NOFA process. Based on the feedback we received in order to enhance the inclusive community process,which is a main tenant of the NOFA Application,we need to develop a Continuum of Care Task Force. The charge of this task force is twofold: 1)Develop and implement the inclusive community process;and 2) Work with the County Homeless Program on the development of the narrative that illustrates a comprehensive strategy to address the components of the continuum of care system outlined in the Five-Year Continuum of Care Plan. The task force will submit the narrative to the Continuum of Care Board(COCB)for final approval. In addition,the task force will work collaboratively with the COCB to establish the relative priority ranking of needs and to review and rank applications submitted for funding. Status Report on Homeless Shelters and Services March 19, 1998 Page 4 The inclusive community process, according to HUD, should include nonprofit organizations (such as veterans service organizations,organizations representing persons with disabilities, organizations representing persons with mental health issues,and other groups serving the homeless),State and local governmental agencies, housing developers, private foundations, local businesses and the banking community, neighborhood groups,and currently or formerly homeless persons.. The development of this task force will enhance our community process, making it more inclusive and reflecting the expectations of HUD. The task force would include three current members of the COCB and individuals representing the other groups and organizations outlined by HUD.' WB:BB:ah Attachments cc: William Walker, M.D., Health Services Director HOUSING AUTHORITY ATTACHMENT 1 Of th4e COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA 3133 Estudillo Street • P.O. Box 2759 • Martinez, California 94553 FAX(590)372-0236 Fax: (510) 313--6761 December 22, 1997 0 Central Administration Ms. Brenda Blasingame (510)372.0791 Contra Costa County Health Services Department ■ Development/Modernization 597 Center Avenue, Suite 375 (510)372-7308 Martinez, CA 94553 O Fiscal Acct.&Financial Services Subject: Brookside Shelter (510)372-8134 0 Dousing management (510)372-0796 Dear Ms. Blasingame: 0 Housing Operations (510)372-7400 This letter is prompted by my concern regarding the 0 lmasint (510)67-2 maintenance budget at the Brookside Shelter. As you know, the {5111)687-2#98 � Y , 0 Rental Rehaiffechnical Housing Authority has been responsible for the ongoing maintenance (510)372-7391 of this facility for a little over four years. This year the extraordinary maintenance budget for all of the county owned homeless facilities (Brookside, Central County, and. Mt. View House) is $22,500. From the beginning of the budget year, July 1, 1997, we have spent nearly $7,000 of this budget and have obligated to spend an additional $5,500 on needed Brookside repairs. Hence we have used over 55% of the budget and we are only 40% through the budget year. Much of these expenses, over 705 of them, have been to make repairs to the Brookside Shelter. Hopefully we will be able to cover the remainder of the budget year expenses with the remaining funds. The above budgetary concern and my past experience with the Brookside Shelter have led me to question the viability of the Brookside Shelter as it is presently configured. This is a "modular" building, which was not constructed with high durability finishes, and fixtures. Over the four years we have maintained the facility, we have spent or obligated over $85,000 for repairs for the Brookside Shelter alone. The main cost were to install a new roof and to re-side the building (these work items were needed because the building leaked when it was turned over to the Housing Authority, even though it was only over a year old) . Other major repairs have been made to correct water damage problems in the shower and bathroom facilities caused by either faulty design or construction. Although the rainwater leakage problems are probably over for awhile, given the maintenance history to date, poor design, and poor construction, it is likely that significant cost will recur in future years to keep the facility to minimal standards. Given the above, the County should either plan to budget significantly more money annually to do anticipated repairs or should consider alternate facilities to operate the program. If you have any questions, need additional information, or would like to discuss, please call me at (510) 372-7308. Sincerely, r Robert McEwan Director of Development E-Mail: rmchacc@earthlink.net ATTACHMENT 2 CONTINUUM OF CARE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE 1997 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION EXHIBIT 2: SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM A. Battered Women's Alternatives A 1-22 Margaret Lesher Transitional Housing & Employment Center B. Battered Women's Alternatives B 1-22 Margaret Lesher Transitional Housing & Employment Center C. Shelter, Inc. C 1-23 Pittsburg Family Center D. Rubicon Programs Incorporated D 1-25 San Joaquin I E. Contra Costa County E 1-24 Contra Costa County Transitional Housing Program at Mountain View House and San Joaquin II F. State of Nflf6Fma Department of HousMg F 1-22 and Community Development West Richmond Apartments G. Rubicon Programs Incorporated G 1-26 Safety-Net: Expanded Employment Services H. Corporation for Supportive Housing H 1-25 Health, Housing & Integrated Services Network: Integrated Services Teams 1. Shelter, Inc. 11-23 Transitional Housing Partnership R J. Society of St."Vincent de Paul J 1-28 Homeless Education Collaborative Adult Employment Education Continuum Of Care: Project Priorities Project Sponsor Project Name Numeric Requested Priority Project SHP S+C Amount SHP renewal Battered Women's Margaret Lesher Transitional Housing 1 S 301,343 x Alternatives &Employment Center Battered Women's Margaret Lesher Transitional Housing& 2 S 124,573 Alternatives E 1 x rnp oyment Center Shelter,Inc. Pittsburg Family Center 3 $ 182,584 x Rubicon Programs San Joaquin 1 4 S 114,660 Incorporated x Contra Costa County Contra Costa County Transitional 5 $ 1,326,485 Hous' Prox Homing gram at Mt.View House and San Joaquin 11 State of California West Richmond Apartments 6 $ 132,039 Department of x Housing and Community Development Rubicon Programs Safety-Net:Expanded Employment 7 $ 219,870 x Incorporated Services Corporation for Health,Housing&Integrated Services 8 $ 285,265 x Supportive Housing Network: Integrated Services Teams Housing Authority of Contra Costa County Shelter Plus Care 9 S 394,320 the County of Contra Program x Costa Shelter,Inc. Transitional Housing Partnership U 10 S 927,906 x Society of St.Vincent Homeless Education Collaborative Adult 11 S 938,715 x de Paul Employment Education 30 Continuum Of Care: Project Priorities Project Sponsor project Name Numeric Requested Priority Project SHP S+C Amount SW renewal Battered Women's Margaret Usher Transitional Housing 1 S 301,343 x Alternatives &Employment Ginter Battered Women's Margaret Usher Transitional Housing& 2 S 124,573 x Alternatives Employment Center Shelter,Inc. Pittsburg Family Center 3 S 182,584 x Rubicon Programs San Joaquin l 4 $ 114,660 x Incorporated Contra Costa County Contra Costa County Transitional 5 $ 1,326,485 x Housing Program at Mt.View House and San Joaquin R State of California West Richmond Apartments 6 S 132,039 x Department of Housing and community Development Rubicon Programs Safety-Net:Expanded Employment 7 S 219,870 x Incorporated Services Corporation,for Health,Housing&Integrated Services 8 S 285,265 x Supportive Housing Network: Integrated Services Teams Housing Authority of Contra Costa County Shelter Plus Care 9 S 394,320 x the County of Contra Program Costa Shelter,Inc. Transitional Housing Partnership II 10 S 927,906 x Society of St.Vincent Homeless Education Collaborative Adult 11 $ 938,715 x de Paul Employment Education 30