Title
September 26, 2024
Body
To: Honorable President Scott Means and Members of the Social Service Human Relations Board
City of Alameda, California
SOCIAL SERVICE HUMAN RELATIONS BOARD
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
DRAFT MINUTES
1. CALL TO ORDER
President Scott Means called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: President Scott Means, Vice President Samantha Green, Board Members Gerald Bryant, Dianne Yamashiro-Omi, Bernie Wolf, Cindy Pile, and Michelle Buchholz.
City staff: Marcie Johnson and Andre Fairley
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3-A Review and Approve August 29, 2024 Draft Minutes
A motion to approve the revised August 29, 2024, minutes was made by Vice President Green and seconded by Board Member Bryant. Ayes: President Means, Vice President Green, Board Members Bryant, Yamashiro-Omi, Pile, and Wolf. Nays: none. Abstained: Board Member Buchholz. Motion passed 6-0-1.
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Josh Altieri, Community Relations Manager at the Housing Authority for the City of Alameda - Largest development project, North Housing, is past 40% completion for two of the buildings, with 109 units. It will include units dedicated to veterans. Housing Authority is also opening a waitlist for the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Project Based Voucher Program. Application will be online. Josh also wanted to show appreciation for the Alameda Food Bank for their support and AC Transit for providing EZ passes to 190 households, so they can utilize public transit for free.
Carol Mahar, Development Director at Spectrum Community Services - Spectrum is a nonprofit serving Alameda for over 50 years enhancing the quality of life for older adults and families experiencing low income. They have 6 programs, but tonight focusing on the Senior Meals Program. They serve fresh senior meals at the Mastick Senior Center Monday - Friday at noon. They served over 15,000 meals at Mastick alone and almost 100,00 across all their sites.
Alfred Janske - There is a man named “Max” stalking him at the library. He has spoken to the police and library staff but hasn’t had physical contact with him. He is requesting social services support.
5. AGENDA ITEMS
5-A Discussion of Social Services Human Relations Board Retreat
Proposed date is December 5, 2024, combined November and December meeting date.
Board Member Buchholz identified that this is an opportunity for Board Members to get to know each other, but also brainstorm about what more SSHRB can do. Identify what the Board is doing for MLK Day.
President Means brought up the volunteer celebration that has not been brought back since COVID. He stated it would be nice to celebrate volunteerism at a parklet with music and poetry.
Everyone agreed to do the retreat with a White Elephant on December 5, 2024, at 7pm.
A motion to have the retreat at the regular scheduled time on December 5 to discuss agendas, calendar setting, and specific goals and deliverables was made by Board Member Buchholz and seconded by Board Member Bryant and was modified to be offsite at a restaurant.
5-B Discuss and Review Social Service Human Relations Board Workgroup Reports
Public Comment - None
• Domestic Violence Task Force (Buchholz, Pile, Wolf):
o Board Member Wolf said the next Domestic Violence Task Force meeting will be on October 30, 2024. He is currently looking into the clergy and what their resources are for domestic violence services.
o Board Member Pile discussed that the ACCYF Mental Health Group will be calendaring events for healthy relationships, and Alameda Family Services does a lot of this work.
o Vice President Green offered to connect the Domestic Violence work group with the school district contact.
o Board Member Pile thinks October is Domestic Violence month.
o Staff Member Johnson shared that Healthy Relationships month is in February.
o Board Member Bryant offered to find and send over the contact of an interfaith group to help connect the task force with various clergy groups.
o Board Member Pile shared with the group that we have a volunteer who will be working with SSHRB to develop a logo.
o Board Member Wolf left at 7:45pm.
o Board member Pile will be tabling at Alameda Pride.
• Alamedans Together Against Hate (Yamashiro-Omi, Bryant):
o Board Member Bryant thought the poetry slam participants were great, but marketing needs to improve.
o Board Member Buchholz asked if the group achieved the outcomes they wanted to achieve with the event.
o Board Member Bryant stated the poets were great and traveled throughout the county, but felt that it was not well attended, despite those who attended having a positive experience.
o Board Member Buchholz suggested maybe trying a different event. Staff Member Johnson suggested maybe a talent show.
• The Road Home/People Experiencing Homelessness (Means, Green, Buchholz):
o President Means shared that Board Member Buchholz has joined The Road Home group.
o Vice President Green stated that the group is currently working on the status report update for The Road Home. The group have given comments for the next set of edits.
o The progress report will be presented to SSHRB at the next meeting and will be taken to City Council in November.
o Staff Member Johnson stated that there will be a quick turnaround from when the board views the report to when it will be presented to City Council.
o Board Member Buchholz felt the report didn’t encapsulate economic, drug, and root factors that impact homelessness.
o Vice President Green would like the report to provide a broad context of what The Road Home.
o Vice President Green stated that one of the struggles is finding current, accurate data.
o Vice President Green suggested utilizing the retreat to come up with ideas on how to get the information from the report out to the public.
o SSHRB discussed the nuances of the below market rate housing and rent programs.
6. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
Social Services Manager, Marcie Soslau Johnson offered the following updates for Housing and Human Services (HHS):
• Staffing updates - the new HHS manager, C’Mone Falls, will be starting on Monday, October 7, 2024, and she comes to the City of Alameda from the City of Oakland. Krystina Stephens, Community Outreach Specialist, will have her hours reduced from 40 to 28 beginning October 1, 2024, to remain a part-time employee.
• On September 17, 2024, HHS brought three items to council and one with ARPD.
o Senior rent reduction program passed, and Mastick can now offer subsidized rent for the two units.
o Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) redistribution of funds was approved.
o A contract with Dialog Design LLP was approved to support the relocation of Day Center Services.
o A one year maintenance contract extension for Cerda-Zeinto serve the four Emergency Supportive Housing homes.
• Dignity Village RFP and emergency supportive housing has terminated the Five Keys contract and BOSS was brought in as an interim provider. C’Mone will approve a new RFP provider and bring to council in November.
o One resident moved and several others received their housing match.
o Emergency Supportive Housing is full and they currently have a waitlist.
• Affordable Housing homeownership waitlist is currently open through RISE Housing.
7. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA
• The Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth, and their Families (ACCYF) is having a gift card drive for the residents of Dignity Village. They are collecting $25 and $50 gift cards with a focus on Alameda Landing business where they can purchase food and clothing.
• Board Member Bryant shared that there was an Alameda Chamber of Commerce and Economic Alliance Program meeting and there were positive mentions of the Base Reuse Program.
8. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
9. ADJOURNMENT
President Means adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m.