Title
Recommendation to Accept the Final Report on The Road Home: A 5-Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda. (City Manager 10021833)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council identified housing and addressing homelessness as one of its key priorities. As a result, the City of Alameda’s Housing and Human Services Division created The Road Home: A 5 Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (The Road Home). In October of 2021, City Council adopted the plan slated to end in 2025. Over the last five years, Housing and Human Services (HHS) has made significant progress in meeting the goals outlined in The Road Home. As this plan concludes, HHS has reviewed the activities and data of the last five years. This review is summarized in the attached report and will inform the next strategic plan for housing and human services in the City of Alameda (City).
The Final Report on The Road Home Plan (Final Report) provides a cumulative summary of the work taken on in partnership with various City departments and Alameda’s network of nonprofit, public, and private partners. The Road Home acted as a guiding document and strategic plan for the Housing and Human Services division.
BACKGROUND
In January of 2021, work began on a five-year plan to address the lack of affordable housing and increasing incidence of homelessness in Alameda. As part of the strategic planning process, Homebase completed an assessment of existing programs and systems in Alameda and conducted extensive stakeholder engagement. In spring of 2021, staff brought a series of preliminary goals and strategies to the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) and City Council for review and feedback. The plan was approved and adopted by City Council in October of 2021.
DISCUSSION
The primary purpose of The Road Home was to provide a roadmap to how the City responds to and prevents homelessness. The Road Home outlined the identified causes, challenges, and needs to preventing and ending homelessness. The stated mission of the plan is to:
• Prevent and reduce first-time homelessness;
• Recognize and address disparities for individuals experiencing homelessness;
• Reduce chronic homelessness;
• Shorten the period of time an individual or household remains homeless; and
• Decrease returns to homelessness.
The Final Report provides a summary of the progress for every goal and strategy identified in the original plan. A few achievements to highlight from The Final Report include:
• Increasing the supply of temporary beds by 97 through the opening of three year-round and one seasonal shelter programs including Dignity Village, a non-congregate facility with integrated behavioral health services.
• 82 low to moderate income homes for sale have been built as part of the City’s Below Market Rate Home Ownership program with 46 sold to low to moderate income households. Additionally, 182 affordable rental units were added to the City’s Below Market Rate rental program as part of the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.
• Expanding outreach and supportive services to unsheltered households through partnerships with nonprofit partners and most recently by transitioning outreach services to an internal five-person team. This transition focuses on engagement services across the island supporting residents who are homeless and at risk of becoming homeless.
• Supporting development and services of affordable housing and permanent supporting housing units in partnership with the Alameda Housing Authority. Including investments in Estuary 1 and Linnet Corner.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve the Final Report on The Road Home.
• Do not approve the Final Report and provide further direction on next steps.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from approving the progress report.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Final Report on The Road Home outlines efforts that support the City Strategic Plan priority to End Homelessness and House All Alamedans, specifically Project HHS2 to Implement the Homelessness Strategic Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the Final Report on The Road Home: A 5-Year Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda.
Respectfully submitted,
C’Mone Falls, Housing and Human Services Manager
By,
Grecia Mannah-Ayon, Housing and Human Services Program Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Final Report on The Road Home Plan