Title
City of Alameda
Special Meeting of the Social Service Human Relations Board
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Meeting Minutes
1. Call to order
President Audrey Hyman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Roll Call: Audrey Hyman (President), Christine Chilcott (Vice-President), Cheryl Harawitz, Jennifer Hastings, Kale Jenks, Claudia Medina, Mark Sorensen
2. Approval of Minutes
Jenks made the motion to approve the September 27, 2018 meeting minutes. Chilcott seconded. The September 27, 2018 minutes were approved 6-1 as presented. Sorensen abstained, as he was not present at this meeting.
3. Public Comments
Sharan Aminy, 2-1-1/Eden I&R Program Manager, provided an overview of 2-1-1 programs and services offered to Alameda residents. The organization has been active in Alameda County for 11 years and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program provides referrals and resources to better serve homeless individuals. Housing is the biggest need in Alameda County. Financial, medical and legal assistance are also needed. The organization can provide demographic information to the City to pinpoint needs and identify gaps in service. Adults with mental illness is a big priority and a group that has difficulty finding placement.
4. Agenda Items
a. EveryOne Home Strategic Plan Presentation
Elaine de Coligny, Executive Director of EveryOne Home, presented on the 2018 Alameda County Strategic Plan to End Homelessness and outlined the purpose of the plan and the goal to reduce homelessness in the county from 5,600 to 2,400 people in five years. She discussed the intersection of homelessness with race, affecting African Americans and Native Americans at a disproportionate rate, most likely due to systemic issues. The Plan looks at reasons for being homeless and found that 26% of the population is on fixed income (such as Social Security and Social Security Disability Insurance) who become at-risk because of the increasing cost of housing in Alameda County. There is a great need to address affordable housing as a strategy, and de Coligny mentioned that cities may help in reducing homelessness by having dedicated sources of funding in the local jurisdictions. Los Angeles and San Francisco are sample cities that have used parcel tax, sales tax, general fund carve out, and ballot measures to create funding streams for homeless services.
Several questions were raised, and de Coligny provided the following information in response:
• Capital improvement funds have been set aside to stabilize and rejuvenate existing homeless shelters. The focus is to make funds accessible for those needs while protecting operating resources for long-term housing solutions, such as permanent housing and prevention strategies. People prefer to be in the homes rather than in shelter.
• The Housing and Urban Development Department sets the criteria for defining homelessness. The individual’s case determines their status. The Plan outlines risks of homelessness and ways to prevent people from becoming homeless. Dollars will be spent on homeless prevention strategies.
• Data is being collected on the amount of time it took to place an individual into housing after enrolling in the Coordinated Entry System. Of those who have been placed in housing, 99% stay housed for at least one year and 92% stayed housed for three or more years.
Doug Biggs, Executive Director of the Alameda Point Collaborative, commented that he had been involved in developing the Alameda County Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. Biggs mentioned that he and Liz Varela, Executive Director of Building Futures, serve on the Board of EveryOne Home. He commented that the Plan is only as good as its implementation, and this is an ambitious Plan because the “ask” is more realistic. Biggs recommended that the plan be taken to City Council for adoption and to refer to the priority and principles of the strategic plan. These principles align with the Alameda’s homeless plan approved by Council in March 2018. Biggs commented that Alameda really needs to focus on prevention of homelessness, as more people are getting displaced because of the rising home prices.
b. Community Development Block Grant Action Plan Needs Statement Presentation
Lisa Fitts, Management Analyst with the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda, presented on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. She discussed the goals and timeline of the grant and invited members of the public to provide comments in order for the Social Service Human Relations Board to hear about the needs in the community. The following statements were made as part of the public’s comments on the CDBG:
• CDBG funding continues to be an important source of funding for agencies addressing the social service needs of Alameda residents in the areas of case management, domestic violence victim support, housing, homeless services, information and resources, legal assistance, outreach and engagement, and senior services. In fact, the providers have seen increasing demand for services though no commensurate funding has become available. Several programs in the first six months have more than exceeded the number of clients they have been contracted to serve for the entire year.
• Developing permanent supportive housing solutions is the goal and shelters fill a critical need. Shelters are serving clients with higher, more intense needs and are thus in critical need of support.
• Prevention services present opportunities for a cost-effective approach to serve current needs of clients while disrupting corollary issues from happening.
• With domestic violence being a primary risk factor for homelessness among women, services that support victims of domestic violence can prevent women and their children from losing their housing and becoming unhoused.
• Legal assistance and tenant rights services are also preventive measures for housing retention.
• Information and assistance and outreach services promote awareness of the resources and programs available in the community and are powerful tools to get people connected to services.
