Title
Recommendation to Adopt the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) Recommended Report on Homelessness in Alameda; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the General Fund Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 to Appropriate $88,400 to Implement Key Program Recommendations. (Housing 267-667100)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Adopt the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) Recommended Report on Homelessness in Alameda; and Adoption of Resolution Amending the General Fund Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 to Appropriate $88,400 to Implement Key Program Recommendations
BACKGROUND
On November 1, 2016, the City Council approved a referral directing the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) to “review City policies and procedures for aiding Alameda's homeless in order to make recommendations to the City Council for policy revisions and additions." SSHRB tasked its Homelessness Action Plan Work Group to work with Housing Authority and City staff on the referral and to prepare a report for the full SSHRB’s review and action.
SSHRB’s original Homelessness Action Plan Work Group included Doug Biggs and Jennifer Williams. Both of these Board members transitioned off the Board and Sherice Youngblood joined the Board and agreed to serve on the Homelessness Action Plan Work Group. Given the importance of the Council referral and its comprehensive scope, former Board members Biggs and Williams agreed to participate in an expanded Work Group to assist in preparing the report. The expanded Work Group was comprised of two SSHRB members (Youngblood and Hyman), two former SSHRB members (Biggs and Williams), and City and Housing Authority staff.
Over the past 15 months, the Work Group met twice and staff gathered information, researched best practices, and vetted policies with local experts. The attached Homelessness Report (also referred to as Report) (Exhibit 1) reflects the research completed to date and presents to City Council a number of options to serve individuals experiencing homelessness and address homelessness as a systemic issue within the City of Alameda.
At its February 22, 2018 meeting, SSHRB unanimously recommended that City Council approve the Homelessness Report. Staff is requesting that City Council review and approve the Report and appropriate $88,400 to fund several of the initiatives identified in the Report and described below.
DISCUSSION
Service delivery to homeless individuals and families in Alameda County is undergoing rapid change with the adoption, in Fall 2017, of the Coordinated Entry System (CES). CES will serve homeless people throughout the County in a single service delivery model that is focused on addressing those most in need first (e.g., sickest, most frail, oldest, etc.) wherever they may be in the County and connecting them with services wherever those services may be located. Alameda has 4.9% of the County’s population and 2.85% of the County’s homeless population, or 204 homeless people (94 sheltered and 110 unsheltered). The non-profit organization, Building Futures, has been contracted by the County to assess the City’s homeless population, enter individuals and families into the CES, and provide intensive case management work. Based on the City’s relatively low number of homeless people, Building Futures has funding to provide intensive case management to 12 people. Given the goal of CES to serve the most vulnerable homeless population County-wide first, and limited funding, it is clear that if the City wants to work to reduce its homeless population, it must do more than participate in CES. It is with this backdrop that SSHRB’s work group and staff set about to prepare the Report.
The Homeless Report summarizes the current situation of homelessness in the City of Alameda, looks at services currently available to homeless individuals, and then provides recommendations for policy options to address both symptoms and causes of homelessness. The Report's aim is to give City Council and other decision-makers a number of options with differing levels of impact and costs to the City to address homelessness.
POLICY OPTIONS
This Report divides policy options into four main categories:
• Services to Homeless Individuals - these types of programs and policies will make life more comfortable for homeless individuals but will not reduce the number of individuals living with homelessness.
• Temporary Shelter for the Homeless - these non-permanent shelter options can reduce the time homeless individuals spend on the street during inclement weather or for the most vulnerable individuals but do not eliminate homelessness.
• Permanent Housing - while the most costly, long-term solutions to homelessness must involve a commitment to house the homeless.
• Local Code and Strategy Action - while not providing direct services to address homelessness, there are policy statements and changes to the City’s Zoning Code that can be made in order to better support other policy and programming recommendations contained in the Report.
These policy options are further organized as follows:
|
Policy Area |
Program Options |
Timeline |
Cost |
|
Services to Homeless Individuals |
• Homeless Outreach Team • Supplemental Case Management • Community Paramedics |
Short-term |
Low to medium |
|
Temporary Shelter for the Homeless |
• Homeless Shelter • Winter Warming Center • McKay Ave. Property |
Medium-term; Ongoing |
Medium to High |
|
Permanent Housing |
• Local Funding of Homeless Housing • Construction of Additional Units of All Types/Prices |
Long-term |
High |
|
Local Code and Action Strategy |
• Zoning Amendments to Support Homeless Programs • Parking Meters for Homelessness • Homeless State of Emergency |
Short-term; Ongoing |
Low |
The Report also serves as a reminder to the community that it is not illegal to be homeless in Alameda and reminds decision-makers that permanent housing is the only solution to ending homelessness in the City.
The program options contained in the Report range from those programs that are currently being funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other dedicated funds and grants, and programs that leverage community volunteers and County staff to actions that do not require funding and those that require long-term funding commitments. While staff believes that it can implement a number of the programs identified above over the next 15 months, the discussion below focuses on the priority items for funding during this timeframe:
Mobile Outreach - The City hired Operation Dignity (OD) in Fall 2016, to assist the City in working with the homeless people living at the future Jean Sweeney Park. The encampment was dismantled in July 2017, to allow construction of the park to commence. OD was instrumental in providing services to a number of park residents, including housing one family at Dignity Commons and three other individuals at Alameda Point Collaborative (APC) units. Since that time, OD has found housing for another five individuals.
