Title
Recommendation to Accept the Social Service Human Relations Board Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-26. (Housing and Human Services 10021830)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) requires the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) to adopt an annual plan for the performance of its delineated functions “with advice and consent of the City Council.” At its March 2, 2025 meeting, SSHRB unanimously approved a Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Work Plan (Work Plan) for City Council’s review. The Work Plan focuses on addressing human relations concerns relevant to creating a welcoming community for all residents, as well as continuing to oversee existing City of Alameda (City) initiatives.
BACKGROUND
The AMC 2-9.4(f) states that one of the duties of SSHRB is to adopt a plan for the performance of its delineated functions “with advice and consent of the City Council.” The AMC further notes that “the City Council and SSHRB will meet at least once a year to review the plan.”
At its December 5, 2024 meeting, SSHRB initiated development of a Work Plan to determine SSHRB’s future agenda items, establish priorities, and create a timeline for its activities. These activities were based on the administrative and infrastructure needs of the SSHRB, SSHRB’s role in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) needs assessment and public service application review process, and the three ad hoc subcommittee recommendations. The three subcommittees, composed of one to three members each, are as follows:
• The Road Home - A 5-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda - to support Alameda’s most vulnerable population and report on the City’s progress to prevent and reduce homelessness,
• Human Relations/Alamedans Together Against Hate to address human relations concerns and work to create a welcoming and beloved community for all residents, and,
• Domestic Violence to recognize the social and mental health impacts of personal relationships and lead a Task Force to ensure access to community driven resources.
DISCUSSION
The three ad hoc subcommittees have been independently meeting to develop their respective segments of the Work Plan (Exhibit 1). In addition to SSHRB’s regular review and oversight of various City initiatives, the Work Plan identifies the following areas of primary focus for FY 2024-25:
1. Report on, develop, and improve services for people experiencing homelessness. In 2021, City Council accepted The Road Home: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (The Road Home), creating a community responsive plan to house all Alamedans. In 2024, City Council accepted the Progress Report on The Road Home.
The City’s Charter assigns SSHRB the responsibility of assessing and responding to the social service and human relations needs of the City. To fulfill that responsibility, SSHRB periodically creates the Community Needs Assessment (CNA) report detailing community needs. The most recent CNA was accepted by City Council in May 2023 and work will begin on the 2025 CNA this summer.
Under the proposed Work Plan, some of SSHRB’s activities may include:
a. Produce an annual report on The Road Home progress and goals;
b. Continue to address The Road Home Strategy 3.1 - Engage the Community on the Regional Crisis of Homelessness; and
c. Engage as a stakeholder and advocate by attending meetings with social service providers such as the Collaboration Advancing Resources, Efforts, and Supports for Alameda’s Homeless (CARES) Team.
2. Attention to creating a welcoming City for all residents. In 1997, the City passed a resolution declaring Alameda a hate-free City. In the early 2000’s, SSHRB sponsored a work group called Alamedans Together Against Hate (ATAH) in response to racially and other bias-motivated incidences and hate crimes in Alameda. Its activities include creating a speakers’ bureau and “No Room for Hate” posters. In 2023, SSHRB founded an annual poetry event to be held during the national United Against Hate Week. And in 2024, SSHRB supported a Season for Nonviolence art exhibit and speech contest. SSHRB recommends continuing their focus on collaboration with community-based organizations and events to combat hate and isolation. Under the proposed Work Plan, some of SSHRB’s activities may include:
a. Coordinate with other human relations initiatives and collaborate with partners by participating in community meetings, events, focus groups, and/or stakeholder meetings to improve and support human relations in Alameda;
b. Incorporate connectivity by intentionally linking and supporting existing community events to address community issues like mental health, racial equity, loneliness, etc.; and
c. Bring a revised ATAH resolution to City Council for consideration and discussion.
3. Address the causes and effects of domestic violence and support solutions. In May 2020, SSHRB began incorporating the issue of domestic violence into its annual Work Plan and convened a Task Force to coordinate domestic violence prevention and intervention services in the City and mobilize all members of the community to take a proactive role in building a domestic violence-free community. SSHRB proposal for future tasks may include:
a. Collaborate with local agencies and organizations to build on current structures/systems for the express purpose of supporting victims, perpetrators, and youth to encourage access to services and resources; and
b. Continue to lead and support semi-annual Task Force meetings to develop and implement common goals.
c. Post a centralized document of Domestic Violence resources on City of Alameda website.
Under the proposed Work Plan, SSHRB would continue its oversight of recommendations for CDBG funding levels and coordination of community events.
The draft Work Plan was reviewed and revised by SSHRB at its December and March public meetings. At its March 27, 2025 meeting, SSHRB approved the Work Plan for City Council’s consideration.
ALTERNATIVES
• Provide feedback on the SSHRB Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
• Request additional information prior to providing feedback.
• Provide no feedback.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funds to support SSHRB are included in the proposed FY 2025-26 Human Services budget (Org 10021830).
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with Alameda Municipal Code 2-9.4(f):
Adopt a plan for the performance of the above listed functions with advice and consent of the City Council. It is the intent of this section that the City Council and Board will meet at least once a year to review the plan.
This Work Plan supports the City of Alameda Fiscal Years 2023-2026 Strategic Plan initiatives to Enhance Community Safety and Services and to House All Alamedans & End Homelessness.
This work plan is also consistent with The Road Home - A 5-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Homelessness in Alameda.
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 IMPACTS
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the SSHRB’s Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
Respectfully submitted,
C’Mone Falls, Housing and Human Services (HHS) Manager
By,
Grecia Mannah-Ayon, HHS Program Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Acting Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. SSHRB Work Plan for FY 2025-26
cc: SSHRB