• There are emerging concerns that need attention, including the uncertainty of healthcare coverage for seniors and rising rents and cost of living that are contributing factors to housing displacement.
• The City needs to align its approach with the County’s strategic plan for the homeless.
President Hyman thanked the speakers for their comments. These comments will be submitted to City Council as part of the public hearing on CDBG. President Hyman will work with staff to prepare the CDBG Needs Statement letter that will be submitted to City Council.
c. Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) Staff Report
Ana Bagtas, Community Development Analyst with the City of Alameda, provided an update on HEAP and reported on the preliminary plans for the use of the funds submitted to the County. The contract is expected to be in place with the County in March, and there is flexibility in moving the funds from one category to another, as well as changing the projects from what was originally proposed. The City of Alameda has been allocated $756,524 in HEAP funds. After taking the 2.5% allowable for administration, the following is the breakdown of the proposed allocation and projects submitted to the County on November 8:
|
HEAP-Eligible Category |
Funding Allocation |
Percentage |
Possible Projects to be Funded |
|
Service |
$147,522.18 |
20% |
Develop a regional partnership with the Cities of Fremont, Hayward, San Leandro, and Union City to purchase a shared mobile hygiene unit and establish sanctioned car and RV parking areas |
|
Rental Assistance/ Rental Subsidy |
$73,761.09 |
10% |
Provide housing assistance and emergency motel vouchers |
|
Capital Improvement |
$516,327.63 |
70% |
Build public restrooms in the two main street areas in the city |
There is an aggressive spending timeline where 50% of the funds must be contractually obligated by January 1, 2020 and 100% of the funds must be expended by June 30, 2021. The Homeless Outreach Team/CARES has provided input on the proposed projects and staff will be meeting with the business community to get its feedback. The following comments were made regarding the HEAP proposal:
• Aligning the City’s use of the funds with EveryOne Home’s Strategic Plan for the Homeless should be considered.
• Building public restrooms in downtown areas is not good use of HEAP. While it is needed, the City should use other funds to pay for this project.
• Investing more in outreach and engagement and prevention strategies is needed.
• Supporting the Alameda Wellness Center is needed.
• Spending the funds as soon as possible as defined in the eligible service categories is critical. Capital improvement is important but carries a high expense.
The Board approved the proposal submitted to the County and requested that staff agendize HEAP at its January or February meeting to allow members to review the potential projects and provide feedback on the use of the funds. The Board recommended the City’s HEAP proposal for adoption by the City Council. The motion passed unanimously.
d. Election of Officers
The motion to accept the nomination of Audrey Hyman as President was passed unanimously. Hyman accepted. The motion to accept the nomination of Christine Chilcott as Vice-President passed unanimously. Chilcott accepted.
e. Workgroup Reports
Human Relations: Chilcott commented that the Community Service Awards event was great. Hyman provided glowing remarks on the venue, food, set-up, and program.
Assessment and Awareness: none
Homeless Action Plan: Hyman attended the Planning Board hearing on the Alameda Health and Wellness Center on McKay Avenue. On behalf of SSHRB, she wrote letter in support of McKay that will be included in the packet that will go to Council to remove the Government overlay on the property. She encouraged Board members to write letters or e-mails of support.
5. Staff communications
a. Fonstein talked about the Season for Nonviolence. He described how it is celebrated in Alameda with the reading of the word of the day and a speech contest in March. He hopes to meet with principals of middle and high schools regarding the speech contest. The contest is scheduled on Saturday, March 23. [Note: the date has subsequently been changed to Saturday, March 16.]
b. Bagtas reported that the Point in Time count is happening on January 30 and volunteers are needed. EveryOne Home has released the website to sign-up as a volunteer.
c. Homeless Program Updates
• Bagtas gave an update on the Parking Meter for the Homeless Program. Public Works is working with the vendors on the placement of the meters. A plan for promoting the meters will be developed.
• Bagtas reported that the Dine and Connect dinners for the homeless have been successful. Outreach has been successful with the highest number of homeless diners attending at 45 people. The program has seen an outpouring of support from churches who would like to pilot their own dining events. She explained how this is not a formal program, but more of a gathering place for the homeless. The City will work further with them to provide resources to volunteers and community.
• The Warming Shelter is now open. Volunteers and donations are needed.
d. Bagtas and Fonstein attended the County’s first meeting on the Census 2020. City will have its own Complete Count Committee.
e. The Board discussed how to use the Clemens Fund. 50% of the funds was approved to be used by ACCYF and 50% will go to the Warming Shelter.
f. Fonstein explained that the City’s Minimum Wage Ordinance will take effect in July 2019.