One of the consequences of dismantling the encampment is that park residents have disbursed throughout the City and are much more visible to residents and businesses. Therefore, it has been important to continue contracting with OD for mobile outreach services. All of the stakeholders and homeless service providers have identified mobile outreach as the key program to be funded as it is the foundational service that allows the other services to happen. The Report recommends continued funding of mobile outreach on an annual basis. Funding for OD’s contract is budgeted for the current Fiscal Year (FY), but is not budgeted for FY 18-19. Staff will request a mid-cycle adjust in the amount of $120,000 as part of the City-wide budget process later this Spring to fund mobile outreach in the upcoming FY.
Homeless Outreach Team - Homeless Outreach Teams (HOT team) are a best practice for serving homeless people. The idea is to bring together the many agencies/organizations that work with homeless people (Police, Community Paramedics, OD, Building Futures, City staff, etc.) on a regular basis to check in and coordinate service provision as well as develop handouts and materials sharing City and County resources for addressing homelessness.
In December 2017, staff submitted to the County a $50,000 Immediate Impact Grant application for funding this team. The HOT team is modeled on a program that Building Futures has been running in San Leandro for the past four years. The City’s grant proposal requests $35,000 for Building Futures to administer a HOT team in Alameda and $15,000 to prepare resource materials for homeless people and well as community members. The Board of Supervisors is set to consider the grant award at its March 27 meeting.
Parking Meters for Homelessness -The City’s existing parking meter contract allows the City to install up to 20 meters that can accept donations for a charitable cause. This opportunity will allow the City to begin collecting funding and make visible the City’s actions on addressing homelessness on a quick timeline. There is a one-time cost to the City of $13,400. Staff recommends moving forward with this program as soon as possible.
Supplemental Case Management - County funding of CES will provide case management services for 12 people. Additional investment in these services will better care for the City’s homeless population and also prepare individuals to move toward becoming housed more rapidly. It is proposed to fund Building Futures to provide intensive case management to another 12 people at a cost of $25,000.
McKay Avenue Medical Respite and Wellness Center - APC has been notified by the Federal Health and Human Services Department that it has been approved for a homeless accommodation for a 3.65-acre federally owned site on McKay Avenue. APC proposes to develop a Medical Respite and Wellness Center with a focus on frail and/or elderly homeless people. This project will change the paradigm of available services in Alameda and will significantly contribute to the provision of health care services to homeless people. This is a $35-40 million project that will be developed over a three- to five-year period. APC is currently preparing the required Environmental Assessment (EA) required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). CDBG funds ($25,000) have been awarded to ensure that the EA also supports the environmental documentation needed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff is recommending to further support the McKay Avenue project by appropriating $50,000 to fund pre-development work such as a required Phase I hazardous materials report, an ALTA survey and the EA.
Staff recommends that the Council review the Report and provide feedback and recommendations for moving forward with the Report’s programs and policies as described above.
Homelessness is a major issue throughout the Bay Area and much of the State of California. It is a humanitarian crisis and has become an intractable challenge for local governments and communities. As a result, there are many individuals, academics, faith-based and non-profit organizations, professional associates, and levels of government that are working on this issue. On February 22, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson hosted a Countywide Summit on Homeless Solutions. Danielle Thoe of the Alameda Housing Authority and a key contributor to the Report and Tony Munoz of the Alameda Police Department attended the Summit. Exhibit 2 is a summary of the key themes, new ideas and best practices discussed at the Summit. These notes may provide additional ideas for Council consideration as it discusses the report on homelessness.
In addition, the Institute for Local Government recently published a Homelessness Task Force Report: Tools and Resources for Cities and Counties that is attached as Exhibit 3.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
A variety of funding sources are used to assist homeless people in Alameda. General Fund monies currently fund OD to provide mobile outreach services. CDBG monies support the Midway Shelter and are helping to fund the EA for McKay Avenue. 2-1-1 services are funded with a combination of General Fund and CDBG monies. The County is funding the new CES program which is providing intensive case management for 12 people. If the City is awarded a grant for the proposed HOT team, the County will be funding that new initiative. In addition, Supervisor Chan’s office has pledged support for a warming center in the 2018 winter season.
Staff is recommending appropriating an additional $88,400 in General Fund monies for Fiscal Year 2017-18 to carry out the following new programs: 1. Parking meter program to raise awareness and collect donations for homeless services ($13,400), 2. Intensive Case Management to serve an additional 12 people ($25,000) and 3. Pre-development activities in support of the McKay Avenue Medical Respite and Wellness Center ($50,000).
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The report on homelessness has been prepared as directed by a City Council referral in conjunction with the SSHRB, which is a City-chartered Board whose mission is to provide guidance and recommendations to the City Council on the social services needs of the community.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approval of a report on homelessness is not subject to environmental review because it is general policy and procedure making and hence not a "project" under CEQA. In addition, although funds will be appropriated if certain recommendations are adopted, such appropriation is also not a project under CEQA because it is a funding mechanism that does not involve any commitment to a specific project that may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. CEQA Guidelines, Section 15378 (b) (2) and (4).
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) recommended Report on Homelessness in Alameda and adopt a resolution amending the General Fund operating budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 to appropriate $88,400 to implement key program recommendations.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Potter, Community Development Director
By,
Sherice Youngblood, SSHRB
Danielle Thoe, Housing Authority of the City of Alameda
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Edwin Gato, Acting Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Homelessness Report
2. Countywide Summit Memo
3. Task Force Report